using a shelter type tent on the Ivushak

[JuliW]

Sorry if my spelling of the river is incorrect.

We have a float trip planned this fall. In previous float trips I have used an awning type shelter (walrus tent) to be able to stay out of the weather but not have to hunker in a small tent. Not sure if wind or lack of 'tie downs' will allow a similar type shelter on the north slope.

thoughts?
Juli

[Team Kabob]

What month are you going? We just used two average tents. If you have room bring a rod, the fishing was fun.

[alaskabliss]

Wind is always a issue / concern. Bring some duck bill anchors or long stakes to keep your tent in place. Find a tent that is designed for wind and has enough room to be comftorable. Lot of people swear by the AO tents. Personaly its out of my price range at the time so I settled on a Cabelas west wind tent and it handled 40 mph gusts last weekend with ease.

As stated, bring fishing gear.

[Birdstrike]

Camping along the Ivishak is just about all gravel bars. If you need tie downs you might want to consider using lightweight laundry bags full of rocks. Those will hold better than stakes and they are easy to pack and lightweight (assuming you dump the rocks out). Lol

i used a Cabelas Guide Model 6 Man twice on that river. I saw one group camping under their propped up raft...talking about minimalist. Pack light (but comfortable) and you will drag less.

The white bags are mesh laundry bags.

[JuliW]

Thanks fellas for the replies! Love the laundry bag idea! what a great thing!

Juli

[AKMarmot]

And if you order from Campmor a lot & don't want to use your laundry bags that have them in multiple sizes, called a Heavy Duty Dunk & stuff bag.
They come in black & dark blue & are tough to tear up.
Funny I have a picture from there taken about 10 yrs ago with a buddy sitting under a green tarp used as an awning coming right off the top an old walrus tent

[LOCALAK907]

My Fathers company Automated Laundry Systems & Supply in Anchorage happens to sell such a bag. 1(907) 771-0111 Kerry should be able to set you up. Good price too. I get our nylon bags for game bags for hunts out of park service cabins in Kodiak. Their light, cheap, and strong. Wouldn't use them if you weren't going to hang in the meat shed out of the bag that evening though. That said I haven't tested them as a multi day bag yet. They might work great.

[AKRivers]

You'll likely need a real tent, not a tarp or lean-to

The Ivishak is on the cold side of the Brooks range and fall hunts will likely involve strong winds and snow (it snows every month up there). If I were you I'd take a true four-season tent, i.e. one that has a big vestibule, that has the kind of fly you can open for ventilation or to come and go without having lots of rain and snow come into the tent, and that is strong enough to hold up under several inches of wet snow in the wind. A lean-to type tent or one with an all-mesh tent body is going to be hard to keep warm at night, too. Remember there's nothing to burn for campfires up there.

If it were me, I'd take an expedition-type tent plus a bivvy sack to put my bag inside. Nothing more demoralizing, after doing all the prep and spending serious money on the air taxi, than waking up too cold and wet to want to do anything but sit around camp all day drinking coffee!

[JuliW]

The Ivishak is on the cold side of the Brooks range and fall hunts will likely involve strong winds and snow (it snows every month up there). If I were you I'd take a true four-season tent, i.e. one that has a big vestibule, that has the kind of fly you can open for ventilation or to come and go without having lots of rain and snow come into the tent, and that is strong enough to hold up under several inches of wet snow in the wind. A lean-to type tent or one with an all-mesh tent body is going to be hard to keep warm at night, too. Remember there's nothing to burn for campfires up there.

If it were me, I'd take an expedition-type tent plus a bivvy sack to put my bag inside. Nothing more demoralizing, after doing all the prep and spending serious money on the air taxi, than waking up too cold and wet to want to do anything but sit around camp all day drinking coffee!

Oh boy I hear ya on the weather up there...we went two years ago on the haul road and were inundated with rain (and some snow as well). Your advice is well heeded! The idea of a bivy sack is appealing - It is no fun waking up in a wet sleeping bag!

I was just thinking of the lean to tent for cooking and 'chilling' purposes (along with a tent)... a place to watch from, while staying out of the weather.

Thanks!
Juli

[sambuck12]

Nice photo birdstrike. Those black walls of water sure do have a way of creeping up on one and changing plans in a hurry. We saw one like that coming while up there once It came from the south and we were sure we were going to get nailed by it so we set up camp prepared to be drenched from the south. Then just watched it circle east of us. I thought we were lucky then as it got north of is the wind shifted and in 2 minutes all of our careful planning to set up camp was blown over and soaked us all. The wind beat us that time. Then just as soon as it started it was over (after pounding us for an hour) and the sun came out and we stretched out a clothesline to dry everything. Fun stuff!

[Roger45]

I have used the Cabela's 6-man guide tent on the Ivashak many times with great luck...never a problem. Keep a clean camp as there are plenty of bears :-)