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Today
we are headed on a big adventure up above treeline during the winter months.
Now the high peaks in New England during the winter can be furocious places
where the elements can be severe.
It's crucial to dress appropriately and safely
to navigate these winter conditions. The first element is a base layer.
The base layer
is designed to fit snugly on your entire body
from your ankles to your neck, without any bunching
or gaps. We're now going to tackle the first elements of protecting our feet.
Now, just like on the rest of our body, I use a
base layer for my feet. In this case it's a liner sock. Over that we want
our warmest
insulating sock possible. I prefer
a heavy-duty wool stock, which provides padding
still insulates well even when it gets slightly damp
and provide extra padding inside your shoe.
OK. Our next layer is our our bib
or pants. This is our first wind-proof, waterproof layer that we're going to be
adding
over top of our base layer. The bibs are your armor for your lower body
and chest. I prefer bibs because they provide
ankle-to-waist coverage with the additional extension over your torso
that eliminates any potential for gaps around your waist.
OK, our next layer is one that's entirely dependent on conditions
and your personal preference and tolerance to cold.
Now your options are either
something as simple as a vest, you can wear
your insulating jacket of preference. OK, your next layer is your jacket.
This is our windproof over-layer that goes on top
of our base layer bibs and whatever insulation we've provided.
Key features to look for in selecting your jacket is wind-proofness—
anything that's GoreTex or another kind of waterproof breathable material—will be
100 percent wind-proof.
Some materials like soft-shells that provide better breathability
but are not necessary 100 percent waterproof, would be appropriate for a very
cold weather excursion
where you're dealing with snow and ice rather than liquid rain.
It's imperative to have a hood that
easily and comfortably fits over your head and all
of your headwear. OK, we're down to just our hands and our head.
Just like your feet and body, it's important to have the equivalent
of long underwear for your hands. Just like your socks, these would be called
liner gloves. We're going to need more than this to keep our hands from becoming
frigid popsicles on our adventure.
We can either go with an over-glove or an over-mitt.
An over-glove provides you with a fair amount of dexterity.
The drawback is that they're not nearly as warm
as a mitt. Mitts are
essentially sleeping bags for your hands. The tradeoff is a loss of dexterity.
I find manipulating an ice ax or trekking poles with mittens
to be quite challenging. Alright, we're down to the final piece of the puzzle:
Our heads. Anything that's exposed can frostbite in a matter of minutes
when conditions are severe enough.
You'll notice that nowhere on my face or head
is there any exposed skin. I'm fully protected
from the wind.
Be safe above treeline!