View Full Version : Brrrrrrrr
swellbill
03-02-2008, 17:45
Been feelin cooped up lately and missing the trail. Got a chance to get out for a few days and had about 2" of fresh snow around the 501 shelter and applebee campsite. Man was it cold. Since my bic didn't work in the cold, I found out you can put out a match with really cold alcohol in a cat stove. Anyone know what temperature alcohol is good down to?
It was nice to get out for a few days though
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/4/2/1/6/applebee_campsite_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=22558&c=577)
I wish it was slightly cooler here in Alabama... we had 75*, clear skies today...
shelterbuilder
03-02-2008, 19:01
Been feelin cooped up lately and missing the trail. Got a chance to get out for a few days and had about 2" of fresh snow around the 501 shelter and applebee campsite. Man was it cold. Since my bic didn't work in the cold, I found out you can put out a match with really cold alcohol in a cat stove. Anyone know what temperature alcohol is good down to?
It was nice to get out for a few days though
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/4/2/1/6/applebee_campsite_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=22558&c=577)
I used my alcohol stove a few weeks ago at Bake Oven Knob - temps were only down to low 20's...stove worked "okay", but I was asking it to do things that it was NEVER intended to do!! Next time, take a fresh bic with you, and keep it in your pocket, not your pack.
How did the trail look out there? Many blowdowns??
Lone Wolf
03-02-2008, 19:25
warm day in damascus. took the Fat Boy out for a spin
Skied today at Sunapee. Shame on us, it was our first day on the slopes this season. Snow and weather were both excellent. Next weekend we'll be at Sunday River. :D :banana :sun
Hey LW, what year is your bike? I have a 97 FLHTC among others.
Lone Wolf
03-02-2008, 20:51
04 Flstfi
Of course this week is Daytona Bike Week, been there 18 consecutive years, with a few others thrown in out of sequence, but starting tomorrow I'm doing a section hike instead, from Watauga Dam to Damascus. The bike will get ridden soon enough I guess.
BackTrack1
03-02-2008, 21:04
Been feelin cooped up lately and missing the trail. Got a chance to get out for a few days and had about 2" of fresh snow around the 501 shelter and applebee campsite. Man was it cold. Since my bic didn't work in the cold, I found out you can put out a match with really cold alcohol in a cat stove. Anyone know what temperature alcohol is good down to?
It was nice to get out for a few days though
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/4/2/1/6/applebee_campsite_thumb.jpg (http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=22558&c=577)
Next time keep your lighter in your pocket, i went winter camping last week and had a little problem w/ my alcohole stove too, i found that if you warm your stove and the fuel in your coat before useing them they work pretty well once warmed up, also use a wind screen if you dont already. Backtrack
man yesterday it was 74 degrees here.Today we woke up to about 4 to 5 inches of new snow and pretty cold.
fiddlehead
03-02-2008, 23:23
Went camping this past weekend with "Stitches" who came for a visit here in Phuket. Had a nice swim but she said the water was too warm
http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg201/fiddleheadpa/IMG_0393.jpg
swellbill
03-03-2008, 16:54
How did the trail look out there? Many blowdowns??
Not too many. A few between 645 and 501. maybe a few between 501 & Eagles Nest shelter. This section is so enjoyable and flat that I wasn't looking for things to bother me. I think there was one near an overlook (Fishers?) that was small enough that we could move it aside. The rest were step-overs other than one tree top that we walked around.
swellbill
03-03-2008, 16:56
Went camping this past weekend with "Stitches" who came for a visit here in Phuket. Had a nice swim but she said the water was too warm
http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg201/fiddleheadpa/IMG_0393.jpg
Were your hands numb? Because my hands were numb. And why is your snow brown? ours was white. :)
fiddlehead
03-03-2008, 17:24
Sorry about the size of the picture. No, i can't say i had numb hands. The head hurt a little bit in the morning though.
Hey, i hiked that section from 501 south to Wm Penn Shelter, from 183 to Hertleim and the road (old AT) from 183 to Eagles Nest back in Dec. when i was home and we had the first snowfall. It was great to be out in the white AT after all the heat we deal with here.
Been feelin cooped up lately and missing the trail. Got a chance to get out for a few days and had about 2" of fresh snow around the 501 shelter and applebee campsite. Man was it cold. Since my bic didn't work in the cold, I found out you can put out a match with really cold alcohol in a cat stove. Anyone know what temperature alcohol is good down to?
To use a match with cold alcohol you need to touch the burning match to the surface of the alcohol for a couple seconds - don't just toss it in or it will go out as you found out. In the cold I don't bother with lighters - I just use matches as describe above but if you want to use a lighter just use a twig or pine straw or whatever - dip the twig in the alcohol, light twig with the lighter and then use the twig like the match described above.
swellbill
03-04-2008, 11:18
To use a match with cold alcohol you need to touch the burning match to the surface of the alcohol for a couple seconds - don't just toss it in or it will go out as you found out. In the cold I don't bother with lighters - I just use matches as describe above but if you want to use a lighter just use a twig or pine straw or whatever - dip the twig in the alcohol, light twig with the lighter and then use the twig like the match described above.
HOI
I think you called it right. When I spilled a little on the plank the stove was setting on, and touched the match to that alcohol, it lit. Thanks
taildragger
03-04-2008, 13:16
To use a match with cold alcohol you need to touch the burning match to the surface of the alcohol for a couple seconds - don't just toss it in or it will go out as you found out. In the cold I don't bother with lighters - I just use matches as describe above but if you want to use a lighter just use a twig or pine straw or whatever - dip the twig in the alcohol, light twig with the lighter and then use the twig like the match described above.
With a lighter I always just put the flame right against the holes, seems to work well for me.