

Backpacking where frozen ground makes pounding in tent stakes tough, a small hammer or hatchet is useful. If one is in an area of excess wood, campfires, wood tent stakes and poles might be part of the trip. Then a hatchet can be good to have.
Marble makes a small hatchet which weighs 13 ounces and I found for $17 plus shipping. Small enough it fits in my back pocket. It does a good job at pounding stakes, and is useful for light wood gathering. I like it for tapping away fire starting pitch chunks from the “cat face” of a pine tree, quickly limbing off the small dead pencil size “magic sticks” at the base of trees, making shavings and getting at dry wood in a dead stump. It is smaller than the usual hatchets, so won’t be up to larger tasks like felling anything more than a sapling. You won’t be splitting rounds with this, but for wood gettin’ I find it better than a pocket knife and sometimes better than a saw. I made a small leather sheath that leaves one side open for driving stakes and weighs 1/2 ounce. It came sharp enough for most tasks but if you like to whittle, it needs a bit of work with a stone to be shaving sharp. The wood appears to have a light varnish, but if you like could be sanded and tung oiled.
Pictures follow
Items needed:
First attach the Ridgeline tie out to a tree or pole at a height that allows the netting to sit 4″ on the ground.
I like to use a releasable tautline hitch.
If using a pole for the ridgeline, tie a clove hitch around the top of the pole and then run the line down to a stake on the ground. Adjustable trekking poles make height adjustments easier.
Have someone hold the pole upright and go attach the other ridge line to a pole or tree.
Stake out the four corners at a height that maintains about 4″ of netting laying on the ground.
Adjust cord length using the tautline hitches and by moving stakes so that the tarp is stretched snug with minimum wrinkles. In a wind, you want the tarp to hum, not flap.
If needed, tie out center side points and four corner points on netting. Shepherds crook type stakes work well for the netting. The netting should be snug but not tight along the sides of the tarp (gentle on the netting) and loose on the pleated ends so one can crawl under the netting easily without having to remove a stake.
Making stuff sacks for transporting and storing electric fencing for bear safety.
They seem pretty compact if a bit long.
Here is how it works.
Nice smooth trail hike, double and single track trails, not far from Spokane. Views of the valley and Mt Spokane.
https://www.spokanecounty.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Mica-Peak-Conservation-Area-69
https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=47.57021,-117.08782&z=14&b=t&o=f16a%2Cr&n=1,0.25
Filed under Tips for the Backcountry
PDF on directions to set up Pyramid and to lash two trekking poles together with provided web straps to make tall tent pole.
Buy pyramids here.
Two overhands rolled up again the third. Then the thread broke at the knot.
Will 3 flat overhand knots in Dyneema thread stop a loop from untying under force?
DIY Kits for 5×8′, 9×9′ and 10×10′ ultralight tarps
How to Video Steps
1 Sew Reinforce Panel Tie Outs
2 Sew Tarp Center Seam, 1st Pass
3 Top Stitch Center Seam, 2nd Pass
4 Sew Reinforced Tie Out to Center of Tarp Along Seam
5 Sewing the hem and inserting reinforcements
6 Sewing on the webbing