Too cold to hike?

[marty]

I was considering hiking this Saturday, but with the frigid temps I decided to bail.

Just wondering how the cold temps affect everyone's decisions about hiking. Am I the only wimp in this Forum?

Thanks,
Marty

 

[MadRiver]

Our Washington/Southern Presi's trip was cancelled due to the cold. Some in the group will do another hike in the area, while I'm staying close to home because of visiting guest's obligations, so I'm heading to the Tripyramids on Saturday. If it gets too cold I will simply turn around.

 

[MichaelJ]

I'm still planning to ski, because these temps should make for awesome snow (dessicated) but that's a completely different story since at any given moment I can just go inside and hot cocoa up...

 

[ALGonquin Bob]

I rarely hike if the high temperature will be only around 0F, or if I'll be camped in temps more than 10 below at any time. As it works out, the temps this weekend are rising to a more reasonable range (single digits to teens) by Sunday when I'll be on the Upper Range... and since getting frostbitten last January, I now hike with hand warmers in my mitts.

 

[Mike P.]

too Cold, never!

Too cold for camping out, doing a long hike, lots of exposure? Maybe & yes & depending on your health, this is a big concern for some.

This type of cold shrinks the margin of error. (In summer you can do lots of silly things - leave coat at home, little food, no matches, etc & likely get away with it if you get lost, just a cool night out)

If you're fit & have no health issues (or even suspect it) trips under 8 miles RT not too far from safety shouldn't be an issue.

Tecumseh, Lonesome Lake, Cannon, Wildcat by Ski slopes, the floor of Tucks (avoiding avy prone areas depending on conditions) some of the peaks from Highland Center should be okay too.

You’ll want to make any early start & do something pretty easy when you know you’ll be back to the car well before dark.

Most of us here (probably not all though) know that trails in winter don’t really look like the summer trails as far as navigation goes. It’s even harder finding your way back after dark.

It’s not likely going to be a good weekend for a Pemi-Traverse, a Presidential Traverse & it’s not really a smart weekend for an Owl’s Head trip or Carrigain.

 

[Jay H]

I'm out there in the catskills, just not sure if I'm camping cause my friend has no winter camping gear. But I hike, I hike, it's what I do....

What's another layer and a few more gloves/hats...

Jay

 

[giggy]

all about what you find fun....

LOL - sometimes these boards can make you feel like if you don't hike everyday no matter what the weather - your a loser.

Personally, I would hike this weekend. I was going to actually with MEB, but I have a 3 week old fractured hand and I did a dry run wed eve and the multi-layers on the cast and big mitt - just put too much pressure on the injury and was too painful with most movements like zipping, de-re-layering, etc.. simple tasks were a pain....... really wouldn't have been safe for me.... if warmer and a smaller glove, I probably could have pulled it off.

I would be lying if I said hiking in minus 20 was enjoyble for me. I much prefer 20 above... I guess when i first started winter hiking - I felt cool saying "i hiked in minus 15 this weekend" or "I was in hurricane force winds on washington" - or I camped out in minus 30. You see the same thing every year - someone new to winter hiking detailing the euphoria of being in the nasty conditions.... pretty funny.. all good...

at this stage - I would love the opp to be able to get north this weekend in any temps.......- but this injury really fcked up my winter (esp no climbing for another 4 to 6 weeks) . Hoping to salvage late feb march - but only time will tell.....

The next I plan to be in -30 temps by choice is going to be Denali

ps - winter blows when you can't get out...

there is certainlly no shame or "whimpness" associated with not hiking in these temps...

 

[leaf]

LOL - sometimes these boards can make you feel like if you don't hike everyday no matter the weather what - your a loser.

Hahah! I've bailed from hikes before because of cold temps. Just couldn't get my brain motivated to deal with having to freeze when I first get out of the car.. to freeze when I stop to grab a drink of water or a snack.. etc.

I tend to not eat much when I hike in general, but the cold definitely makes me not want to stop even for a minute, take my big gloves off so i can get into my pack, find a bar, try to rip open the package, and then chew on it trying to thaw it out.

As a result, I become a little sluggish because I lack the energy.. maybe even getting a headache from not drinking enough. This was the case last weekend on Madison. Did I enjoy myself? Absolutely. Will I go above tree line this weekend and plan on another 12-14 miler in the cold.. eh, probably not.

I consider any temps below 10F -without- wind chill, cold. if it's 15-20 or something, then I'm good to go without hesitation.

Honestly, I didn't even look at the weather this weekend before I planned a hike on Sunday. Thinking about it, I rarely check the weather.. I figure someone on VFTT would start a thread, so why look at weather.com.

 

[peakbagger]

My standard comment is that I believe that I have the equipment and the ability to hike in very cold weather, but not the motivation .

Generally its not the cold weather hiking that gets me, its the cold weather stopping.

 

[TrishandAlex]

Doesn't change my mind about my personal hiking, but it does factor into the equation when it comes to allowing Alex to hike.

I'm game for anything that's sheltered. I figure if I am still cold after a mile or so in, I can turn around, no problem. I always carry enough gear to keep me warm and comfortable for at least one night out, in subzero temps. That doesn't mean I'm cavalier about it, but it does mean I feel comfortable getting out there and giving it a go. I've zero problems turning back for whatever reason.

Of course, things are different when it comes to my kid. I won't take her out tomorrow, but I will on Sunday. Since I don't know enough about trail conditions on the few winter 4K possibilities there are for her, we may do something smaller (Hedgehog, or the like). Or, we may just do a popular, packed-out relatively flat hike.

 

[el-bagr]

I'll be encamped in the woods, skiing and climbing wherever the wind blows me. This weather is the best.

 

[Little Rickie]

I'm gonna snowshoe locally and I hope it's cold as hell and blowing so I can get some wicked windchill experiences. I'd like to test my layering close to home (car).

 

[DougPaul]

I've been out when the high for the day was ~-15F. Sure, I prefer 20F, but it is no biggie if you have your act together. You just have to be a bit more careful--however, with wind it can become serious.

Doug

 

[grouseking]

It was to be above zero at the bottom. Last night I walked outside and coughed instantly, and it was about -18. That's a little cold for me.

 

[RoySwkr]

I don't hike by myself when it's very cold and I try to avoid tricky going with less margin for error, but with a group I've often been out at -10 F or less

Actually the tough part is starting the car in deep cold, once I hitchhiked to the trailhead and sometimes need to put the charger on

 

[BIGEarl]

As the story goes….

Q: Why are there no blind skydivers?
A: The dogs don’t like it.


I think Plan A for tomorrow got taken out by a one-day shift in the forecast resulting in much higher wind conditions. Until early in the day yesterday, the midday wind level at 6288 feet was being forecast by most sites that I visited (including multiple NWS sites) at 20mph to 25mph. Then the forecasts changed to ~45mph, or more. I have hiked in this level of wind but can honestly say I don’t like it.

The dogs might not have a choice – but I do.

Hello - Plan B.

 

[Chip]

Gear Check ! Weather like this provides a great opp to test your gear and skills under "controlled" conditions. Do a reasonable/short/local hike/snowshoe/ski with a full pack. Back home outside or at the trailhead see how long it takes to unpack, get a meal started and pitch a tent. Maybe wait until dark or until the wind picks up. Little things like pitching your tent on frozen ground or finding matches and starting your stove can be a challenge.

If the thought of this kind of practice turns you off you just don't know what fun is !

 

[Michelle]

Chickening out!

I just had 2 layers of skin fall off the tip of my middle finger from our Goose Eye adventure on the first of the year.....(it was cold and windy that day and I couldn't feel the tip of my finger for 24 hours after)
Sooooooo, I think I'll let some skin grow back on the ole finger before I venture out in negative temps, just to be on the safe side!!

Sunday and Monday temps don't look so bad though........

 

[leaf]

If the thought of this kind of practice turns you off you just don't know what fun is !

I'll save it for Denali in a few years, thanks.

 

[BobC]

It's all about the wind for me. I can take really cold temps but I don't enjoy spending a lot of time in face mask/balaclava due to the wind. If I just have to run up to a summit in goggles and a mask, that's one thing. Hiking all day while wrapped up like a mummy isn't much fun for me.