I took this picture while I was waiting for the water for a hot drink to warm up.

I don’t have an insulated hood, so I improvised with my shemagh. Very elegant, very old lady. I’m also looking a bit chubby around the chops too. At these temps various bits of gear have to be kept warm — lighter, camera, water filter, battery pack, compass, cell phone. Low temperatures will either freeze them or drain their batteries.

So, I stayed in bed waiting for things to warm up before venturing out. I think I need to add a hood, a better jacket and some insulated hiking pants to my gear if it is going to consistently get this cold while I’m out. 20°F (-6.6°C) is my planned bottom limit out on the trail, though I’ve slept out in the hammock at 16°F (-9°C) while gear testing in the backyard.

In theory, by doubling up some of my gear I can stay warm down to around -20°F (-28°C), but I don’t have the clothes or inclination to test that out. Anyway, who’d want to get out of bed to pee in the middle of the night when it’s that cold?   

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