Hello everyone, I searched on Google to find you guys and I'm hoping you can help me! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

some friends and I are starting to get into backpacking. We live in Alaska and We've decided that we want to take a trip in the middle of winter to lost lake. As far as we know, its a 15 mile hike from the highway over the turn again pass on the way to Anchorage. The trips I've taken so far have been pretty basic, and we want to make sure we do this right. (all of our other trips are day trips or overnighters in the summer months.)

I've been reading on certain brands of gear and things and I'm very confused on what exactly i really need. I know i need a new sleeping bag and a nice pad, im thinking some sort of The north face -20 to -40 bag and thermarest pad.

I also need a pack, I'm not fond of dropping a ton of cash on a 6000 cu in pack, i think its unneeded? I've done a little research and I am thinking a 3000 would work just fine for a few days.

I definitely need to get into the local outfitter and figure out torso measurements, but for what its worth i am a smidgen over 6 foot and i weigh just under 200 lbs.

What kind of clothes do we need? Its a dumb question.. but when you guys pack, what kind of clothing do you take?

so far i have a few capilene short sleeves, and a few polartec 300 fleeces from north face / arc teryx etc. no wind shirts or waterproof tops though... recommendations?

I also think i need to invest in some goretex pants of some kind. I only own jeans :-(

I could go on and on but i think you understand where i'm coming from. i basically have nothing outside a 3 season tent and 2 40 degree rectangle bags i need to replace, i have some money to spend but not enough money to make mistakes in gear purchases.

help please <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />!

thank you! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I've not backpacked in temps like you might see there in Alaska - but I have done some winter backpacking.

First - winter is going to require a larger pack so that you can fit all the winter gear in it. I carry a ~4500 cu in pack and in winter it is pretty well jam packed - and that's for North Carolina winter. I don't know that you would need a 6000 cu in pack, but you may start approaching it.

For winter in NC - I carry thermals, rain pants and rain jacket, fleece pullovers, fleece beanie and a "buff" - which can be used as a scarf or balaclava. And gloves of course. If I had to extend that for colder temps, I would probably go for some insulated pants and insulated jacket, and maybe another layer on top.

Not sure what kind of tent you have - or if you will be sharing one? That's another thing to consider...

Footwear is another consideration - not sure if you would be hiking on trails or on snow on the trails - so would some type of snowshoe be needed?

Anyway - hope this helps some!

Do a search on this site for winter camping gear/clothes. Go back at least a year and see what you find. You don't want to be in the snow camping with too much or not enough of the right stuff. Burrrrrrr.

This website has some very good gear lists.

Here's a link to the seasonal ones:

http://www.backpacking.net/gearlist.html

If the link doesn't work just go to the bottom of this page and select the red "TLB Home". With a little searching you'll find lots of gear info.

This webiste has much more that just the discussion forums.

Tom,
Welcome aboard! Please fill out your profile as it will better help us understand your style of backpacking.

Bigfoot <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

1) Join the Mountaineering Club

2) Take their Basic Mountaineering Skills class

3) Winter hike and camp with an experienced group while you gain your own experience.

4) Don't make me come looking for you... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

MNS

Tom, What MNS left out is that she works with a SAR group in AK that does just what she says-they go looking for people like you. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Winter camping isn't like summer or three season camping-you need a lot more gear to be safe and comfortable. There are winter gear lists on the site (link from the home page) and members have posted lists in the winter forum (use the search engine, go back a few years to find them).

A book like Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book is a good introduction to winter camping. I got mine from Amazon.

I presume from some pictures I saw that Lost Lake is snow covered in winter. This may mean you need a winter tent, big bag, snowshoes or skis and winter clothing such as a big parka and so on.

I would do as MNS suggested and join a group or take a class. I first learned about winter camping in a mountaineering class.

A trip to AMH (Alaska Mountaineering & Hiking) or REI in Anchorage should help with gear selection.

This link is to another thread with links to a story about what can go wrong-in this instance, everyone was rescued, but it was a big SAR effort to get them out.
Rescue thread

You need a lot of gear for winter. I have a "generic winter list" linked in my bio if you click my name, but understant that it is specific to my area and while probably as cold or colder
than you (northern alberta, canada) I probably don't get as much snow, and I don't in winter
tend to head into anything vaguely like avalanche country.

Most any pretense at "lightweight" for me goes out the window in winter. My winter stuff
fills my big gigantic backpacks, and I'm typically only weekending or 3 to 4 days out.

in addition to the other warnings posted by members of this site, I'd strongly suggest if
you haven't camped in winter much before take your intended sleeping system, shelter,
and clothing out and spend a couple of nights out in the back yard in winter getting used
to it, as if you aren't careful you can have frost wetting out your sleeping bag - which is
particularly nasty if you're only in down. The particular test you are looking for is that you can sleep in it one night, and then sleep in it the following night <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Phat brings up a good point I didn't consider. If you are in avalanche country, you should have a beacon, which can be rented, the knowledge of how to use it, a decent shovel and probe and some avalanche training-mostly how to avoid them.

Also, you need good navigation skills. Snow on the ground makes everything look alike and trails may be completely covered up. I spent half an hour looking for my skis one time because I had taken them off and leaned them up against a tree before walking away from them for no more than about 50 yards. I won't be doing that again. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

Welcome to the board, Tom... I hope you'll find it helpful in your quest to learn how to experiece Alaska's beautiful winters outdoors. Hopefully we'll have a better winter this year... last winter and this summer sure have been a bust for us!

Tom pointed out I do SAR work here... indeed we do alot of body recoveries in the winter. I get the feeling, since you laready live here, you do have at least some clue what an Alaskan winter is all about. I'm usually very stern with Outsiders who want to come pull a "Chris McCandless" type adventure in Alaska's backcountry.

I learned alot from the Mountaineering Club, though I don't have time for them right now. A great group of folks, and very experienced... if you really participate in their activities you my luck into a good mentor. Hang tough though, it can be a tough group to get in with sometimes.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me here or on MySpace.

Peace,
MNS

Tom, once again, welcome. I have very little snow camping experience (been there, done that, hated it) but the thing that jumped out to me is the 15 mile hike nature of it. Are you planning on doing that in one day? Through the snow? Carrying all that weight?

Tom,

Having been a long-time Nordic Ski Patroller I think you'd understand that I love winter camping. Congrats on trying it. I offer these suggestions to make it a pleasant experience.

Here's a list W/ some recommended brand names & models of equipment:

TENT> For two people you need a THREE person tent (for bulky winter gear) The Hilleberg tents are the best but in any case I recommend double wall tents with low flys & nice vestibules for boots &/or cooking in foul weather. Ground cloths prevent tent floors from freezing to the snow platform you've stamped out. Plastic drop cloths cut to the floor shape work fine.

SLEEPING BAG> A good -20F or -40F synthetic bag like The North Face or Mt'n. Hardwear. I use a -20F bag W/ a summer down bag inside for -30F or lower)
(AND a vapor barrier liner. Buy waterproof, aluminized fabric & make it yourself.)

SLEEPING PAD> Either a thick 1 1/2" Thermarest or a 1" Thermarest over a RidgeRest closed cell pad. I like the 2 combo pads B/C I sit on the RidgeRest pad when cooking & eating.

SLED (no pack)> Buy Cabela's tough Jet Sled & make your own pulling wands & accoutrements. (look under pulk or sled making online. There's a great site who's name I forget.) A pack in deep snow, even W/ snowshoes or skis, is MISERSBLE.

BOOTS> Something REAL WARM W/ removable liners like felt pacs, so the liners go to bed with you. BUT, wear vapor barrier neoprene sox over thin poly liner sox. The felt liners MUST be kept dry always. This is a big safety issue. Mickey Mouse boots are icebergs in the morning B/C thay sat out all night. (Won't fit in sleeping bags) Frozen feet at breakfast are painful - not to mention dangerous.

STOVE> White gas stoves that have a PROVEN reliability record. I prefer my MSR Dragonfly multifuel stove for its amazing ability to simmer very low to save fuel and to bake with my Outback Oven's fiberglass hood.

CLOTHES> Synthetic only (wool fans notwithstanding) For wind protection nothing beats Gore-Tex shells. Vent them as necessary. ALWAYS take mittens & shells in addition to gloves. This is another winter safety issue.

And, as mentioned, in avalanche territory each person takes the following:
1. Avalanche LESSONS
2. probe poles
3. aluminum snow shovels
4.avalanche beacons
5. an "Avalung"
6. snow info cards (you'll see why during the lessons)

**There's much more so please buy and read "Allen & Mike's Really Cool **Backcountry Ski Book". Yeah, I know you may not ski, but it's really 90% about **winter camping and is THE best book on the subject for new winter campers as **well as those of us with more experience.

Eric