This post starts with the analysis of a friend and his gear. My buddy makes about one stab per year at winter camping and has been at it for about 5 years. He lives in southern California and goes to the Sierras around 7,000 to 8,000 feet and comes up from sealevel and hes about 145 pounds. We spent a long time on the phone last night talking about his last trip and planning his next trip.

If you only go out once a year and come up from sea level, you won't be able to drag a sled, carry a pack and telemark. You won't have the strength, muscle memory, or endurance. My friend pulled a home made sled, the problem is that they flip over wasting precious energy constantly righting them. His summer pack is too small for winter gear, and his telemark gear with plastic boots demolished his feet. His winter navigation skills even with a GPS were inadequate when everything is covered with snow and the ski trail may not go where the topo trail does.

First off he should try really hard to find someone to go with to share the weight of a winter tent (8 lbs), and to share responsibility for route finding. Secondly he should get some softer ski boots that won't trash his feet because he will not be telemarking with a sled anyway; he will be more concerned with getting to camp unexhausted from altitude without falling a lot. Thirdly he should abandon the sled, and rent a backpack at least 5,000 cubic inches in size, mine is 6,500", and lastly he needs to reappraise his gear.

Skiing with more than 30 lbs is not easy or fun, especially if you're not a frequent skier. In the winter you must be concerned with keeping warm, well fed, hydrated, and little else. So pour out the contents of your backpack and throw away your summer gear list. Assuming that you are going into an area where 10 above F is a reasonable expectation, you do need a -50 degree coat, what you will need is thick (1") insulated pants and a medium down coat with a hood, a fleece jacket and long underwear. You ski in the long underwear an fleece and have water and wind proof shells along. When you get to camp you cease being aerobic and you put on your thick pants and down coat and warmer pair of gloves.

You will want reasonable insulation under you at night, not 3 pounds of pads, maybe a big agnes and a thin foam full length pad under it, and a 15 degree sleeping bag. Take a real winter stove, not alcohol, and a pan, at least a liter in size, a wind screen and maybe a shovel although I no longer carry one. You will sit on the foam pad around camp, as you melt snow etc. Melting snow will take up a lot of time, stir constantly and never add too much snow at a time, and always start with some liquid water..

You simply do not need and cannot take the misc stuff that even light weight campers take during good weather. You should be able to go alone with an 8 lb tent, camera, GPS, food, fuel, water, winter stove, warm clothes, first aid, toilet paper, flashlight, spare socks, balaclava and maybe booties and still be under 30 pounds, a weight that can be picked up and skied with without having to drag a sled.

Do not take a 6 ounce down jacket or thin fleece pants and a deep winter coat. An even thickness of insulation over your body will keep you the warmest and remember if the blood getting to your feet is cold because your legs were inadequately insulated your feet will get really cold, hurt, and send you running home to (insert your favorite soothing thing/person).
Jim smile
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These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.