getting acclimatied for a winter hike

“Capn Bobo suggested that we get acclimated for the up coming trips to the Daks becasue its going to be wintery conditions. I never had to do that for a winter hike.

One way I was thinking, was to drag my exercise machine outside and just do it there (hmm I wonder what my new neighbors will think of me).

any other suggestions?”

“That's a great idea, 'Leaf. Post pictures... ;-)”

“LOL”

“Wait for first snowfall
Get naked, jump in the smow
Now you are all set

WOW, a snow acclimatied haiku!”

“crap! I meant SNOW”

“When Maple gets done with it, it could be 'smow'...”

“Sleep in the dog house.”

“mapie - I would suggest drinking coupus amounts of beer and stand outside naked. That should do it. Works fer me...”

“OH MY EYES!!!”

“thank you for all your help freaks”

“Anytime. Take an ice bath.”

“so if I do everything you say, then when i get out on the trail I should do the same?


hmm now this could be a very interesting trip”

“hey.....anything I can do to help out!


really...I'd say make sure you have the right clothes. That's half the battle. I don't know if you can get yer body used to the cold where you live if it's not cold. Maybe wear less, or cotton clothing when gong out. Keep in mind that your MIND needs to tell your BODY what to do.

Be carful and have a lot of fun!”

“Take fast-walks of 2 to 3 miles every day in the cold.

Take that dude along with ya.

Hills and steps are good.”

“I keep my car windows open in the winter. Seriously.”

“Don't do like I did last week! At GSMNP I took a boat shuttle across Fontana Lake, hiked to a campsite and discovered that I did not have my sleeping bag. I wore everything that night as the temperatue dropped to 30º or lower. I wrapped myself in a nylon tarp in my tent and even used an aluminum survival blanket, which only crinkled. I finally put on my boots, which helped. I susvived and made another boat shuttle trip the next day to get my sleeping bag. The next night was just as cold, but I did not experience any problem.

I still had an ace in the hole during the first night. I had collected extra firewood. If I had started to shiver, I would have build a campfire

So, for "getting acclimatied for a winter hike," I guess I am suggesting that you just make sure that you have everything with you that you might need.”

“I accllimate for winter trips by watching a lot of tv, and eating ice cream after dinner. That lets me build a nice little fat layer, which is useful in the cold for energy storage, as well as insulation.

I had an uncle who worked on a road building crew in the mountains of Washington, building the north cross hiway. He forced himself to wear light clothes when it got cold, so when it got REAL cold, he could put on long underwear and warm clothes, and be fine when his co-workers were freezing in the same clothes.

That kind of acclimating sounds pretty unpleasant to me, so I just bring a down coat and a good down bag and the same comfort in the cold.”

“I have done an overnighter in the winter. 12 degrees. that was great because there was no wind. there will be alot more wind this trip becasue it is higher then what I was.”

“Mapes - part of the acclimatization process is to let your body know that it now has to function in lower temperatures. Your body does not like to abruptly change from a cozy 68 degree environment to sitting outside in 30 degree weather in the wind. Your body may revolt and do things you've never experienced before!

I would suggest what TomT said, get out in the elements as much as you can, dayhikes in the neighboorhood or area park as the cold sents in. This also gives you an opportunity to wear the same stuff you'll be wearing on the trail (boots, socks, jacket), so you can check and see if you've got any problems (socks too loose, boots too tight?) before you get outside for a weekend.

I'm sure you'll survive, but it's a matter of how comfortable you'll be (like nowslimmer!).

Or.. you could try the naked stairmaster thing in the backyard, that works too ;~)”

“Now that would be a StareMaster!”

“Oh! Tom T with the puns! Good one, BH!”

“they are all wrong.


Store heat. Let's say you can be comfortable in your apartment at 68 degrees.

Set your thermostat for say, 75 degrees. Leave it there all the time (while you are home). At work, do the same thing.

If possible take a carribbean vacation.

Wear MORE clothes.


This acclimitization process will allow you to build "heat reserves".

On your way to the trailhead, cram, as you would for a major exam. That is, blast the car heater as high as it will go, while wearing all your winter gear forthe ride up.

This is a process that will ensure that your heat reserves are topped to the max.

Whilethe others are fretting and worrying about the cold, you can be comfortable and rest easy knowing that you have several months of heat reserves built up.

While others are cowering in their sleeping bags, you will laugh at the subzero temperatures and play naked frisbee in your snowshoes.


Have fun.”

“they are all wrong.


Store heat. Let's say you can be comfortable in your apartment at 68 degrees.

Set your thermostat for say, 75 degrees. Leave it there all the time (while you are home). At work, do the same thing.

If possible take a carribbean vacation.

Wear MORE clothes.


This acclimitization process will allow you to build "heat reserves".

On your way to the trailhead, cram, as you would for a major exam. That is, blast the car heater as high as it will go, while wearing all your winter gear forthe ride up.

This is a process that will ensure that your heat reserves are topped to the max.

Whilethe others are fretting and worrying about the cold, you can be comfortable and rest easy knowing that you have several months of heat reserves built up.

While others are cowering in their sleeping bags, you will laugh at the subzero temperatures and play naked frisbee in your snowshoes.


Have fun.”

“the heat would kill me. I love the cold. it's treebeards skin that is thin!”

“You left out the most important part, lee. To effectively store heat, you must first eat as many pounds of rocks as you can.”

“. . .the quanity of rocks already in their heads would do the trick!”

“I recommend the naked route.

In fact, I'm naked today.

Did I mention I'm now working as a diamond cutter?



















LOL!!!!!”

“In the nude?”

“I pretty much thought. . .
". . .the quanity of rocks already in their heads would do the trick!"

lee
03:14:59 PM
10/23/03

please explain”

“The weight of the rocks pushes against the anterior limbic region which serves as the bodies internal temperature regulat......

OH Fuhgetaboutit!!!









BOO!!!”

“he called you a rock-head, maple!

i feel like such a baby when i hike in the winter. it's like the cold makes me winded really fast or something...in the winter, i can do like 1/3 of what i can do in other seasons.”

“Eh, rocks in the head?

What's to understand?

For a butthead like me it makes perfect sense.”

“Acclimatied =

You go for a climb and then get a tied one on!”

“I guess it makes sense to the butthead who said it too...”

“oh so he was making fun of me?
well if your going to do that then put it into layman's terms ok?”

“The cold, dry air makes it tough to do the normal things and can cause spasms and consriction in your lungs. You gotta try and breath through your nose so the air gets heated up in your sinuses before it gets in your lungs.

and lyra???






BOO!!!”

“Ooooooooo, snotsicles!”

“lyra --

You can de-hydrate wicked fast in the winter.

Cold dry air just sucks the moisture right out of you.


It's as or more important to keep on top of hydration and snack intake in the winter as in the summer. You will otherwise bonk pretty quickly.




Good God Maple. Do you really need an explanation for "rocks in the head" (oh wait . . . .I suppose you do . . .).

Think back to the playgrounds of your youth . . .


anyhoo . . .if you insist on acclimitizing the WRONG way . . .jump rope in a walk in beer cooler.

1) you will get exercise
2) it will be cold
3) you can carbo load on the spot.”

“without laughing at me, please explain...

:)”

“Twink --

Are you naked so that you have nowhere to hide the diamonds??

And . .. as a woman . . .don't you still have hiding spots to hide them???








A new career!!!! Employee inspector in the diamond district!”

“SNOTSICLES, yummmmm! okay, i'll remember to drink like a fish.”

“I want to see a picture. Seeing is believing!”

“

You gotta try and breath through your nose so the air gets heated up in your sinuses before it gets in your lungs.
bobo BOO

Yes, I remember some of those Minnesota winters. The moisture would freeze in my nose when inhaling, then melt and run on my mustach when exhaling. And now My Old Flame wants me back there. (I would rather have her down here in Florida. Is there a New Flame out there somewhere?)”

“cold winter hikes, grab the nearest tt bachelor and use him to warm up :)”

“LOL! You guys are too much. I like IdaBob's idea of sitting around, eating ice cream to insure an adequate fat insulating layer.
>;D

Seriously though, Maple...listen to Bobo about the outdoor exercise bit, especially since your asthma acts up more in the cold. Remember to bring your inhaler and keep it someplace warm too, just in case! :)”

“I learned that the hard way.....

Im bringing 2. keeping one in my pack wraped in a warm shirt. wont freeze on me this time!”

“...I can't say it...”

“i'm talking about my inhaler.


geez get yer mind outta the gutter”

“Here's how I get ready for ski season:

- Visit your local butcher and pay $30 to sit in the walk-in freezer for half an hour. Afterwards, burn two $50 dollar bills to warm up.

- Soak your gloves and store them in the freezer after every use.

- Fasten a small, wide rubber band around the top half of your head before you go to bed each night.

- If you wear glasses, begin wearing them with glue smeared on the lenses.

- Throw away a hundred dollar bill - RIGHT NOW!

- Find the nearest ice rink and walk across the ice 20 times in your ski boots carrying two pairs of skis, accessory bag and poles. Pretend you are looking for your car. Sporadically
drop things.

- Place a small but angular pebble in your shoes, line them with crushed ice, and then tighten a C-clamp around your toes.

- Buy a new pair of gloves and IMMEDIATELY THROW ONE AWAY!

- Secure one of your ankles to a bedpost and ask a friend to run into you at high speed.

- Go to McDonald's and insist on paying $8.50 for a hamburger. Be sure you are in the longest line.

- Clip a lift ticket to the zipper of your jacket, get on a motorcycle and ride fast enough to make the ticket lacerate your face.

- Drive slowly for five hours - anywhere - as long as it's in a snowstorm and you're following an 18-wheeler.

- Fill a blender with ice, hit the pulse button and let the spray blast your face. Leave the ice on your face until it melts. Let it drip onto your clothes.

- Slam your thumb in a car door and don't bother to go see a doctor.

* Repeat all of the above every Saturday and Sunday until you're ready for the real thing!”