david stiles has some great books....most libraries has them, they maybe out of print....a good book store *could* find them. huts and hideaways was one of our favorites.
all kinds of ideas and suggestions for building your own teepee or other hideaways

That's so funny - I didn't know there was anywhere you could buy a tipi. My man made his own, back in the 80's originally with the full canvas that he sewed himself. Now, he's going to get a permit to go and cut cedar poles in the National Forest (they are much lighter than pine - he tells me). I guess you learn something new everyday:)

I should post a pic of his tipi when its done with poles again~

Actually that is true. Panther makes the finest and sturdiest tents available as far as I know and they have thousands of satisfied customers.

In fact my project for a sustainable community sells them as a way to help us defray our costs, and we can get you a small discount on ordering from them if you are interested in a panther tent or tipi.

Their stuff is all first quality and well made. I have used one of their pyramid/hunter tents for years.

Gee, that's just about a worst case scenario for getting poles I have ever heard. I'm really sorry you had such a hard time.

Considering that we are talking about a teepee, something native to this country, designed to use materials from all around us, it is extremely ironic that you had to drive such a ludicrous distance and emit that much pollution just to get a few poles which could easily have been obtained locally. I know y our area well and know for a fact that the hardware stores and lumber yards in your area carry a wide selection of long straight grained wood poles. It would have been a lot cheaper and much more appropriate considering the nature and intent of what a teepee stands for.

I am surprised you couldn't find someone locally who had appropriate sized saplings around that could just be cut for poles. It's more rewarding than commercial poles anyway.

Please, if anyone runs into this kind of problem again, no matter where you get your tent from, contact me directly. I will be very happy to help you figure out a much less wasteful solution to your problem. At the very least I can arrange to have poles sent to you at cost, which would cut out at least half the fuel waste and pollution.

We need to do all we can to avoid fuel waste. It is killing our planet while driving up the price of gas for us all, while funding a wide range of inappropriate and destructive activities.

By the way, the hunter/pyramid tent that I like, is also designed to rig up the same way as teepees, either with an internal central pole, and external frame of poles, or with the thing tied up to nearby trees and using no poles. It's very versatile.

And, if you're considering a yurt, check out www.goyurt.com/ - very cool, portable and beautiful structures!