I set up the hammock at 10,000 feet just east of Donahue Pass, between a couple of small high elevation trees in the subalpine meadows. I would have gotten through the wind okay except it was the beginning of that storm that blew through the first week of August - the trees were stablized by my weight in the hammock but not enough to keep the tarp from flapping around and keeping me awake. Since I was relatively certain it was weather and not just high altitude wind, I didn't want to just take down the tarp, so took everything down and pitched the MacCat in a flying diamond pointed into the wind. I had the NeoAir and was fine until about 2 am when a fierce gust snatched the tarp D rings off the groundhogs - note to self, put bigger rocks on the stakes when winds are 40-50 mph!

If I had been by myself I would have simply headlamped off into the night in search of a more sheltered spot, but I would have been out of sight of the tent dweller group I was with. I usually use a JRB underquilt but this was one of those multi-9000ft+-pass outings, and I felt the pads would make it easier. Temps routinely dip into the 30s and the JRB 3 season quilts are more than adequate to the task. I will be going out in October to high elevation Sequoia NP, and anticipate using both quilts, the Neo Air, a GG 1/4" foam pad, and possibly a tarp tent, depending on whether I can get myself another job soon.