Tarps and Snow

“I posted this question on another forum and didn't get a response so here goes. I am planning a hiking trip on the AT in late winter/early spring and there is a possibility of light snow. I want to use my tarp to save weight over a single person 3-pole tent. My question is: How do you set up a tarp in winter conditions to keep the tarp from sagging due to a load of snow?”

“I used to use a tarp in the winter long ago, but the one thing I didn't like about it is that if it was windy with snow on the ground, spindrift would blow underneath and snow gets all over me and everything else. If the snow isn't powder that probably won't happen. It's colder than a tent too. I guess if you have bivy sack it wouldn't be as bad. I just used to set it up in an A frame set up over a line. If it sags to much just knock the snow off and tighten all the guylines. I used a tent with a lot of mesh once in high winds in winter and the snow was blowing under the fly and right through the mesh. I swept snow out a few times that night.”

“I have no experience with tarps in snow, but some of the makers likely Henry Shires do not recommend their tarps for winter usage.

On his site he says...

"Disclaimer: Snowy, winter conditions create additional shelter needs. The Tarptent will be fine in light snowstorms but is NOT intended for winter use."

I think a tarp could handle the kind of snow you'll be running into though.”

“A tarp will work in snow about as good as any tent IMO except for a dome tent. The weight of any snow will make it sag a little. If your gonna be on the AT then just stay in the shelters if it looks like it may snow.”

“I've had my trekker tarp in the snow once. It held up ok, but it sure was cold compared to my 3+ season TNF tent.

Good luck!”

“I'm a bivy man myself. TOASTY!!”

“WD - do you tarp along with the bivy when the weather is bad?”

“I used my tarptent on the AT in GA about two weeks ago. Very light snow, but very windy. The wind was really picking up the spindriff, so I closed my beak and zipped the mesh closed and was fine. The mesh actually did a great job keeping the spindriff out. Just stake it low to the ground, and if you have beaks stake those low as well and you should be fine.”