Suggestions for staking/anchoring a shelter on a gravel bar

[colonel00]

So on a recent fishing trip we found a nice spot to setup our Cabela's 8-man dome tent right next to the river. Beautiful day, just enough of a breeze to keep the bugs at bay, blah blah. Well, the wind picked up a bit and we went to stake down the tent and found it quite challenging due to the "soil" composition. Using small diameter stakes, we could make it down maybe 3" or basically find gaps in the first layer of rocks under the soil before hitting more rocks that made getting a good purchase tough. I also found that when we did get a stake all the way in, the rocks were basically spread apart and thus the stake was pretty loose and would pull out easily.

Now, the obvious answer here is to find a better place to pitch the tent. With the free-standing dome tent, we made it work but I wasn't about to pitch a tipi there. We put large rocks on top of the stakes that we did get in the ground and the tent held up to some large gusts that sent the packrafts flying.

Anyway, I'm just curious if anyone has any tricks for pitching a shelter in situations like this. While we had other options (though we didn't go with them) on this trip, I can think of some situations where a gravel bar may be the best option for a shelter.

 

[armadillo66]

I have made deadman anchors out of limbs and rocks, I have also used plastic gallon milk jugs full of wet sand, they actually work pretty good when chocked with rocks

 

[mtnkid85]

While I can't speak directly to gravel bars, I have set up tents in unstakable country before. Forget the stakes, you will need to tie on some guy lines to the stake pockets and tie off either large rocks, stuff sacks filled with rock/dirt or sticks which you then bury with whatever sized rocks you can get.

 

[badkneesbro]

Tie or loop guy lines to stakes, make longer guy lines if you have to, set large heavy rocks on stakes. Done.

 

[orionsbrother]

I vote longer lines with deadmen.

 

[Hunt'nFish]

I've used sand bags full of sand & gravel placed in the tent corners. They are rather soft and don't poke holes in floor. And they weigh nothing when empty.

I've also used big smooth round rocks in the corners as well. In a pinch, stuff sacks & roll tops also work.
Hunt'nFish

 

[nirvanafan]

Like the others, I've had to use deadman anchors in the snow before. I've also had to pound a stake in about twice it's length by hitting using a stick to "set" the stake like you would push a nail below the surface of wood.