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Jared, and others interested in snowcamping,

 

Having the right equipment and setup for the conditions you'll encounter will make the difference between seriously fatiguing sleepless cold nights and waking up refreshed and ready for another day.

 

Check List:

 

Four-season/convertible tent

 

Conservatively rate sleeping bag

 

Therma-Rest self inflating mat

 

Ridge-Rest base mat

 

Gore-Tex jacket, pants and gloves

 

Fleece mid layer (Polartec)

 

Wicking tech underwear

 

Smartwool expedition socks

 

Balaclava

 

 

Be carefull with ventilation - leave gaps at the tops of your doors - powder snow falls seal air flow OFF from around the base of a tent!

 

It's convenient to dig a trench in front of the vestibule wide enough for you to sit down on the tent floor with your legs outside the tent.

 

Does anyone else have snowcamping tips?

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 Quote:
Originally posted by cayote:
Jared, and others interested in snowcamping,
Check List:

Four-season/convertible tent

Conservatively rate sleeping bag

Therma-Rest self inflating mat

Ridge-Rest base mat

Gore-Tex jacket, pants and gloves

Fleece mid layer (Polartec)

Wicking tech underwear

Smartwool expedition socks

Balaclava
Have fun carrying all of that! No need for two sleeping pads. All you really need is a 3/4 thermarest and you will be fine. Use that under your head and back and butt and then prop your legs up on your pack or extra clothes. Also, no need for the 4 season tent - a 3 season will be just fine for where you are going. I've snow camped many, many times, even in the dead of winter in the Cascades and Alaska with only a 3 season tent. Good advice on the ventalation though. Half the fun of snow camping is creating your camping spot in the snow.

It's a good list cayote, but for spring snow camping it is a bit excessive. Don't forget stove-fuel-food-shovel-etc.... Those things add some serious weight.
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In my case, snowcamping adds another dimension to alpine sports. At present, my pack weighs about 12 kg total including stove, fuel and food, so I setup near the skijo and avoid hiking far.

 

People's tolerance to cold varies greatly - some people I know wear T-shirts around when others are all bundled up.

 

For people like me who feel the cold (and spent years sailing along the Great Barrier Reef) the HOPE is that outdoor technology will progress to the point that weight can be at least halved.

 

It's almost possible now - IF you can afford to pay STAGGERING prices.

 

I experienced the edge of a winter storm near Joetsu Niigata in late December with everything tied down and braced on my Sierra Designs Alpha CD Convertible.

 

Niigata winter storms pack powerful gusts, driving HAIL and wind driven snow - the purple lightening looks real pretty too - time to retreat indoors unless you have SERIOUS gear properly setup.

 

Going through a storm in a tent with the poles thrashing around your head and the vestibule blowing out is not much fun.

 

Anyone have experience with STORM strong winter tents?

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 Quote:
Originally posted by jared:
i have nothing to do in summer
eek.gif really? I thought plucky said there was great surfing up your way, learn to surf dude!
got a mountainbike? I am sure there are great trails up there. Go hiking/camping. Got a kayak? there must be some good rivers up there.
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Another awesome weekend at Hakkoda! I went out Sunday and it was just breath taking. Nice clear skies. The snow is starting to get really soft, but it is late in the year. I skiied one run with this japanese dude that was in his early 70's. This dude can still rip it! This was one of many highlights of the year. So many memories I'll be able to tell to my grandchildren down the road. Hopefully when I'm in my ages, I'll still be able to ski like him. If there still is snow....ski/board until the day your knees fall from under you. If anyone wants to go up to Hakkoda give me a holler.

Enjoy everything that makes skiing/boarding so awesome.

Dave

Partyngo_2@hotmail.com

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I will be going a couple more times this season. Gassan opens this weekend. I'll probably hit it up next week and then again in late May or early June...

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 Quote:
Originally posted by CHEESE:
 Quote:
Originally posted by jared:
i have nothing to do in summer
eek.gif really? I thought plucky said there was great surfing up your way, learn to surf dude!
got a mountainbike? I am sure there are great trails up there. Go hiking/camping. Got a kayak? there must be some good rivers up there.
True dat Cheese. Got some fun little surf today in some great weather! It was my first time in the water since December so I was a bit out of surfing shape, but damn did I have fun!

Jared, PM me if you are interested in surfing or even mountain biking. I just picked a new bike up last week and have been going for some pretty good rides. There is a TON to do in this area in the summer. The weather can be kind of a bummer at times, but there are things to do even if it's bad. I've got some extra boards if you want to learn to surf. No problem. Lots of beginners in the water up here (not like I'm all that great) and I know some great places to go.

Kintaro - I'm totally down for Gassan in a few weeks if you are. Screw da knee - I wanna ski that place! Hope you got your package today also......
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Add me on the list. It ain't over til I say it is (check my journals)! ;\) Here in Southern Cali the last local resort standing closed last weekend. But this can only mean one thing...Mammoth baby!! As a matter of fact, I'm heading up there this Friday for 3 days and according to the weather forecast it's suppose to snow the whole weekend! Anyone care to join me? \:D

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And the cool thing about Mammoth is they're usually open til at least late May. I'm planning to go riding there 2 or 3 more times (not including this weekend) before I really hang up my boots for the season. Besides, the '04~'05 season pass I just bought is good til the end of this season too. ;\)

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Joined a tour of Gassan on Sunday. Very pleasant experience of a combination of the clear sky, cool breeze, kuronama and some really fantastic scene on top of the mountain. Don’t really know which part we went but I remember taking a chairlift, hiking up to the top, went down the other side of the mountain down a valley, hiking up another hill behind that, having lunch and beer at the top, snowboarding down a steep and really wide face (highlight of the tour) and then finally down a gorge to reach a place with a museum which name escapes me now.

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I went up to Tenjin a few days ago. It was crap, I think thats the end of my season on the hills. Take a bit of a rest, do some work, visit my parents in summer - then we'll be all the way back to the fun before-season-buildup period.

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