Solo climbing and camping has a death grip on me. Usually I am ok with that but some nights are very lonely. I headed out to my secret backpacking spot one afternoon to clear my head. I hiked around the forest, up and down the limestone cliffs in search for the perfect tree. I found it but it refused to be climbed that day so I settled for my second choice.
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Just as I got my climbing gear setup and tossed up a throwline the sun went down. I didn’t realize until I was in the tree canopy that the tree I had chosen was not very friendly for limb walking but I hauled up my gear anyways and started setting up my hammock. By this time it was pitch black and my little headlamp needed a battery change but I of course didn’t bring any spares with me on this trip.
Every acrobatic movement that I completed sent a pile of snow from the branches down onto my neck and into my fleece shirt. Don’t you HATE that!? By the time I donned my hardshell I was cold, tired, and ready for a warm shower and hot cup of cocoa. But instead I reluctantly crawled into my sleeping bag and looked up at the dark starless sky. I felt so alone and usually the silence is my favorite part of backpacking but this night the sun couldn’t come up fast enough.
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That morning I grabbed my little old camera and started taking pictures with the hopes of being able to capture my entire canopy camping site. I was successful and reinvigorated to see the bright warm sun rising above the forest.
Here is one last view looking up from the ground…
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And a short video to top it all off!
Tags: cannon river MN , minnesota , dangerous hammocking , hammock high in the tree top , canopy camping , canopy hammocking , tree top hammocking , scary hammock location , tree camping , treeboat , tree boat , winter hammocking , extreme hammocking
TREEfool 