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  1. #1

    Default Solo and COLD Overnight in the Cohuttas

    On the weekend of Jan 5-6 I planned a trip to the Cohuttas to meet some friends for a hike. I got there a day early and took a solo hike, and then set up camp and slept overnight and met my friends the next morning.

    It was great cold weather experience and of course I had some mishaps along the way. It got down to 13* and thankfully my insulation was up tio the task. Here's the trip video if you're interested...



  2. #2

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    Great vid from my old Georgia home lands---the mighty Cohuts!

    It's always tough pulling winter crossings on a backpacking trip, most especially when carrying significant weight. Your crossing of the Connie reminds me of crossing Upper Bald River half covered in ice; and crossing Brookshire Creek in barefeet and crocs at 0F---Hellishly cold.

    For such wide crossings with few boulders I like to use my normal single hiking pole augmented with a cut sapling for a 2 pole system.

    I watched your video ---so---and I can say without reservation that you have a nice set of jugs!!! (Water bottles that is).

    I've never backpacked the Iron Hills trail but I've done plenty of trips in the Big Frog/Cohutta and consider the area to be a great winter destination as the trails are easier and the mountains lower (when compared to the Citico/Slickrock etc)---although the creek crossings on Jacks/Connie can be very challenging.

    For winter water filtering I use my old PUR Hiker filter---and thawable if frozen and works after thawing too. Btw, I was in Cohutta during both H. Harvey and Irma and only saw alot of rain with minimal high winds.

  3. #3
    Registered User moytoy's Avatar
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    Nice video. Makes my cold weather hikes in Florida seem warm!
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  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tipi Walter View Post
    Great vid from my old Georgia home lands---the mighty Cohuts!
    It's always tough pulling winter crossings on a backpacking trip, most especially when carrying significant weight. Your crossing of the Connie reminds me of crossing Upper Bald River half covered in ice; and crossing Brookshire Creek in barefeet and crocs at 0F---Hellishly cold.
    For such wide crossings with few boulders I like to use my normal single hiking pole augmented with a cut sapling for a 2 pole system.
    I watched your video ---so---and I can say without reservation that you have a nice set of jugs!!! (Water bottles that is).
    I've never backpacked the Iron Hills trail but I've done plenty of trips in the Big Frog/Cohutta and consider the area to be a great winter destination as the trails are easier and the mountains lower (when compared to the Citico/Slickrock etc)---although the creek crossings on Jacks/Connie can be very challenging.
    For winter water filtering I use my old PUR Hiker filter---and thawable if frozen and works after thawing too. Btw, I was in Cohutta during both H. Harvey and Irma and only saw alot of rain with minimal high winds.
    Haha glad you like my jugs... I think =) Ya it was some cold water for sure, I got to the aching stage but not to the numb stage thankfully. I don't think I'd tackle either the JRT or CRT in weather that cold, my feet would never recover between crossings.

    It was pretty easy to use the Aqua-Pure tabs once i remembered to actually get some water to use them in. Keeping the water thawed long enough to drink and cook with it was a different story!

    I think most of the blowdowns were from the fires last year but there were some hillsides that you could tell some serious straight line winds came through with devastating effect. Couldn't say whether or not it was Irma or Harvey tho.

    Thanks for checking it out Tipi!
    Quote Originally Posted by moytoy View Post
    Nice video. Makes my cold weather hikes in Florida seem warm!
    That's okay, I watch Shug's videos in Minnesota and it makes my trip seem warm too haha! It's all relative =) Thanks for watching!

  5. #5
    Registered User Kaptainkriz's Avatar
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    That's what I found most annoying on my last cold weather outage - Dealing with hard water. Fortunately I had a moving source nearby and did not rely on having to melt each time. Is there a preferred technique to keep one's water soft?
    Quote Originally Posted by johnspenn View Post
    Haha glad you like my jugs... I think =)
    Keeping the water thawed long enough to drink and cook with it was a different story!
    Plaid is fast! Ticks suck, literally... It’s ok, bologna hoses off…
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  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kaptainkriz View Post
    That's what I found most annoying on my last cold weather outage - Dealing with hard water. Fortunately I had a moving source nearby and did not rely on having to melt each time. Is there a preferred technique to keep one's water soft?
    Frozen water can be a problem in really low temps but most of the time in the Southeast liquid water stored in containers stays liquid if wrapped at night in a down parka or other insulation.

    One solution in very cold temps is to camp next to a creek or spring so all water retrieval can happen with the cook pot to get water from its source.

    Another solution when it hits 0F or worse is to store liquid water in your cook pot in the tent vestibule and in the morning thaw the frozen wad on your stove and Voila you have liquid water. This way no water needs to be kept in your possibly freezing containers.

    OH and never store your water containers inside your sleeping bag as you sleep. Why? Water bottles invariably leak on occasion---you're playing footsies with a water bottle all night remember?---and the last thing you need is to have a wet sleeping bag---it's the one piece of survival gear you must keep dry at all costs.

  7. #7
    Registered User Kaptainkriz's Avatar
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    Thanks Tipi. I had not considered insulating my water in my parka. I do put water in my pot the night before based on your posts on this in an older thread - pre watering my pot is awesome and saves a ton of frustration. I was never cool with the idea of putting water in my sleep system and glad to see you also do not suggest it. I plan to have some more fun with this over the weekend. thanks!


    Quote Originally Posted by Tipi Walter View Post
    Frozen water can be a problem in really low temps but most of the time in the Southeast liquid water stored in containers stays liquid if wrapped at night in a down parka or other insulation.

    One solution in very cold temps is to camp next to a creek or spring so all water retrieval can happen with the cook pot to get water from its source.

    Another solution when it hits 0F or worse is to store liquid water in your cook pot in the tent vestibule and in the morning thaw the frozen wad on your stove and Voila you have liquid water. This way no water needs to be kept in your possibly freezing containers.

    OH and never store your water containers inside your sleeping bag as you sleep. Why? Water bottles invariably leak on occasion---you're playing footsies with a water bottle all night remember?---and the last thing you need is to have a wet sleeping bag---it's the one piece of survival gear you must keep dry at all costs.
    Plaid is fast! Ticks suck, literally... It’s ok, bologna hoses off…
    Follow my hiking adventures: https://www.youtube.com/user/KrizAkoni
    Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alphagalhikes/

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kaptainkriz View Post
    That's what I found most annoying on my last cold weather outage - Dealing with hard water. Fortunately I had a moving source nearby and did not rely on having to melt each time. Is there a preferred technique to keep one's water soft?
    Tipi is much more experienced at this stuff than I am obviously. I did actually sleep with my Nalgene bottle. After much research and some backyard testing I'm confident that it's safe, although as he said I'm sure it will spring a leak eventually.

    Also, in this video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfk3x1m18go) these guys buried their water under some leaves at varying depths with some success. So that's an option as well. If there's snow, I've been told that burying your water in snow will keep it from freezing solid as well. I'm not sure I want to find out firsthand =)

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