How cold is too cold to be outdoors?

fireman

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I know everyone is different, but it could be interesting. Where are you from and how cold is too cold for you? Down here 30's is cold, but anything in the 20s means inside time. I guess we are just warm blooded.
 

Northern Dancer

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Well...when I was winter camping in Thunder Bay [Ontario] on one occasion it was -32 F. The sky was a deep dark blue, the full moon had a moon ring around it. It was so quiet you could hear the ice in the bay crack a mile away. When you exhaled your breath formed an instant cloud that dissipated into the dark night. If you had a beard or mustache ice pellets formed in abundance. AND you dared not remove your furlined hood or take off your gloves. You slept in an Artic Sleeping bag and covered your head with a skiers balaclava. You took turns staying awake to keep the wood stove burning through the night (in your tent). There was plenty of hot coffee, chocolate, and chicken broth and another drink we had for medicinal purposes to keep your inners warm. When you walked the snow ladened trails you wore snowshoes. You teemed up with a buddy to watch for frostbite that might appear on nose, ears, and cheeks.

Was it fun? Sort of in a peculiar way. But honestly, -15 F is as much as I want to handle. It was a good experience and I learned a lot - but, I don't need a repeat performance. :beer8:

Do I still winter camp? Yep - the next trip is scheduled for January 31, 2020.
 

ponderosa

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My husband & I once spent Valentine's weekend tent camping in Yellowstone. The daytime highs were -15F and overnight was at least 30 below. But the sky was brilliant blue, the snow was dry, deep, powdery perfection. The solitude was fantastic. We spent the days skiing, and used a good liquid fuel stove to make hot meals for lunch. We carried pieces of an old closed cell foam mat for sitting. It was perfect. Our adventures are a little less extreme these days (kids), but we still enjoy snowshoeing and skiing below zero. My kids have had goggles & balaclavas and neck gaiters since they were little. We carry extra gloves/mittens/hats/socks in case things get wet, and sometimes use chemical hand warmers in boots. As long as you minimize skin exposure and keep their hands/feet warm, no problem.
There is not really a low temp that deters me, but I'm not too happy when the wind gets extreme. More than about 25 or 30 mph with cold temps might keep me home.
 

jason

fear no beer
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It has been a really, really long time since I have experienced cold weather. We might get a hard freeze warning two or three times a year here. I remember as a kid playing outside in the snow, or on the rock hard ground. Cannot tell you how cold it was back then. Nowadays, I enjoy sitting by the fire when the nights get "cold" which is typically 40's or 50's for the low. I don't mind being outside in that weather during the day either, but you will not be catching me on the kayak or wading through water when it is that cold. Not sure how if I could keep up with those crazy Canadians and their -32F however.
 

Northern Dancer

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...sure you could Jason - we would take mighty good care of you. Drill a fish hole in the lake and treat you to a fresh winter lake trout, smothered in a crisp batter, a dash of beer and spices; right out of the cast iron fry pan onto your warmed up plate.

:camp2:

2760
 

Grandpa

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The worse temps for winter camping are those 25-35 degree temps when it is hard to stay dry. With proper layering of clothing and today's good equipment, we can withstand very cold weather. But I agree with Ponderosa, after -10 to -15 it just isn't fun anymore.

During the winter of 78-79, we had an exceptionally bad cold spell lasting about six weeks where the highs were in the minus and the lows all the way to -40. I had to spend 16-18 hours a day outside with trying to keep my cattle alive. When it started to warm up I was running around with just a flannel shirt and blue Jean's at 10 degrees. My body had acclimated to those cold temps. At 10 degrees now, I'm huddled around my wood stove with a down blanket around me.
 

Roybrew

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Like Grandpa said. East TN is around the 35 to 25 temperature. It was 55 degrees yesterday morning, and then it snowed last night. It's now in the upper 20's and there is a nice layer of snow on the grass and trees. Pretty to look at, but unless you have peagravel camp site, or something like that, you would be tracking up mud in no time. I love sleeping in a tent when it's cold like this, but it sure is rough climbing out of a warm sleeping on a cold morning.
 

Northern Dancer

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Like Grandpa said. East TN is around the 35 to 25 temperature. It was 55 degrees yesterday morning, and then it snowed last night. It's now in the upper 20's and there is a nice layer of snow on the grass and trees. Pretty to look at, but unless you have peagravel camp site, or something like that, you would be tracking up mud in no time. I love sleeping in a tent when it's cold like this, but it sure is rough climbing out of a warm sleeping on a cold morning.
-----> I have a wolf fur rug [okay...so it's not a real one but none the less, putting my feet onto it when I get out of my sleeping bag is still cozy nonetheless.
 

jason

fear no beer
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...sure you could Jason - we would take mighty good care of you. Drill a fish hole in the lake and treat you to a fresh winter lake trout, smothered in a crisp batter, a dash of beer and spices; right out of the cast iron fry pan onto your warmed up plate.

:camp2:

View attachment 2760
I will admit, I have never been ice fishing. I've had some cold days on the Long Island sound, and I've been on some small lakes to ice skate, but never had the chance to ice fish. If I had the time and money I would gladly take you up on that.
 
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