Cold weather backpacking up North

[sajor75]

Any of you backpack up north when the weather is cold, yesterday I went on a car trip along the Mogollon rim and at around 4pm it started getting cold, especially when we where at lake Knoll, I was planning on backpacking on the Payson area in the next couple weeks but after feeling that cold im thinking twice about it lol.

Those of you who do backpack in cold weather whats your sleeping gear as at night is when its the coldest and i sleep cold, my sleeping gear is:

Therm a rest neo air xlite
20f enlightened quilt
light thermal pants and long sleeve shirt
beanie
thick wool socks

Use a tarp for shelter.

[flagscott]

We don't do much winter camping, but we do plenty in the shoulder seasons with temps down to the 20s. I use a 15 degree quilt on top of a z-rest and a thin torso pad. Clothes are a powerstretch beanie, synthetic balaclava, t-shirt, light tights, and super light liner socks. That will keep me warm down to mid-20s. And I don't consider myself a warm sleeper.

You probably know this, but you can add 5-10 degrees to the ambient temperature with good campsite selection. Sleep under trees instead of in the open, and avoid valley bottoms and water. Even getting a few feet above the bottom of a drainage can make a difference. It seems like most of the pre-existing campsites in wild places in Arizona are at the very bottom of a canyon next to water. I'd rather camp warm in a viewless forest than next to water where it'll be cold and wet. You're going to be asleep most of the night anyway.

Cool/cold weather camping is the best. Few people (especially in Arizona where most of the outdoorsy people are wusses when it comes to cold), no bugs, clear skies with no humidity and lots of stars. Enjoy!

[flagscott]

BTW, if your only head covering is a beanie, you're going to need something more. There are lots of insulated balaclavas available, and the lighter ones only weigh a couple of ounces.

[te_wa]

i use a shorty underquilt rated to (approximate) 20°and a 32° topquilt. i actually pushed this combo down to 17 degrees once or twice.

btw, direction of your travel has little to do with temperatures. there are a dozen big mountains in southern arizona where you can also freeze your pumpkin off all you want (and mogollon rim is not "up north" it is right smack dab in the middle of the state).

[oldmanonthetrail]

@sajor75
Winter camping in Canada's a breeze with my Paria 15 degree quilt and my neo air x therm pad . I don't like my EE 20 degree quilt for anything below 30 degrees.Far to many cold spots. I also use a Eureka hike &bike double wall tent .Sheds snow nicely.
For the money I am very impressed with Paria Quilt under $200

[big_load]

That's a pretty good start. I wear a balaclava at night and sometimes gloves. Sometimes I wear fleece or even a light down jacket as well on colder nights. I've had no problems with the xlite down to about 20F.

I do prefer a sleeping bag in colder temps and I pretty often get down into the upper teens and occasionally down to about 10F. I used to carry an older Marmot Pinnacle, which was a legit 15F bag. Now I carry a WM Versalite.

[toddak]

The S.O.L Escape Bivvy is lightweight, breathable, heat-reflective, wind-resistant and fits nicely over a mummy bag to add quite a bit of warmth.