EISPIRATEN

Winter hiking lessons learned:

-- Consider switching Camelbak from water to something freeze-resistant
-- Snowchains for car
-- Double up gloves & mittens
-- Gaiters
-- Crampons
-- Know WalMart locations near trailheads

Other ideas?

Some kind of alternative head warmer!

You know, vodka is great in cold temperatures! 8)

Shovel for leveling out tent site; small whisk broom for sweeping out snow that gets in the tent.

In case of weather, especially high winds, don't forget to take some type of snow anchor with which to tie down your tent. Those cloth anchors work pretty well in my experience.

Oh, and a paperback in case you get stuck in your tent all day waiting for the weather to clear.

As Augie said, a book can be a lifesaver, especially if you're alone.

-Snow stakes are nice. SMC has them for cheap (1.50 EA), carried by REI.

-Make sure your axe has a good, wide adze. Black Diamond Ravens are perfect. This can chop bivy spots, or more likely here, chop frozen turf so you don't put your tent atop ice or snow.

Opinion question: I've got some of those SMC snow/sand stakes mentioned above. Are those adequate in really windy conditions? I know (from experience) they hold well in consolidated snow, but I would think the cloth anchors would work better in fresh powder.

Opinions?

Yeah, bags filled with snow and buried would be best, with long guy lines (read: 550 cord) as deadmen might be best if it's deep enough. Last time I used my SMC's, I bent one badly and lost it at the saddle between Harwood and Baldy. Bad conditions for that kinda equipment at that time.