Winter Hot Tips

[Sara]

More on eggs in the winter...

When hiking/camping in the winter we like to crack the eggs at home, spice 'em up, add some diced ham and salsa and a splash of milk and put them in one of the small nalgene containers(@16oz). It is cold enough to keep 'em sanitary, you don't have to mess with cracking the eggs and disposing of the shells, and you can dump the concoction in a pan at bed time if you fear it will freeze through. Very yummy breakfast in the morning! Kahlua and hot cocoa also makes for a great end of the day treat.

 

[bachand]

Using a water bladder in winter

Here's one I came up with my last Nov hike when my water line froze from my water bladdder. I ran the hose through my pit zip in my jacket, down my sleeze and into my coat. I have a 3' extention on the hose so I had plenty of length. Then anytime I wanted a drink I had one right there waiting for me. This was in Nov and has not been field tested in winter condition but I assume it would work.

 

[KayakDan]

Rtrimarc,do your friend a big favor. Get him a titanium frying pan. We use ours all the time-huge weight difference.
Sara,your right abou the Kahlua! We put ours in the coffee at night-or maybe even a little in the morning mocha!

When your camped on a lot of snow(2ft or better) dig out a pit in the vestibule are of your tent. Throw a crazy creek or a tarp in the bottom-you can now sit on the edge-in your tent-and pull boots off-change clothes etc. You can also use the bottom of the pit as a cooking area in bad weather. Allow plenty of ventilation and this is only recommended with a gas cannister type stove,NOT white fuel or gasoline.As with any open flame anywhere newar a tent,caution is most important.
The vestibule pit now gives you plenty of room to store backpacks.
Recommended winter gear-carry a lightweight avalanche shovel for winter camping.

 

[Maddy]

Buy a tent big enough to house the two dogs and yourself. Then tell them that you're sleeping in the middle, with a furry furnace to each side, only to keep them from playing inside the tent in the middle of the night.

Can you imagine having two the size of Brutus???
They certainly do radiate heat!

 

[Mad Townie]

When not hauling a sled, use a 3/4 length pad and put your pack under your feet for insulation. Works for me, and gives you a place to put your pack .

 

[Artex]

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

That's a good one. I always forget to do that.

 

[stopher]

FWIW, olive oil does the trick. Stopher will know that I drink the stuff . . .

Yeah, he does. He also wears neon green knee-highs with his hiking shorts. Other than those two oddities, he's basically harmless. And pretty intelligent for a Dartmouth grad. The smartest thing he ever did was marry Liv.

And e-b: Don't you forget it!

 

[carole]

Sunscreen - don't put it away just because summer is over. You can get quite the sunburn in the open snow.

 

[whcobbs]

hot tips -- disposable polyethylene gloves

Disposable polyethlene gloves worn under polypro liner gloves weigh almost nothing. They will appreciabley extend the time before fingers go numb outside of insulated mitts, so they are good for assembling stoves and other fiddlesome tasks. Don't try to use them with ski poles, etc, because they will tear.

Walt

 

[WildPeaks]

Tips

When you arrive at your tentsite, build an elevated platform for your tent. It will keep the colder air from settling into the tent. Instead it will go to the lower areas. It also allows some of the moisture on your clothing to dry out a little by moving arround while your building it. Not too high. 6" - 8" will do. Use your snowshoes, (on or off) if you don't have a shovel.
Tom

 

[oldfogie]

My wife, in a double sleeping bag.

 

[forestgnome]

Keep all bateries (from your camera, flashlight,etc.) close to your body. I generally wear a thin fleece vest as a second layer, and I keep batteries in the vest pocket, taking them out only when I need them. Cold kills batteries.
Happy Trails,
Forestnome

 

[WildPeaks]

Batts

Forestnome
I hear people talk about that all the time. Hike & sleep w/your gear next to you. Don't get me wrong, all great ideas, and very necessary for some stuff. But they make lithium batteries. They even came out with AAA's this year, which kept me from buying some of the nice lightweight headlamps. So far AAA's are only @ REI, although you will start to see them in other stores soon I hope.
Got the lesson on my second winter trip. Turned on the flashlight & it died w/in a couple of minutes. Put in another set, same thing. Alkaline batts are useless in cold temps. And lithium cells actually perform better in cold temps than warmer & have a longer shelf life. And don't use cost (about $2.75 ea.) as an excuse. That's not bad seeing as your life may depend on it. They come in the following sizes: D, AA, AAA, 3v123, 6v, another sm. camera cell that I don't recall the name, plus various coin cells. There may be others.
One less thing you have to worry about freezing!
Tom