[at-l] Near-Winter hiking, was Winter Hiking

[nealb@midlandstech.com (William Neal)]

I have worked out side in early garden season at a Wally World (which
started in Feb. that year).  Lots of wet weather plus I had to hose down the
parkling lot and garden center every night.  There were nights I say to H***
with work and I sat huddled next to a Kerosene heater my manager gave me --
if he remembered to buy Kerosene for it.  And there were a couple of times I
just went home.

Also, I camped in the shelter that was the farthest from the trail and
almost froze.  All night long me and one other guy kept a bonfire going --
if you can get one lighted, a bonfire will defy even wet weather.  Even
though we both had good bags and wore all our clothes.  The next morning we
hiked out together and after awhile we were stripping.

I grew up in SC which is known for its humidity.  My cousin who grew up in
ALASKA was a missionary kid.  And she got sent down to SC to live with her
grandparents.  She made her grandmother come out and watch for the bus.  IT
WAS TOO COLD FOR HER.

Humidity can make winter cold or summer heat unbearable.  Staying dry is the
prime consideration.  If you can't stay dry, build as much heat inside you
are you can.  Really WALK; don't just stroll.  Push walk and your muscles
heat you up as you burn calories.  EAT.  As your body digests that food, it
creates heat.

Hot liquid may be comforting and help when you are in a shelter situation
(shelter, tent, etc.).  Even when you are sitting for awhile.  BUT, I have
read that hot liquids can make you colder since they are significantly
hotter than you and the heat tends to leech out of your body into the
surrounding cold.

Also, acclimatizing yourself is important.  The more you HATE cold, the
colder you will be.  The more you are USE TO COLD, the less you notice it.

BUT, nothing will be more miserable than a cold, wet day.  Just grin and (*&
^#%$# it.

William, The Turtle

PS  One person I knew went to the Antarctic.  His CPO told them to strip to
the waist and not wear just a t-shirt: It was summer down there.  They
actually worked up a sweat.  Shivering one newbie put on his Tee while the
CPO was inside.  It froze to his skin because of the sweat -- CAN YOU SAY
OUCH!  Guess that proves that wet + cold is nothing but MISERABLE!  Stay
dry.

-----Original Message-----
From: Jan Leitschuh [mailto:janl2@mindspring.com]
Sent: Friday, December 13, 2002 1:46 PM
To: daveh@psknet.com; AT-List
Subject: [at-l] Near-Winter hiking, was Winter Hiking



Okay, all you voices of experience, thru-hikers or not,

Here is a question.
Choose any or all three below to comment on, if the advice is specific and
from your own experience:

The type of weather Dave mentions below is what concerns me. Not rain, not
snow but that 33-degree stuff that chills the bones.

I can see several problems:

1) Staying warm and dry WHILE hiking (I've heard Nina and others mention
they couldn't stay warm even while hiking sometimes.)

2) Staying warm and dry while setting up the tent and making supper. I'll
have the Nomad 242 for spring.
It was my experience last March that - not being a 20-something "rabbit" -
that I could count on the shelter spaces down south being all claimed by the
time I straggled in, and that I needed to plan to set up a shelter. Cold
hands!

3) Keeping one's attitude positive in what I see as the most trying of
circumstances, ie, day after day of wet, near-freezing cold.

4) Anything else germane.

To me, this is weather that deserves serious consideration. I start
shivering quickly (low body mass). If you have some SPECIFIC info (not
general platitudes), I would love to hear it.

Jan
Class of '03

> Message: 38
> From: "Dave Hicks" <daveh@psknet.com>
> To: "AT-L [list]" <at-l@backcountry.net>
> Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 11:39:50 -0500
> Subject: [at-l] Winter Hiking
>
> Earlier I posted about liking to hike/camp in the show.
>
> Well now we have the type of winter weather I hate to hike in:
>
> VAZ009>014-016-017-131630-
> BLAND-CARROLL-FLOYD-GILES-MONTGOMERY-PULASKI-SMYTH-WYTHE-
> INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BLACKSBURG...GALAX...PEARISBURG...
> RADFORD...WYTHEVILLE
> 1005 AM EST FRI DEC 13 2002
>
> .TODAY...RAIN...MIXED AT TIMES WITH SNOW AND SLEET THIS MORNING.
> RAIN TAPERING OFF TO DRIZZLE LATE.  HIGHS IN THE MID 30S. SOUTHEAST
> WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH BECOMING NORTHEAST LATE THIS MORNING.
> .TONIGHT...RAIN SHOWERS LIKELY...POSSIBLY BECOMING MIXED WITH SNOW
> SHOWERS LATE. LITTLE OR NO ACCUMULATION.  LOWS IN THE LOWER 30S.
> NORTHEAST WINDS 5 TO 15 MPH BECOMING WEST.  CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION
> 70 PERCENT.
> .SATURDAY...SNOW SHOWERS LIKELY.  TOTAL ACCUMULATION...LESS THAN AN
> INCH. WINDY.  HIGHS IN THE MID 30S.  NORTHWEST WINDS 15 TO 30 MPH.
> CHANCE OF SNOW 70 PERCENT.
> .SATURDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY.  SCATTERED FLURRIES EARLY.  LOWS IN
> THE UPPER 20S.
>
> Chainsaw

--
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    	Jan Leitschuh Sporthorses Ltd.

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