Yeah, it's amazing, layers of clothing, who knew! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Think about the folks that suited up and went out on the Mt Adams rescue. They said it was 14 below and the wind was blowing at 70 mph... I wonder what "shelter" they are talking about. I've hiked Adams in the summer, and there's an AMC Hut, the Madison Springs Hut that's on the route to Adams, but, it's closed after September I think. Some of the huts had a shelter room that's left unlocked through winter, I don't know if the Madison one does. I know that often some folks from AMC are part of the teams up there, and maybe they have emergency access to the huts also.

I did volunteer SAR in the Whites when I was in college, and for a few years after, and it was nasty work. I haven't done that in many years. At the time though, we always went, almost in any conditions, thinking that one of these days, it might be us, because we were all hiking, climbing, skiing, snowshoeing, etc. I don't think I'd want to be doing that now, with a family at home, but, I have a lot of respect for the folks that put it on the line for us.