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  1. #1
    Senior Member mbnow's Avatar
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    First Winter Hike and Hang.

    Went for my first winter hike and hang!
    Definitely one of my new favorite things. This could get addictive.

    While i try to keep the weight of my pack down. I do err on the side of caution. Bringing extra food, fuel, and some clothing.
    During the night i I ended up taking my jacket off and left it bunched up around my head.
    Using the stock tarp was also not the best. Wind was not my friend.
    There was so much snow on the trees, as the wind blew strong snow came down and got between the UQ and hammock. and seemed to penetrate the mosquito net.
    Also i could feel the UQ move in strong winds and have a strange sensation of cold water moving under me. When i put my hand there it was very cool and warmed up quickly with the heat of my hand. So i think it was just the wind removing the heat temporarily.
    I have ordered a winter tarp from HG.-


    Date:
    Jan 13th Friday. 1 night.
    Location:
    WM national forest. Great Gulf trail. Clam Rock.
    Temps:
    Highs 20+/- degrees F daytime
    Lows 10+/- Degrees F nighttime.

    Insulation:
    UQ- JrB Winter Nest.
    TQ- JrB Old Rgd. Mtn.
    FF Down Booties.
    WM Flash pants.
    FF Volant Jacket with hood
    Wools Socks, EMS thermal pants, Patagonia silk weight top,
    Patagonia R1 Top.


    Things I would Change:
    1, Use winter tarp with doors and lower sides. (on order from HG)
    2, Unstake hammock and see if sides envelope more eliminating drafts in UQ
    3, Maybe use hammock sock/ burrito? needs more investigating.
    4, Use large light weight trash bag to put gear/ pack in under hammock. If pack was hanging it would have been covered in snow.
    5, Bring some neoprene gloves for around camp activity that wont get wet and freeze solid.
    6, Try to minimize condensation. I saw video of Shugs' breath trap. Will need to do more research on that one. My TQ had thin layer of frost on it that was instant water when touched. It never penetrated the bag but, maybe more exposure would not be good.

    Sorry for the long post, but i know from experience the more info the better and the devil is in the details.



    Matt B.
    IMG_3202.jpg IMG_3213.jpg

    IMG_3206.jpg IMG_3212.jpg

    IMG_3192.jpg IMG_3233.jpg
    Last edited by mbnow; 01-15-2012 at 20:05. Reason: Added better res. pics.

  2. #2
    Senior Member BlueSkies's Avatar
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    Great report mbnow. It looks like you had a really nice first winter night out. That little breath trap shug uses, is pure genius, it's kept nearly all the frost off my quilt.
    At sea, I learned how little a person needs, not how much.

    – Robin Lee Graham

  3. #3
    Senior Member Alamosa's Avatar
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    Sound like you had a good time and learned some good lessons. Fantastic pictures.
    Have fun with the adjustment process.
    We must, indeed, all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately. - Ben Franklin
    (known as a win-win on this forum)

  4. #4
    Senior Member mbnow's Avatar
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    Breath Bib

    The breath bib is the way to go.
    My only concern is that i like to toss and turn a lot and i always end up sleeping on my side.
    I wonder if i can make something to go from the ridge line and clip to either side of the hammock and rests just below my chin, so i can roll over without strangling myself. or dislodging the bib.
    Maybe some velcro tabs every 8 inches sewn to the hammock and fly, then a pieces of silnylon cut to the shape.
    I know what i need, i just cant visualize how it will work.

    Maybe this? (90 seconds in 'sketch-up')

    the small rectangles are velcro tabs. To attach to hammock at corresponding points.
    it would also angle away from the face (top point being 2ft along ridge line)

    breath trap.jpg

    Bad idea?

    Matt B.

  5. #5
    psyculman's Avatar
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    Thanks for the great report and pictures. I have been wanting to get up there really bad. If you use a tarp with closed off ends, it will greatly add to your warmth factor.
    Since I retired, some times I stay awake all day, some times all night.

  6. #6
    Senior Member RedBeardHanger's Avatar
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    Great report! Beautiful area! The 4th shot (I think) is a wonderful way of showing you being hidden! hmmm Did that make sense…? lol
    Always have a Plan B C D and E! - Arson

    I 100% believe “Normal is Boring!"

    Does Shug ever put out a bad video?

    "Man up and get back up to the top of the food chain Mr. Omnivore. That McDonalds didn't grow out of a Avacodo bush.” - MrClean417

    "The trick to living and learning is actually living." - Cannibal

    "He who would travel happily must travel light."
    - Antonine Marie Roger de Saint-Exupery

    "Backpacking is the art of knowing what not to take."
    - Sheridan Anderson

  7. #7
    Senior Member Str1der's Avatar
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    Excellent report. I always enjoy it when people post what they think they did right and what lessons they learned from things that maybe didn't go as planned.

    With regards to the wind stealing your warmth, that will certainly happen; however, there are things you can do to prevent it. I would first make sure you have the right fit on your uq. A properly hung uq shouldn't have wind slip between it and the hammock, but wind can still blow INTO the uq and steal warmth which is why hammock socks can be useful. If you're like me, you might be surprised how tight you have to get the uq to really have a good seal all the way around. When I get out of my hammock, the uq actually raises the hammock because its suspension is so tight. Another trick is to snug up the ends so that air can't blow in, but beware overtightening the ends. Overtightening will cause the uq to bunch up and not seal against the hammock.

    A winter tarp hung low (to the ground even) will help to cut a lot of wind too. Try to find a site where you can set up perpendicular to the wind so your tarp can block most of it.

    Quote Originally Posted by mbnow View Post
    The breath bib is the way to go.
    My only concern is that i like to toss and turn a lot and i always end up sleeping on my side.
    I suspect that if you make the bib extra long, you will be fine. The added length won't hurt you if it simplies lies on top of your top quilt a bit when you sleep on your back, and it will allow you to turn onto your sides without strangling yourself. Perhaps Shug or another industrious northerner can chime in on that though since I'm not exactly in the best climate to test such theories!
    "The Road goes ever on and on,
    Down from the door where it began.
    Now far ahead the Road has gone,
    And I must follow, if I can.
    Pursuing it with eager feet
    Until it joins some larger way
    Where many paths and errands meet.
    And whither then? I cannot say."
    ~Bilbo Baggins - LotR

  8. #8
    Senior Member ofuros's Avatar
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    Loving the winter scenes..great hang mbnow.

  9. #9
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    Nice report. Looks like you have the tarp too open for that size in those conditions. I would have pulled the sides down to cut the wind. ;-)

  10. #10
    Senior Member mbnow's Avatar
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    Thanks for all the comments/ feedback. Keep them coming.

    My winter learning curve is a steep one.

    I did pull the sides of the tarp down before i got in. I like leaving them up during the day for access to clothing etc.
    When the HG winter tarp gets here i think that might eliminate 1 possible problem.

    I still need to tweak/ adjust the UQ as mentioned. I may have had the ends cinched too tight.

    Also the wind penetrating the UQ is probable as well. In that area winds are notorious. It is such a beautiful spot but the weather is one of the most unpredictable. It goes from clear starry skies to snow in minutes. Literally.

    I'll try a long piece of fabric for a breath trap next time and see if that works.
    the condensation was pretty far down on my TQ, at least past my knees.


    Matt B.

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