 Poster: A snowHead
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Below -30 it gets pretty crazy. We are largely made of water. I lived in Canada for a while and below -30 we have a block heater in the engine and a fan heater in the car, and my hair would freeze solid in the 10m from the swiming pool door to the car. Even in Churchill Falls, Labrador, they stopped the lifts if it went much below -30. I have skiied a fair amount at around that temperature and it is COLD, especially by the time your movement generates wind chill. There is very little point in skiing below -30 unless you really have to. Even with full face mask, the warmest gear, you will get cold when you ski in the shade and on lifts. Do you really want to be stuck on a chair at a temperature 20 degrees below an industrial meat freezer?
Probably this is not a popular opinion. Go snowmobiling if it is <-30. Go skiing if it is <-30, and stay in and get to know the locals if it is below --30.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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stoatsbrother, I agree. I suspect it's a case of be prepared for potentially -40C, not it is routinely -40C. No one who wants to just ski would go to a place where it is routinely -40C, unless they hadn't skied in temperatures even close to that.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Being a Finn, I should perhaps say a few words...
In the first place, -40 is exceptionally cold, expect rather -15 - -25 for the season at most (in case the cold wave hits). Otherwise, it's more like -10. Lifts won't run in -40 anyway, so you don't need to worry about the gear in those conditions.
Good underwear, one or two middle layers and a good shell will be ok. You might want to wear two thin socks. Don't wear gloves, keep your fingers together in mittens, but use thin thermal gloves inside them. A good bonnet is important, a facemask could be ok if it's really really cold.
People, it's not the end of the world - although on the map it almost looks like it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Smokin Joe wrote: |
Durham Red, skiing in -40 ???
The coldest I have done was -16 in Austria last year and that was bad enough. From Pity me to Levi - I'd be with rob@rar.org.uk in the bar.
You must be very keen to ski in those temps !!  |
I used to cycle to work in central europe where the Jan-Feb temperature was quite often in the -20 to -30C range, coldest I saw it was -28C. Cycling on a crisp clear but icy sunny morning with studded mountain bike tires is one thing, sitting on a lift is another. I'm joining you guys in the bar.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Durham Red, In November 2004 we raced there when it was -37°, although this sounds very cold, it's a dry cold and is not that bad. Don't get me wrong I'm not saying it was warm but just supportable.
Having said that, last march the temperatures were more clement, from -5° down to -25°
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LARGEZOOKEEPER, wasn't that when there was a danger that the racers would get frostnip just in a single run down the race course?
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rob@rar.org.uk, There was a possibility but everything turned out OK. We do have temperature rules for speed events, if I remember rightly we can't start if the temp is below -27° but there are no fixed rules for tech events.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I've walked back from a pub in -29C (not counting windchill) and the coldest I've climbed is at -16. Hanging from a belay for an hour is not fun at those temps 
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A couple of years ago I experienced a cold Feb in Finland. It was about -15 during the day but if there was even a slight breeze the wind chill was considerable. I layered up and wore a buff that I used to cover my face and neck. The main problems I had were cold feet and fingertips. When it was windy I found I couldn't ski for more than a few hours.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've skied in minus 50 at Sunshine Village in Banff about 15 years ago. It was cold and the snow was very sticky as it was too cold to melt from the pressure of the ski. However, this was wearing cotton long johns and jackets that would soak up moisture and weren't very windproof. Ski clothing has come on so much in the last 15 years. Last year I had all new equipment and was out skiing in -40 without feeling the cold once. It was bloody windy and made skiing a little difficult but it wasn't the drama that some of you are making out. Do your research, get the right equipment and enjoy yourselves.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Spyder... American Brand and its damn cold out there in winter.. highly fashionable and looks good. Always wear layers... thermal base, mircro fleece or two, then jacket. Wear glove liners, neoprene facemask, helmet a good idea, and goggles, and a fleece neckwarmer. No exposed skin at all is the key. Oh yeah, and it doesn;t sound like you'll be needing the piz buin!!!
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I skied in Lapland the Christmas before last. Temps were -25C or so day and -40C. There's a nice little ski place with lifts. I wore the all-in-one that they gave us when we arrived in Lapland, with LJs and a couple of thin layers underneath on top. I was toastie warm. I even went outside one night in just my dressing gown (no footwear or anything) to run a circuit across the track, up the little toboggan hill and slid down it and back to the door (just for fun). And for a laugh my Mrs shut the door on me, and couldn't work out which way to turn the key to open it. That's when I realised it was actually quite cold.
The temperature didn't really feel too bad during the day and there was very little wind and the air is so dry. To be honest, I have felt colder on a ski lift in France in the rain.
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You know it makes sense.
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petemillis, Yup - dry cold you can cope with - it's the damp that sees you off.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Last year in Bannff it hit -20c in the day often, not to much of a problem, I brought a neck fleece thing and kept everything covered up.
The problem was walking back to my hotel (caribou) after a few at night. thats when it really bit in.
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