[at-l] Cold Questions

[Bob Cummings <ellen@clinic.net> (Bob Cummings)]

As I've suggested in the past, wise hikers will not only train their muscles
prior to a thru hike, but also train their bodily response to stress conditions.
My wife and I sleep under an electric blanket with twin controls. She keeps her
side on during the cold months. I never turn my side on. I sleep under the
minimum covers needed for reasonable comfort, year round, and I constantly push
for minimum insulation.

 Why? I'm always in training for cold weather backpacking. I was able to carry a
 40 degree F sleeping bag liner, weighing well under 2 pounds for a thru hike
 beginning April 13 on Springer and ending Oct. 16 on Katahdin. I carry the same
 bag in Maine between May 1 and Nov. 1 -- sometimes through Thanksgiving.

  All long distance hikers eventually become acclimated to living in the wilds.
  Wise ones begin that training at home months before they leave in order to
  minimize that early weight burden.

   Henry Thoreau in Walden tells of the naked natives sweating in the unnatural
   heat of a campfire while the explorers shivered while wearing animal fur
   robes.

   Humans can adapt to a wide variety of temperatures. In the mid 70s when OPEC
  (or the oil companies, the question is subject to dispute) shut off the supply
  of oil, many of us learned to live comfortably with thermostats set at 60
  degrees.

   If we would acclimate ourselves to do that again, we could easily avoid the
   need for wind towers to blight the mountains in Maine, or the irresponsible
   proposals to drill in the Arctic wildlife preserves.

   As a bonus, long distance backpackers could reduce their pack weights by far
   more than could be achieved with even the most efficient alcohol stove.

   Weary