How to Set Up a Northwest Territory Tent

Choose your camping location and the location for your tent. Place the groundcloth, which can be rolled plastic or a plastic tarp, on the ground. This will keep the bottom of your tent dry and away from the ground. Fold until the ground cover is 6 inches to 1 foot larger in area than your tent base.

Unroll the Northwest Territory tent and locate the poles. These are usually in a separate bag within the rolled tent. Northwest Territory tents have metal poles that you connect together. There is elastic inside the poles to keep each section together as you connect them.

Locate the tabs on the sides and top of the tent. Slide one pole into the first tab, feeding it through until it reaches the other side. Repeat the process for the remaining poles. Northwest Territory tents have two poles for the tent base, depending on the model.

Snugly fit the end of each pole into the metal stakes attached to the tent. At the end of each pole is a small metal stake. Complete all four sides, or more depending on your model. These hold the tent erect. Pick up the tent and place it squarely on the ground cloth.

Fold the groundcloth under the tent on all sides. Leave approximately 2 inches of tent overlapping the end of the groundcloth. This will prevent rainwater from running under the tent, causing leaks. Place the stakes into the clips on each side of the tent and push the end of the stake into the ground. Use the rubber mallet to hammer the rest of the way into the ground.

Attach the rain fly by unfolding it across the top of the tent. Adjust it to make the elastic rings in line with the plastic clips on the side of the tent. Stretch the elastic rings until they hook onto the clips. Your tent is now in place.