Recommend stakes for frozen ground

[Just Tom]

I often use a tarp-type setup with my trekking poles (assuming I get them fixed) and that means lots of stakes. It is finally getting cold enough here in CT where the ground will start to freeze soon. In the absence of any meaningful snow, any suggestions on stakes that can be used in hard / frozen ground?

Thanks!

[russb]

Don't use any. If the ground is solid, a T (or L shaped) stick will easily freeze to it with a small amount of water poured over it. Then tie off to the stick.

[1azarus]

Don't use any. If the ground is solid, a T (or L shaped) stick will easily freeze to it with a small amount of water poured over it. Then tie off to the stick.

does this work well? about to use my new tarp with way more tie outs than i am used to and am stressing out over frozen snow free ground. on a lighter note but still seriously, has it worked for you with urine?

[Just Tom]

That seems like it would take a while with all the tie-outs I have on mine. Time to locate and trim 8 to 10 branches, plus time for each to set...seems like a overkill for a fairly mild-weather state.

[russb]

In general I tie off to other things first. If the ground is frozen solid, then no stakes are going to work anyway. But yes it does work and doesnt take very long. Though tying off to other things is still faster. Choose a spot next to a downed tree and you have an entire length if tree to tie to on one side. Benn stake less for a few years now. Once I got used to it, it goes very fast. Never tried urine.

[handlebar]

If there's snow suitable for snowballs, then a stick through a loop of cord buried in a small trench and packed in with more snow works surprisingly well.

[kayak karl]

Gutter spikes work well. cheap too.

[Kevin108]

They're getting hard to find! They're actually terrible for hanging gutters because they're great at splitting 3/4" fascia.

[VTATHiker]

I've used MSR Needle Stakes for frozen ground before. They're tough, narrow, and they're a single solid piece. Use a rock to hammer them two inches into frozen ground. Beware tent stakes in these conditions that are two pieces glued/adhered together (Easton Nano Stakes, or the ones that came with my Tarptent a while back), I've had them pull apart when removing them from frozen ground. Another possibility is to used nearby stones (15-20 lbs) as anchor points. Just put the stake through the loop on the guyline and lay that on the ground so that the stake is lying flat and perpendicular to the guyline, then put the stone on top of that.

[QiWiz]

The lightest option I've found is to bring one heavier stake that I can really hammer with a rock or piece of wood and use this to make "pilot holes" for my titanium skewer stakes. There are also aluminum gutter nails (as already mentioned), titanium "nail" stakes and stakes made from aluminum arrow shafts that work pretty well.

[rocketsocks]

A long aluminum knitting needle makes for a great snow stake...comes in multiple colors as well

[rocketsocks]

Also multi purpose for all you knitters out there.

[shakey_snake]

The problem with snow isn't setting the stake, it's removing them from the frozen-tight snow in the morning.

That's why you use the stick in the trench method mentioned above and set the knot for your buntline hitch above the snow (any length adjusters should be made from the tarp side).

[HaChayalBoded]

wood screws, no really, bring an easy way to screw them in or out like a ratchet with a phillips head socket, especially if your tent has lots of guyot points and also if you have friends who probably have crappy stakes, because you will be staking down their tent as well. I wouldn't do this on a thruhike, but if I'm going out for a weekend not too far in and I know the ground will be frozen I use screws. I busted enough expensive stakes in frozen ground.

[Franco]

"Beware tent stakes in these conditions that are two pieces glued/adhered together (Easton Nano Stakes, or the ones that came with my Tarptent a while back), I've had them pull apart when removing them from frozen ground"
It helps if you tap them in before giving them a bit of a nudge with your boot and then pull them out.