COLD FEET
Ouray,CO Jan. 2, 2010
I haven’t been winter (tent) camping for about 8 years; the last time I went it got down to -40 at night. Needless to say that kind of put the damper on what was a 3 year stretch of winter trips. So having forgotten most of the bad things about those winter trips, and apparently forgetting some of the how-to’s also, I set out for a quick trip in Ouray.
In-between those winter trips I also managed to get frostbite on my feet, in Northern Georgia of all places. My case of frostbite was very minor, but has left me with feet that get colder easier and are more likely to get frostbite a 2nd time.
So, unfortunately on this trip one of the things I neglected to do was treat my leather boots so they would be waterproof. So to my surprise after a long hike in deep snow and lots of time getting my tent set up etc…, when I got around to taking my boots off my socks and inside of my boots were completely soaked. Lucky one of the few extra items I brought was a pair of socks, so I would have dry ones for my cold night in the tent. But I knew I would still have an interesting predicament the next morning.
I’m sure anyone on Shackleton’s adventures would of happily traded places with me, but there still isn’t anything pleasing about trying to shove your feet into completely frozen boots, even my laces were frozen stiff. Using all my force, I managed to get my feet into my boots after a quarter hour of trying. I guess on a normal day I would have been pretty miserable, but in some kind of twisted way that is one of the joys of winter camping. It must be getting in touch with some kind of prime mortal sense. But when there are no choices, no one to complain to, no warm place to run to, when there is just the “I have to do”, I find myself free and I realize that things aren’t that bad and maybe I just might be a little tougher than I give myself credit for.
Ouray,CO Jan. 2, 2010
I haven’t been winter (tent) camping for about 8 years; the last time I went it got down to -40 at night. Needless to say that kind of put the damper on what was a 3 year stretch of winter trips. So having forgotten most of the bad things about those winter trips, and apparently forgetting some of the how-to’s also, I set out for a quick trip in Ouray.
In-between those winter trips I also managed to get frostbite on my feet, in Northern Georgia of all places. My case of frostbite was very minor, but has left me with feet that get colder easier and are more likely to get frostbite a 2nd time.
So, unfortunately on this trip one of the things I neglected to do was treat my leather boots so they would be waterproof. So to my surprise after a long hike in deep snow and lots of time getting my tent set up etc…, when I got around to taking my boots off my socks and inside of my boots were completely soaked. Lucky one of the few extra items I brought was a pair of socks, so I would have dry ones for my cold night in the tent. But I knew I would still have an interesting predicament the next morning.
I’m sure anyone on Shackleton’s adventures would of happily traded places with me, but there still isn’t anything pleasing about trying to shove your feet into completely frozen boots, even my laces were frozen stiff. Using all my force, I managed to get my feet into my boots after a quarter hour of trying. I guess on a normal day I would have been pretty miserable, but in some kind of twisted way that is one of the joys of winter camping. It must be getting in touch with some kind of prime mortal sense. But when there are no choices, no one to complain to, no warm place to run to, when there is just the “I have to do”, I find myself free and I realize that things aren’t that bad and maybe I just might be a little tougher than I give myself credit for.
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