Winter Hot Tips

[Dugan]

And if the hand coverings must be taken off, tuck them inside your shirt/jacket so they retain some of their warmth.

 

[Reekee]

Hot tea

Sara, Have you tried hot Jello?

 

[Reekee]

Oh yeah, EMS make this "slurpy blocker" device for nalgene bottles.

 

[ExploreTheEast]

...bring a snorkel to breath out of so you can cover your whole face when sleeping! I think i am going to try it, because i have never been quite satisfied with the balaclava and hood, so i think i can probably just put my down jacket over the opening and breath out of a snorkel. Why not?

That is the funniest thing I've read all week. I don't know what's funnier, the idea of it, or the thought of being in a tent with someone, and hearing their Darth Vader breathing coming from the snorkle.

Here's my tip- go south. Last month was El Yunque and the Guanica Dry Forest. This weekend belongs to the Everglades!

 

[halfmoon]

Reekee,

What move is that, the ceiling on Shockley's? I remember that one was pretty scary for me the first time.

 

[vegematic]

I
Also, fill a pot with water before bedtime. If everything freezes solid at least you can put the pot directly on the stove and melt it for water.
...

Bury that pot of water in the snow and it will still be liquid in the morning. You might want to mark the spot with a pole or something so you can find it later.
-veg

 

[KayakDan]

And of course,don't forget the joy of a slug of warm apricot brandy from a hip flask when you arrive at your campsite!

 

[Desalad]

Last month was El Yunque and the Guanica Dry Forest. This weekend belongs to the Everglades!

Hey Explore, where did you go in El Yunque? I've been down to Puerto Rico twice this year in the San Juan/Rio Grande/Luquillo area, but have not yet been to the rain forest? Is there good hiking? Are you allowed to camp in the forest? Do you have any pics??

 

[John H Swanson]

Also, fill a pot with water before bedtime. If everything freezes solid at least you can put the pot directly on the stove and melt it for water.

I heard that this will result in "burning" the water. If you have a frozen block in the pot an put it on the stove, then the water gets a strong metalic taste from being heated too quickly.

Mt tips:
Cut the energy bars and candy bars into bite size pieces so thawing is a non issue.

On a day hike, take out your headlamp at 3:30 pm and test it. Then put it inside your coat to warm up those batteries. 30-60 minutes is all thats required.

Keep your wiretires (for snowshoe repairs) woven amongst your snowshoe lacing. That way you carry them when you have the shoes and dont carry them if you don't bring the shoes.

Use only one pole to allow you to do things while you continue to walk. (change gloves, read the map, eat etc.

On longer "in and out" hikes, cache 1 L of your water about 1/3 the way in. It works well if preboiled and insulated and winter packs are heavy enough.

Use the small rubber piece from a climbing quick draw over the end of your butane lighter to allow you to string it around your neck so it stays warm enough to vaporize.

Latex gloves for filling your stove to aviod fuel spill induced frostbite.

JHS

 

[Reekee]

Shockley's

Halfmoon, Good eye. It is Shockleys indeed! We link up the route with Strickly From Nowhere which gives you two crux roofs in one route. I highly recommend it if you've never tried it. Reekee

 

[torn&frayed]

Latex gloves for filling your stove to aviod fuel spill induced frostbite.

JHS

I got into a jam once and the result was frostbite on my finger tips. One of the many problems I ran into was that I never got my stove to ignite. My attempts to light the stove were done with bare hands. It's a Coleman that requires pumping to build the pressure. Is it possible that the gas fumes coming into contact with my bare hands contributed to the frostbite?

 

[afka_bob]

frostbite from spilled fuel

I don't know about white gas fumes, but in its liquid state, it could be a couple of things:

White gas has a lower freezing point than water, so the lees-than-zero-celsius liquid can flow over your fingers and chill them more than cold water or ice.

Evaporation cools and white gas evaporates faster than water and may cool more than water while evaporating.


Winter Hot Tips:

1) Pretend you are still asleep until somebody else lights the stove for breakfast (avoiding spilled-fuel frostbite danger)

2) Volunteer for a water run, but feign a leg injury on the way (avoid danger of getting bare hands wet in sub-freezing teperatures)

Not for solo trips, these only work in group situations.

 

[ExploreTheEast]

Hey Explore, where did you go in El Yunque? I've been down to Puerto Rico twice this year in the San Juan/Rio Grande/Luquillo area, but have not yet been to the rain forest? Is there good hiking? Are you allowed to camp in the forest? Do you have any pics??

Here's a photo of one of few views:
http://www.exploretheeast.com/favorites/?36.jpg

I did the Big Trees trail, and most of the El Yunque trail. It's definitely a different experience than hiking anywhere else I've been in North America. You should definitely head over there, it's barely 30 minutes outside of San Juan. The Coqui's sing away, there are leaves and ferns on some trees that are bigger than I am. Very different. There is no camping that I'm aware of.

Another spot with good hiking down there is the Guanica Dry Forest, but that's all the way across the island from San Juan. PM me if you need more info or want me to email 2 or 3 more photos of what the trails/flora looks like.

 

[Reekee]

Sleep In

Afka Bob, I like the sleeping in idea only because now I realize its been working on me.

 

[Panama Jack]

zzzzzzzzzzz

Gee I thought I was the only one who pulled that trick....hmmmm

 

[John H Swanson]

I got into a jam once and the result was frostbite on my finger tips. One of the many problems I ran into was that I never got my stove to ignite. My attempts to light the stove were done with bare hands. It's a Coleman that requires pumping to build the pressure. Is it possible that the gas fumes coming into contact with my bare hands contributed to the frostbite?

The frostbite is from the liquid evaporating very quickly and the evaporative cooling. The gas fumes are not the issue. Of course contact with metal can cause rapid heat loss too.

Now to the stove issue ... The problem with peak one and cold weather is the seal on the pump. Inside the pump, there is rubber lip seal that shrinks and looses flexibility when it gets cold. A buddy of mine had a knack of popping off the retaining clip and pulling out the pump, After some massaging of the seal, he could get the stove to hold enough pressure to light. Once lit, it would stay sufficiently warm. It was an unattactive process, but he got it to work. Not all seals fail to hold pressure, it depends alot on the age and temperature.

JHS

 

[el-bagr]

FWIW, olive oil does the trick. Stopher will know that I drink the stuff, even in summer if it's a high-mile or heavy-pack day. Spice it lightly with flavorants and plenty of salt. Only problem is that in winter, it can turn into a gritty paste that is less palatable until melted.

 

[Warren]

Only problem is that in winter, it can turn into a gritty paste that is less palatable until melted.

Keep in small 1-2 oz. bottle, stash in jacket or pants pocket, otherwise yeah, it becomes a solid.

 

[jfb]

Put on that extra layer before you get cold. For example if you're hiking uphill and wearing light clothing so you don't get your clothes all sweaty, stop before treeline and put on a windshell. If you wait until you're above treeline to stop and put it on, you'll lose a lot of heat from the wind.

Another rule-of-thumb I use to decide when to turn back is to save one extra layer for the hike down. I'll be generating less heat going downhill and need that extra layer to stay warm. If I find myself using my last layer while still on the way up, it's time to turn around.

Also, carry your water bottles upside down so the threads don't freeze first.

 

[rtrimarc]

Frozen eggs and Spam.

I love a big breakfast, and one of my hiking/camping partners doesn't mind carrying 50lbs in his Dana. He hauls a medium frypan with him everytime. I carry the eggs in one of those cheapo egg containers. They actually do a good job of keeping the eggs intact. One of the greatest tips i have learned is to break the eggs into the fry pan before heading in for the nite. they freeze in the pan instead of being frozen solid in their shell. Then just wake up, light the stove/start the fire, and put the pan with the eggs, along with a few slices of bacon, or spam on to the heat source. Works great, and have never had a problem with animals nibbling during the nite - Gotta find some wood to knock on.

Old trick i learned winter camping in Boy Scouts.

I have also found that a camping pillow makes a huge difference in warmth and comfort compared to a stuff sack full of clothes. With a pillow, you can actually sleep with your sleeping bag upside down using the hood to trap heat. The pillow sufficiently insulates your noggin.

Tent camping - push snow up around the base of your tent. Works well as insulation against wind.

I love winter camping.