Book on dealing with extreme cold

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 simc 07 Jan 2022

Hi all,

I am planning an expedition on Denali next year with a couple of trusted climbing partners.

We all have plenty of mountaineering experience, but this is going to be potentially the coldest place we've ever been. I max out at just about -10/-15C 

Does anyone have any good tips for books that especially focus on dealing with cold on expeditions?

I was recommended Polar Exploration by Dixie Dansercoer by a friend. But was wondering if there are any others that I should consider?

Thanks,

Simeon

 Trangia 07 Jan 2022

reply to simc:

Ranulph Fiennes has written a couple of books covering this subject :- Mind over Matter; and Cold

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mind-Over-Matter-Antarctic-Continent/dp/0749316918

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cold-Extreme-Adventures-Lowest-Temperatures/dp/147...

Post edited at 09:31
2
 ebdon 07 Jan 2022
In reply to simc:

I'm pretty sure Andy Kirkpatrick has written quite a lot about this. Be aware that the lower bits of Denali can get quite hot as well!

 innes 07 Jan 2022
In reply to simc:

Not a book, but this is an excellent expert opinion on clothing systems for Denali....  

youtube.com/watch?v=AKNA5ysyJco&  

 Sean_J 07 Jan 2022
In reply to Trangia:

Hmm, not sure I'd be trusting Fiennes on how to deal with the cold given how he's managed to lose fingers to it!

1
 MisterPiggy 07 Jan 2022
In reply to innes:

Thanks for the Denali video link. I'll never go, but his reasoning applies to many other trips.

j 🙂

 critter 07 Jan 2022
In reply to simc:

I would get a copy of ' Allen & Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book ,Traveling and camping skills for a winter environment'

Really useful tips on managing a winter environment for potentially multiple days.

American authored and just seen the revised 2nd edition on there usual auction sight @ £8.95. Bargain for the knowledge.

Post edited at 19:25
 artif 08 Jan 2022
In reply to Sean_J:

> Hmm, not sure I'd be trusting Fiennes on how to deal with the cold given how he's managed to lose fingers to it!

Lost his fingers after falling through the ice and into the water. Was lucky to just lose the tips of his fingers. 

1
OP simc 09 Jan 2022
In reply to simc:

Thanks all for the tips! Some very good suggestions here. The youtube like was a good shout and I've ordered one of the books and have borrowed another.

 Sean_J 09 Jan 2022
In reply to artif:

> Lost his fingers after falling through the ice and into the water. Was lucky to just lose the tips of his fingers. 

No he didn't. He got frostbite in 2000 when he reached into the water to try and pull out a sled(s) that fell in, and he got frostbite again in 2013 when he tried to fix ski bindings with ungloved hands.

 Basemetal 09 Jan 2022
In reply to simc:

No "textbook" but "Minus 148 Degrees" by Art Davidson is worth a read -the first winter ascent of McKinley (as was) and the ensuing survival story.

 Duncan Beard 08 Feb 2022
In reply to simc:

Aaron Linsdau has written books but is informative & entertaining on his Yotube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/c/ALinsdau/videos

I especially liked it when talking about warm sleep systems & he mentions down booties and makes that "whoaharar!" sound

He does things like Denali & also polar expeditions.

 Toerag 10 Feb 2022
In reply to simc:

Having recently been to a talk from an arctic racer it's all about systems & prep.

1) Don't get sweaty

2) Work as a team so that one person isn't getting cold waiting for the other person to do something. Example - you both take a dump first thing so that one person doesn't have to do one 2 hours later.

3) Boil water for the morning the night before and keep it in a flask.

4) brush all condensation ice out the tent before cooking or the steam will melt it and make everything wet.

 felt 10 Feb 2022
In reply to simc:

Apsley Cherry-Garrard's The Worst Journey in the World gives a perspective from yesteryear. On the trip he went on with Wilson and Bowers to collect emperor penguin eggs in the depths of the Antarctic winter it was so cold that most of his teeth shattered.

Here they are upon their return.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Return_of_Wilson_Bowers_Cherry.jpg 

 Tom Briggs 10 Feb 2022
In reply to simc:

‘Surviving Denali’ is worth a read. Accounts of all the various accidents up until 1990. A surprising number being falls.

A bit dated now but Mark Twight’s Exteme Alpinism has quite a bit in it about clothing systems and dealing with extreme cold.

 crayefish 10 Feb 2022
In reply to simc:

Dealing with -20 is relatively child's play.  No previous experience or theory really needed.  Just an extension of -10 really.

Dealing with -30 is difficult... previous advice on layers, sweating and whatnot is all very valid.  However, it's all very personal... everyone deals with it very differently.  Experience pays dividends.

Dealing with -40 is just another planet.  No book or other people's experience will ever prepare you for it.  You just have to go out, deal with it and learn.  Nothing works at this temperature.

And I'm talking about absolute temps... not including wind chill.


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