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randyt

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wasn't really sure where to post this but this last year was the first time I went to a hot tent. Before that I used a tarp and slept in my sled. No heat or fire. The hot tent is pretty awesome. I've been down to 12 below zero but that was with just a tarp. There is no dillydallying in the morning.

I do love my hot tent

Tt9rU9jl.jpg
 
I had a sleeping bag too.

Randy I've done my share of living in a tent consider myself a professional tent dweller but not in real cold weather. My first go round was in the sub Tropics at gateway to Florida Keys in 1975,then off and on a few other times.Last time here 22 years ago for a few months.
I was telling my daughter this morning o nthe phone her and the 15 yr old grandson could stay in out tent ,she said no way,she is 50 and going through the change,lol.
 
It does look like a nice tent. We actually camp in the winter but in a little ol’ trailer. Like some folks don’t do with the heat, I don’t do well in the cold. Have dealt with my fair share of snow though. If I can get in by heat to warm up, I do okay. Sure wouldn’t be able to do tarp and sled ☀️
 
I've got inlaws up that way. Been thru your area a few times. Love the bridge and UP.
I'd really like to find some property up around Erwin area.

I hope yall do find the perfect land. You two are both hard workers and deseve it.All the gardening,cooking,canning,etc,etc,etc, you have talked about here plus you working its time to enjoy your own.:thumbs:
 
when i was in alaska i lived on job site in a wall tent in southeast. due to heavy rains...200 inches a year..at end of day we needed a easy reliable heat source to dry gear out at night. we used a kerosune heater in center of floor. we built a wooden platform to set tent on. coming from washington state area with 120inches of rain...that extra 80inches was even rough for me and i love working in the cold rain. only place i ever failed to get a fire started too. i started fire often there but they sure were 100% work. i really missed the doug fir pitch stobs found a bit farther south.
 
I did some winter camping with my father in northern MN as a youth. I enjoyed that.

My X and I did a bakpack trip in the Rockies, near Denver in mid-April. Found ourselves in a late season snow storm. Our mummy sleeping bags were rated for below zero, OK there.

Then I made a big mistake. I buttoned up the tent tight. Bad bad bad. The moisture from our breath condensed on the inside of the tent and it started to rain inside the tent and soaked my-X's sleeping bag. Two people in one mummy sleeping bags was no joy. A planned 3 day trip turned into an overnighter and I heard about it during the hike out. Is it worth mentioning that the last time I went backpacking with her?

While I am at it backpacking with The Princess the first time was much more entertaining. I noticed her struggling a bit during the 7 mile hike in. I took on some of her load to finish the hike in. When were setting up the camp site, the first thing she did was CHANGE HER SHOES!

Now to close

The last time I did a solo trek, I pulled a groin muscle about 7 miles into a 11 mile hike while stepping over a log. Decided to tough it since the camp site was closer. Bad bad bad. When I woke up I was in serious pain and had a 11 mile hike in front of me. No cell phones back in the mid 80s.

It took me 6 months to fully recover and started buying real estate so I never tried another solo.

1) don't seal up a tent in winter
2) check what is in your partners pack before you start
3) groin pulls do not get better overnight

Ben
 
Two things we always made sure of... Extra wet weather gear and always have a partner. Winter camping is tough but it's not the cold that will kill you, it's getting wet and not being able to warm up and dry off. That can happen just as easily at 60F as it can at -10F. We didn't have the luxury of a tent until we were much older. We used a plastic tarp. It was always a challenge but it was so much fun! Stripping down in front of the fire and putting dry clothes back on was a great way to get warm after hiking in the rain or snow all day. I miss it but I am too crippled and old to go out and do it now.
 
I winter camped in my lavvu a couple times. Slept on a bough bed. i didn't like leaving a fire going all night so I set up my little coffee can hobo stove in the middle centered under the smoke flaps. I set it all up with a cup of water and all ready with wood and birch bark. In the morning I reached out of the sleeping bag with a lighter and lit up the birch bark before long the lavvu was warmed up a bit and I had hot water for coffee.
 
Neb makes a great point. NEVER completely seal up a tent in really cold weather, really in any weather. It is amazing how much moisture 2 people give off just breathing.
I have just got a 4 season backpacking tent and we took it on a long weekend trip. Temps 2 degrees overnight, day time maybe 10-12. Snow knee deep on wife. We set up the tent and did our routine till well after dark. Got in the tent and zipped it up tight, got down in the sleeping bags and went right to sleep (both rated below zero). Wife woke up needing to use the bathroom thru the night and woke me up to go with her. Did I mention it was 2 degrees LOL. Anyway when we woke up it felt like it was snowing on us, inside the tent. Turned the headlamps on and the tent roof was coated in ice and tinkling down on us. Nothing got wet luckily. I left the flaps open while we were out, when we got back in I sipped the window in the end of the tent down about 1/4 way and opened the cooking vent over the doors. It dried right out and was fine by morning. We had a great time we still talk about.
 
I did some winter camping with my father in northern MN as a youth. I enjoyed that.

My X and I did a bakpack trip in the Rockies, near Denver in mid-April. Found ourselves in a late season snow storm. Our mummy sleeping bags were rated for below zero, OK there.

Then I made a big mistake. I buttoned up the tent tight. Bad bad bad. The moisture from our breath condensed on the inside of the tent and it started to rain inside the tent and soaked my-X's sleeping bag. Two people in one mummy sleeping bags was no joy. A planned 3 day trip turned into an overnighter and I heard about it during the hike out. Is it worth mentioning that the last time I went backpacking with her?

While I am at it backpacking with The Princess the first time was much more entertaining. I noticed her struggling a bit during the 7 mile hike in. I took on some of her load to finish the hike in. When were setting up the camp site, the first thing she did was CHANGE HER SHOES!

Now to close

The last time I did a solo trek, I pulled a groin muscle about 7 miles into a 11 mile hike while stepping over a log. Decided to tough it since the camp site was closer. Bad bad bad. When I woke up I was in serious pain and had a 11 mile hike in front of me. No cell phones back in the mid 80s.

It took me 6 months to fully recover and started buying real estate so I never tried another solo.

1) don't seal up a tent in winter
2) check what is in your partners pack before you start
3) groin pulls do not get better overnight

Ben

Ben what is a groin pull and how did you get it just stepping over a log ,that sounds real bad.?
 
My Dad worked on the Trans-Alaskan before enlisting for WW2. I inherited the sleeping bag that he used in Alaska. The outside of the bag is canvas and the inside liner is wool flannel. The bag is stuffed with eider down. The bag doesn;t zip up, it uses snaps like the one you'd find on an old Army canteen pouch. When rolled up, the sleeping bag is bigger than most rolled up tents. At any rate, I have used Dad's sleeping bag numerous times winter camping here in Minnesota.

Sleeping bag folded in half
1601822745823.png


Sleeping bag rolled up
1601822803742.png
 

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