I don't know if anyone watched, but History Channel (I think) had a 1 hr. documentary w/ the "Arctic warrior" course in Alaska last night. 13 days, in temps down to -50.

Brr!

Some interesting things:
- People burn about 4000Cal/day (as opposed to a normal 2000-2500Cal)
- Using a modified A-frame snow shelter is quite comfy. They used a parachute as the "support" for 10" of snow, using the hole at the top as their "door". Very cool to watch them make it.
- Anyone know pros/cons of snowshoes vs using XC skis?
- They use a 3-layer system too - polypro base, heavy fleece layer, gortex shell. Occasionally some wore white overpants (layer #4).
- The USGI sleep system is rated to allow 4 hrs of sleep at -40 temps.

If anyone gets the chance to catch it on TV, taping/DVR'ing it might be a worthwhile thing. Very interesting program.

Snowshoes work better off-trail, in brush and in light, fluffy snow (in which, if wearing skis, you sink to your neck). The learning curve is short and easy.

Skis are faster and use less effort, but are PITAs in underbrush or on flats/uphills in fluffy snow. Basic motion is easy, but they are more complicated than 'shoes. Telemark skis may be a better choice than traditional XC skis in steep terrain. They are shorter/wider, offering better flotation in powder, and have half-edges and bindings with lockable heels so you can really ski the downhills.

Caught it last night. looks a lot like what we called winter training in the early 90's, with the addition of the endurance test at the end. That shelter was awesome when we made it, but for the show the logs had to have been pre-cut. It took a whale of a lot longer in Ft. Drum NY.

Wish we would have had all that fine cold weather gear back in the day.

at some point, the army moved the cold weather training program out of alaska and down to firt drum, near watertown, NY. The reasons were said to be financial, but us locals suspect it was because the weather is more reliably crappy at drum than anywhere else in CONUS.

What exactly is this show called and what channel is it on?

"The Recruit"

There are also "backcountry XC skis" which are a hybrid of XC and telemark skis, often with full metal edges and sometimes even used with telemark bindings. These are wider with more floatation on powder than typical XC skis. You can get different widths and sidecuts which run the full spectrum from mostly XC ski to mostly telemark ski.

Someone else here recently pointed me to this interesting and helpful link:

Dave's Nordic Backcountry Skiing Page

As a skiing beginner, I recently chose this ski with NNN-BC bindings for my mostly XC skiing-oriented (rather than telemark) goals.

If you have the choice of snowshoeing or skiing, ski if you can, snowshoe if you can't.

I just got back from a snowshoeing trip, and i have decided that i hate snowshoes. It was my first ever time on snow shoes, a 12 mile trip, with the fist 6 miles about 1500 feet elevation gain, the second half the same but down. We had to blaze the trail most of the way too, through 2-3' of fresh powder. I am now laying in bed unable to move. Also we did it with full backpacking load.

That was such a fun trip

I guess trips like that seperate the Men from the Boys, Take a few pain killers and remember the beauty of the outdoors in winter.
Your next snowshoe trip will be a bit easier.

Hmmm...isn't Climber about 15 or 16 years old? 12 miles of backpacking in heavy snow and snowshoes is a pretty good hike for man or boy. Or woman or girl for that matter.

JohnE

Could be but he finished the trip, many might not have.
Perhaps a poor analgy on my part that was unintentional

Never used snowshoes but I've been told that like the first time you use cross country skis you get pain in muscles you didn't even know you had...:^)

JohnE

The big thing about snow shoes is getting them sized right to you. Most people go with a shoe that is too small, then get worn out more because they are lifting the shoe and more snow. But they kinds a suck in poweder. Most things kinda suck in powder.

And you learned about a few new stretchy places in your legs, didn't you.

the secret to snow shoes is "baby-steps", and reading the snow.