Seek outside Cimarron cold-weather pitch

[jspradley]

I've not yet found the spot in Colorado where some bubba won't set up right next to me.

Well.... you gotta do what you gotta do to stay warm...

 

[WTFJohn]

I think I need a better bag. I'd rather carry an extra pound of sleeping bag than 3-4 lbs. of stove that I have to wake up and tend to all night. Correct me if that's flawed logic though.

You don't wake up and run the stove all night. You have the bag (and sleeping pad(s)) rated for the temps you're in, because the stove is going to go out. The nights are long; get a good fire going when you get back to dry out your gear, warm up, and cook (if you use it for that). Get a few big pieces of wood in your stove so it'll burn as long as possible, then go to bed. Have extra wood and tinder ready to go for the morning, make sure you keep your lighter in your pants pocket or sleeping bag, wake up and get the fire going while you put on your gear and have a warm drink.

Late season/cold weather backcountry hunting is not the same as early/mid season. It's going to suck to a certain extent, you just bring the best gear for it to lessen the total amount that it sucks. You carry what you have to in order to be safe and hunt effectively. That means drying your stuff, keeping morale high when you're twiddling your thumbs at 8:00PM when it's been dark for 3.5 hours already, and being able to get as much good sleep as possible. Your nerves will be frayed enough by the conditions if you're doing it right.

 

[Newtosavage]

I doubt I'll venture into late season backcountry hunting. Maybe, but I don't really see it at this time. But one thing I have learned about the mountains of CO is that it can sure seem like late season basically any week after October 1. LOL

How heavy are those backcountry stoves you're toting in?

 

[WTFJohn]

I doubt I'll venture into late season backcountry hunting. Maybe, but I don't really see it at this time. But one thing I have learned about the mountains of CO is that it can sure seem like late season basically any week after October 1. LOL

How heavy are those backcountry stoves you're toting in?

I believe my SO Medium is about 43 oz including the storage bag. Yeah the winter weather onset very quickly this year, I have been packing my stove since the first week of October. There are easier ways to hunt the later seasons than backpacking in, but it's fun for it's own reasons.

 

[Newtosavage]

This year and last year both. I was a few miles out of Steamboat when 10" of snow hit a few days before 1st rifle and the temps were in the teens. Even the locals said that was very unusual.

43 oz. seems like a lot to me. Not sure where I'm gonna trim that much weight out of my other gear. You guys who pack in the backcountry with stoves really impress the heck out of me!

 

[WTFJohn]

This year and last year both. I was a few miles out of Steamboat when 10" of snow hit a few days before 1st rifle and the temps were in the teens. Even the locals said that was very unusual.

43 oz. seems like a lot to me. Not sure where I'm gonna trim that much weight out of my other gear. You guys who pack in the backcountry with stoves really impress the heck out of me!

I've had it snow on me all 12 months of the year in CO, you just get used to it. Snow and temps in the teens are expected October weather, especially in NW CO.

Like I said, late season isn't early or mid season, you're not really counting ounces; you just take what's required to be effective. You aren't bivy hunting with camp on your back all day in weather like that; you carry your gear in, setup, and hunt light. With the weather the way it's been, I may be hunting 3rd and 4th season in snowshoes.

 

[GregB]

I doubt I'll venture into late season backcountry hunting. Maybe, but I don't really see it at this time. But one thing I have learned about the mountains of CO is that it can sure seem like late season basically any week after October 1. LOL

How heavy are those backcountry stoves you're toting in?

The LO 18" I have is listed at 2.5 lbs, I haven't weighed it myself but it's not bad.

 

[Newtosavage]

I probably need to get used to the idea of having someone else along if I were going to pack a camp with a stove into the backcountry. So the question is do I need the heat or the solitude more? LOL

 

[ndbuck09]

I sure wish the cimarron had more guyouts for dealing with heavy wet snow. We got 5 inches and walls were just sagging so bag where there werent any guyouts. Obviously we knocked this off and cleared the bottom of the exterior but when it's snowing hard, it just piles back up and in our expierience, the stove (medium) only keeps the wall melted from the halway point up so it was condensation city in our recent snow experience. With the say silnylon sags, you simply cant avoid touching the walls with 2 people, winter gear, a super hot stove you cant touch and a pile of firewood.

 

[GregB]

I probably need to get used to the idea of having someone else along if I were going to pack a camp with a stove into the backcountry. So the question is do I need the heat or the solitude more? LOL

It's totally doable solo for a few day trip. Both pack down pretty well, and if you are solo you can get the next size down I think it's the Silvertip. I'm thinking about doing some winter backpacking with the Cimmaron and stove this year just because.

 

[WTFJohn]

I sure wish the cimarron had more guyouts for dealing with heavy wet snow. We got 5 inches and walls were just sagging so bag where there werent any guyouts. Obviously we knocked this off and cleared the bottom of the exterior but when it's snowing hard, it just piles back up and in our expierience, the stove (medium) only keeps the wall melted from the halway point up so it was condensation city in our recent snow experience. With the say silnylon sags, you simply cant avoid touching the walls with 2 people, winter gear, a super hot stove you cant touch and a pile of firewood.

There aren't many hot shelters that will take 5"+ of snow without issue or clearing, but you're right on the issues presented in a single wall with lots of snow. Cover the floor as much as possible with ground tarps/tyvek, it will cut down on the moisture coming out of the snow. The pic below is ~8", some wind drifting as well from the 30-50 mph overnight winds. I've just dealt with it in the past but am always looking for ways to make it better. I think to do that you need steeper walls, which just means more issues in the wind and possibly additional poles during setup.

Can't wait for this again in a week...

 

[SteveinMN]

You don't wake up and run the stove all night. You have the bag (and sleeping pad(s)) rated for the temps you're in, because the stove is going to go out. The nights are long; get a good fire going when you get back to dry out your gear, warm up, and cook (if you use it for that). Get a few big pieces of wood in your stove so it'll burn as long as possible, then go to bed. Have extra wood and tinder ready to go for the morning, make sure you keep your lighter in your pants pocket or sleeping bag, wake up and get the fire going while you put on your gear and have a warm drink.

Late season/cold weather backcountry hunting is not the same as early/mid season. It's going to suck to a certain extent, you just bring the best gear for it to lessen the total amount that it sucks. You carry what you have to in order to be safe and hunt effectively. That means drying your stuff, keeping morale high when you're twiddling your thumbs at 8:00PM when it's been dark for 3.5 hours already, and being able to get as much good sleep as possible. Your nerves will be frayed enough by the conditions if you're doing it right.

I camp/hunt with a notorious lighter thief. I use a 3 foot length of paracord and tape one end the lighter, tie the other end around the center pole of my redcliff. Works like charm. Wake up in the morning, feel around in the dark till you hit the pole, grab the cord and boom...lighter in hand. I also like to have a premade pile of kindling with a Vaseline coated cotton ball already on top of it. Takes about 30 seconds to get the morning fire going.

 

[SteveinMN]

I probably need to get used to the idea of having someone else along if I were going to pack a camp with a stove into the backcountry. So the question is do I need the heat or the solitude more? LOL

It's stupid expensive and took years and years, but I have two teenagers of my very own and god damn can they pack in a lot of weight!

 

[*zap*]

I use a bag that will keep me warm and a stove for some comfort and drying out stuff....no real need to keep the stove going all night, if you wake up and throw a log in fine but it is not necessary with the correct bag which you should be using anyway.

If the dewpoint is close to the temp then pitch it up....you can also put a piece of tyvek next to where you are sleeping to close that off from wind but it will still allow air to go upward..