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  1. #1
    Senior Member Raul Perez's Avatar
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    Winter Hiking - Epic Failures... A Noobs Hard Lessons Learned

    I've been getting some requests for my winter gear list and it really got me thinking of the trials and errors I've had with my gear and hammock hanging in the winter.

    Figured I would give some insights into my epic failures:

    http://watermonkey.net/2011/09/23/wi...-hard-lessons/

    Frozen Monkey
    "If you give a monkey a gun and he shoots someone, you dont blame the monkey"

    The end of the world is not coming in December, it is happening now in my living room. - TFC Rick

    http://watermonkey.net/

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    http://www.youtube.com/user/RaulPerez1?feature=mhee

  2. #2
    Senior Member Fronkey's Avatar
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    Really great info there! This is exactly the help I need for my future winter endeavors. My gf and her family's winter advice was literally just, "wear layers." But, in their defense, the only time they've had to worry about staying warm is walking to and from their cars and the occasional snow blowing.

    Some things I wouldn't of even thought about until I was in that situation, is the staking of my tarp and moisture with down.

    But, I'm from Florida and never had to worry about things like that. lol

    Great stuff and I hope you keep up the winter help. I'm really digging these blogs.

    Fronkey

  3. #3
    Senior Member Raul Perez's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fronkey View Post
    Really great info there! This is exactly the help I need for my future winter endeavors. My gf and her family's winter advice was literally just, "wear layers." But, in their defense, the only time they've had to worry about staying warm is walking to and from their cars and the occasional snow blowing.

    Some things I wouldn't of even thought about until I was in that situation, is the staking of my tarp and moisture with down.

    But, I'm from Florida and never had to worry about things like that. lol

    Great stuff and I hope you keep up the winter help. I'm really digging these blogs.

    Fronkey
    Hey Fronkey,

    Glad you liked it and hope it helps. A lot of stuff really gets lost in translation when you see winter hiking videos. Many wont show the failures or you dont know how many different options were exhausted before the individual settles down on certain gear.

    Also winter is another animal altogether. You have to be more cautious than you would in any other season because if you mess up it turns into a bigger mess rather quickly.

    A lot of day hikes and day naps were performed before I thought about doing an overnighter.

    Apparently my first winter hike video part 2 didnt load properly on the blog. Corrected it now all the videos should be loaded correctly.

    Thug life,

    Raul
    "If you give a monkey a gun and he shoots someone, you dont blame the monkey"

    The end of the world is not coming in December, it is happening now in my living room. - TFC Rick

    http://watermonkey.net/

    Youtube Channel:

    http://www.youtube.com/user/RaulPerez1?feature=mhee

  4. #4
    Senior Member Bubba's Avatar
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    Good info! Will come in handy this winter. Thanks.
    Don't let life get in the way of living.

  5. #5
    Senior Member BlazeAway's Avatar
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    Great job there.
    Thanks.

  6. #6
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    Good stuff as always. Might have made it "A Noobs COLD Hard Lessons Learned".

    Thanks for sharing!

  7. #7
    Senior Member DuctTape's Avatar
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    While some of our trials will be epic failures for sure, that blog was the antithesis of fail. Superb job h20primate! Maybe we can get a few winter trips together this coming season. We could find a place half way between us.

  8. #8
    Senior Member GrizzlyAdams's Avatar
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    good job! The key to happy winter camping is to stay dry, stay warm, stay hydrated, and stay well fueled. That pretty much takes up all your time when camping....

    Lessons I learned which evidently you didn't need to...or will learn later...
    • water freezes in the tubes of Camelbak hydration systems. Stick to bottles, insulated if possible.
    • Water freezes at the top of a bottle first. Carry and store wide-mouth bottles upside down. Even if there is some frozen water, you can get some water out.
    • Snow is a great insulator. Overnight stick your water bottles (upside down) deep in a snow bank.
    • Water freezes inside of water filters. Steripens (and their batteries) fail in deep cold. Aqua Mira and/or boiling is your friend.
    • Down underquilts and Exped down-filled air-mattresses take time to warm up with the body heat you provide. Those first minutes in a cold hammock are loooonnnngggg and cooolllldddd. Fill a nalgene with boiling water, stick inside of a heavy wool sock, and toss into the hammock 20 minutes before you climb in. Leave it there all night and you'll have water for breakfast ready to go in the morning.

    And the most important lesson I learned, as a 12-year-old boy scout (in Northern Minnesota) on my first cold-weather camping trip
    • Woolen socks on frozen feet placed too close to a fire can catch fire!
    Grizz
    (alias ProfessorHammock on youtube)

  9. #9
    Senior Member Buffalo Skipper's Avatar
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    Really enjoyed that. I don't hike in your 11º like you had on Bear Mountain often, but I do find my self hanging in sub 40º probably 7-10 nights per year. Relly liked the demo on the Black Momba. I just picked up a TQ, and though it is different, you demonstrated very effectively how to use it properly. Thanks for all that.
    “Indian builds small fire and stays warm, white man builds big fire and stays warm collecting firewood”—unknown

    “The cure for anything is salt water - sweat, tears, or the sea”—Karen Blixen

  10. #10
    Senior Member Raul Perez's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bubba View Post
    Good info! Will come in handy this winter. Thanks.
    Hope my failures bring insight to stopping any of yours in the future!

    Quote Originally Posted by BlazeAway View Post
    Great job there.
    Thanks.
    Thanks buddy!

    Quote Originally Posted by Avenger View Post
    Good stuff as always. Might have made it "A Noobs COLD Hard Lessons Learned".

    Thanks for sharing!
    Yeah seriously. Every time I watch that first winter hike video I can actually smell how cold it was!

    Quote Originally Posted by DuctTape View Post
    While some of our trials will be epic failures for sure, that blog was the antithesis of fail. Superb job h20primate! Maybe we can get a few winter trips together this coming season. We could find a place half way between us.
    I'm looking to do the NJ winter hang this January 2012. Hope to see you there!

    Quote Originally Posted by GrizzlyAdams View Post
    good job! The key to happy winter camping is to stay dry, stay warm, stay hydrated, and stay well fueled. That pretty much takes up all your time when camping....

    Lessons I learned which evidently you didn't need to...or will learn later...
    • water freezes in the tubes of Camelbak hydration systems. Stick to bottles, insulated if possible.
    • Water freezes at the top of a bottle first. Carry and store wide-mouth bottles upside down. Even if there is some frozen water, you can get some water out.
    • Snow is a great insulator. Overnight stick your water bottles (upside down) deep in a snow bank.
    • Water freezes inside of water filters. Steripens (and their batteries) fail in deep cold. Aqua Mira and/or boiling is your friend.
    • Down underquilts and Exped down-filled air-mattresses take time to warm up with the body heat you provide. Those first minutes in a cold hammock are loooonnnngggg and cooolllldddd. Fill a nalgene with boiling water, stick inside of a heavy wool sock, and toss into the hammock 20 minutes before you climb in. Leave it there all night and you'll have water for breakfast ready to go in the morning.

    And the most important lesson I learned, as a 12-year-old boy scout (in Northern Minnesota) on my first cold-weather camping trip
    • Woolen socks on frozen feet placed too close to a fire can catch fire!
    Thanks for all the tips Grizz. I actually spoke about most of those key points in my first winter blog which was dedicated to staying warm and keeping water in a liquid form.

    Of course... never had my tootsies go on fire!!
    "If you give a monkey a gun and he shoots someone, you dont blame the monkey"

    The end of the world is not coming in December, it is happening now in my living room. - TFC Rick

    http://watermonkey.net/

    Youtube Channel:

    http://www.youtube.com/user/RaulPerez1?feature=mhee

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