Re: [at-l] Winter Camping Advice

["Thomas McGinnis" <tmcginnis@ucclan.state.in.us>]

>>> <Trailmixup@aol.com> 02/22/00 09:47PM >>>
I've been getting lots of good advice, as well as some really good questions, about my first winter overnight. I'll comment on some here, since there are others on the list who may be interested in this subject and may want to learn a few tricks, too. 
### Thanks!!!

(According to my thermometer, the tent temp was 25* -- no winds outside.)
### Sealed up properly, I wouldn't doubt that your tent was 15* warmer than the outside air.
 
<snip of vitals at 97.2*, BP90/70, HR54>
Don't know if these would effect my ability to generate heat?
### Nah. They're usually *symptoms* of cardiovascular efficiency and low metabolism (you know that), but the low rate of metabolism would be the thing that nails you in the cold. But I think there's a better explanation (below).

Someone asked if I had eaten enough before bedtime?  I ate one Lipton's Noodles packet and had a cup of cocoa. 'Wasn't really hungry enough to *want* more; 'may even have eaten more than I wanted -- just because it was "there." <snippage of hand warmers and exercises to prime furnace>
### I think your extended and vigorous exercise depleted your easy-availibility energy stores for the day, and that widdle Lyptons barely made a dent in restoring your fuel/hydration stores. (That "Wasn't really hungry" part tends to make me think you were just plain exhausted.) The combination of cold weather (dehydration), extended exercise (fuel stores depletion) and a smallish din-din I think combined to chill you out by four aye-em. My guess, anywho. For a runner, "extended exercise" means I don't expect too much from myself for a 24-48 hour period. For cold sleeping, it means not only enough fuel to make up for that consumed, but enough too to stoke that furnace with buckets of easy-available heat. Brrrrrr. I'm getting cold typing this. (But Jeez, Ms. Mix-up, with those vitals, how's come you're not a runner? Or arrrrrrrrre you?) What does your nurseness think of the hypothesis?
 
Incidently, I had pitched the tent on a packed snow surface.  When I took the tent down in the morning, I noted that the area under my torso consisted of still-packed snow; the area under my legs was melted snow -- turned into ice!  Could this have been the handwarmer at work?  Could this have been a factor in my being cold?
### Perhaps either one. Any difference in the length of the pads? That's where I'd look first. For the handwarmer to melt/ice at your feet, it would have had to dispose of its heat into the snow cover. It might make ice, sure, but I don't think it'd do ice AND still be warm in the aye-em.
 
Someone questioned whether having come from indoors first reduced the effectiveness of my body to generate heat.  That was a question that I had posed.  Any ideas on that?
### Sounds highly unlikely, to put it mildly. But I'm open.

(ie, does that make one "soft?")  This speaks to the whole issue of acclimatizing oneself to the cold. This is a *difficult* one for me....the temptation to be toasty warm is sssoooo appealing to me.  But I'm going to gut it out and give it a real try.
### "Chicken Legs" McGoo says: Noooooo! Stay warm, Mixie!!! Stay warm!!!!!!!

I had a tent that is really too roomy for me.  Maybe I need to use a bivy -- less tent to "heat up."  That was a thought that had crossed my mind when I opted for the Walrus (single wall) instead of the Gossamer.  Next time, I'll try the bivy.
### My coldest overnight (-20 still air degrees) was near the mouth of ravine in an open field, dug (stomped) into the snow about 12", in a bivy. I was toasty in an ancient 20* bag with a bunch of cloths (like fleecies) on. Cosy while the wind blew over my little thermo-coffin. Froze my nose, though. Dang, that hurt.
 
My favorite suggestion was to pack in a "friend" -- preferably a warm-sleeping type of hiker! That is an infinitely more agreeable solution! 
### Oh Jeez, wasn't this Wisperlite's description of himself? Now, I don't mean to start anything here, but.........the circle's come back around. (Some people.....)

Hey, ma!  Look at me!  I may just turn into a winter camping convert afterall!  
 
Trailmixup
### I'm thinking of a midwinter hikie across the Smokies next...January. Hmmm. Maybe I'll do one of those "hike to the Ruck" manuevers. Brrrrrrrr.

WARM regards,
Sloetoe


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