Cold weather climbing

[Koa Man]

My suggestion would be to follow the example of the humpback whales who winter in Hawaii from Nov/Dec to Apr/May. Then head back to the Aleutian Islands for the other months. More than half the time, year round my crew is working without shirts on residential jobs (not on commercial work). Many times the owner (if male) will not have a shirt on either. You see a lot of construction guys working without shirts here and probably about 20% of the guys driving their cars. All part of the laid back style of tropical living. I met a climber from Seattle a few years ago who came to Hawaii to work during the winter. He told me he always heads south during the winter to work. Worked in places like Australia and NZ, Florida and the other Southern states. If you are good, should be no problem finding work.

I was in Ohio in Feb. 1994, which was so cold and the weather so bad that the USPS stopped delivering mail to my brother's house for 2 days. He complained to them and said the newspaper boy was bringing the paper everyday. I hate cold weather.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Both Tom and I have put out notices that we want to do working vacations down south this winter

 

[Burnham]

Well, several ideas floating around in this thread that I'll look into. But I have to tell you, I must qualify as a total wimp when it comes to working in the temps. that some of you do . I have had to call it a day in the mid 20's after only a couple of hours...my hands were ice blocks, no ability to use the thumbs at all...and this was with polypro liners under wool. As soon as some moisture is in the mix my limit rises into the 40's. I have used the neoprene for years when running tree planting crews and they help, but I could still get pretty helpless. That job is always wet, though, so that compounds the problem.

Clearly it helps to keep active, as you so correctly say, Nick. Maybe I'm just too slow .

Tom, I don't know about long green , maybe if I beg you'll share more about your vapor barrier liners. I already have some doubts, following Nick's line of reasoning re keeping sweat in being as big a problem as keeping moisture out. But I'm more that willing to give it a try; I need to figure something out.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

What Tom talks about in keeping the legs warm works with the forearms and hands too. Using the cutoff-sock "gators", I've metioned in the past, helps me get another 10-15 degrees from coat and gloves.

 

[Jumper]

I too can vouch for neoprene gloves with a leather shell over them. Fortunately I have pretty small hands so I can always find an outer to pull on over the inner. The secret to staying warm is layering-I have lived in a tent in February with still air temps in the mid -40Fs and am here to tell the tale. In fact I would rather work in the cold than in the heat, and is the case here right now, THE D*MN DUST. Poly propelene underwear, though pricy is a good place to start-it wicks the sweat off your skin. I found Carhardt arctic workwear is pretty good quality and kept me warm on some pretty cool Ottawa days a couple of winters ago on pruning jobs.

 

[treeslayer]

here in No. VA cold weather nicely coincides with deer season.
I'm off all of December.

thanks to isabel, I get to be a picky ******* this year, I nearly starved to death last winter. Feast or famine, huh?

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

When my hands get cold, I cut open my groundman and shove my hands into the stomach cavity until they are warm.

 

[MasterBlaster]

 

[TREETX]

I have only done one cold season and that was a few years ago.

Other than the clothing, etc one thing that changed with our crew was work load. We definitely did not accomplish near as much on 5 degree days as we did when it was 75.

When it was cold, icy, and still dumping snow we rotated a person out so at all times someone was at the local coffee shop getting warm.

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[TREETX]

0 F

 

[Kneejerk Bombas]

It's funny, I hate to work if it gets below 0F, but snowmobiling or other fun outdoor activities, no problem!

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[TREETX]

25 F is about the coldest I work in here in TX. Even that is very rare. I am usually inside on those days.

My cold season and coldest days were in the Alps.

Anything less than 25 F and I start whining about working outside. Strap a snowboard on and I'll stay out all day!!

The heat is great, drink a lot of water, rip the sleeves off and get to work!

 

[rborist1]

:Eye:

 

[Groundman]

Originally posted by treeslayer
here in No. VA cold weather nicely coincides with deer season.
I'm off all of December.

thanks to isabel, I get to be a picky ******* this year, I nearly starved to death last winter. Feast or famine, huh?

I hate when that happens!

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Originally posted by Mike Maas
When my hands get cold, I cut open my groundman and shove my hands into the stomach cavity until they are warm.

It made a mess of my ropes and my hadns got cold again too fast.

Ring a squirills neck and hold it between your hands till the heat disapates. Racoons work even better. At those temps they are not moving around too much

 

[treeslayer]

John, I'm glad you left Wmsbg. before it got cold, that post scares me.

 

[Koa Man]

Anything below 70*F is considered "cold" here. 64* is really cold.

 

[Menchhofer]

OK Nick. I ordered a couple pair of the glove liners you mentioned.
I have trouble keeping my hands warm also. Thought I would give them a try...