How cold is cold?

[BullFrog]

You'll love it here! Wyoming is any outdoor enthusiast's paradise. I live in Casper, which is windier than the Bighorn Basin, but folks aren't kidding about how strong it gets, especially in winter. Make sure you have a good 4-season tarp with doors that you can pitch very tightly to block the wind. A good windblock will go a long way in staying warm. If you don't have much mountain experience, I'd recommend finding someone who does and going with them a few times before going alone. And certainly go hiking in the cold a few times before trying to camp in it.

With regard to the emergency GPS unit mentioned earlier, I definitely recommend one. I prefer the "personal locator beacon" type rather than the SPOT type. PLB's cost more but there's no annual cost (subscription fee) and they use a more reliable signal method. You can't really do the "I'm ok" texts, but if you need it in an emergency you're more likely to be found. They're pricey for sure, but here in WY you can go for miles and miles and not see anybody or any sign of civilization, so I think they're worth it.

Casper is a big city (for Wyoming), so I'm not sure how smaller towns handle it, but the roads here are plowed or at least packed pretty early after a storm. I wouldn't worry too much about driving around town, although my 4x4 has come in handy a couple times this winter. Winter tires are helpful.

Oh, and you have to be very serious about bear bagging in the mountains west of the basin. Carry bear spray too. Those bears are BIG.

Sorry, I kinda went off topic a bit. But I hope it's helpful.

Good luck on the move! Wyoming is a friendly place.

[Shug]

Heading into some deep cold in Northern Minnesota tomorrow)))))) Hope to surpass my personal low of -26ºF. Feeling prepared and confident. Will not be out there alone.
I'll report back……..
Whooooooo Buddy)))))))
Shug

[JP_dog]

I just got back from a couple days in Fairbanks and North Pole Alaska. Low temp was 56 below one day, average was 45 below. At that temperature exposed hands begin to burn in a few minutes, and no amount of flexing and wringing helps. Coldest personal record was 70 below when I was a kid. Driving in your car is a bit like winter camping, you are fighting condensation and sweat from exertion is punishing, you are hopefully fully enclosed by high loft layers and feel any drafts.

Personal coldest camp was about 10 degrees, but that was in a tent with two people.

[wgunter]

Thanks again for all the help. Did a quick check on No Minn weather and saw the low was around -30°F in places. Good luck with that stuff, Shug.

And BullFrog, maybe when I defrost in the spring/summer we can get a WY/Rockies group hang going.

[Mikeinajeep]

An eye-opening short story which outlines the potential pitfalls of sub-freezing temperatures is Jack London's "To Build a Fire". There is a short film based upon the story which can be viewed via youtube.

Earlier in this thread I said if water was not wet it's too cold. I fear the cold like nothing else.

When I was a teen, I lived in northern BC and it got really cold in the winter. -40 was a regular thing. One night I was feeding the cattle, when the truck broke down about 2kms from the house. It was dark so I waited, knowing my Dad would be there soon. I wasn't hurt badly but I never forgot the feeling of slowly freezing to death. I live in the warmest part of this ice cube people call Canada, I have the best gear money can buy and I never ever play with the cold!

[wgunter]

Just to update everyone: how cold is cold? -30°F is cold. **** COLD. I'm in a cabin in the Wapiti Valley near Cody, Wy. It was near -30 and then 10-20mph winds on top of that! unreal. I had to walk out to my truck and my fingers lost feeling in like 3 minutes (no gloves.) It dropped a ton of snow today, but was 5-15F, so it felt like a heatwave.

[wgunter]

oh, and not only would I not even CONSIDER camping in this weather, I had to consider what the heck I was doing just living out here in the first place!

[Rune]

Ill take on -30 and dry any day if I that lets me off having to be out in the snow in +/- 32 and humid and windy. Thats when everything gets wet and miserable and the energy just get sucked out of you as you try to stand in the middle of your clothes without having any skin get in contact with your said clothes...

[honeybakedhammock]

I definitely like the idea of having a good bail out option if a situation should arise where you are just too cold. It really really really sucks to freeze in the middle of the night and not be able to warm up and an be dangerous of course.