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Tennessee Viking
01-25-2008, 02:50
I am just chatting up the wonderful WB around 130am. And I happen to look at my Weatherbug.

Holston Mtn Summit reading at -2 degree with windchills in between -10 to -25.

One reason why I moved away from Iowa was because it was too dang cold. And I moved back into it.

If its going to be that cold here in the southern Appalachians where is the snow....

Ramble~On
01-25-2008, 05:16
Clingman's Dome

JAK
01-25-2008, 09:11
I just got back from an early morning jaunt. Headed out across the ice. -21C at 5am. -23C by the time I got back. I got the bick lighter working but the hobbo stove I put together at the last minute sucked. So no oats for this lad. I wasn't out long enough to get hungry I just wanted to test things out.

Freakin Coyotes. When I got over to goat island (only about a mile from me house) I hiked up to the top of it, a small round island with mostly cedar and rock. Just as I was settling down to make a fire I heard these freakin coyotes. Not sure how many. We have big ones here. So I sauntered back down to the ice, with a big stick silly me, but they were gone by the time I got there. I found at least three tracks. Not sure where they were coming from or where they were going but I figure they must have picked up my scent and thats what all the noise was about.

So after a failed attempt at breakfast I headed home but was about 15 minutes late so walked to work and here I am. I noticed a lot of tracks on the walk to work also but those could be dogs. So I need to work on my hobbo skills, but I was very happy with my clothing.

Tipi Walter
01-25-2008, 10:36
I am just chatting up the wonderful WB around 130am. And I happen to look at my Weatherbug.

Holston Mtn Summit reading at -2 degree with windchills in between -10 to -25.

One reason why I moved away from Iowa was because it was too dang cold. And I moved back into it.

If its going to be that cold here in the southern Appalachians where is the snow....

I'm a couple hours south of you in Tennessee and I slept out last night(Thur)in my big 12x12 basecamp tent and it must've got cold cuz my pee pot was frozen! I be stylin' though as I was on an Exped Downmat with some needed warmth FROM BELOW. The old Marmot zero bag wasn't even zipped though I was sleeping in my down jacket. It's sorta remarkable how these downmats really do radiate the heat back up. Pumping the thing though is a real pain in the buttocks.

I quit carrying a thermometer about 25 years ago as I was becoming more concerned with the Numbers than the Numbness ha ha ha. But seriously, I just didn't want to relate to winter cold and winter backpacking in numerical terms, it's my own weird foible of wanting to experience winter without some impartial, impersonal tool getting in the way. But I'm a typical hypocrite, cuz when the temps dip to zero or below, I'm the first to figure out how low it went with me out in it. An ego thing, etc.

JAK
01-25-2008, 11:24
I might ditch the thermometer also once I know how much I need for the extreme but I'm not there yet. I'm afraid I will think I have experienced -20F and then find out that I haven't. It was chilling this morning at -10F. Cold enough for frosty eyebrows.

This was my clothing, about 12 pounds skin out.
Cheap light mukluks with felt liners.
Light wool dress socks
Heavy wool ski socks
Long wool underwear - Stanfields combi (trap door and all)
200wt fleece pants
Cheap nylon wind pants
Heavy wool vest
200wt fleece top
Cheap nylon wind jacket
wool mitts - briggs and little
fleece balaclava with long neck that doubles up
wool touk

It worked very well but you don't really know until you've been out 48 hours.

superman
01-25-2008, 12:38
It was a toasty -8 here this morning. Yesterday I bought my peat pots for starting my veggies again this year. Spring is coming.:)

Tipi Walter
01-25-2008, 14:07
I might ditch the thermometer also once I know how much I need for the extreme but I'm not there yet. I'm afraid I will think I have experienced -20F and then find out that I haven't. It was chilling this morning at -10F. Cold enough for frosty eyebrows.

This was my clothing, about 12 pounds skin out.
Cheap light mukluks with felt liners.
Light wool dress socks
Heavy wool ski socks
Long wool underwear - Stanfields combi (trap door and all)
200wt fleece pants
Cheap nylon wind pants
Heavy wool vest
200wt fleece top
Cheap nylon wind jacket
wool mitts - briggs and little
fleece balaclava with long neck that doubles up
wool touk

It worked very well but you don't really know until you've been out 48 hours.

Good list. Your post reminded of something that happens after turning 50: 32 degrees feels like 10, and it works it's way down from there. Ha Ha.

I've always used Defcon levels for winter clothing. Defcon One would be t-shirt and shorts, Defcon Two etc, until all layers are on at Defcon Six. But here's where it gets interesting. At Defcon Seven I will be in the tent in my sleeping bag. Defcon Eight and I'm in the bag with hot water bottles. Defcon Nine and I'm fleeing on foot or requesting helicopter rescue. Defcon Ten: Extraction of my frozen body. Putting on the final piece of gear(which also serves as a windbreaker): A Body Bag. Just some tired thoughts that come after sitting in a tent for 5 days in a blizzard.

JAK
01-25-2008, 15:51
Yeah, I'm 45 and starting to feel the cold different, but I have a lot more blubber which works to my advantage. Tend to pace myself also, usually. What I have found is when I get chilled I need more of a jump start. I would like to study some more about the human metabolism and how and where it creates its heat. When moving I understand its the muscles, but when just sitting there, or sleeping, is it in the gut mostly or what? I wonder how much it depends on digestion and how much digestion depends on staying warm.

Smile
01-25-2008, 15:52
A good time to get out in the backyard and test your gear! :)

JAK
01-25-2008, 16:51
Going out again tonight. There is an island on the river not too far from my house, so I can really push the envelop and bail if I have to. I want to see what its like spending a night without a sleeping bag. I want to go for a ski, fast and light, but with some extra clothes and mukluks for stopping. My boots are too tight for extra socks so I am going to always bring my mukluks, not just for stopping but also for switching into trudge mode if I have to slow down or if I break a ski or my feet get blistered or something like that. For stopping I am going to put on the layers above plus a wool blanket and poncho tarp and blue foam pad to sit on and see how it feels for a few hours, sitting up. I might add an extra sweater also, and maybe another layer for my butt. Perhaps a small fire but I also want to see if the coyotes come around again. Supposed to go down to -22C (-8F) again tonight, but it might be colder than that on the river if its a clear sky again.