Up In The Air Or On The Ground???

[I.N.F.K]

Hello folks,

recently I've been scouting potential spots in the mountians to stay over the weekend in. Which is when I found this perfect, flat, open area tucked down in a valley with a fairly deep creek that I fell in, about 25 yards away. Now I've slept on the ground before using a wool blanket and a tarp underneath and sleeping in my Teton 20 degree sleeping bag. It was fine, but I was wondering if the advantages of sleeping in a hammock is something that I should consider?

 

[Codger_64]

Pertaining to both the site in the bottom of a valley in winter and to the elevated hammock, consider that the coldest air sinks thus the bottom of the valley near the creek will be colder than a bench further up and the bag at ground level will be colder than one slightly elevated, even by a hammock.

 

[billym]

^^^^Just what Codger said. Don't sleep at the bottom of the valley.
Also It wouldn't hurt to have more insulation underneath you, even in a hammock. On the ground you can add a closed cell foam mattress or cut some pine bows and pay them under your tarp/blanket ground cloth set up.
In a hammock you will basically be surrounded by cold air because you are suspended. You will need insulation between you and the hammock.

 

[I.N.F.K]

I probably won't camp there until March or April be cause im not really outfitted for winter camping.

 

[Codger_64]

I probably won't camp there until March or April be cause im not really outfitted for winter camping.

Cool. Just remember that the same phenomenon applies year round. A night at 50 or 60 degrees on a hillside can be a night at 40 or below in a valley. As the sun rises in the morning the cold air above will fall like a stone, somewhat down the slope but more so down a watercourse at the bottom of a valley. I learned this the hard way over the years with my canoe camping. It can be useful during hot weather where cooler air is welcomed.

 

[panzertroop]

its all personal preference. You can sleep comfortably with both but just need different gear for each.

 

[kuuto]

Hammock camping in cool weather takes special gear considerations and some experience to be comfortably warm.
Sleeping bag insulation under a persons weight will be useless compressed by the hammock. Foam pads will help if they're wide enough around the shoulders/arms. Some folks cut up pads and tape them together for custom sizes/shapes. A quilt made specifically for hanging outside the underneath of a hammock is the best way, then another quilt or bag inside.
A tarp big enough to reach the ground on all sides to block wind will help a lot. Hanging in the open breeze gets cold fast.

Hammock camping in general might not be comfortable for everyone. It's best to have a few practice hangs in the backyard or someplace with a back-up plan if the hammock doesn't work out. Especially true for colder weather hammocking. Some research will show what's available for hammock camping, warm and cool temperatures, and a few trial runs will help a lot.

With a flat campsite already picked out, I'd chose a tent for mountain weather. Being comfortably warm in a hammock will take more gear and figuring than a tent.