Clothing system for winter climbing at Beacon...

[JosephH]

Here's a new version of the 12/30/2006 post I did on my winter Beacon climbing setup for clothing. Some of the stuff isn't available anymore and I've updated web links where necessary.

 

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I don't do alpine and hate being cold but don't freeze because I tape one of those small air-activated 'Little Hotties' heating packs on the underside of each wrist with sport tape (not tight at all). I then stick one of the thin shoe heating packs with the adhesive strip on the inside of each fingerless glove on the palm (sticky side on the glove, not your hand). If the temps are in the 20s-low 30s I'll throw one of their bigger packets in each main jacket pocket.

 

If it's really freezing I'll augment all the heat packs with a 100mg's of Niacin which I take about 5 minutes before getting to Beacon. This forces blood out of your core and into your extremities (i.e. forces blood past your wrists to your hands). To keep my core temp up for the Niacin, I eat a decent breakfast so that I stay fueled.

 

The layered clothing system I wear is this:

 

- Roffe smooth-inside / fleece-outside tights worn fleece side in to minimize friction with the outer Scholler windpants. These don't look to be made anymore so substitute accordingly - something not too thick or too thin.

 

- Sport Hill 'XC Cross' Scholler, windproof running pants which I guess aren't made any more and they're using the name for something different. Looks as though maybe the Symmetry II would be a close substitute. The original 'XC Cross' were a zipperless, loose fitting 'tight' - but extremely windproof.

 

- UnderArmor 'Draft 2.0' Tee Shirt

 

- UnderArmor 'COLDGEAR® MOCK' Tee which is almost like a very thin wetsuit on the outside and 'fuzzer' on the inside - it's THE real key piece. (from US Outdoor Store, REI, GI Joe's)

 

- Northface Momentum Hybrid 1/4 zip Shirt

 

[ The above three layers under the softshell are incredibly warm, yet very light and flexible, combined with the softshell I barely notice the whole four-layer combo when climbing. ]

 

- Marmot Photon Softshell Jacket (2005-6) but they quit making the Photon after the 2007 model which I like less. A key deal with it is the big, stretchy hood which seals my Petzl Meteor III helmet real well. Not sure what I'd get these days, but it would have to be a very stretchable jacket with a longer waist (hard to find) to work for me for winter rock climbing.

 

[ Edit - looks like a couple of the 2007 version of the Photon are still available out there in bad colors. I don't like it quite as well as the earlier years' version as they put a thin visor tab on the hood and made a few annoying changes - but I'd still take it over most others for my purposes. Also looks like there are some reasonable alternatives over in the Hoodys for climbing? thread. ]

 

- Thin Turtle Fur 'Dryline Earbeanie' for under my helmet. The Drylines are down the page - the one on the left of the two. (from REI)

 

- For shoes I wear fairly loose 5.10 Ascents or Sportiva Ventors that I can put one thin and one thick pair of socks comfortably in (from REI). And by 'comfortably' I mean I run the tourist trail down in them with no pain of any kind. Neither of these shoes is made anymore. Both had a climbing shoe frontend, a thin running shoe backend, and three velcro straps. Ebay here I come...

 

This system works for me anyway and for folks I've outfitted for a day's climbing. That, and my main strategy of just moving fast and efficiently so you don't get bogged down anywhere too long getting cold. Also, I use a similar system for winter in Red Rocks, but all three inner top layers have 1/4 or 1/2 zips for better thermal regulation going in-and-out of the sun.

 

Also, I don't wear this outfit on the drive out to Beacon - I change into it once I get there (the bathroom is heated these days), because it just seems to work out feeling a whole lot warmer somehow (I don't know why). And remember to hydrate well on the way to Beacon or prior to launching, don't forget the chapstick or equivalent, and consider running the trail down to the start to warm up (it really helps).

 

P.S. Do something even burlier for aid climbing (belaying). I'm guessing probably just do the full alpine rig though Colin, Wayne, Ivan, Geoff, Seann, or Scott would be a better source on that front than me...

 

Edited January 18, 2009 by JosephH

[billcoe]

Thanks JH! Watching you or some of those other folks get after it in some of that winter weather is damn inspiring!

[JosephH]

Thanks Bill. But hell, I'm barely getting out compared to Ivan, Geoff, and Seann & co. Pretty much into the 'last hurrah' this week before the close...