Very true!Originally Posted by Toolshed
Wet snow, dry snow, rain, doesn't matter. As long as I don't soak my bag with sweat or condensation it STAYS dry.
geek
Gear?
Jack Danials, everything else is optional.
geek
I will now be using a fixed blade SOG Seal Pup with nylon sheath that I got for Christmas this year.
http://sogknives.com/store/M37.html
Blade Length 4.75" x .16"
Overall Length 9"
Weight 5.4 oz.
J
My hammock, of course! Current setup is a Warbonnet Blackbird, Winter Yeti, JRB Mt Washington 4 + hood on top, and JRB 10' x 11' Cat Tarp. (I say current but I haven't taken the Yeti yet b/c it was a Christmas present...just before Christmas my 10 y/o and I camped at -2 F and I was in a similar setup, though. Thinking about heading out tonight with the Yeti.)
Other than that, my Nalgene soft-sided bladder so I can put hot water in it and sleep with it.
And of course the normal clothing, knife, etc. But mostly my hammock.
Thanks for the tips and the links, everyone. Keep suggestions coming!
All you ADK folks, feel free to PM me; I'm new to the area and I'm always looking for hiking partners/trip ideas! I know the AT and LT in this area, and that's about it!
A couple more follow-ups:
-Do I need to go with goggles (always, above tree line, sometimes, personal preference...), and if so, any recommendations?
-Any additional suggestions on glove/mitten configuration/brand?
-Suggestions on boot styles/types for snowshoes? The other 3 seasons I swear by lightweight trail runners. The boots I currently have are borderline for keeping me warm and dry enough.
Thanks!
Keeps ya warm, especially when you snort it, huh Geek??
Just a thought back to you if you haven't tried it - consider a trash compactor bag. They keep things dry and are very durable, much more so than the typical trashbag.
Oh dear Wak! I'm sticking to more traditional ways of ingesting booze. Hope you guys are well! Come on, don't you have any winter tips for me; even you guys are getting snow!Keeps ya warm, especially when you snort it, huh Geek??
B-Worth, Check out your closest (or even the albany) ADK Chapter. they usually always have numerous group and overnight hikes.
As for gloves, I prefer 3 different layers. a very lightweight polypro set for dexterity around camp, Heavy fleece mitts for warmth and then an OR goretex shell overmitt for wind and water protection.
As for boots I have gone bacjk and forth between plastic double boots and Sorel Pac Boots. Sorel pac boots are sloppier on my feet, but then again don't turn my feet to hamburger after a weekend. Plus they are much cheaper ($80 vs $390). though the new plastic boot liners are heat moldable to your feet and as I understand are leaps and bounds ahead of the old liners. I always had problems keeping my sherpas on my plastic boots, the pac boots hold them much better, however, it doesn't seem to make a difference on my Atlas 12 Series. They grip any boot well.
.....Someday, like many others who joined WB in the early years, I may dry up and dissapear....
I use the famous Sorel Caribous as well. Word on the Internet is that since Columbia bought Sorel and started making the shoes in China vs. Canada, the quality has slipped dramatically. Just an FYI.
Anyway, my current pair of Sorels are all beat up after many years of use/abuse. Like others, I find them big and clunky and think it is time to replace them with something else once this season ends. These shoes were mentioned by other people previously...But I think my next pair of heavy duty winter shoes are going to be NEOS Navigator 5s. The reviews are glowing.
They offer more a versatile solution and can work with my trail runners, hiking boots and winter shoes I use for around town/light hiking/ day snowshoes depending upon the situation/coldness.
Just another option anyway. Some people are big about the Mickey Pac boots as well. They are even bigger and more clunky than the Sorels, but are legendary for their warmth.. Nice to have options, though.
As for goggles, I *always* carry them. But, that is just me and I suspect unless you are above treeline, Colorado is more exposed overall than the ADKs. (Less tree cover eve below treeline). If you picture yourself going above treeline, you'll definitely want them.
Like Toolshed and many other winter travelers, I use the modular system of GLOVE LINER/ MIDDLE MITTEN LAYER/ SHELL MITTEN. Very versatile and just enough warmth as each situation warrants.
I happen to use the wool liners vs. polypro in addition to a wool middle layer (Colder and dryer in Colorado, so wool works well). But that's just personal preference. Like most of the discussions, I honestly think the wool vs. synthetics comes to personal preference. As long as you do not use cotton, you should be kosher.
The OR shells seem very popular overall. Various weights, styles and prices..but they all seem to work well depending on your preference.
I don't do any technical climbing, so I tend to wear ski boots more than anything during winter in the backcountry..but that's another discussion.
Paul "Mags" Magnanti
http://pmags.com
Twitter: @pmagsco
Facebook: pmagsblog
The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau
winter gear
I just got back from snow school in the Sierras, so my recommendations are fresh. Two more that haven't been mentioned are (1) make sure your upper base layer, and the next upper layer, are long enough to stay tucked into your pants layers. (2) A pee bottle, so you don't have to crawl out into the snow and wind in the middle of the night.
Insulated Water bottle carriers!. The OR ones work but, Ragged Mountain (a White Mountain Outfitter) makes (made) one out of closed cell foam that is far more effective than the OR version. If I fill them with hot water in the AM, they are still real hot at lunch.
I also carry OR expedition wwight mits and shells. They are useless for hiking with but I have saved a few fingers more than once when nothing esle would warm them up.
My down jacket and Montbell Thermawrap pants for when I'm making camp. Also my Warbonnet Blackbird and JRB Mt Washington 4 underquilt (I'm also a hanger)
I kinda wonder what the "down sleeping bag only" folks do when they get wet?
I don't know - what do ducks do when they get wet?
J/k - I know that much of the water repelling oil is removed from the down before making its way into my sleeping bag.
I'll of course have to try out my bag properly on the AT this coming March, but the low weight and insulating properties were what decided in mind that down was the only way to go. Next-to-nothing garbage bags in addition to a well-made stuff sack and cover from my Packa will do wonders, I hope, to keep my bag in great condition.
Formerly 'F-Stop'
If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one.
~ Dolly Parton
winter-foo
I bring (2) half-liter nalgenes for water. At night I fill them with boiling water - stick them in my boots and cover them up - and the boots pretty much dry out by morning. Definitely never frozen...
mb 0 bag has no stat ....over FF OR WM for the past 25 yrs in that temp rate,so why even bring them up.
one thing i pack for all seasons is one or two headbands. i wear them under my hats. it keeps you from sweating up your hat, and its alot easier to wash a headband than a hat. doesnt work so well with knit caps, but i have a bucket hat thats lasted me 3 years and still looks new/doesnt smell
I broke a mirror in my house. I'm supposed to get seven years bad luck but my lawyer thinks he can get me five.
Second this! MicroSpikes are awesome and they're perfect for trips where heavier gear isn't required but using boots alone might be a hassle.
Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
i like this idea. it beats putting them in the bottom of my quilt
" It's what people know about themselves inside that makes 'em afraid." ~Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter
Reminds me,
I gotta get the winter car kit put together, and keep it in the car.
For hikes,
I think about clothing first, then fire, then food, then shelter.
Clothing is wool&fleece, light windshell, rain poncho/tarp, and yes they do get wet.
Shoes are 1 or 2 of (Light Trail Runners / XCSki Boots / Light Mukluks).
For fire I like a Big Bic, and a Kelly Kettle or Hobo, and at least a knife.
Food is oats+seeds/fruit, milk+tea, hot soups. 500ml Honey for backup.
Shelter is bag,bivy,bluefoampad, and the rain poncho/tarp.
I sleep in the backyard on coldest nights, to check things out. Also like to go for a walk down onto the river on coldest nights to test clothing and hobo stoves. Don't be like me though kids, OR YOU"LL BE LIVING IN A VAN ! , DOWN BY THE RIVER !
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
