Backpack hot tenting. Cold snap. Small shelter tiny stove.

Woods Walker

The Wood is cut, The Bacon is cooked, Now it’s tim
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
5,433
Location
New England woods.
It looked like the ground hog was going to be proven wrong. The snow all melted and temps ranged between 62 to 70 F. I started to transition my kit to the Spring but sometimes winter decides it's not over. During the margins of the seasons the dying light from the past can come back to it's full glory. One day 70 and the next it hardly got above freezing. The winds were picking up and the forecast was calling for 5 to zero with a wind chill of -10 F. The cold snap was on and I would ride it out before moving on.


I apologize for the poor photos. My good camera was home.


Looking nice and clear but cold.








Pack down and gear out. Decided to pitch the small Paratipi first as the cold was moving in along with the wind. Sometimes having an inside sooner is better than later.








Looking for wood. I only had my smallest little stove with me. The tiny Parastove. On the pro side had my winter bag as didn't full transition to Spring yet. Small hard wood which is off the ground.





That's enough. For the most part this wood can be broken up with hands and feet. One pro to a little tiny stove is that it uses little wood. Down side being I changed out stoves too soon as this cold will be kinda deep for it.





Little wood processing station. Nice to saw up some of the wood which was too stubborn for hands and feet.





The first thing I like to do when lighting the stove is put water on.








The little firebox was stressed to keep up with the cold but did better once there was a coal bed. Oddly coals alone aren't enough to heat a shelter but once combined with open flame it starts to work better. Open flames without the coal bed will heat fast but draft worse and drop off ambient temps faster. Too much of a coal bed will choke the open flames. This balance is much harder to maintain in a tiny firebox but doable.





Small sticks mostly processed by hands and feet.





Speaking of cold for some reason this foot just froze.





It got warmer for sure!





Cooking some food.





Very small tent. Its kind big for one person but it's still just an over glorified heated bivy tent IMHO. The stove greatly reduces the usable space.





Looking at the tiny stove from my bag. I like to put my boots or another barrier between me and the firebox when sleeping very near a stove. Seems like bumping into that stops me from making contact with the stove.





Good morning. It was a cold one with temps hitting the expected lows and very windy. I don't mind cold but hate the wind when in the woods. I think it was in the teens till 12 pm. That's a big drop from the other day.





A look around the little shelter.











Going down to the river for some sun. Despite the rays there wasn't much love.











I put my camp in a shady spot which was a mistake. One of the downsides to setting up in the cold dark.





There was plenty of sun out. Just not all that great in my spot.





Fire is back on!





Bluish smoke to me means un burnt fuel within the smoke. Not ideal.





Clear emissions from a stove pipe are ideal.





Cooking.








Tiny stove uses very small wood. Yup I said that multiple times but not having to use edged tools to process most of the wood is nice. My targets were oak, maple and black birch. I avoided the Hemlock in the area as it tosses too many sparks.





Bacon is done.





Some of the gear used.








1. Fenix HL50.
2. Old school 4/7 Quark tactical.
3. Nitecore LR30 lantern.


All of these were taken as they're running off CR123. Cold weather has much less effect on lithium primaries.





1. Mora Companion.
2. Felco folding saw.


Small wood only requires small tools in some cases. No need for an axe or to baton wood with a knife in these conditions for smaller fuel.


Power for the phone and camera.





The cold snap has eased up a bit. It always feels colder after a sudden temperature change than it would in deep winter. Packing up to move on.





Last trip down to the river.








On the move again. Cold snap weathered. Glad the winds finally let up as well.








A few days ago the Spring peepers where going crazy. Might have been some here but now they're back under the muck.





I think the margins of the seasons are times when people might find themselves not fully prepared. Warm one day and cold the next. It's easy to be lulled into a false sense of security. Easier to leave that extra garment, gloves and hat back home than would happen during deep winter. So take care out there.


Here are some videos. Thanks for looking.





 

chillinn

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 19, 2014
Messages
2,527
Location
Mobjack Bay
Jeez, Woods Walker! That is an awesome campsite. You should really sell tickets. I can't wait to get back North! Everyone in Florida is crazy from the Sun (except the old folks which are the coolest population here). Save me some snow and ice!
 

markr6

Flashaholic
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
9,258
Oh no the sock! I've ruined the rubber sole on a good pair of boots like that once.

I went out a couple weeks ago...75° and sunny during the day but I woke up to 26° and snow the next morning. It's been a strange winter.
 
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