How to Pitch a Tent in Rocks

It doesn't take a novice camper long to learn that not all campsites are ideal. Many campsites are located in rocky areas or areas with loose, gravel-like terrain. Camping in these types of rocky terrain poses certain challenges, like how to pitch a tent without being able to stake it down. A tent needs to be properly secured, no matter what type of terrain it is pitched on. The threat of a collapsed or blown-away tent is a problem that both experienced and novice campers face and should take seriously.

Things You'll Need

  • Cording
  • Large rocks
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Instructions

  1. Hard Rock Surfaces

    • 1

      Tie or loop long sections of cording into the tent's stake loops and guy line loops.

    • 2

      Find enough large rocks so that each guy line will have its own rock and each tent stake will have at least two. The rocks should be as heavy as you can carry.

    • 3

      Tie each piece of cording to one of the rocks. If the rocks are not heavy enough on their own, use two or three rocks per piece of cording.

    • 4

      Use the leftover rocks to flatten the corners of the tent by laying the rocks on top of the cording between the tent and the rocks for weighing down the cording.

    Loose Rock Surfaces

    • 5

      Tie or loop long sections of cording into the tent's stake loops and guy line loops.

    • 6

      Find enough large rocks to tie one to each line of cording. The rocks should be heavy and wide.

    • 7

      Dig a hole for each guy line and stake-down cord. The hole should be at least 2 feet deep and wide enough to accommodate one rock per hole..

    • 8

      Tie each piece of cording to one of the rocks.

    • 9

      Put the tied rocks into the hole and fill it in. Stomp the ground down as firmly as possible. If the tent doesn't feel secure, make the holes deeper.