Tried the 'cowboy camp' method on the Lost Coast Trail last month

I skipped my tent and just slept under the stars with a bivy sack near Shelter Cove. Figured I’d save weight and setup time, which I did. But I didn’t account for the fog rolling in at 3am and soaking everything through my bag. Learned the hard way that even in summer, coastal humidity means you still need a shelter. Anyone else get wrecked by unexpected moisture on an open route?

2 comments

2 Comments

roses691mo agoTop Commenter

Knew a guy who used a space blanket as a ground sheet and woke up floating in a puddle.

the_lisa1mo ago

Yeah that's because space blankets are basically just thin plastic with a reflective coating, they don't actually block water. I've seen people make that mistake before, you need something with actual thickness like a Tyvek ground sheet or even a cheap tarp. The space blanket will shred apart on roots and rocks too, not worth it unless you're using it as an emergency bivy layer. Stick to a proper ground cloth and save the emergency blanket for your pack.