Dan's Papers - June 29, 2007 - Sleeping Al Fresco

Can sleeping outside be luxurious? There are hotels popping up all over the world offering adults the chance to relive their childhoods by sleeping in luxurious tree houses.

In the United States, there are tree house bed and breakfasts located in Alaska, Arkansas, Hawaii, Missouri, Oregon, Washington and California. Internationally, vacation in a banyan tree in India, in a yurt in the South of France, hang out in the wilderness in South Africa or snowshoe to a tree house in Switzerland.

Alaska's Five-Day Tree House Stay in Anchorage requires that guests be in "excellent physical condition." This hotel is not for the pampered. To get to the tree house one must fly from Anchorage to a lake approximately two miles from the tree house. Here you meet a personal guide who will lead you on a five-mile hike that includes wading through a large creek. And then when the stay is over you must raft five miles down the creek to meet a return flight.

Hawaii's Tree Houses of Hana are located in Maui about two hours from the airport and three miles from Hana, one of the most isolated villages in Maui. Plan on roughing it here, as two of the three locations available are electricity-free and are lit only by tiki torches. However, they overlook a flower farm.

Tree House Cabin at River of Life Farm in North Fork River, Missouri overlooks the North Fork River in the Missouri Ozarks. Situated on 120 acres and adjacent to the Mark Twain National Forest, this cabin can accommodate up to six people and is the ideal spot for fishing, boating and hiking.

Out 'n' About Treesort in Takilma, Oregon has thirteen tree houses. Several are multi-story with the highest one being 37 feet in the air. Choose from the Treeroom Schoolhouse Suite, which includes a claw foot tub, the Swiss Family Cottage with a kids section connected to the main section via swinging bridge, Cavaltree, which is a two story that can sleep seven, Treeloon, which looks like an old west saloon complete with a swinging front door, TreePee that has an 18 foot teepee in the trees, Treezeebo, which sleeps 37 feet in the air, or Forestree, which sleeps 35 feet in the air.

Cedar Creek Tree House in Ashford, Washington offers a Jack-In-The-Beanstalk cabin 50 feet in the air and an observatory cabin to look into the nearby 14,410 foot Mount Rainier. You are mailed a secret map of the property and when you arrive, honk your horn and the owner will come out of the woods, give you a quick tour and then you're on your own.

If you prefer good old camping, picking the right sleeping bag will immensely improve any outdoor sleeping experience. To maximize warmth pick something you will want to cocoon in. Mummy shaped sleeping bags can minimize heat loss because they fit closer to your body. For extremely cold conditions be sure to purchase one with a hood because most body heat is lost through the head. Sleeping bags come with two types of filling - down or synthetic fibers. Down is the preferred option because it compresses well, but fluffs up quickly when unrolled. A good sleeping bag is lightweight, compact when compressed, quickly expands and insulates even when wet. Check its Comfort Temperature Rating, as this is the lowest temperature at which an average person will be able to have a good night's sleep while using the bag. The lower the comfort rating the heavier the sleeping bag will be.

To maximize comfort while sleeping on the ground, purchase a sleeping pad. Air mattresses puncture easily and are no longer suggested for outdoor use. Instead try a foam pad or a self-inflating pad. A self-inflating pad is the best of both worlds, combining an air mattress and a foam pad. Consisting of a foam pad covered with an airproof cover sheet and air valve, when you open the valve these pads self inflate and are easily repaired, and they can be used in emergencies as a flotation device or as cover in a storm.

Tents now come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Some have screened in areas, others have skylights and others have four or more rooms. The most popular tents for hiking are wedge shaped tents because they combine great strength with the least amount of material and weight. Stay away from dome tents, as these have tons of confusing poles and intersecting hoops.