Yukon Shelter Options

[idig4au]

Have a 10 day backpack sheep hunt in the Yukon booked for last week of August this year .

Trying to decide which shelter to take along for this hunt as not keen on smelling my guide and vice versa. I have the following options in my arsenal.

• Hilleberg Atko solo tent. Bombproof all season tent, but a little claustrophobic. 3 lbs 12 oz
• MLD Doumid CF (14 oz) + MLD eVent Bivy (12 oz). Floorless option. I use a dedicated carbon fiber pole rather than trekking pole. I always use a Bivy with floorless option for addition protection from weather/bugs. Can reduce weight further by using TI Goat bug Bivy. This has been my primary backpack setup last few years.
• Kuiu Mountainstar tent. 2 person 3 season tent. Bought in 2019 and haven’t used. Plenty of space and can spread out. I think 3 lbs, 9 oz.

Each has pros and cons. Freestanding, condensation, etc

What would you choose out of these for that location and time of year?

 

[back country]

I hunted sheep in the Yukon last year the first week of September with Mervyn’s. It was a horseback hunt but I still brought all my backpacking gear. Due to how things fell into place and where sheep were at the time, we never actually left base camp to spike out, but I’d brought my hilleberg akto to use. That’s the tent I use when I go sheep hunting in AK each year.

Last year in the Yukon it was getting pretty cold and late fall/early winter really started to hit that first week of September when I was there. No snow, but everything would be frozen and frosty each morning. They told me it wasn’t uncommon to have snow by then either.

I think your best options are either the hilleberg or kuiu. If it were me I’d take the akto, but I’ve used it before quite a bit and am really satisfied with it. I’ve never used the kuiu tents but I’ve heard great things and will probably get one to try at some point.

Who you hunting with in the Yukon?


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[idig4au]

I’m hunting with Blackstone.

 

[WCS]

I'd say that time of year up here your best bets are either the akto or the kuiu mountain star. I got stuck in my akto in the Pelly's last year for a couple of days around the same time of year and it shrugged off the weather like a champ, but isn't the most spacious.

 

[Paully_CA]

Hunted with Blackstone last year in mid-September for sheep and I'm headed back this year. Will be my fourth hunt with Blackstone since 2001. I had a Hilleberg Nick this past year and could not have been happier. Hilleberg calls it a 3 season tent, but I'd say it's great in the snow and cold weather, especially given the weight - about 3.5 lbs. Hilleberg also says it's a two person tent... you better like your room-mate...a lot. But as a one-person, nothing better!!

 

[AKDoc]

I voted Mountain Star. I've taken mine several times August sheep hunting in Alaska and many more times on remote pack-raft floats in early September. It has never let me down...even took an inch of snow one nite. I always spray/treat it each summer with Obenauf's (not sure it needs it, but it's what I do)...

 

[North61]

Great thing about a floorless shelter is the wood stove. You won't be finding fuel up high at least not easily and the spin-drift from blowing snow is a bugger...and you never know when it might snow up high here! A floorless shelter in blowing snow is not fun. I'd personally take the little Hilleberg. The Mountain star would be ok too.

 

[idig4au]

Thanks for the advise. I thought going floorless that time if the year might be iffy, so based on advise here, will will consider my Atko or Mountain Star tent options. Could also look at the 3 season Enan option and save a lb or so of pack weight from the Atko option.

 

[JakeShmevans]

Thanks for the advise. I thought going floorless that time if the year might be iffy, so based on advise here, will will consider my Atko or Mountain Star tent options. Could also look at the 3 season Enan option and save a lb or so of pack weight from the Atko option.

I tested the Enan out in some wet spring snow here in Montana one weekend and it handled it surprisingly well. Don’t know if I would do an extended trip though as I would just bring my Soulo for that.