41
votes
How to melt snow without fire or body heat?
If you have a clean black garbage bag with you (and if you don't, you really should :)), put the snow into the garbage bag, arrange it in a thin layer inside the bag, and lay the bag in the sun on a ...
- 23.4k
28
votes
Skis versus snow shoes - when to choose which for travelling the backcountry?
First off, I want to make clear that this applies to skiing and snowshoeing as a means of long-distance travel. It doesn't directly apply to skiing in specifically for the descents.
Skis are better ...
- 5,045
21
votes
Accepted
How much difference does wind chill make if you are inside a snow cave?
The concept of wind chill does not apply in this situation. Wind chill talks about perceived temperature due to additional heat loss due to convection. Meaning without wind, the "heated" air will stay ...
- 21.7k
21
votes
How to melt snow without fire or body heat?
A dark coloured water bottle strapped on top of your pack would absorb quite a lot of solar heat on a sunny day. Getting the snow in would be easier with a wide neck, like a bike bottle or Nalgene. ...
- 26.1k
19
votes
Accepted
Is it safe to drink snow?
If it is clean, fresh snow, it is safe to drink. This is basically drinking rain water. It hasn't had time to pick up pollutants when it is newly fallen. I live in New England, and kids do this all ...
- 4,219
18
votes
Accepted
What is the most effective means of melting snow with body heat for drinking?
The best way to melt snow is to put it in a bottle inside your jacket under your mid layers while you're on the move and let your body heat melt it. Do not place it against the skin, leave a layer or ...
- 53.5k
17
votes
Accepted
First time snow hiking
I have never been in the area, but from what I can see in the Internet, there indeed are a lot of winter hiking routes in Lenzerheide. And all those routes are signposted. In fact, you can see a map ...
- 3,474
15
votes
Accepted
What is the most efficient strategy to melt snow using a stove?
For maximum efficiency (i.e. melted water per used fuel) make sure the following things are always true:
Always have some water in the pot.
Never have only water in the pot.
Having water increases ...
- 21.7k
14
votes
Accepted
Are there any techniques for starting and maintaining a fire in snow?
Aside from what is mentioned in the answers to this question (How to light a fire with wet firewood?) the things you need to be concerned about in winter are the cold, frozen wood, and your fire being ...
- 53.5k
14
votes
Accepted
Should I use one or two trekking poles?
They weight of the extra pole is counteracted by the energy saved using it. Poles do more than offer stability, they also save you legs precious energy on the climb, and on the descent. At 16,000ft ...
- 53.5k
14
votes
Accepted
Why doesn't it snow much at -30 °C?
It's actually kind of the other way around, it's not that being too cold prevents snow from falling, it's that an absence of moisture in the air allows the atmosphere to cool.
Low pressure systems ...
- 53.5k
14
votes
Accepted
Skis versus snow shoes - when to choose which for travelling the backcountry?
Summary from a winter spend in Winnipeg long ago compared to Central European conditions: there are probably good reasons why native North American people went with snowshoes while native Europeans ...
13
votes
What is the most effective means of melting snow with body heat for drinking?
Pee on it.
To keep the water drinkable, you'd want to have the liquids separated but still have good thermal transfer between them. A well equipped traveller will pick his/her thermos bottle and a ...
- 139
13
votes
Accepted
What is the best breathing holes strategy for a quinzee?
I'm somewhat of a claustrophobic sleeper when it comes to quinzhees, so I'm very particular about my ventilation.
How much ventilation you need is proportionate to the size of your quinzhee, and how ...
- 53.5k
12
votes
Accepted
Skis or Snowshoes for Colorado
I am willing to take the time to learn what I need to, so I don't want
to go with the "easier to use at first" option.
If you really mean that, then you can't not try skiing.
There are many ...
- 23.4k
12
votes
Should I use one or two trekking poles?
If you get a pair, you can choose whether to actually use one or both for a particular day. I recommend that you buy a pair well before your expedition, and use them enough to you learn your ...
- 4,662
12
votes
Accepted
Why does red snow make a person sick?
Watermelon snow is caused by algae called Chlamydomonas nivalis. Apparently, it has laxative effects.
As Giersch and National Park representatives explain, the red pigment in the algae helps to ...
- 69.2k
12
votes
Accepted
Which is more dangerous, icy roads or icy roads with snow on top?
Both are dangerous, and as James says both require drivers to be extra cautious and adjust their driving. However from my experience living in Alberta, Canada where we spend ~5 months of the year in ...
- 750
11
votes
Escaping tree well
Really the key to escaping tree wells is to ski/board/snowshoe with a buddy. I have friends who have ended up head down in a tree well, completely unable to reach their bindings. With every movement ...
- 3,034
10
votes
Accepted
Yosemite in late March a good idea?
Check out the website http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildcond.htm
As of March 3, 2016, the website said this about General Conditions under the heading Wilderness Conditions
Be prepared ...
- 23.4k
10
votes
What is the fastest style of sled?
I'm from Switzerland and must have used a dozen or so different types of sleds over the years. By far the fastest types I have ever ridden (and still do so ever winter) are 'Rodel' type sleds which ...
- 12.9k
10
votes
Skis or Snowshoes for Colorado
If you have no experience with either, then I recommend getting some snowshoes first (I'm not recommending you don't eventually get into everything else as well). There are many different styles of ...
- 53.5k
10
votes
Accepted
What is the correct ice axe grip when descending?
TLDR
As long as you can walk normally (using the whole foot not just the toe area) always hold your axe at its head with the blade pointing backwards.
More information
This depends on the situation ...
- 21.7k
10
votes
Accepted
Is it dangerous to go to Mountains when snow is melting?
There are several things that can be more dangerous in the mountains when the snow is melting,
There can be an increased risk of avalanche danger.
Snowbridges over crevasses can be melting out.
...
- 69.2k
9
votes
Are there any techniques for starting and maintaining a fire in snow?
Just to add to what others have said, snow can be pretty useful for managing wind. You can use it to build a wall if there is too much wind. You can then make a hole in that wall to let wind in. Then ...
- 2,066
9
votes
What is the most severe temperature that a proper snow cave can protect you from?
TLDR: -148 °F including windchill has been survived inside of a snowcave.
I went looking for cases of people surviving extremely low temperatures while inside a snow caves, and it looks like the ...
- 69.2k
9
votes
Is it dangerous to go to Mountains when snow is melting?
Charlie Brumbaugh's answer is fairly comprehensive about the dangers. I will address some ideas on how to deal with this sort of trip.
Avalanche Hazard.
A: Take an avalanche safety course. It will ...
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