Hey Conan, just wondering where you live since those temps sound about the same as where I’m at right now (Fairbanks, AK). I’ve still be going for short (2-4 mile) walks outside, but nothing overnight. I’m staying at a friends in the hills today and taking advantage of the relatively balmy -25 temps in the hills, compared to the -35 or so down in town.
Skittles (Rich)
Dear Skittles (Rich):
Like yourself, I live in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Currently -37F with in impenetrable ice fog; although I see a diffuse brightness on the southeast horizon which must be the sun.
Sincerely–Conan.
Conan
Dear Skittles (Rich):
Like yourself, I live in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Currently -37F with an impenetrable ice fog; although I see a diffuse brightness on the southeast horizon which must be the sun.
Sincerely–Conan.
Conan
The Smokies in East Tennessee don’t get quite as cold as Alaska, but they’re close to my house, so that’s where I practice for “real” backpacking trips. I’ve been down to -5 degrees at Mt. LeConte and Ice Water Springs Shelters in January using a Marmot 15 degree sleeping bag with snow drifting into the shelters and been warm and happy. And one year I did the Lakeshore Trail solo for practice. I used a tarp, just to make sure that it would work on the AT in the spring. I don’t know how cold it got, but everything froze (including my boots!) except the Jack Daniels!
WILDCAT
cotton bag,boots froze,lit big fire,pretended to sleep,prayed for the butt crack of dawn.prayed for some crack.crack of dawn equals life. night equals death.in morn cant get boots on.solid ice.solution? flaming boots and cut down back with buck 110 knife. slide down in morning to 61 at port clintin and caught the bus/hitched home to philly.matthewski survives.
mweinstone
-15F In Michigan without the windchill. I was using a +15 mummy bag that I nested inside of an ooolllld unrated down bag. I woke up in the middle of the night so hot that I thought I was going to throw up. When I unzipped my bags a big cloud of steam rolled out and froze to the tent walls. With those two bags nested like that I could easily have gone much colder and still have been very warm.
Prospector