24 Days in the Polar Vortex

[Venchka]

Footing is always a challenge in the snow and ice and especially on the trails I hike with their routine 3,000 foot climbs and descents, and in the past I would always furrow my brow and focus hard on the challenge. Now with the spikes I can head down a mountain with 70lbs on my back and hardly even look at the ground---maybe even whistle as I walk.



Love it. "Cheap and light when the going gets tough"---excellent quote. I've been saying this for years but never could put it into such a short sentence. It's the right multitool for a variety of challenging jobs---and when needed it becomes the only thing keeping me alive. Whereas the Exped downmat might be outside my Circle of Trust, the Hilleberg is not and still sits right dab in the Circle's center.

Thank you. Price, weight & functionality must always be viewed in the context of where, when and how a piece of gear is going to be used. When the fertilizer hits the ventilator, only the best & toughest will do. I feel the same way about my cast iron Dana Design
I did notice that you changed your under bag sleeping foundation. As I recall, you were using an Exped Downmat 9. The new arrangement offers versatility, use one Prolite when it is warm, and redundancy in case one of the mats decides to malfunction. Good idea. I am pondering a new sleeping pad solution. Thanks for sharing your Solution to a thorny problem.
Cheers!

Wayne

[Tipi Walter]

Thank you. Price, weight & functionality must always be viewed in the context of where, when and how a piece of gear is going to be used. When the fertilizer hits the ventilator, only the best & toughest will do. I feel the same way about my cast iron Dana Design
I did notice that you changed your under bag sleeping foundation. As I recall, you were using an Exped Downmat 9. The new arrangement offers versatility, use one Prolite when it is warm, and redundancy in case one of the mats decides to malfunction. Good idea. I am pondering a new sleeping pad solution. Thanks for sharing your Solution to a thorny problem.
Cheers!

Wayne

The Exped problem arose on a previous trip, actually the first day of a 19 day trip---as it blew out one of its down tube baffles as shown in this trip report---

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...-the-Snowbirds

Luckily I had a cached backup Thermarest 12 miles away so I did not suffer.

In the winter a two pad system is a no-brainer although most guys will use a ccf pad in addition to an inflatable. The problem with this is if the inflatable gets flat and can't be fixed you're left with the foam pad at a very low Rvalue which isn't good on frozen ground. So, two inflatables offers redundancy as you say. I like the system and I suppose a person could experiment using different brands or configs, like a Prolite with a NeoAir, a NeoAir All Season with a NeoAir Xtherm? And the elastic bands really help to keep the pads together.

The best part of all? COMFORT.

[double d]

Loved reading another great field report from the one and only Tipi Walter! Did you have any problems with your cooking system in the cold and windy weather? I keep thinking of Jeremiah Johnson (the movie), them mountains are the marrow of the world! great trip Tipi!

[JAK]

Tipi Walter,
You are a super inspiration. Thanks for sharing.

Jamie Kennedy

[Tipi Walter]

Great report. I would like to see your gear list and especially boots, socks, insulated underwear , etc. ?? Thanks again

Not much on gear lists so I'll make it as short as possible---
Asolo Fugitive boots, augmented with Kahtoola microspikes when needed.

Smartwool Mountaineer socks, two pair (one pair only for hiking, one pair always kept dry for in-camp and sleeping).

Icebreaker leggings midweight (shorts on top for 90% of all winter hiking).

Long sleeve silk baselayer on top and covered with two zip neck Icebreaker tops sandwiched together (the thumb holes really come in handy!).

IN CAMP LIST
WM down pants and down booties.
Feathered Friends Icefall down parka---excellent.
Mt Hardwear Nilas down mittens with North Face fleece liner gloves.

Loved reading another great field report from the one and only Tipi Walter! Did you have any problems with your cooking system in the cold and windy weather? I keep thinking of Jeremiah Johnson (the movie), them mountains are the marrow of the world! great trip Tipi!

White gas loves frigid temps and so my MSR Simmerlite stove system worked well. I started out with 44oz of white gas (two 22 oz bottles) and by the end of the trip I had about 7 days worth of fuel left, although I curtailed morning hot tea during the polar snap to conserve fuel, just in case. And yes, Jeremiah Johnson is my favorite movie to get me inspired for winter camping.

Del Gue: Jeremiah, maybe you best go down to a town, get outta these mountains.
Jeremiah Johnson: I've been to a town Del.

[78owl]

Thx Tipi, my feet stay cold this time of year. But I still like this time of year to be outside.

[SevenPines]

Thanks for the report, as always TIPI!
If you guys like this short & quick trip report, I implore all of you to check out his detailed trail journals on the TJ website--be right there with him in the butt cold and understand the humor.

Cheers TIPI, cant wait for the TJ update..!

[Chair-man]

Thanks for sharing. I have a question.
Did you bring anything to warm up the inside of your tent like a candle or did you just rely on your clothing - down pants & down booties to keep you warm while in your tent?

[Tipi Walter]

Thanks for sharing. I have a question.
Did you bring anything to warm up the inside of your tent like a candle or did you just rely on your clothing - down pants & down booties to keep you warm while in your tent?

I carry several 3 inch candles for in-tent open-flame hand warming as shown below. Not recommended for clumsy newbs but these babies will keep your hands and fingers warm and thawed when you sit up under the sleeping bag to read or write, etc. Otherwise I am swaddled in overkill geese like down pants, down booties, a down parka and an overkill -15F down bag.

The below shot shows the candle in a used blistex container which keeps it from tipping over.

Open flame candle? Yes, you just have to keep your wits about you and be careful. And do not blow it out but wet two fingers and smother it---otherwise a spark or ash could land on your bag or Thermarest. Not good.

[martinb]

On my way back from TN, early Jan., I figured you would probably be out there for that thing. Ifelt pretty bravo for doing a 17 degree overnighter at Henry Horton SP. Ha!

Noticed your trail journal for this trip is stuck on day 5. Is it still frozen?

[Tipi Walter]

On my way back from TN, early Jan., I figured you would probably be out there for that thing. Ifelt pretty bravo for doing a 17 degree overnighter at Henry Horton SP. Ha!

Noticed your trail journal for this trip is stuck on day 5. Is it still frozen?

Ha ha ha I'm okay but my trip journal is frozen. Naw, I'm just slow getting it all typed out and pasted, etc. It's pretty boring anyway---just endless crap about the cold, the wind, the rain, the creek crossings and the cold. Did I mention the cold?