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My tent flooded in a surprise downpour at Lake Tahoe
I was camping at Fallen Leaf Lake last year and a storm rolled in fast. I woke up at 2 AM with a cold puddle under my sleeping bag because my cheap tent's floor seam gave out. The next day, I spent $180 on a tent with a higher hydrostatic head rating and taped seams. Anyone have a favorite trick for a quick ground check before you pitch for the night?
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kai6572mo ago
Oh man, that's the worst feeling! Just a quick note, Fallen Leaf is actually right next to Tahoe, not in it. That area gets crazy weather! My go-to trick is to just press my hand flat on the ground where the tent will go. If any water seeps up around your palm, it's too wet and you'll get soaked. A footprint tarp is a lifesaver too.
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diana1552mo agoMost Upvoted
Press your hand flat on the ground" seems like overkill to me. I've set up on damp grass plenty of times and been fine. A little moisture doesn't mean you're gonna get soaked, it just means the ground is, you know, ground. That tarp trick is for people who pack for every worst case scenario.
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harperschmidt1mo ago
Nah I'm with diana on this one. I've camped plenty of times on ground that felt dry on top but was a mud pit underneath by morning. The hand press test works but you gotta push harder than you think, like really lean into it. I had a trip last spring where everything felt fine, no tarp, just me and my tent on some slightly damp dirt. Woke up at 3am with water pooling under my sleeping pad, had to dig a little trench around the tent with my boot in the dark. That tarp trick isn't about worst cases, it's about avoiding that exact mess.
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