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| A bitterly cold late December camp in the Northwest Highlands |
Elsewhere in this issue I was delighted to read an entertaining piece by Ian R. Mitchell, author of the excellent Scotland's Mountains Before the Mountaineers and On the Trail of Queen Victoria in the Highlands, on the mountains of Utah, which includes an account of the highest summit, King's Peak, which I climbed many years ago. This feature is a taster for a new book by Ian R.Mitchell, Encounters in the Mountain West: A Sinner amongst the Latter Day Saints, due out later this month. I've ordered my copy!
The Utah piece is part of a general theme of autumn of which the main feature is about the season in the Lake District with Andy Stothert singing the praises of the Coniston area plus a selection of suggested places to see autumn colours. There's also a short piece on the spectacualr colours of Glen Affric, which I can vouch for having just returned from there, though the colours are not yet as deep and bright as they will be in coming weeks.
Also in the November TGO Cat Scully goes pony trekking and walking in the Brecon Beacons; Cameron McNeish has an unusual walk up Schiehallion with druid Lawrence Main who says it is one of the world's holy hills and was visited by Jesus Christ; Roger Smith makes a strong statement about wind farms and wild land; Jim Perrin praises the writing of Thoreau and recommends The Maine Woods and The Journal 1837-1861 (another book to read!); John Manning reviews seventeen pairs of waterproof trousers; and Kate Ashbrook, President of the Ramblers, argues for the importance of maintaining investment in paths and trails.
Finally, there's a reminder of the TGO Awards reader categories. Voting is open until October 20th on the TGO website.
Nice shelter that SL3 in the photo Chris. Ideal for a long winter night. Do you use guy lines with yours in winter?
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a good winter shelter. I've never used guylines with it.
ReplyDeleteIs it not draughty? Looks raised up a bit... Not pitched tight to ground.
ReplyDeleteDoes look good though. Is this the one that you reviewed and technically came third after Trailstar and Duomid?
Tony
Tony, yes, it's the GoLite Shangri-La 3, pitched high for ventilation as there was hardly any wind. It's an excellent shelter - very roomy and stable - but now you can only buy it with the full-size inner, which is quite heavy and leaves no cooking/wet gear storage area. It used to be available without the inner. For backpacking I've always used it with a simple flat groundsheet.
ReplyDeleteSo you could pitch to the ground then?
ReplyDeleteI remember reading you said it comes with inner.
I am thinking of a blog post of dog camping and advantages of no inner. Think on that one ;-) best not sound to far ahead of myself.
Your choice of flat.groundsheet, its a big sheet? I'm warey of s bag spilling over to grass. Disadvantage of no inner lol!
Tony
Yes, it can be pitched to the ground. It comes with an adjustable pole. Trekking poles can be used but you need to connect two together and the result doesn't feel that strong to me.
ReplyDeleteThe flat groundsheet fills about half of the tent. It's rectangular and so not the right shape. OookWorks makes inners and groundsheets for the SL3. I might get one of the latter.
Did you try Colins cradle system for your poles?
ReplyDeleteI've not heard from Sean in a while, I hope he's ok. I have a few things on order.
Tony
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ReplyDeleteGreat shelter and very dog friendly not that unlike the trailstar I use instead now
ReplyDeleteTony, I didn't try Colins cradle system. It's not joining the poles that bothers me but the flexibility of the combined poles. I'm not convinced they are strong enough for a winter shelter.
ReplyDeletePeter, the SL3 was the first shelter like this I tried - some eleven years ago - then it was called the Hex 3.
The supplied pole must be very strong then.
ReplyDeleteLooks good.
Sorry, forgot to ask, how tall is it in relation to Duomid primarily? Just wondering if lot taller or if the 6" Duomid extension would help on your pole?
ReplyDeleteThanks :-)
Tony, the height is 62 inches. The 6" Duomid extension wouldn't help. You can find all the details here: http://www.golite.com/Shangri-La-3-Tent-P46713.aspx
ReplyDeleteThe pole is very strong - much wider and thicker than a trekking pole.
Thanks Chris! Looks similar (or the idea similar) to the MLD SuperMid. Just a bit smaller....
DeleteThe Supermid is a larger Duomid as far as I can see. The SL3 has six sides - hence the name of the original version, the Hex. There is a much larger one, the SL5. Of course all these pyramid tents are similar.
DeleteYes, its same length as Duomid but of course wider ie square. And much taller. About a foot odd higher I think. Looks massive!
DeleteHope to pick up mag tomorrow. Newsagent doesn't get it in until Thursdays.
it's a good winter shelterI.wish I could go with you to one of those places . backpacking with dogs
ReplyDelete