Camping in frigid weather?

[hikingfish]

Here are a few images of our shortcut (tarp packed with insulating snow for a partial roof) igloo building.

Weather: 5 above wind 15-20 mph

Inside 34-39 degrees

Note the small vent hole in the roof and tarp

One candle lights the whole white reflective inside

I'm guessing you hand made that circular tarp, right? How about the door? Is there any way the tarp could be swept away if really strong wings picked up? I highly doubt it, since not a whole lot of it is left out once snow is packed over it.

How big is the hole at the top of the igloo when you install the tarp? 2 feet? What's the diameter of the tarp?

I'm glad I'm not the only looney that has igloos in his backyard

Fish

 

[Little Rickie]

I'm glad I'm not the only looney that has igloos in his backyard

Fish

Some kids never (want to) grow up.

 

[pks4000]

Attached is a picture of the roof.
The tarp diameter is about 3 1/2-4 feet.

The hole it covers is about 2 feet + or -

We cut the tarp installed grommets

The door is simply a piece of tarp cut in a rectangular shape and pegged into the snow.
If you double the fabric and peg the 2 ends
Like the top of the letter U

You can then put snow in the bottom of the door (the bottom of the letter U to weight it down. MOve a pack into the doorway to provide more resistance to the cold.

Make the door as small as you can and still fit in. Its the insulative weak point of the igloo.
Remember you must vent or you can expire like an old license.

 

[hikingfish]

Attached is a picture of the roof.
The tarp diameter is about 3 1/2-4 feet.

The hole it covers is about 2 feet + or -

We cut the tarp installed grommets

The door is simply a piece of tarp cut in a rectangular shape and pegged into the snow.
If you double the fabric and peg the 2 ends
Like the top of the letter U

You can then put snow in the bottom of the door (the bottom of the letter U to weight it down. MOve a pack into the doorway to provide more resistance to the cold.

Make the door as small as you can and still fit in. Its the insulative weak point of the igloo.
Remember you must vent or you can expire like an old license.

That's pretty much what I had pictured in my head. Very ingenuous! Does it still hold if the snow is wet and heavy?

I was thinking of using an old tarp and cutting a rectangular piece from it twice as long as what I think the door would be long (so, 6' long or so). Folding it over itself and sewing it 4-5 inches from the bottom end. Making an inverted P form if you will...so you could stuff snow in the cylindrical area that forms the circular ish form in the letter P. Then install 2 grommets at the other end (which would be the top part). Hope I didn't lose anyone I'd then be able to peg the door above the entrance.

Boy, can't wait to build an igloo now. Hurry Mr Weekend!!

Fish

 

[pks4000]

Great Idea for the door.

The top holds in wind and is a good insulator.

 

[dangergirl]

I have suffered from the cold nose syndrome too. My solution is to pull my hat down over to the top of my nose. (my boyfriend suggested it and it works great!) Make sure your draft collar is closed and don't breathe into your bag. I try to cinch up the hood on the bag too so only a little hole is open. Plan on the opening to be covered with ice in the morning. Condensation inside the tent is an ongoing issue. Proper ventilation is key to reducing the condensation. We are definately fans of the double sleeping pads!
Also, taking a hot nalgene placed in a coozy keeps you toasty until around 3-4 am. Sometimes you just have to deal with being comfortably cold for the last hour or two until you get up. When I am just too cold I throw a pair of foot warmers in my down booties! What a treat!
Another thing I learned is to bring a dry base layer to sleep in and not to sleep in your gortex. I bring my down jacket and synthetic pants in my bag with me and if I get chilly I wrap them around me. Works like a charm without making me sweat! But, in the end trial and error is the best way to figure it out! We've camped in -21, and that was our coldest night in a tent! Suprisingly we were warm!

 

[pks4000]

DG
That's really good stuff.

Ya think that some Montaineering outfitters would be paying us to read the forum or...... at least Darren.

Be well

 

[hikingmaineac]

Although mainly designed to protect against cold, blowing wind and/or ultraviolet rays, I saw this and thought of this thread. Also featured here.

 

[hikingfish]

Although mainly designed to protect against cold, blowing wind and/or ultraviolet rays, I saw this and thought of this thread. Also featured here.

Looks interesting! Not sure if it would actually keep my nose warm...especially if you're not in the in the wind. It might be worth a try though.

Fish

 

[dangergirl]

Although mainly designed to protect against cold, blowing wind and/or ultraviolet rays, I saw this and thought of this thread. Also featured here.

I use these on my glacier glasses! They worked great in Alaska for the wind/cold/sun, but I did not sleep with it on!

 

[yardsale]

This is my solution.
http://www.snowtrekkertents.com/images/shortwall.jpg
-20 outside, 45 inside one foot above the ground, 80 degrees one foot from the roof!

 

[hikingfish]

This is my solution.
http://www.snowtrekkertents.com/images/shortwall.jpg
-20 outside, 45 inside one foot above the ground, 80 degrees one foot from the roof!

Hmm, looks very comfy, but expensive and heavy.

Are those temp ratings with or without a stove inside?

Fish

 

[yardsale]

I'm afraid the price has gone up quite a bit since I bought mine. Heavy? It depends. The tent sleeps up to 4 and weighs 18 lbs, Not much different than a 'Cold" winter tent on a per person basis. Add 2lbs per person for the woodstove (yep, 8lbs, it's titanium) and you have warm winter space for 6.5 lbs per person.

 

[TomD]

Yardsale, I joined www.wintertrekking.com a while back; It is a Canadian cold weather camping website-cold as in -40C cold. Many of them have the Snowtrekker or similar hot tent. They tow everything in on sleds with huge snowshoes. They also wear old style cotton anoraks and lots of wool. The cotton anoraks are counter to the "cotton kills" rule because it is so cold that cotton, which is actually light canvas on most of the anoraks, works better than Goretex in very low temps.

 

[yardsale]

Thanks Tom,
I didn't know about that site. We use the tent primarily to get to backcountry ski terrain difficulty to access as a daytrip. Haven't found too many other folks who combine warm tent camping with bc skiing so it will be fun to hang out in thaf forum for a while.

 

[hikingfish]

I'm afraid the price has gone up quite a bit since I bought mine. Heavy? It depends. The tent sleeps up to 4 and weighs 18 lbs, Not much different than a 'Cold" winter tent on a per person basis. Add 2lbs per person for the woodstove (yep, 8lbs, it's titanium) and you have warm winter space for 6.5 lbs per person.

So, 18lbs + 8lbs / 4 = 6.5lbs per person, not including wood. That's not too too bad for extreme cold weather. I'm not sure it would be worth it in just cold weather (-10 to -20C range) unless you were setting up a basecamp.

Do you have any pictures of your setup in such a tent? I'd be very curious to see it! Also, who makes that titanium wood stove?

Fish

 

[yardsale]

4 Dog stove company but the price of that stove has also ski-rocked. Any small sheepherder stove will do ok for several hundred dollars less than the ti stove. Will send photos of tent when I have more time. Go here for other pictures. wintertrekking.com