ultralight backpacking in snow and preparing for wet gear
So I was backpacking up in Sequoia national park this past weekend and there is still a lot of snow. I following some ultralight gear lists, which were good, but I ran into problems with gear getting wet because of the snow. Specifically, my boots got pretty wet--even thought they are waterproof--and of course pants and socks, etc. Did not have snowshoes since we did not expect snow in mid-May. But even with snowshoes our boots would have become wet most likely.
On most ultralight gear lists--even for winter camping, I don't see mention for extra shoes or additonal clothes to wear while your gear is drying. So either people's stuff is not really getting wet when they camp in the snow, or the gear lists seem to be incomplete.
Any suggestions on augmentation to your ultralight gear list when you plan to be in snow or areas where your gear is going to get wet?
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In my experience, this is just an all-around difficult situation. Your clothes/boots getting soaked is inevitable. Even with gaiters and the most advanced moisture wicking technology, hike a day in the snow and you'll be really wet. Here's why: even if you're avoiding post-holing with snow shoes, the act of hiking in snow will raise your heart rate and get you sweating. Aside from the effect of sweat, your body heat will (slowly) melt the snow/ice that gathers around your feet/snowshoe bindings. For me, 6 hours of strenuous snowshoe hiking in snow leaves me soaked from knees down and very wet beneath my vapor trap (e.g. Rain jacket).
So my answer? Keep your heart rate up and body warm (more or less) all day, and bring a change of bone dry clothes & socks you ONLY use when you stop at the end of the day. Hang up your wet clothes or put them in a double lines freezer bag to sleep with if it's freezing at night, and then put them back on in the morning (which is like the worst wake up ever ;)). I used to sleep with all my stuff, including boots, to keep them from freezing at night. After like 3 days, you're skin will get all shriveled and after 5 days I would usually find a shelter to dry my stuff, including my sleeping bag which would inevitably get soaked too.
Now that I'm writing this down, I'm wondering: Jesus, is there a better way to do this? This worked for me, but I wonder how this method would hold up without weekly shelter breaks. Anyone got a better technique?
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When you start packing lighter, usually it comes with smaller margins of error. It seems that it is typically your case here.
Basically, the first thing is to be more careful. It is a habit to take.
For example, when you couldn't find information about whether there was deep wet snow or not, the decision of not taking the snowshoes was maybe arguable.
Then, when you got to the wet part of your walk, you could have used your gaiters and your over-pants, which would have protected your pants, and a little your shoes.
As for which shoes work best, it is a complicated question. Winter shoes are too hot for that weather, and you'll sweat in them. Hiking boots could be too light for the constant contact of frozen water, and possibly not waterproof enough. I don't have a definite answer on this.
However, in many places where it snows a lot in winter, the melting period is not a period when you hike much. For one, because the conditions are unstable (it can be very nice, or freezing with snow), and also because the large amount of snow melting all at once creates a very muddy, unstable and fragile ground.
Here in Quebec, most parcs are closed for a few weeks during that period, to protect the trails.
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Mylar emergency blankets can be critical when minimizing gear - regardless of season or location. They are a good tool beyond just a first aid kit staple, inexpensive & lightweight, and can make life comfortable in a pinch or save a life in an emergency. .
See my answer here for more about drying out and staying warm.
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