Looking at the forecast (below zero above 5000′ the next few nights) and at the Snotel data, my pack as it sits in the truck is significantly different than what I thought it would be a week ago.
Most important thing to notice in the yardsale above is more calories: 16 oz of salami, 8 oz of cheese, and 16 oz of butter that I wasn’t going to bring along. The butter is purely a breakfast item. (The grey stuffsack is dinner and breakfasts, the pink one is snacks/lunches.)
Secondly, I bringing our 5 degree down bag instead of the 25 degree one. Pretty easy choice there. I’m also bringing a full length Thinlight foam pad in addition to the Ridgerest I normally use. I’m a bit light on the ground insulation, but given the combined might of the bag and my clothing I’ll be fine unless it gets to around -10 F.
Clothes are different. Thicker wool socks, full height gaiters, fleece boxers, and a wool t-shirt R 1/2 hoodie and soft shell pullover rather than a Cap 3 and Houdini combo. Down pullover instead of a pile one, and thicker gloves. This morning I sewed an mesh, inner ‘roo pocket into the hoodie to facilitate carrying batteries and headlamps close to the body where they won’t instantly die.
Snowshoes are coming along. Bleech. I find it hard to get excited about snowshoeing, but in these conditions there isn’t any other option.
It’s still a reasonable load. Not shown is bearspray (left hip), and a nalgene in a cozy (right hip). I don’t use hydration bladders and hoses in the kind of temps we’ll be facing, so I’m going with an empty plain dromedary in the pack, and a liter nalgene on the belt. Weight weenies shun full nalgenes as too heavy. I like them as bomber hot water bottles, and like being able to use a rock to get a frozen-shut lid open.
Even with the shoes and all the other junk it’s barely more than 30 lbs, dry. Not too shabby.
See ya in week.
Bedrock & Paradox 
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