[at-l] sleeping cold

[kellyswhitman at hotmail.com (Kelly Whitman)]

>How heavy a sleeping bag?  VERY few people need anything more than a 20* 
>bag on the AT.  No matter how cold they sleep.  And a 20* down bag just 
>isn't that heavy.

I don't think a 20 degree bag will be enough for me if it's cold enough to 
snow. I have a neurological disorder and cold overstimulates the nerve 
endings.  When I'm cold it feels like a group of linebackers are pummeling 
me.  It's difficult to understand, just take my word for it that it hurts 
like crazy and I won't be able to sleep if I'm not warm enough.  I'm tall so 
I need a "long" bag, and my curves don't go well with mummy bags.  I haven't 
found a 0 degree long semi-rectangular under 3 pounds.

>How much extra clothing?  This is one of the things that kills a lot of 
>hikes - that people carry too much clothing. You say you hike warm and then 
>crash when you stop?  So do a lot of others - including my wife.  The 
>immediate cure for that is to do what she does - change into dry clothing 
>as soon as you stop.

So far I only have a Capilene bottom layer, a North Face long-sleeved shirt 
and Nike running leggings over that, plus a Packa-like raincoat/pack cover 
and a wool watch cap.  I'm just now thinking about cold weather layers.  
It's been nearly 100F here up until last week or so and I'm still getting my 
mind around cold temps, but it'll be below 30F here soon. I won't be able to 
carry a separate change of clothes in my pack for sleeping, but I'll take 
more layers, I'm guessing fleece.

>you get in, run two or three times around the shelter - or 100 yards up the 
>trail and back.  Then dive in immediately.  You'll warm up your body and by 
>the time you cool down, the bag will have warmed up.  You can also heat 
>water and use it in a Nalgene as a hot water bottle.  But get that ready 
>and put it in the bag before you do your pre-bag run.

Great ideas! Thanks.

>Yeah - we all are - but don't ship it home before Mt Rogers (NORTH of 
>Damascus).  And pick it up again at Glencliff (there's a hostel there).

Made a note of that.

Kelly Whitman
INTP
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"There ARE no other women like me."  -- 7 of 9

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