2 nights in cold and snow

[Gcckoka]

So guys I am planning a trip in 2-3 week after I receive all of the gear I ordered and to get ready for everything, I want to do 2 nights in the woods I have never done more then 1 night and the coldest weather I have been is about -4C at night. I need your help to decide what gear to take ,tips and tricks from extreme cold weather pros out there and to plan everything what and how I will be doing it.
So lets get started , the conditions I will be are very deep about waist deep snow and -15C +/- 5C (at this moment it's down to -15C , about week ago it was -20C so I dont know for sure but I think it will be warmer than whats now)
the sleeping system I will have is a 3x3 tarp (aqua quest defender) a US military surplus sleeping bag , I believe it is rated up to -30C, thermarest SoLite (which Im waiting for) and a cheap 1cm thick pad under it also I'll add a layer of spruce branches under me for insulation and a reflective cheap tarp, I also plan to make a long fire and depend on it at night , for cooking I will have a pot which was two small pot/pans in it , very versatile, I will make a tripod or a pot hanger so thats one more fun project to kill time , for clothing I will have base layer pants (not really bas layers they are US mil surp chemical suit liners I believe) and heavy duty mil surp cotton pants over it (or skiing pants , I dont know I haven't thought through it well) On top Ill but a sintethic tshirt , over it Ill put a wool pullover and a dutch mil surp coat (that will be enough because I will have to do a lot of hiking on the first day) on foot I don't have proper winter boots so I will be wearing rubber boots with 2 thick wool socks in it (hope they fit) and to not swim in snow I will put my roycroft ski shoes which I made a year ago , I'll make sure to see how they work until then. fir hands I have the wells lamont gloves and mil surp wool gloves. for cutting tools I will have my mora 510(which I am waiting for) my 13" husky hatchet and a takedown bucksaw , which I made with a bahco 21inch blade (green wood) I have a energizer headlamp and Ill throw many batteries for it , Il also throw in one of the books Im waiting for. also of course Ill have my first aid kid , wet wipes and toilet paper , some whiskey. I have a plastic flask which I think will be perfect for the weather , oh and also Ill take the US mil surp cup. I think thats about it , I maybe forgetting something at this moment and Ill add it if it flows up in my mind , but thats I think what I usually take oh also a ferro rod , a balaclava and a wool hat and I will have a pulk to put all this gear(I need to buy one , I saw one last time I was in the mountains few weeks ago not really a pulk just a sled those big red ones I think it will work just great) should I take my backpack in the pulk ? (Swedish lk35)Also I will have my camera with bunch of batteries to shoot a video.
So I think that's it I'm not new to outdoors and I knew a few things but , all advices are welcome, this is my first trip at such low temps
Thanks !

 

[Robson Valley]

Snowshoes for your body weight and some sort of toboggan for your gear should be on your winter list.
I have both Bearpaw and Trailbreaker snowshoe designs. The 60" Trailbreakers are narrow and not so hard on my old hips.

 

[Leshy]

Some of the guys on here are in the Arctic right now, they will be back in a few days, I bet they'll be able to give relevant and good advice for you...

👍

 

[Robson Valley]

Gcckoka has lots of snow to play in. Other than really cold and windy, the annual precip totals (in Canada at least) define the Arctic as a polar desert.
Looks snowy but what they get doesn't melt (much). Really hard drifts for snow houses.
Where I live, so much further south and in the mountains, we can see the grass one dry day and thigh-deep snow the next.
Today, I think we will get 32 or 33 snowflakes.

Snowshoe hiking here has become quite a popular pasttime in the last few years so there's been a profusion of manufacturers.
The traditional ash frame/sinew/gut/? webbing is very much available, like my trailbreakers.
Sinew repairs are awkward and annual varnishing replaces what gets worn away by snow crystal abrasion.

The Sherpa are all synthetic materials and very durable. The bindings are easy to do up/undo with heavy mitts on your hands.
They've been around for so long that parts and repacement materials are easy to find. Plus there's essentially no maintenance.
I was given 3 pairs, written off as not repairable. As a winter hobby project, I bought some parts and managed to build one good pair.
Even got ice claws in the bargain. So, if I can fix them, anybody can.

 

[Leshy]

I would definitely try my hand at this a few practice nights first ...

Also have a practice run at the Finnish gap fire , and practice getting this lit a few times.
The challenge is to split a big frozen log lengthways ... Not an easy task and will sure warm you up before you even light it...😉

Pine works best but birch and for is good too...👍

I did this with just an axe and some wedges.
There's a few YouTube tutorials on this , you will find it if you search "Finnish gap fire."
First I cut a few sections of birch (about 3 inches thick and 8inches long).
Split those in half and then shape each half into a wedge shape.

I then found 3 long pine logs (Deadfall)
And set 2 side by side , on 2 bearers ( so it's off the ground) .

One of the logs (the one with less knots) I drove the axe in at the end , deep enough to fit one wedge in .
I hammered that one in until the split runs down the log .
Further down the split , insert another wedge all the way until the split runs further down.
You do this until the whole log is split in half.

I then sit the now split half log on top of two logs with the flat side facing up and cover the top with very fine tinder , very fine twigs , a few sticks and quite a bit of split kindling....

Then I cover with the other half of the log, on another 2 bearers so to give you a gap and not push all the kindling down and out...

I also drive 4 long stakes into the ground at the four corners to keep the load stable and firmly in place. Last thing you want is the whole thing to roll off to one side...

Light it and it should give you a very low maintenance fire for a good 6 to 8 hours depending on conditions and size of the logs.
Perfect for a good night sleep in those conditions.

It's off the ground so air should circulate , but in deep snow it may melt it and move a bit , choose spot wisely and maybe clear the ground where you make this 👍

That's a picture of a friend last weekend when I did this fire, (about 5 minutes after we lit it) ... it was waaaaay too hot for English winter camping and we had to stand outside the shelter quite a few times as it was just too hot there 😏

At least I know it works now...

 

[Leshy]

But trying all your kit first in a few practice runs , will help and give you a much better idea of what you need , what you don't need and how your new (and old) kit will perform at these temperatures and conditions...

Wind , humidity and altitude are all factors that can change camp from comfortable to dangerous at a moment's notice.

Practice, try , experiment and then experiment some more 😉

Be safe Nick 👍

 

[Arya]

Some of the guys on here are in the Arctic right now, they will be back in a few days, I bet they'll be able to give relevant and good advice for you...

��

If they survive... Moahahahaaaa!

 

[Leshy]

If they survive... Moahahahaaaa!

Hahahah 👍😂

 

[Leshy]

If they survive... Moahahahaaaa!

You Vikings are sinister ...

Looks like an angel , laughs like a demon 😈😛

 

[Arya]

That sums it up nicely

 

[Gcckoka]

But trying all your kit first in a few practice runs , will help and give you a much better idea of what you need , what you don't need and how your new (and old) kit will perform at these temperatures and conditions...

Wind , humidity and altitude are all factors that can change camp from comfortable to dangerous at a moment's notice.

Practice, try , experiment and then experiment some more 😉

Be safe Nick 👍

Now that is the best advice anyone could give me ! Thanks for that , I'll go in2-3km from my house and spent the night there , I prefer my gear or kit failing there then where I plan the 2 night trip , more fimiliar and also I'll test the snowshoes there , they have been drying for a year and I prefer them failing here then there


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[Gcckoka]

Oh this just came into my mind while trying to sleep 😃 how will a peg the tarp ? The snow will be big and I doubt tent pegs will work , I will need to do the snow anchors ? I have never made it , any advice from the experienced ?


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[Leshy]

Now that is the best advice anyone could give me ! Thanks for that , I'll go in2-3km from my house and spent the night there , I prefer my gear or kit failing there then where I plan the 2 night trip , more fimiliar and also I'll test the snowshoes there , they have been drying for a year and I prefer them failing here then there


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Exactly that mate.
Nothing wrong with testing it all first.
👍👍