Tent stakes? Or appropriate options?

[eddy_line]

Planning first trip to IR, paddling & portaging from McCargoe across the island. With all of the descriptions of a "rock" island, carved by the glaciers, I'm wondering if it is possible to use tent stakes to anchor tents or tarps, especially in the paddle-in campsites? I have used small bags, filled with available small rocks when gravel-bar camping; wondering whether that method might be necessary in some places.

[Ingo]

You may bend a stake or two hitting a rock, but not a big problem. I've always been able to drive stakes close enough to where they need to be.

[Keweenaw]

Ditto what Ingo said. The really thin titanium stakes would be best. The big plastic stakes the worst.

Bob

[Damon S]

I use the MSR stakes that are shaped like a star pattern. Really stout/durable stakes and I've used them everywhere. They work nice because they'll actually push between jammed rocks in the soil, unlike the thin ones.

[fonixmunkee]

I use the MSR stakes that are shaped like a star pattern. Really stout/durable stakes and I've used them everywhere. They work nice because they'll actually push between jammed rocks in the soil, unlike the thin ones.

+1. They are called Groundhog stakes and are relatively cheap, actually. It's the only thing I use for staking down my tent in all sorts of soil and conditions.