NOTE; THESE ARE SERIOUS ALPINE TECHNIQUES BASED ON MULTIPLE FACTORS THAT REQUIRE PRACTICE BEFORE THE REAL THING. ALPINE NIGHTS AT HIGH ALTITUDE WITHOUT THE COMFORTS OF BOTTLED OXYGEN, LARGE CAMPS AND BASE-TO-SUMMIT RIGGING ARE NOT TO BE TAKEN LIGHTLY. WE PRESENT THIS INFORMATION BASED ON +20 YEARS OF HIGH ALTITUDE CLIMBING, MUCH OF IT IN WINTER. WE ADVOCATE A TEST-&-ADJUST APPROACH WELL BEFORE SHOWING UP WITH LIMITED OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE CHANGES
ALPINE NIGHTS ON-MOUNTAIN ARE NOT LIKE WHAT COMMERCIAL TRIPS ARE MADE OF; TENTS ARE MUCH SMALLER, SITES THEMSELVES ARE MUCH SMALLER, THERE’S FAR FEWER PEOPLE AND SUPPLIES ARE STOCKED WITH WHAT YOU CAN CARRY ON YOUR BACK. THE HIGHER YOU GET THE MORE RAW NIGHTS BECOME AND THE MORE IT MATTERS THAT WHAT YOU CARRY DOES THE JOB. WHEN THE NEAREST HUMANS ARE OVER 2km OF STEEP RAPPELLING AWAY, YOUR PLANS FOR RESTING BECOME SERIOUS.
ALPINE SLEEPING SYSTEMS ARE BASED AROUND BEING INSIDE A SMALL TENT SPACE AND USING ALL THE INSULATION YOU HAVE TOGETHER PLUS EATING AND WARMTH FROM THE STOVE. THERE’S NO ROOM FOR A HUGE -40c BAG, A 2 inch SLEEPING MAT AND EVERYONE LAYING ABOUT AS THE STOVE BURNS LIKE A RADIATOR WHILST YOU DOZE AT 3%, INSTEAD IT’S ABOUT COMBINING WHAT YOU CAN FIT INTO A PACK WITH THE WARMTH YOU CAN SHARE AS YOU EAT AND PREPARE FOR WHAT’S NEXT.
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BECAUSE ALPINE CAMP SITES ARE LOCATED BY DIFFERENT FACTORS TO COMMERCIAL ONES THEY ARE ALMOST ALWAYS SMALLER, TUCKED INTO NATURAL FEATURES AND ARE MUCH MORE TEMPORARY. YOU WON’T HAVE LOTS OF SPACE TO STAND AROUND, NOR TIME TO MILL ABOUT, AND THERE WON’T BE CREW THERE TO MANAGE HOW THINGS WORK. ALPINE CAMPS ARE CAMPS YOU SET YOURSELF, AFTER A DAYS CLIMBING, AND ARE AS COMFORTABLE AS THE EXTRA AVAILABLE ENERGY YOU HAVE TO BUILD THEM. THE KEYS TO AN ALPINE CAMP AT HIGH ALTITUDE ARE;
SLEEP IN YOUR DOWN SUIT
IT’S EITHER MADNESS OR LUXURY TO NOT USE THE ~2kg OF DOWN IN YOUR SUIT AS PART OF YOUR SLEEP SYSTEM, AND WHEN DONE RIGHT, SLEEPING IN YOUR SUIT LETS YOU USE A SLEEPING BAG SEEMINGLY LAUGHING LIGHT COMPARED TO WHAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE ON AN 8000m PEAK. EACH METABOLISM IS DIFFERENT, BUT THOSE THAT KNOW OFTEN GET BY WITH -10c RATED/1000g BAGS THAT WHEN COMBINED WITH THE 2000g OF DOWN OF THEIR SUITS PLUS WHATEVER OTHER INSULATION THEY HAVE, GIVE AN IMPRESSIVE AMOUNT OF INSULATION.
THE SECRET IS YOU DONT JUST PUT A SUIT ON AND JUMP IN YOUR BAG, INSTEAD YOU COMPLETELY VENT THE SUIT SO YOUR BODY’S WARMTH CAN GET OUT INTO THE BAG AS WELL, AND LONG BEFORE YOU EVER SET OFF FOR THE MOUNTAINS HAVE CHOSEN A BAG SIZED RIGHT TO DO THIS.
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SWAP THE WEIGHT OF DOWN FOR KCALS
THE BIGGEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK FOR STAYING WARM IS KCALS, AND EVEN THOUGH ALPINE SYSTEMS ARE MUCH MUCH LIGHTER, WITHOUT MAKING UP SOME OF THE GAINED PAYLOAD IN EASY TO DIGEST KCALS A CLIMBER IS NOT REALLY REAPING THE BENEFITS.
A DOWN SUIT (THAT YOU MUST CARRY) PLUS A LIGHT SLEEPING BAG WEIGHS ABOUT HALF WHAT A COMMERCIAL SET DOES, BUT MAYBE 50% OF THAT WEIGHT SAVING THEN GOES ON MORE FOOD. ANY INSULATION CAN ONLY TRAP HEAT YOUR BODY IS PRODUCING, SO KCALS PUNCH MUCH HARDER THAN THE SAME WEIGHT IN DOWN OR PRIMALOFT, WITH THE BONUS THAT THAT WEIGHT DECREASES AS YOU CONSUME IT AND CONTRIBUTES MASSIVELY TO MORAL.
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HEAT THE SMALL TENT SPACE EFFECTIVELY
TWO ADULTS PLUS THEIR GEAR IN AN ALPINE TENT TAKES UP A LOT OF THE AVAILABLE SPACE, BUT CAN BE FURTHER MAXIMIZED TO BOTH REDUCE HEAT LOSS AND SHARE THE HEAT TWO PEOPLE CAN GENERATE. HEAT IS LOST MUCH FASTER INTO COLD GROUND THAN INTO AIR, SO SEALING OFF THE FLOOR AND LOWER SIDES OF THE TENT WITH BOOT SHELLS, PACKS & ROPES STUFFED IN AROUND YOUR MATS HAS A BIG EFFECT.
HEAT RISING OFF TWO CLIMBERS CARRIES WITH IT CONSIDERABLE MOISTURE WHICH NEEDS TO BE VENTED IDEALLY ABOUT HALF WAY UP AND AT THE TENTS HIGHEST POINT SO AS TO DRY THE AIR OUT AND AVOID THE DANGEROUS ACCUMULATION OF CO. TENTS LIKE THE SAMAYA ASSAUT2 ULTRA HAVE VENTILATION SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS WHICH NOTICEABLY KEEP THINGS DRIER.
COLD METAL, SHARP OR NOT, CAN STAY OUTSIDE.
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USE A SMALLER MAT
DON’T BE THE CLIMBER MESSING ABOUT TRYING TO INFLATE A FULL SIZED SLEEPING MAT BY MOUTH AT 7500m WHILST EVERYONE WAITS IN THE COLD, IT’S IRRESPONSIBLE AND DANGEROUS. REDUNDANCY DEMANDS YOU CARRY AT LEAST HALF YOUR SLEEPING MAT IN PUNCTURE-PROOF FOAM, SO COMBINING THAT WITH A SMALL SELF-INFLATING (ie FOAM CORED) MAT – WITH THE CLOSED CELL FOAM ON TOP, TAKES JUST A FEW BREATHS AND GETS YOU IN THE TENT AND OUT OF THE WEATHER FAST.
THE LOWER HALF OF YOU GETS INSULATED WITH YOUR PACK – NOW EMPTY SINCE YOUR SUIT, BAG AND FOOD HAS BEEN TAKEN OUT – AND PROXIMITY TO YOUR TENTMATES HEAD AS YOU BE HEAD-TO-TOE FOR SPACE EFFICIENCY.
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USE A HANGING STOVE
WE KNOW THE WARNINGS, BUT IT’S INSANITY TO CRAWL HALF OUTSIDE TO COOK IN THE VESTIBULE WHEN IT’S -20c AT 7000m OUT. AFTER 20 YEARS WE’VE TAKEN BASIC PRECAUTIONS AND NEVER HAD A STOVE ACCIDENT DESPITE USING STOVES DURING WIND STORMS AND WITH THREE PEOPLE IN A SPACE MEANT FOR TWO.
BALANCING A STOVE ON A KNEE IS ONLY ASKING FOR TROUBLE SO THE STOVE TO USE HAS A HANGING SET, A LOW CENTRE OF GRAVITY, CONTROLLABLE FLAME AND A REMOTE CANISTER DESIGN – WHICH RULES OUT JETBOILS, WINDBURNERS AND POCKET ROCKETS AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THIS MEANS CANISTER STOVES ONLY – A LIQUID FUEL STOVE USED LIKE THIS WOULD BE SUICIDE.
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ORGANIZE YOURSELF
CRAMMED IN A SMALL TENT WITH A STOVE AND ALL THAT GEAR ISN’T THE PLACE TO GO FUSSING AROUND SIFTING FOR YOUR SPOON. THINK IT THROUGH. SOME ORGANIZATIONAL BASICS ARE;
- USE A MESH FOOD BAG TO SEE WHAT’S WHAT
- HAVE CLIP LOOPS ON MUGS, SPOONS, GLOVES AND EVERYTHING ELSE TO KEEP TRACK OF THEM
- USE STUFF BAGS, LID OF YOUR PACK OR MESH BAGS TO KEEP PERSONAL STUFF IN
- GET OVER USING A PISS BOTTLE, WE ARE ALL ADULTS IF WE MADE IT THIS FAR. UPSETTING THE BOAT TO GO OUT INTO A STORM TO PISS IS BOTH DANGEROUS AND DISRUPTIVE
- KEEP YOUR HEAD TORCH REACHABLE
- USE THE RED LIGHT ON YOUR HEAD TORCH. SLEEP IS HARD ENOUGH AND BEING BLINDED BY 300 LUMENS DOESN’T HELP
- SHARE THE WORK. MELTING SNOW GETS OLD FAST SO THE FASTER YOU CAN DO IT THE BETTER. DON’T JUST GET IN THE TENT AND GO TO SLEEP WHEN THERE’S SNOW TO MELT, BOTTLES TO FILL, GEAR TO RACK AND SNOW TO PUNCH OF THE SIDES
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PRACTICED BEFORE HAND, HIGH ALTITUDE ALPINE CAMPS CAN BECOME FAST AND EFFICIENT AND REQUIRE SO LITTLE GEAR AS TO APPEAR LACKING COMPARED TO THE VE25 TRAILER PARKS SEEN ELSEWHERE. HANDS DOWN THESE CAMPS ARE IN PLACES WITH A LEVEL OF UNTOUCHEDNESS NOT KNOWN ON POPULAR ROUTES, THEMSELVES LEAVING VERY LITTLE FOOTPRINT BECAUSE THEY ARE SO MINIMAL TO PACK DOWN AND TAKE AWAY ON THE DESCENT.
THE BIGGER THE ALPINE CLIMB THE MORE THE ART OF BIVVYING EQUALS OUT WITH THE CLIMBING ITSELF, YOUR ABILITY TO LIVE IN ALPINE CAMPS BECOMES THE KEY TO HOW LONG YOU CAN STAY ON THE MOUNTAIN AND GET THINGS DONE.
