How many layers can one guy wear? - Part 2

The previous post described the ridiculous amount of clothing I intend to wear during the Cadomin hunt. But that ain't all...

Another layer

Paranoia kicks in again. Fearing that I need more, I will carry up the mountain an old ‘down’ coat. When I bought it, my size must have been sold out, because it fits easily over all of the other clothing, and comes down to well over the butt. The ‘down’ is likely mostly duck feathers, but I hope it will offer some extra protection just the same. Maybe I will look at an actual hunting parka instead, something in snow camo would likely fit the circumstances quite well. I also intend to carry a "Heat-a-Seat" cushion to sit on.

Lots of layers, some brand new, some well over a decade old

Head gear

I'm not 100% ready here. I have a light balaclava-type of cover that can form the first layer around neck, ears and head, leaving the face exposed. I can add on a variety of togues, a fleece neck gaiter and a fleece neck-gaiter/hood integrated thingy. All covered by the hood of the raingear of course. I'm debating one of those hats with furry or fleece ear flaps, but likely won't get one, as it disables the use of the hood on the rain jacket. And people tell me I need ski goggles, because the combination of wind and mine grit and dust can form a painful combination.

Gloves

Liner gloves, insulation gloves, heavy mitts over top. I had some stuff in the closet, and bought some at Mountain Equipment Coop. May still trade in the mitts for a heavier pair. I think this is the easiest body part to keep warm by adding chemical heat packs.

Strategy

Dress light on the way up, sweat as little as possible. After the climb, brave the cold and strip off wet undershirt, and replace by dry one. Likely similar for liner gloves (my hands sweat during a hard climb, believe it or not). Pile on the layers, hunker down. Make hot soup for lunch. Watch for rams!

And there you have it, sports fans... in retrospect it might have been easier and more effective to take out a loan and hoist myself into a brand new Sitka outfit. Time will tell.

If you see any blatant omissions in my plan, please tell me before November 20th!

How many layers can one guy wear? - Part 1

Everybody keeps telling me that the best chance of success on the Cadomin bighorn hunt is achieved by staying put. Find a vantage point, hunker down, and sit till dark. This provides a big challenge in terms of clothing. First you need to hike up a mountain, in the pre-dawn darkness, and then you need to sit still in temperatures that customarily reach 0 oF (-17oC) but can easily go down as far as -20 oF (-29 oC). And then there's the wind.

Even when it is really cold, a guy doesn't need too much in terms of clothing when hiking up a mountain. In fact, less is more, as you want to avoid get drenched with sweat. But sitting still in a freezer for maybe 8 hours is a challenge. New fabrics and technology have greatly improved clothing over the last decade, just think of the beautiful systems put on the market by companies like Sitka (www.sitkagear.com), KUIU (www.kuiu.com) and Under Armour (www.underarmour.com). The downside: the price. At the risk of suffering through a lot of cold, I've decided to minimize purchases and see what I can accomplish with what I already have in my closet.

Base layer

OK, I had to break down and spend money here right away. I picked up two sets of long-sleeved shirts and long-johns in a merino blend fabric at Costco.

Second layer

I have a heavier long-sleeved T-shirt that will go over the merino; I need to buy one or two more for rotation. For the legs I can chose between two pairs of 'tights': lightweight spandex, or heavier one that contain 30% wool. I guess the choice depends on temperature and experience as the days progress.

Third and consecutive layers

From here it gets tricky. Do I need more insulation while hiking or not? On the legs, likely not. On the upper body, maybe. The legs' next layer would  be an old pair of fleece pants bought a decade ago at Cabelas. That should suffice for hiking. On extremely windy days I'll throw rain pants over top, either the KUIU brand, or again a ten-year old set from Cabelas with Dry-Plus. Upon arrival I will add a pair of Craft 'warm-up pants' from my biathlon days. Insulated with Primaloft, a synthetic insulator, and fully zippered along the side, it fits over any pair of boots, and should add good warmth.

Left to right: merino-blend long johns, choice of wool-blend or spandex
tights, fleece pants, Primaloft pants and choice of rain pants

On the upper body I may wear a thin Primaloft-type liner jacket and a rain jacket for the hike. To add to the package once sitting down I bought a 700-fill down vest from Browning (http://www.browning.com/products/catalog/clothing/detail.asp?fid=034A&cid=304&tid=766), on sale at CamoFire (www.camofire.com), to go under the outer shell, and I'll bring a sleeveless fleece vest to stick under there if that isn't enough.

To be continued...