Adirondack wind shelter

[Quixoticgeek]

I've found several references to a tarp config called the "Adirondack wind shelter" or "Adirondack wind shed". It's a rather funky way of configuring a square tarp (doesn't work with a rectangular tarp).

Googling around a bit I find reference to the Adirondack Mountains, and to the Adirondack lean to shelters in said mountains. Can anyone shed any light on how the "Adirondack wind shelter" tarp setup got it's name?

Julia

 

[Macaroon]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zsr9-JBwNPE

Have a look at this Julia; it seems to be a traditional "wind shed" from that neck of the woods, and looks as if it could well be the inspiration for the tarp set-up.

 

[treadlightly]

If you look on the recent Rough Close meet thread, I'm sure there's a pic of this set up.

 

[Robmc]

You have probably seen this already but if not;

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=116276&highlight=adirondack

This was my introduction to this setup, so thanks to Wayland.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

Thank you everyone for your replies. The question I actually asked is how did the Adirondack wind shed tarp config get it's name? Am trying to track down who first used that name. I have plenty of pictures of the setup, and know how to do it, am just wondering about the Etymology of the name.

Julia

 

[Shewie]

At a guess I'd say it was a shelter popular in the Adirondacks which was used to give some protection from the wind

 

[Quixoticgeek]

So far I have ascertained:

- There are some mountains called the Adirondacks
- In the Adirondacks there are a number of publicly owned/maintained shelters that are a 3 sided structure of wood.
- There is a tarp setup that uses a square tarp that is called an "Adirondack Wind shed" (or shelter).

At somepoint, someone coined the term for the tarp config. I am trying to work out who and when, roughly. Because this is as much a history/etymology question, I originally posted it in the bushcraft chatter section, not the kit section. As this isn't so much about a piece of kit, as the history behind it.

J

 

[santaman2000]

We have a member here from near the Adironacks. I wish I could remember his entire thread name. It begins rgr.... Hopefully he'll be along after while and knows something about the subject.

 

[Harvestman]

We have a member here from near the Adironacks. I wish I could remember his entire thread name. It begins rgr.... Hopefully he'll be along after while and knows something about the subject.

The only person in the membership list whose name begins rgr is RGRBOX (found by starting a private message and seeing what usernames come up).

 

[santaman2000]

No. It's rgr and finishes with a number.

 

[John Fenna]

No. It's rgr and finishes with a number.

rg598 - New York state?

 

[Wayland]

I think I may have introduced a few people around here to this tarp set up.

I've heard it described as an Adirondack shelter a few times and sometimes use the term myself.

I believe it was originally inspired by the permanent public shelters along the Adirondack trail, which leads to the term, but it's so long ago that I first heard that I really couldn't tell you who started it.

Interesting that this should come up now as I have been thinking about a variation for my Sub Zero trips made from a cheap 3:2 ratio tarp which I may post something up about soon.

New shelter thread here.

 

[santaman2000]

Thanks John. I think you found it! Yes, the Adirondacks are also in NY State.

 

[leon-1]

So far I have ascertained:

- There are some mountains called the Adirondacks
- In the Adirondacks there are a number of publicly owned/maintained shelters that are a 3 sided structure of wood.
- There is a tarp setup that uses a square tarp that is called an "Adirondack Wind shed" (or shelter).

At somepoint, someone coined the term for the tarp config. I am trying to work out who and when, roughly. Because this is as much a history/etymology question, I originally posted it in the bushcraft chatter section, not the kit section. As this isn't so much about a piece of kit, as the history behind it.

J

Hi J, the Adirondack Guide Shelters that you have been talking about were only officialy built in 1917, however the Adirondack's had a booming trade in Hunting, Fishing and Canoeing from around 1800. It would be fair to assume that not all shelters that were constructed at the end of the day would have been standard lean-to's built wholely of wood scavenged or cut at the end of a day canoeing or hunting.

It's also worth looking at the baker tent being effectively a canvas variant of the Adirondack shelter.

I can find no incedence or definitive time when setting a tarp up was associated with this shelter type, however I would have thought that it would have been attributed to the Guides between 1800 and 1900 prior to fixed / semi permanent shelters being built.

The hunters lean-to shelter was marketed as the Whelen lean-to in 1925 and when you look at the configuration of one of those, they originated from the french trappers, there's a print from 1835 of one which is more or less identical.