Well. When I was 327th Infantry Regiment stationed at Ft. Richardson, Alaska, my first assignment there was in a forced recon platoon for a year.our platoon wasn’t allowed to use any tents or Yukon Stoves. It was always cold, but the worst was in Delta Junction (-65!!!)I was looking at the forecast for my upcoming elk hunt and noticed it is supposed to get down to 3 degrees at night. That got me wondering what is the coldest others have camped and/or hunted at? I love the cold weather for hunting as it seems to really get the animals moving but I sure am glad I will have a canvas tent and Mr Buddy heater to go back to!
What was your clothing system for that?Got a polar bear on the 11th day of a 10 day mid-Feb hunt on the ice out of Resolute, Nunavut. Temps were -35* to -40* and we did have winds with zero visibility a couple of the days. We camped out the whole time in a dual walled tent heated by a Kerosun heater, plus a Coleman gas stove and lantern when we were awake and inside, whichn was quite a bit due to the very short days that time of year (the sun returned the week before I got there). Slept on caribou hides over foamies. Inuits are tough dudes and love the winter weather.
What was your clothing system for that?
What a memory to have. I suppose there’s a reason people have survived for thousands of years using hides.I wore the typical clothes I’d wear for any mountain hunt as my base layers....poly merino blend next to skin, heavy KUIU zip off longjohns, Super-down zip-offs, Attack pants on the bottom
Top was a second poly fleece pull-over, Cabelas Microtex shirt, hooded Superdown puffy, Costco down jacket over that.
Feet had two pair of Costco wool trail socks. Used stick on toe warmers each day. Topped with -100 Baffin boots.
I bought a decent bomber hat...only piece of clothing I purchased. Did buy ski goggles too.
Those clothes mentioned above never came off for the hunt duration until I got back to Resolute.
The Outfitter also fit me with summer caribou hide, hair on knickers and hooded parka. They never came into the tent. Were always removed and left in the snow next to the sled runner. Apparently they would get damp if brought into the heated area, just like your glasses and the ski Goggles steam up. The caribou clothes were amazing as you’d be cold, put them on,..they were -40* from laying out all night, and you’d be instantly warm! The guides mom and sister had made them using short summer haired caribou as apparently winter hair was too warm! They loaned me fox haired mittens that were great as well, with a hand warmer in each.
I did have to remove the caribou parka to shoot my bow. Prettty dang cold without it despite all the layers. Froze the tip of my little finger in about a minute taking pictures with the phone, also about the duration for the phone to freeze up. The battery booster fixed it quickly, both kept in inner pants and shirt pockets along with the rangefinder the entire trip.