Your coldest night camping?

[Stephen M]

Coldest camp this year was a balmy 2F on Friday night.

[Charley White]

Two at minus-twenty-something F.

First: I was twenty-something, with GF>wife, went in Miller Meadows above Tahoe West shore, mild day, NF dbl-wall pup-tent, 15 degree Snow Lion SuperLite down bag, on–blue foam, cause too poor for ensolite! Slept on stomach, shivering up enough warmth to fall asleep; shiver; repeat. Early hours, began hearing large-caliber rifle fire all around us. Got home & mutual friend said, "whoa, it was twenty below at Tahoe this weekend."
Expect expansion of water in dead tree limbs produces rifle sounds.

Second: Marcy Dam in Adirondacks, with 13yo nephew/godson on our first outing. Above freezing when we got NNN-BC gear at Adirondack Loj. Eschewed lean-to for Megamid. Two Marmot goretex (I know) Snowgoose 0deg down bags on thermarests on ridgerests. Massive ice plate on bag by chin; only ever frost before. Rental boots solid ice. Twenty minutes jumping-jacke; fire stove & feed nephew; get everything together while P still in bag; say, "Now!" Balmy zero back at the Loj, where they said it was twenty below last night. To cheat death we had brushed out teeth with Skittles.

[Derrick White]

Travis, your camp looks very inviting. How did you fare after? Please let us know.

Derrick

[Travis B.]

Made it back to the cabin about 40 minutes ago after spending last night at camp. Didn't have a thermometer at camp but when I got back to the cabin it was -28C. I'm guessing it got down to at least -30C (-22F) last night. A few observations:

-Zippers suck in cold weather if there is any moisture. My sleeping bag zipper was tough to work as was my down jacket.

-2mm lightweight guylines might be too finicky in really cold weather. I was able to tie my guylines without gloves, and without too much hassle but any colder and it would have been a terrible experience. I think paracord would have been easier to work with.

-I wish I could use close cell foam pads year round, but I find them too uncomfortable. So great to have it as a seat cushion. Also used it on the ice when I was getting my setlines ready.

-I need a little thermometer to take along.

-A small cooler is certainly not lightweight, but if you are using a sled it's really handy. Keeps things from freezing, stores fragile things well, and can be used as a seat around camp.

All in all, it was a pretty great night. After I packed up camp this morning I headed out and checked the 4 setlines I set the night before. Caught 1 pike and 1 burbot. Looks like it will be burbot for supper tonight.

Cheers,
Travis

This was the view I had when I woke up this morning:

[Mitchell Rossman]

At least -25f in an open bivy at Arrowhead Ultra. No big deal.

Very common to see large crowds doing the same at the various snowmobile shelters scattered along the race course.

If someone starts a fire, he will draw a huge crowd of very happy racers. Must be a throw back to our primitive past.

[Joshua Abel]

-38F in the BWCA, northern Minnesota. slept great, just didn't wanna get out of my bag in the morning :)

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