We survived our first night tent camping in the cold Alaska winter, and actually most of the time I was more comfortable than I had expected to be! We left in the late afternoon with the thermometer reading -3°F and dropping quickly after dark. Morning temperatures reached a low of -25°F and warmed to -14°F by the time we returned to the cabin at 2pm. When we woke the inside of our tent was covered in ice crystals from our breath, some over an inch long, and it snowed on us every time we bumped the walls or the ceiling. The evening and overnight was much more enjoyable than the morning.
This was our first trip, our "test trip" intended for learning, and we definitely did figure out a few things. The hardest lesson learned for me was that INSTANT coffee is a much better plan than fumbling around with freezing fingers while warming fuel bottles, clearing ice from fuel lines, waiting for a boil and then waiting for the grounds to steep while your precious hot liquid quickly cools to a lukewarm. I don't have the patience for that whole process pre-coffee, it was seriously frustrating and definitely did not start my day with smiles.
As for our gear and most of our other systems, they worked. Here is a brief description of what we carried. As we continue adventuring through out the winter I will get into more detail, including gear/clothing reviews, but for now here is an initial rundown with links to some of the gear sites...
~We both pulled fiberglass ski pulks and combined walking and cross country skiing on snow packed trails. This is the first time we have used the pulks and initial impression is that they are much nicer than carrying our gear in backpacks! However skiing up any type of hill is such an effort or near impossible we have come to conclusion that we will stick to flat terrain and/or combine skins or snowshoes with skiing, neither of which we currently own.
~We both used Feathered Friends Snow Goose EX -40° Down sleeping bags. They are amazing. We were near hot at times, although we were also wearing quite a bit of clothing, but it is nice knowing we have a large comfort range depending on how we dress.
~We both used a combination of two sleeping pads, a RidgeRest SoLite and a NeoAir Xtherm. The dual system is for added R value as well as extra assurance we will always have one functioning pad if the NeoAir were to be damaged. On this trip Goose actually ripped a 3/4" tear in his pad, but a combo of the included Tear-Aid patch kit and a layer of Tenacious Tape repaired the tear without problem. The dual pad system was warm and comfy.
~We slept in a Mountain Hardwear Trango 3 tent. We have gotten better at setting it up quickly and we love the room in the tent as well as the vestibules. Condensation is an issue, even with the roof vent wide open, but we knew that and weren't too surprised to find ice crystals coating the entire interior or by the snow that fell inside our tent when we bumped into the walls. We will work on a better balance of venting from the doors while still trying to trap the heat.
~We used the MSR Dragonfly stove with white gas. We had some issues with ice blocking the fuel flow, but this stove can be repaired or completely rebuilt in the field so we were able to oil some seals and remove the ice from the lines which solved our issues. The repairs did take some time and we are considering carrying a 2nd stove (either alcohol or canister) as back up so we can still cook while doing repairs. I still think the Dragonfly is our best option for winter camping/melting snow.
~We carried several insulated water bottles and a thermos. We filled with boiling water prior to leaving and it remained boiling hot all night. By morning the water had cooled but was not yet cold let alone frozen. They are heavy, but well worth having access to water and warm drinks at all times.
~ I carried way too much clothing, I often do. While skiing I wore two pairs of mid-weight wool socks, two mid-weight base layer bottoms (Patagonia Capilene 4 & Smartwool Mid 250) with a Skhoop Skirt, a lightweight wool baselayer, midweight wool baselayer, Helly Hansen Down Vest, Mountain Hardware Ghost Whisperer Down Jacket, scarf, wool hobo gloves & a knit beanie. After skiing for awhile I had to remove some layers. When sleeping I removed the skirt and added a 3rd pair of wool baselayer pants, a wool balaclava, a 3rd pair of wool socks, Feathered Friends Down Booties and a Mountain Hardwear Kelvinator Down Jacket. I could have removed some layers in bed, but mentally I was comfortable even when physically I was at times overly warm. In addition to what I wore I had a Patagonia fleece hoodie, fleece lined snow pants, down gloves, liner gloves, an Arc'teryx rain jacket and another pair of socks. Too many clothes, but I probably won't carry much less in the future as the extra clothing is a comfort thing for me to know I will always have options to be warm and dry. If I didn't have the ski pulk to carry my gear I'm sure I would think differently.
In addition to the main gear listed above we had a small first aid kit, a DeLorme inReach, a GoPro camera, two phones, external battery pack, three headlamps, ski boots/skis/poles, coffee cups & steepers, large pot with lid, two spoons, a .22 rifle, an ax and a book. With the large pulks for our gear we found ourselves tossing in a lot of "why not" items just prior to leaving. Much of our gear will take some re-examination for serious travel.
We returned from our 3/4 mile overnight trip hungry and tired as if we had been out for a long weekend. It was a tiring trip. A good first trip for learning, but we still have much more to learn. We will head out again soon, the cold has not scared me away yet!
