ViDEO: Minus 40ºF Hammock Backpack Trip in Ely, Minnesota

[captaincoupal]

Nice video. I think I found your next Minnesota winter challenge, however: Winter Surfing!

[ferret]

You continue to inspire, good sir.

[G17]

That was some impressive hang vid. I've had a dab in cold weather camping, but you made my trip look like a vacation in the tropics. You also made it look easy and fun! Thanks for all your work in videotaping.

[Jpfam]

I get a bit cold just watching but the shot of you just sitting by the fire is why I am getting into this. Gives me an ache down inside.
It is pretty obvious that the gear and the planning is essential to enjoy that extreme condition.
Very cool and excited to get out there all over again!

[Shug]

Ely, MN ... isn't that the town that made a joke out of bidding to host the 2016 Winter Olympics? Good PR, I guess.

I reckon it may be.

That's awesome shug. One day I hope to be able to hang in those temps.
Great trip report. Who thought -40 wouldn't be good enough for temp range of a thermometer. Lol.

A lot of the electronic ones only go to either -40º or just -4º

Ok, I got to say it , you know I've got to say it , although it goes without saying, here I go....You guys are crazy!!! Ok, that's behind me now. What a nice trip and a good test. I liked that "crop circle" in the lake there, no tracks leading in or out...ooooooohhhhhhh. Nice video Shug and a beautiful winter panorama. I've got to go now, got to put another log on the fire, getting a little nippy feeling.

We may be a little crazy! Those circles were squiggles.
Thank you.

Congrats on the new hang record Shug.

I was watching the forecasts from over the pond with masssive envy. That's some serious cold you dealt with from the hammock. I reckon you've blown my 'unofficial' -40 away.

I hope the finger heals up well-we need you to keep pressing the record button.

Woooooooo buddy!

Happy days

We only expected -34ºF so we got lucky. Some would call it peril))))))
Keeping an eye on the finger. Numb.

Brrrr!
I need a cocoa.
Frostnip is the early onset of frostbite.
You got nipped.

Hoping just nip. Blister is low. Watching for dead meat.
Dead Meat…good name for a Band.

Great to see another video Shug. Man that was impressive.

Truly blessed to have done it and be safe and have Strung Out along.

Hannibal Lecter in a Hammock! I want one of those Boreal shirts, but not cheap. Whoooo money!

I know….I always say "Hello Clarice" when I edit. No those shirts are an heirloom item though.

Ah man Shugrow that's beautiful ... too cold for me but down right beautiful snowy world! Hope that frost bite finger wasn't your nose picking finger!

It would for sure freeze your mush)))))

AWESOME!! That is so great that you two got out there in that deep cold and had a fun time too. This was Christina's first time watching one of your vids and she says, "OMG I love him."

Great job guys!

Fronkey

We got lucky in several ways. Very little wind was a huge factor in camp enjoyment for sure. The stars while out on the lake were truly amazing. Hello to her.

[Shug]

He's a machine. Half man, half amazing...

Together we were a factory……

Thankee.

Wow............Great to see the fancy feest fighting the cold......Great stuff you two..

Man I totally trust that Fancee Feest. Warm fuel is key though.

FREAKING AWESOME!!!!!!! This is so dang cool. You guys are the rock stars of winter hanging

We got lucky on those temps. And conditions were all going our way. Very lucky we were.

Shug,,the best to you and Strung Out on a brave hang in the cold. Hope the finger gets better for ya! And stay warm buddie!

Thanks. He was truly having fun and I knew he would be up for it.

Great stuff you guys. Glad you were liken the Boreal Shirt. I know what you mean about hoods but when it makes you warmer, "yes please". And look at that Fancee Feast go. Great ad for alky stoves in the cold. I was thinking while watching the vid that you guys could have benefitted with that reflective Laavu tarp/tent with the fire in front that Pete from UK showed a pic of in a recent post. Anyway , good on ya.

bill

I am in love with the Boreal shirt big time. Hood and huge front pocket. Strung Out banked rocks and that fire was throwing some heat especially once those rocks got hot.

Very cool.....vid. Thanks for sharing as always. Hope that finger doesn't go black on ya.

I am hoping not too. Thankee.

There is something a bit wrong with y'all. I did enjoy watching while wearing my boreal shirt on the porch at 45 degrees.

Haaaa. Terrific bit of kit that wooly shirt.

Nice video and instructive! Any night in the woods is good (if you're prepared).

We were prepared as we could be. You have to stay vigilant.

What a beautiful place to hang. It is always amazing how comforting a sunny day can be...a balmy -20*.

Thanks and keep up the great reports.

You are right…that daytime -20 seemed balmy…really.

Slept warm at -40....that sir is saying something.

And really slept well I say. Very surprised myself.

[Shug]

That's just down right cold......Impressive to say the least......I hope you can still pick that bluegrass that my feet like to grove to.....

As for your sleep system. Did you have any insulation in/under the hammock (not including the pod) but beyond the Yeti or was the pod sufficient enough to keep the lower half of you warm with the Yeti boosting your core. Did you need a pad or anything else to cover you from your waist to your feet? thanks for sharing another one of your adventures with me/us.

Painful to pick right now….
I did have my GoLite down parka around my foot box. But I do take it off to wear at times. Double duty. And my Thermarest sit pad under my feet. That helps a ton. My feet never, ever got cold.

Wow, what a trip. Thanks for taking us with you.

Blueberry Lake, hmm ... at those temps, my berries would be blue too.

I kept wondering if the two of you would be out there on the lake tromping around with your snowshoes making mysterious shapes for people in planes to see.

STinGa

That is too dang funny

As someone said in the comments from the vid page on Youtube: "Sector 7 just froze and fell off." HA! Good stuff. 18 minutes of pure unaldulterated shivering. for sharing.

Funny…I was cold here today at home but you gear up for these trips and that changes all.

You are truly an animal!!! I'm pretty confident in the fact that I don't think I would be able to do that. Great to see another video, the little ones and I all sat down to enjoy the newest installment of Shug's adventures.

If you lived up here and crave backpacking…you just might go for it.

Had me some of that... just got back on New Years Eve from a week on the Gun Flint Trail, MN. Snowshoeing in those temps, it's hard to keep your beer warm enough to drink!!!
Thnks 4 the vid!

Oh the crackly and squeaky snow. Invigorating for sure.

Awesome video ( yes I said awesome ). You guys are amazing.

It was awesome…yes, I typed awesome.

I just loved it Thanks for taking us along

Can't hardly wait to get up there.
You really took a lot of video, it is real hard for me to do that in the hard cold.

Looked like quite a bit of good hardwood for the fire

It took some video discipline for sure. You would have loved it LT TZ. Hope we get some del cold for FBH…but no wind. We got lucky on this trip that the wind was light and we were sheltered well.

Wow - Just, WOW!

I know….I know)))))

I wouldn't even know where to begin to prepare for that cold. Brrrr.

You two are certainly the kings of the cold now as far as I'm concerned. At least until someone goes above the arctic circle in deep winter with lower reading thermometers.

Strung up from glaciers…be interesting huh?

Another Great video!, just a week to late for me. I went on the Manistee River Trail on the 26th and my whisper light I have had for 27 years caught fire from the flame to the gas bottle. Yes I thought I had probably over pumped it just a bit. I couldn't get it going again. It was my first time melting snow and I had spent 45 minutes doing it and it was almost at a boil before I ended up kicking it over to put out the flames. Then my alcohol stove had a flame like a little candle. I did not know about the keeping a ounce next to your body trick. I did not have it insulated from the snow very well so it tipped over. No hot food or hot drink that night, and NO HOT COFFEE the next morning!

Mine has never failed me but maybe these temps changed that. I will alway take a spare pump from now on.

[Shug]

Nice video. I think I found your next Minnesota winter challenge, however: Winter Surfing!

Wow. They do love some surfing.

You continue to inspire, good sir.

Just trying to get out of the house.

That was some impressive hang vid. I've had a dab in cold weather camping, but you made my trip look like a vacation in the tropics. You also made it look easy and fun! Thanks for all your work in videotaping.

It was fun and easy…if your prepared and vigilant. I thing keeping joy makes the winter gods smile on ya'.

I get a bit cold just watching but the shot of you just sitting by the fire is why I am getting into this. Gives me an ache down inside.
It is pretty obvious that the gear and the planning is essential to enjoy that extreme condition.
Very cool and excited to get out there all over again!

Gear you trust and know really is key. Confidence too. The fire is wonderful and hearing the trees exploding and popping is a gift.

[BigLazy]

Woooo buddddyyyyy!!!!! -40. Wow!!!! You guys are nuts. ;-). I'm surprised YouTube doesn't require a "don't try this at home" disclaimer. :-). Of course that wouldn't be a problem for most of us anyway. I thought I was pretty tough at +12. :-). Thanks for taking us along as there's no doubt I will only ever do -40 vicariously through you. :-)

[nothermark]

Great one! Lot's of good information for those who look. Looked like more fun than I want anymore. ;-))