Pitching a Tipi

Your Earthworks Tipi comes with a detailed set of pitching instructions. The instructions include measurements, tips and diagrams for pitching a tipi, as well as directions for hanging your liner, ozan and door cover. Here's the abbreviated version for setting up your tipi poles and cover.

• Select a spot a little higher than the surrounding area for good drainage. Traditionally tipis face east, away from prevailing winds.
• Select your five largest tipi poles. Three will form your main tripod (the north, south and door poles). The fourth goes to the right side of the door and the last pole lifts your tipi cover. Also set aside your two smallest tipi poles to use for smoke flap poles.
• Raise your tripod. Tie the three biggest tipi poles together near the top while they are lying on the ground. Then raise them to form a standing tripod. This is done with one person bracing the bottom of the north and south poles and another person lifting these from the tips and walking under them. This can also be done by using the rope to pull the tripod up.
• Lay the tipi poles one by one into the three crotches formed where the tripod poles cross near the top. Don't include your lifting pole or smoke flap poles in this process.
• Wrap the dangling rope around all of the standing tipi poles. This is the same rope that tied your tripod together.
• Spread the tipi cover out on the ground at the back of the standing tipi poles with the circular side of the cover closest to the poles.
• Lay the lifting pole on the tipi cover so it bisects it and the butt end of the lifting pole is closest to the standing poles.
• Accordian fold each side of the tipi cover in toward the lifting pole so that the entire cover is bunched up to either side of the lifting pole. Lifting from the tip of the pole, walk up under the whole bundle and lean it into the crotch at the rear of the standing tipi poles.
• Unfurl the tipi cover around the poles, like wrapping a blanket around your shoulders.
• Lace the front of the tipi cover together with your lacing pins through the series of buttonholes running down the front of the tipi.
• Stake your tipi cover down through the loops around the bottom edge.
• Place your smoke flap poles into the pockets at the top of the smoke flaps.