first real night out with Speer stuff near Mt Baker, WA 2/9-10/09

**fin** · 02-12-2009, 13:24

Thank you so much for the pictures. I love mountains! Next to water, mountains are my favorite. Great trip report, and great pics!

**BillyBob58** · 02-12-2009, 18:47

Originally Posted by hikingjer

Mt Shuksan was mostly obscured by clouds but Mt Sefrit was briefly visible.......... Maybe I'll go back when it's clear, make a hammock camp and gawk at Mt Shuksan and other peaks in the evening and morning?

Thanks for the great report and pics!

I was a little luckier ( with the weather and views) last time I was there! At least on the last day when we got up close to Shuksan and Baker.

We weren't so lucky just a day or two earlier trying to see the Blue Glacier on Mt.Olympus- most of the time, nothing but clouds and fog and lightly misting rain. That made any nice views fleeting at best:

You're lucky to have such grand hanging country right outside your door! Envy!

I am not surprised that you over heated with all of that gear inside the PeaPod, unless you had the pod pretty wide open. Good info about the frozen condensation inside your soc. Did you stay condensation free on the bottom, since you used the space blanket?

**BillyBob58** · 02-12-2009, 18:58

Another problem was keeping the PeaPod from touching the ground while I put it on the hammock. The PeaPod is big and made of top notch down. The ground was near freezing so the PeaPod did not get wet. If the ground were wet like it normally is, the PeaPod would've gotten wet and wet down gear freaks me out.

It can for sure be a challenge to keep the pod ( or other UQs) off of the ground when installing, though you get better with practice. One reason I sometimes just leave them on once installed, and stuff hammock and quilt ( or SS) into one large bag. Then when setting up, by leaving all in the bag except the first rope/webbing being wrapped around the 1st tree, i can keep things dry as I walk towards the other tree and attach.

**Shug** · 02-12-2009, 20:12

I enjoyed your TR. Those mountains call for camping......

**clearskyblue** · 02-12-2009, 20:46

Not bad for a "first real night out" LOL!

Great pics of some outrageously breathtaking vistas.

**hikingjer** · 02-12-2009, 21:30

If you guys like mountain peak photos check out this trip report from last summer on the Pacific Crest Trail in the North Cascades.

On this trip, most of the peaks were covered by clouds as is normally the case in winter around here. But, for the last 4+ weeks we've had unusually dry, mild weather. It seems the normal storm tracks have been bypassing this part of the Northwest and hitting to the south.

Last winter '07-'08 was snowy. There was a deep snowpack with winter-like snowstorms dumping powder in mid/late April. Pic below from right near where BillyBob58's Mt Shuksan photo was taken.

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Billybob58,

Did you stay condensation free on the bottom, since you used the space blanket?

Yes, no condensation on the bottom. Warmth keeps it from building up I suppose?

It was weird that I was too warm at about 1am (?) but barely warm enough the last hour or so.

Metabolism? Ought to keep a snack nearby.

Thanks for the tips on the new Speer gear.

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Glad everybody liked the TR. If you ever come to the Western mountains in winter and snowplay, try to come in February on when the snowpack is deeper and days are longer.

**Youngblood** · 02-13-2009, 08:03

Originally Posted by hikingjer

It was weird that I was too warm at about 1am (?) but barely warm enough the last hour or so.

Metabolism? Ought to keep a snack nearby.

There seems to be something about the last hour or two before daybreak being the hardest to stay warm. I saw someone mention that the other day and they were sleeping on the ground. They said something about a drop in temperature because of air currents caused by the sun/day break approaching?? Could be a lot of things, metabolism, urination or urge to, blood circulation from laying in one position, etc or a combination of several things.

**Ramblinrev** · 02-13-2009, 08:15

I noticed the same on my first winter hang. It was at the Pine Barrens in NJ with the Iafte crowd. Slept warm most of the night but about 5 am I was briskly cold. Decided to get up and get out since I had a long drive ahead.

I thought it was just me. Nice to know I am in good company.