CO>Hello, Mr. Deputy

[Sidewinder]

One thing about winter camping that everyone should do the first time out is stay much closer to your car. My first time I think I was not more than an hour away on a well used snow packed trail. Makes bailing out a lot easier. Pulling a sled helps because you can bring more gear that you might need.

As for wet gloves, you're going to need to bring multiple pairs. I use wristies then layer fingerless gloves then a pair of boiled wool mittens. I also have waterproof gloves that I will swap with my wool mittens when working with snow or when I think my hand will get wet. For sleeping I will use my down mits for warmth. Might seem like a lot of glove but I hate cold hands. Plus my hands hurt when the get cold. I try to minimize how much I expose my bare hands to the cold. I switch from whoopies to straps cause they are easier to adjust with gloves on.

If my base layer get wet I will vent and dry off as I set up camp. By the time I hang them up on my suspension they are usually dry enough not to freeze solid overnight. Try as hard as you can to minimize sweat. If you feel yourself over heating, slow down and remove layers. Best way to keep clothing dry is not to get them wet in the first place.

Keep evaluating your set up and you'll be much better prepared next time.


S

[OutandBack]

Holly Cow!?! mcallaghan, I just found your TR.
Man that was a scary story I sure am glad you survived.
I will never feel guilty again about canceling/re-scheduling a group hang do to Colorado weather.
Fun can turn to survival pretty darn fast.

Thanks for the report looking forward to riding/hanging with you later this year.
Can't wait to get all the details around a nice fire.
-O&B

[MAD777]

Yikes! Thanks for sharing your "adventure"
We can all learn from each other. Reports like this are invaluable.
Two things I take away from this. One is to carry change of clothes in a dry bag. The other is, if snow (or any other) conditions look challenging at the start when your are warm and fresh, consider aborting then & there.

[dirtwheels]

Thanks for sharing, great to hear you escaped you're brush with disaster. Accounts like these are a great resource to everyone who reads equipping the reader with tools and education that may save lives.

[MrClean417]

Sounds like you were unprepared BUT you survived. Next time you try it you'll probably bring all the extras that would have helped and you won't sink into the snow. But it's better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it. Have three ways to make an honest to goodness fire. A larger tarp OR the ability to construct a windbreak/leantoo. With a relective fire and a windbreak you could probably have dried your cloathes.

But its all monday morning quarterbacking. I'm just glad to got home warm.

[chazham]

Great write-up. I'm glad you survived to tell the tale. Thank for sharing.

[CoreyR]

Good decision to call 911. A lot of guys wouldn't have done so. I have been in cold weather survival situations and asking for help can be embarassing but better embarrased than dead.
Also good to share your experience. Lessons learned the hard way and shared might help others in the future.
Finally, kudos for daring to go and do a great adventure! So many Americans would not even try anymore.

[mcallaghan]

I did make a windbreak for the wind that was coming up the valley as I was setting up my campsite. It wasn't a complete wall - the 'door side' wasn't all the way to the top of the ridgeline, but that would have taken forever to construct. it was enough for me to be able to sit out of the wind (and in the sun while it lasted). However, I don't think my clothes would have dried with out a fire and there was very little chance of me getting a fire going in that area. Temps were below the freeze point with an almost constant wind that gradually increased as the sun went down. My gloves did free solid while hanging in the sun, so wasn't about to let my shirt do the same.

The Miners Hut was my fall back point. I am familiar with the area and knew that if I ran into trouble I could fall back to the Hut. I am glad I decided not to go all the way to my original campsite - traversing the hill in darkness could have caused serious injury. It has a steep drop off down to the creek, with rocks and trees and one point had me scooting along the edge between the ledge and a tree, the branches of which were pushing my back. I took a fall at that spot, scraped up my leg on my ski, and that was when I decided to go back down the hill and make camp off to the side. I knew I'd have a relatively flat (after the first part) trek back down to the Miners Hut.

I believe that valley has its own microsytem of weather. I was more then warm once back in town, but up there...too cold and windy.

[VictoriaGuy]

Sounds like you were unprepared BUT you survived. Next time you try it you'll probably bring all the extras that would have helped and you won't sink into the snow. But it's better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.

+1


I used to do a fair bit of winter camping when I lived 'back east' - Algonquin Park, Adirondaks, etc....
Lessons I learned- IMHO, YMMV,HYOH '2 cents worth', etc..:
You need a big pack for winter (or pulk/toboggan, but I never used one...)
Skis (XC style or even mountaineering) are pretty much useless once you get to your campsite, and are next-to-useless if you are trying to go uphill in steep deep snow. Once you ski to your campsite and 'pack down' an area, you are still in danger of 'postholing' once you step off the skis. If we ski-ed to the site, we carried snowshoes on the outside of the pack. Skis can go down the sides of the pack if carried. Ski boots are not very warm compared to good (bulky) winter boots.
Control your sweating with layering - don't get wet, but if you do get sweaty you will still be OK if you have decent synthetic or wool base layers. With the right insulation and outer shell, steamy base layers will dry out. Consider vapor barrier clothing.
Mitts not gloves, thin liner gloves to keep skin away from cold metal.
Synthetic insulation works better than down if it is wet and snowy.
Carry a shovel and learn how to make a snow shelter if necessary.
Carry a foam pad.
Bring an effective stove.
Carry energy food that doesn't need cooking, and that you can eat if it is frozen solid. Some snacks that work in the summer are jaw-breakers when frozen.Think of food as body fuel, not a tasty treat or 'meal experience'.
Don't depend on building a fire to cook, warm up or dry clothing..people travel safely in cold non-forest areas with the right gear. If you do plan on using a fire, you'll have to dig down through the snow - did I mention shovel? Don't forget, you may be in a snowstorm/blizzard with wind and blowing snow - that picture-book lean-to and campfire just won't work in those circumstances.

For me, the HammockForum popular kit : hammock and quilts, alcohol stove, etc.. wouldn't be my choice for real winter (or spring in deep snow) camping, but that's a question of dogma!

Leaving the cell phone at home will sharpen your focus when assembling your gear....but that's an old-fashioned attitude, I know.

[joefbtg28]

Wow, I think we all get complacent at times to how unpredictable mother nature actually is in the Rockies. She does not make concessions for us mere mortals! I would like to extend an offer to camp with my roommate and I. We camp about every other weekend year round, and are your age 28-29. With that being said I think it is important to note a few things for everyone's edification on winter camping:

* Like others have said, test your winter kit car camping! Also, be ready for 10-20 degrees cooler than the weather is calling for at your elevation.
* Alcohol stoves are awesome, but do have a learning curve. You need to know how much alcohol you will need for each elevation, amounts of liquid, and temperature. Any change in any of these factors and your fuel amount needed can change drastically. This takes some time to understand how your stove will react to each of these variables, and not something you can just test in your back yard. If you are going to run an alcohol stove in the winter, a priming pan is necessary. I run a normal iso/butane stove with remote in the winter even though I have an alcohol stove and a jetboil. The reason I do this is because it is hard to determine how much water you will go through and therefore how much snow you will need to melt. Also, the stove with the remote allows you to flip the iso/butane fuel on its side or upside down to leverage any fuel not in liquid form due to the cold.
* Winter camping is hard work! I plan to double my calorie intake from my summer meals.
* Fire is super important, but all the firewood is wet! Always carry a fire starter that will burn for a solid 5 minutes so you can start with larger/wetter kindling and don't have to waste time while you are already cold or are in a survival situation. I like to cut toilet paper rolls in half, stuff them with dryer lint, add a cotton ball fuse, and seal both ends with wax. This thing burns for a while!
* Cell phones. Do not rely on your cell phone. I only have reception in less than 5% of the locations I camp at. You never know what can happen if you are solo. You could break your ankle or get stuck all 127 hours style. If you are going to solo, spend the money and get a spot beacon! A new company coming out is "inReach," which allows two way communication with emergency dispatchers: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ZOK6B2/...=IBG4XQJ8CRZ88
* Obviously need a dry change of clothes. Wool, synthetics, and down only. On that note alpine touring or xc skiing is hard work. I like to start out cold, and leave most of my layers in a dry bag in my pack. I like to tour in a short sleeve base layer, soft-shell jacket, and OR's amazing sun runner cap. If you are dripping wet, you are wearing too much clothes while moving. A great way to get hypothermic quickly. The catch 22 here is that if you stop to take a break you need to throw on layers real fast, or you will cool down too quick. I have a down jacket and stocking cap ready for quick availability when I stop for a break.


Again, My intention was not to make light of your misfortune, just thought the we can all learn a bit from your situation. Glad you are safe!