BigBill
Absent Comrade
I purchased all these new special insulated camp hunting clothes and I'm testing them out. Bill
How cold is too cold?
- Thread starter Franklin
- Start date
As long as the wind isn't howling, minus 15 to 20F isn't bad at all as long as I'm properly dressed as if for an arctic expedition.
Some of my favorite winter memories are of midnight hikes around the 'farm' in January and February. 510 acres of forest trails, fields, meadows, hills, swamps, lake... And if that wasn't enough, the even larger State game area next door. Too cold even for most of the local snowmobilers, these were solo treks, as friends and family thought I was crazy.
---------------
Skies so clear that the stars still shine as sharp points even with bright moonlight...
Light and shadow, diamond flashes everywhere as you move and the moonlight plays off of the snow on the ground and branches...
Air so cold that the snow has stayed a loose powder, that hisses and crunches with every step of my boots, and falls again in a shower of sparks when I kick it up...
The 'bite' of the cold air as I breathe it in, and the mist that forms and dissipates when I exhale, or freezes around my hood and face, pin-pricks of ice...
Views from the hilltop so crisp and clear in the moonlight that more detail can be seen in the distance than on any summer's day, and looking like I've stepped into an Ansel Adams photograph...
The quiet, when the sound of the few cars on the highway several miles away at this hour has been muted to nothing, absorbed by the powder, and all I can hear is the crunch of my boots in the snow, the swish of the fabric of my parka and cloths as I walk, and the muffled 'thud' from the occasional mass of snow falling in a shower from the tree branches...
Or the occasional echoing "Snap-Twing!" as the ice on the lake cracks as the water below freezes even deeper and stresses on the surface ice are suddenly relieved...
And none of it would be the same without this bitter, bitter cold, a key part of the flavor and feeling of these winter walks, in a world that few have wanted to share...
We spent 12 years in Florida and moved back home to Pittsburgh 6 weeks ago....my Florida friends don't get this...I couldn't "like" this post twice so I reposted it.....
If you live in a place where you have to plug your car in to a heater to keep your MOTOR OIL FROM FREEZING, well, THAT'S TOO COLD! 
Living down here on the Texas Gulf Coast if it gets any colder than about 35 deg. F. it all feels about the same to me. If my feet or my ears get cold I'm done!
Living down here on the Texas Gulf Coast if it gets any colder than about 35 deg. F. it all feels about the same to me. If my feet or my ears get cold I'm done!
Cold Weather
Spent 8 years at Fort Richardson Alaska with much travel to Fort Greely (artic test center) and Fort Wainwright (Fairbanks).Worked with the Eskimo Scouts ANG, those guys have 200 words for snow. At -50 with a 60mph wind the wind chill factor is around -100 or lower. You learn how to dress for the cold, wool liner for leather gloves and your mittens attached to your parker. wool cap and face mask, long johns, wool everything, bunny boots, etc. Learned to never cut the engine off on a cut-V, watch out for ice heaves on the 100 mile road trip from Ft Wainwright to Ft Greely when the C-12 couldn't fly due to bad weather. Everything breaks at -40 degrees. Don't panick! At 10% humidity, static electricity is dangerous if you are handling fuel in the cold. Stay out of the wind your eyelids frost over as your breath freezes on your face. Darn! I really do miss Alaska, my wife likes Florida!.
Spent 8 years at Fort Richardson Alaska with much travel to Fort Greely (artic test center) and Fort Wainwright (Fairbanks).Worked with the Eskimo Scouts ANG, those guys have 200 words for snow. At -50 with a 60mph wind the wind chill factor is around -100 or lower. You learn how to dress for the cold, wool liner for leather gloves and your mittens attached to your parker. wool cap and face mask, long johns, wool everything, bunny boots, etc. Learned to never cut the engine off on a cut-V, watch out for ice heaves on the 100 mile road trip from Ft Wainwright to Ft Greely when the C-12 couldn't fly due to bad weather. Everything breaks at -40 degrees. Don't panick! At 10% humidity, static electricity is dangerous if you are handling fuel in the cold. Stay out of the wind your eyelids frost over as your breath freezes on your face. Darn! I really do miss Alaska, my wife likes Florida!.
In January of 2006, I spent 12 days in Germany and Austria. For most of that time the temperature was around 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and the snow was 3 feet deep in some places.
The easiest and quickest way to get from Salzburg to Munich is a 90 mile drive on the Autobahn, which takes 1.5 hours at most. On January 25, I made that drive instead on a mountain road called the Alpenstrasse, a two-lane snake which winds through the Alps. (If you pull up a map of that region, the Alpenstrasse is numbered '305', and begins at the Germany/Austria border, just south of Salzburg.) It took about 5 hours, and was the most gloriously beautiful winter drive I have ever made.
The folks in that region don't fear or loathe winter; it's a part of their lives, and they accept and embrace it. Many of them ski or engage in other winter sports. They even race hot air balloons...
The easiest and quickest way to get from Salzburg to Munich is a 90 mile drive on the Autobahn, which takes 1.5 hours at most. On January 25, I made that drive instead on a mountain road called the Alpenstrasse, a two-lane snake which winds through the Alps. (If you pull up a map of that region, the Alpenstrasse is numbered '305', and begins at the Germany/Austria border, just south of Salzburg.) It took about 5 hours, and was the most gloriously beautiful winter drive I have ever made.
The folks in that region don't fear or loathe winter; it's a part of their lives, and they accept and embrace it. Many of them ski or engage in other winter sports. They even race hot air balloons...
Attachments
I love to waterfowl hunt when it gets down right cold out.
Here it does'nt get much below zero very often.
I do vividly remember the blizzard of 78' when we got alot
of snow and wind to boot. We we're snowed in at the parents
house for 4 days until a road grader came thru and plowed
us a way out. For the next two weeks you drove and just
hoped nobody was coming from the other direction as it was
one lane and snow piled up 10-12 feet high on the sides.
Back in the early 80's we got one winter where it got down
to -25 actual temp. for a few days.
The trucks dispatching from our facility we're getting out on
the road and calling in because their fuel was "gelling".
It was'nt much fun to have to go to work in.
I'll take the heat and humidity anytime.
Chuck
Here it does'nt get much below zero very often.
I do vividly remember the blizzard of 78' when we got alot
of snow and wind to boot. We we're snowed in at the parents
house for 4 days until a road grader came thru and plowed
us a way out. For the next two weeks you drove and just
hoped nobody was coming from the other direction as it was
one lane and snow piled up 10-12 feet high on the sides.
Back in the early 80's we got one winter where it got down
to -25 actual temp. for a few days.
The trucks dispatching from our facility we're getting out on
the road and calling in because their fuel was "gelling".
It was'nt much fun to have to go to work in.
I'll take the heat and humidity anytime.
Chuck
indiandave
Member
The coldest it's been since moving to the Poconos was minus eighteen about six years ago. The coldest it's been while backpacking was minus ten in the Catskills.
If you dress for the cold it's not to bad. But sleeping outdoors when it's below zero ain't for sissies. LOL!
If you dress for the cold it's not to bad. But sleeping outdoors when it's below zero ain't for sissies. LOL!
Coldest day ever
In January 1967 or 1968, the temperature on the thermometer was -53° F with no wind in Eau Claire, WI. The city was closed -- I mean everything. For about 5 or 6 days the high temperature was -10° F. That was the coldest temps I've experienced.
In about 1985, the Saturday noon temp was -14° F when I and the kids went tobogganing at the Anoka, MN country club. Momma was upset about something, and we needed to escape. No one else was sliding, no customers at McDonalds
when we stopped for hot chocolate, and temp was -20° F when we came home 2 hours later. I was tired from pulling the tobaggan up the hill, and my son and daughter were tired from walking up the hill. Momma was not quite as mad, and the chocolate chip cookies were fresh. 
We had no idea it was "cold" outside, and it was fun being the only family at the hill.
In January 1967 or 1968, the temperature on the thermometer was -53° F with no wind in Eau Claire, WI. The city was closed -- I mean everything. For about 5 or 6 days the high temperature was -10° F. That was the coldest temps I've experienced.
In about 1985, the Saturday noon temp was -14° F when I and the kids went tobogganing at the Anoka, MN country club. Momma was upset about something, and we needed to escape. No one else was sliding, no customers at McDonalds
when we stopped for hot chocolate, and temp was -20° F when we came home 2 hours later. I was tired from pulling the tobaggan up the hill, and my son and daughter were tired from walking up the hill. Momma was not quite as mad, and the chocolate chip cookies were fresh. We had no idea it was "cold" outside, and it was fun being the only family at the hill.
Like many others have said, you get use to and dress for it. Right now it's 1F & the wind make it's feel like -13F. The high for today is suppose to be 6F. I'm heading out in about 3 hr. to go bowhunting. Will be hunting from a treestand.....not sitting a blind. The coldest I have bowhunted...it was -3F when I left the truck and -12F when I got back 3 hr. later. The cold part was gutting the deer...my hands froze after "washing" them off in the snow when I was finished. Couldn't get my gloves on fast enough.
Took off for work a couple of weeks ago and the temp was showing -29°F. Had to perform some tower work to replace gear that had frozen at -30°C (-22°F). Turning a screwdriver was a task. Even have a catalytic propane heater to relieve the general area where manual dexterity was necessary.
While I'd rather do nothing at -30°F, life goes on...
While I'd rather do nothing at -30°F, life goes on...
RevDerb
Member
I try not to go out doors if it is under 70F but am not always successful.
EllDee
Member
Dat is da troof.
-30 and sunny isn't bad. Put a coat on and wear gloves. -5 and 20 mph wind is very difficult to do anything in, including something as simple as shoveling snow.
We do the same here as you folks in the warm, drink and screw.
truckemup97
Member
I turned down a lucrative load this week going to ND. Before I said no, I looked at the forecast. First thing I saw was -4, and I didn't think that was too bad. Last time I went to Watford City, the low was -6 and I survived OK. Then I looked again and realized that -4 was the HIGH for the day. The low was to be -22. I try to stay away from -10 or below because the truck just isn't spec'd for cold and things start to go way wrong. A $5000 load is nice, but not if you have a $6000 tow and repair bill. 
The coldest I've personally seen is -30. We were night skiing at Keystone when it was -20. My favorite temp, though, is 65.
The coldest I've personally seen is -30. We were night skiing at Keystone when it was -20. My favorite temp, though, is 65.
SC coast
Worst I had was 13 degrees F. with howling wind. I was trying to deliver newspapers on a bicycle. I know many get a lot worse but living where most of the year is from 30 to 100 deg F we just aren't prepared for that kind of weather.
Worst I had was 13 degrees F. with howling wind. I was trying to deliver newspapers on a bicycle. I know many get a lot worse but living where most of the year is from 30 to 100 deg F we just aren't prepared for that kind of weather.
I read a lot of meters at -30 F. Now I hate to be out in it if it is colder than -20. I like ice fishing, used to crosscountry sky and ran a trap line. I claimed for many years that cold weather kept the trash out but no longer believe it to be true.
Sven
Member
Nicely put, robotech. It's been quoted before, so I won't again.
It hasn't been above zero for almost a week, and won't until a 36 hour break in temps on Sat. Then more of the same. I do wash my car (Jeep) in this weather, then park it in the garage with a small heater in the cab overnight, and I'm good to go. Jeep stays real clean because the roads won't get slushy below zero.
A few years ago we hit it just right with lots of cold fluffy snow just before a trail ride in the Jeep. We drove 60 miles through the woods through 14" of untracked powder that day. Temp was about zero.
That said, I'm still looking forward to retiring Jan. 31 and heading to AZ for a couple of months!
It hasn't been above zero for almost a week, and won't until a 36 hour break in temps on Sat. Then more of the same. I do wash my car (Jeep) in this weather, then park it in the garage with a small heater in the cab overnight, and I'm good to go. Jeep stays real clean because the roads won't get slushy below zero.
A few years ago we hit it just right with lots of cold fluffy snow just before a trail ride in the Jeep. We drove 60 miles through the woods through 14" of untracked powder that day. Temp was about zero.
That said, I'm still looking forward to retiring Jan. 31 and heading to AZ for a couple of months!
snowman
Member
As long as the wind isn't howling, minus 15 to 20F isn't bad at all as long as I'm properly dressed as if for an arctic expedition.
Some of my favorite winter memories are of midnight hikes around the 'farm' in January and February. 510 acres of forest trails, fields, meadows, hills, swamps, lake... And if that wasn't enough, the even larger State game area next door. Too cold even for most of the local snowmobilers, these were solo treks, as friends and family thought I was crazy.
---------------
Skies so clear that the stars still shine as sharp points even with bright moonlight...
Light and shadow, diamond flashes everywhere as you move and the moonlight plays off of the snow on the ground and branches...
Air so cold that the snow has stayed a loose powder, that hisses and crunches with every step of my boots, and falls again in a shower of sparks when I kick it up...
The 'bite' of the cold air as I breathe it in, and the mist that forms and dissipates when I exhale, or freezes around my hood and face, pin-pricks of ice...
Views from the hilltop so crisp and clear in the moonlight that more detail can be seen in the distance than on any summer's day, and looking like I've stepped into an Ansel Adams photograph...
The quiet, when the sound of the few cars on the highway several miles away at this hour has been muted to nothing, absorbed by the powder, and all I can hear is the crunch of my boots in the snow, the swish of the fabric of my parka and clothes as I walk, and the muffled 'thud' from the occasional mass of snow falling in a shower from the tree branches...
Or the occasional echoing "Snap-Twing!" as the ice on the lake cracks as the water below freezes even deeper and stresses on the surface ice are suddenly relieved...
And none of it would be the same without this bitter, bitter cold, a key part of the flavor and feeling of these winter walks, in a world that few have wanted to share...
I'll go ahead and quote this again, since it is wonderfully written and closely reflects my sentiments. Thanks so much, Robotech, for taking the time to post your experience.
Regards,
Andy
