Cold Weather Setup - Will I be warm enough?

**sadorno** · 12-13-2015, 15:31

Hi! I have a trip coming up and would love some input on whether my setup is going to keep me warm enough. I am pretty new to cold weather hanging and have recently purchased most of my gear. Any feedback is welcome!!!!!

The campsite is on top of Mount Michell (6600') mid-January but not exposed. Expected weather of 20-40 at night with potential winds of 10-25 (or more).

Warbonnet Blackbird XLC
Warbonnet Travel Sock XL
Enlightened Equipment Revelation 40 TopQuilt
Enlightened Equipment Revolt 40 Underquilt
Therma-Rest pad (if it is needed)
11' x 11' Hennessey Tarp

I figured with a sleeping bag liner, a hot water bottle in an insulated sock and some warm clothes this will work. Any thoughts or tips welcome!

Thanks in advance!

SA

**Grumpy Squatch** · 12-13-2015, 16:38

I'm sure this will be said a hundred times, but none of us would recommend that you find out whether this setup works for you on top of Mount Mitchell (I'm assuming you're talking the North Carolina Mount Mitchell.) You need to try this before taking our advice. Also, there is a big difference between warm enough not to die and warm enough to be comfortable. I assume you have a bail-out plan and if it gets much colder than expected you're heading back to the car, right?

The campsite is on top of Mount Michell (6600') mid-January but not exposed.

What do you mean by not exposed? How sheltered is it?

I'll be honest: I sleep warm. Like furnace warm. Like naked in a snowstorm warm. And I would not take your setup into the woods if anything more than survival were the goal. You're probably right, with perfect site selection, lots of warm clothes, and a hot water bottle (that you WILL need to reheat in the middle of the night) you'll be sleepless but not in danger, but what's the fun in that? Especially if you have some bad luck and it turns much colder than expected.

The things I notice:

Tarp coverage: without doors in an exposed high-wind environment, the effectiveness of the rest of the insulation will be reduced. The sock will help, but isn't the same as a good microclimate created by a low-pitched tarp with doors protecting you.
Expected temperature range: while it is a warm winter, charts I found say the average high/low in January are 33/17. Meaning you could reasonably expect temperatures 1 - 2 standard deviations above or below those numbers. With 40° insulation on a 5 -15 degree freak cold night you would be very uncomfortable and potentially dangerously cold depending on the clothing you have.
Setup ability: you say you're new. The conditions you describe will tax any setup you have. The slightest mis-adjustment in your UQ will yield a cold back you won't recover from. The pad will help, but still. Pushing past the limits of gear like this might be doable for someone who's set it up hundreds of times, but not for someone new.

Most of us prefer to have about a 10°F buffer between the expected lowest temperature and the rating of the quilt. You're headed out exactly the opposite. Put another way, my 25 degree Arrowhead quilt is my 3-season quilt. 40° gear is my summer gear. If I expect lows in the 20s I take my 0° Incubator and either my 0° or my 20° UGQ Renegade topquilt. In fact I spent a couple of nights recently in the upper 20s in my yard with the 0°/20° combination and was quite comfortable in just light long thermals.

Last Spring I was expecting low temperatures in the White Mountains to be in the 40s. Maybe upper 30s. It hit 27 and snowed and the wind shifted to blow into the end of my tarp. I had my 25° Arrowhead UQ, a Hennessy Hex Tarp, and a 15° sleeping bag used as a quilt (never let people borrow your gear - sometimes it doesn't come back in time). I didn't sleep. By morning I was in my fleece hat, fleece shirt, was inside the bag, and had the bag hood cinched around my head. It was miserable.

If I were you I'd beg, borrow, or rent a warmer TQ/UQ setup. The peace of mind alone will make the night much easier to get through.

**WalksIn2Trees** · 12-13-2015, 17:03

What he said ↑↑↑

**SilvrSurfr** · 12-13-2015, 17:04

Darn, that sounds exceedingly skimpy. And you haven't tested this?

**Porter Rockwell** · 12-13-2015, 17:14

Best to talk with the crew that stays there. CALL THEM AND BE VERY OPEN ABOUT YOUR THOUGHTS.

Unless you are inside the big building or the base of the tower, I don't recall any unexposed spots there. Winds can be very strong! Be ready for mice everywhere up there. This spot can be very deceptive and downright dangerous. Be sure your vehicle's battery puts out max cold cranking amps, too. Been there several years ago. Scary! This is not a place for experimentation.
Hope you're in good with the Almighty.

Let us know what you learn.

**WalksIn2Trees** · 12-13-2015, 17:15

You can check that location's temp history records on wunderground.com via a desktop web browser (the feature isn't available on mobile browsers) I bought my gear based on the coldest recorded temps for my area, with a 10° buffer. Granted, no one makes a -40 rated quilt set. But I don't think you'll need that unless you come up to NY

**goobie** · 12-13-2015, 19:01

There's NO WAY I would go out with insulation rated for the WARMEST temps expected!!!

My guess is you have yet to hang in similar conditions??

In my limited experience, the UQ needs to be rated LOWER than the TQ.

**kunzman** · 12-13-2015, 19:13

What everyone said!

**sadorno** · 12-13-2015, 20:14

Originally Posted by kunzman

What everyone said!

Ok. I hear everyone loud and clear. Thank you for your candor and detail.

So, I will order a tarp with doors. I see the WB Superfly gets great feedback. Will that suffice for the weather potential?

For an Uinderquilt, with a 0 degree would that be enough. Would it make sense to use BOTH UQ's or just one?

Yes, we have a cabin rented in case we need to bail.

I have hung to 32 a few times without an UQ and was fine. I know the mountains are different that is why I am trying to make sure I have what is best and dummy proof.

Thx