Advice for prolonged cold/wet/windy conditions – above and below treeline

[James holden]

Its a technical, mental and gear challenge

and once you have the skills, gear and confidence to deal with the freezing rain … Youll be much better for it

that BPL article i posted shows what happens when you lack such ….

;)

[Roger Caffin]

It is a very well-known phenomenon in the walking world: the worse the experiences DURING the trip, the better the trip once you get home (and warm and dry and fed).

Cheers
(PS: this assumes you survive of course.)

 

 

[Ken Thompson]

That’s type 2 fun Roger.

[Roger Caffin]

Is there any other sort?

Cheers

 

[jscott]

there are trips that make great stories. and then there are trips that you actually enjoy at the time. “sure it’s hurricane season but I always wanted to go kayaking through the bahamas so I’m going” is one strategy. Nowadays, if it’s possible I tend to take weather into account–understanding that there are no assurances.

 

as for “being  better for” vacationing in crappy weather…I didn’t have to go looking for it to have that experience anyway. am I better for it? hmmm…

[Roger Caffin]

And that brings me back to what I see as the difference between struggling to survive when out of your depths and enjoying yourself despite some extreme conditions. When I know I have a really secure, reliable, comfortable tent for the night, other problems don’t seem quite as bad. A good secure night’s sleep, and we are ready to go the next morning. Don’t dismiss the value of a good sleep.

Cheers

 

[jscott]

roger: +1. a secure tent (and a dry sleeping bag) is the beginning middle and end of getting through (and even enjoying) bad conditions.

[James holden]

One thing that we should probably mention …

bring some extra fatty foods like salami or cheese …. Youll burn more calories in the freezing rain

also being delayed by higher creeks and mud by a day or two is not unknown

extra fuel and a leak proof container that holds boiling water can save ur bacon

simply boil some tea and use it to warm you in camp (wring out yr wet layers, put em back on, and then put the hot tea nalgene inside yr layers)

at night you can also use it as a hot water bottle if you want to push out moisture

theres 2 sources of dependable heat in cold constant rain

your body which is fuelled by food … And yr stove (boiling water)

dont run out of fuel for either

;)

[Roger Caffin]

bring some extra fatty foods like salami or cheese ….

No, no, no, never ‘or’
Salami PLUS cheese PLUS coffee. Dark chocolate is very good too.

Cheers

 

 

[monkey]

Has anyone tried using a light titanium woodstove in a smaller pyramid shelter? Some of them weight less than 2 pounds. I know that sort of thing is normally reserved for snowy winter use but if you have the option of warming up and drying clothes then maybe it is worth the weight. It could sure make a miserable trip tolerable. You could save weight but not bringing a big puffy and not bringing an overkill sleeping bag because you can just warm everything up and dry it out.

I love having a woodstove in camp especially when its wet and windy. I would not treat it as a substitute to insulation, but perhaps as a substitute to a double wall tent? To provide comfort in camp and a good night rest.

If as an example we take the lightest 3-pole two person tunnel Hillberg at 74oz, our setup would come out lighter with Supermid/stove jack at 29oz, and the stove/pipe itself at 22oz. The stove doubles for cooking, which is an additional weight saving.

BUT, preparing wood and collecting it does take time, and it helps having two people. Usually the last hour before camp we collect suitable short pieces of wood as we go, and stuff it in purpose mesh sacks. Once in camp and the tent is up, we venture out and find two/three longer/thicker logs. Back in the tent and safe from rain and wind, one person would start cutting the long logs (gradually dragging them in from the outside), while the other person would start the fire and put the water up for cooking etc, then join in cutting the logs.

Takes about an hour this way to prepare a good pile of wood for the evening and following morning, but its enjoyable from the moment the fire starts crackling inside the stove. Spacious tent, dry warmth, crackling fire, hot dinner and drink, and good conversation, while outside it is all windy and wet – what camping is all about! :) Then into warm sleeping bags while the fire is dying out, until the morning when we start it again for coffee.

I’ve thought about using the stove for the solo trips, but its probably not worth it. Ages to prepare wood by yourself, and much more difficult in a smaller tent with the stove. But in a larger mid with two or more people it can truly work, unless the enjoyment of ‘camping’ is not what the person is after (some prefer to hike till they drop, then hike again as soon as possible once they get up….)

[Roger Caffin]

By the time I have pitched the tent, got water, set up my canister stove and cooked dinner on it, it is dark. Spending an hour collecting firewood and preparing it? No chance.  But, every one is different.

Cheers

 

[monkey]

Sorry Roger I didn’t express myself properly, collecting firewood does not take an hour – we do it as part of the hiking when nearing the camp, while there is still light.

It is cutting the thicker logs that takes about an hour, but by this time the tent is up, the fire is on, and we’re safely inside the tent cutting away while the water is heating for drink and dinner. It really is nice if you have company to spend longer winter evenings.

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Monkey

Eh, no worries. Can’t really put a wood stove inside a tunnel tent anyhow.

I have never understood the problem about ‘longer winter evenings’. By the time we have had dinner, washed up and cleaned our teeth, we are half asleep! I think we may be stopping a bit later in the day.

But, YMMV always.
Cheers

 

[Alexander S]

Drenched, web footed PNW Seattle Cascadian here.

Most of all make sure you use a tough pack liner.

Personally I have switched to a cagoule and rain chaps which I find to be far more comfortable to wear for longer stretches and ventilates infinitely better.

I also do not go with light hikers but with sturdier boots. 3-4 days is not a time to have cold, wet feet that never dry out. The thing about the NW is that if it rains it pours and often doesn’t stop for a few days.

 

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