Some friends and I are planning a trip to the Adirondack High Peaks area the last week of December. We'll probably base camp somewhere around Slant Rock lean-to, and then day hike/snowshoe up to Mt Marcy, etc.
We're all living in SE Michigan. We all have mountaineering experience elsewhere, mostly Mt Olympus & Rainier, with one guy also having alpine climbing experience in AK some years ago. Some have done this trip before two years ago.
Anyway, Weatherunderground historical data shows a few really cold nights in nearby Saranac Lake, which translates to overlight lows close to -9 if a cold snap moves through.
I'm looking at purchasing some down pants for around camp (making and eating dinner), and maybe to supplement my 0 degree down bag. It's a Marmot Neversummer. Not exactly in the UL category at almost 4lb weight, but the price was right when I got it on sale, less than half of what a nice Western Mountaineering Kodiak MF would cost.
Right now, my favorite down pants are from Borah Gear due to weight, cost, and custom options. I'm thinking about asking if they can be customized with a side zipper on each leg that runs up to about knee height.
Any thoughts? REI sells synthetic insulated pants that already have side zips and are much more durable, but also significantly heavier. There are similar options from other makers as well (Eddie Bauer First Ascent, etc).
Jeff
