That’s David for the honest look at the challenges that anyone can face on a trip. Showing us how to modify plans as the situation changes do to weather and gear issues is much appreciated. People need to know what could happen and how to remain fluid with one’s plan so not to end up in grave trouble. Great video for us newbie winter campers.
Thanks Zamy! Yeah, I did wonder about sharing this trip as it was a disaster in so many ways, but I thought it would provide some valuable lessons and insight into winter camping. Winter camping is a lot of fun, but it can very challenging and risky if you're not prepared.
It is always tough to make the decision to end a trip early, but you made the right call. Each winter trip is a learning experience. Gear failures happen below -10. Also at these temps the moisture is just sucked out of your body by just breathing the cool air and is is critical to stay hydrated. I have started carrying a thermos which I fill up with tea or hot chocolate in the morning and drink throughout the day.
Yeah, I wasn't very happy that I had to turn back. I could have stayed another night at the same spot I camped at the previous night, but with a frozen down jacket and dropping temps, I thought it was better to just pull out. Yup, dehydration is very real in the winter and I'm usually on top of drinking, but I messed up even on the first day! 🙄 Thanks!
Thanks for sharing hard lessons learned. I am definitely rethinking the stainless “hot water bottle” that I put in my sleeping bag winter nights out on the land.
Anytime! Look at the cap. I think that should tell you what you want to know. I normally just use the HDPE 1 liter Naglene bottle in my sleeping bag and never had an issue with them. (The cap and bottle is made of the same material so the expansion and contraction should be the same.)
Very nice video. I'm glad you're back safe and sound. There is always another day as long as you're alive! The lake ice just become solid but not a few weeks ago, very tricky in the wild.
Hi Joe, thanks! You bet. Yeah, this year has been weird with the weather and temperatures fluctuating a lot. Hopefully we'll have a normal winter soon.
What a challenge, David! I’m sure that Teddy would appreciate all of your effort - not to mention the fact that not all trips go according to plan 😌 A+ for effort my friend!
It certainly kicked my butt, and then those equipment malfunctions threw me over the edge! 🙄😬 Looks like I have some unsettled buisness to take care of. Thanks!
What a grind in that powder snow. I personally still prefer carrying a pack up mountains instead lol ha 😂Awesome video for sure and amazing scenery! It would pretty cool though going across Opeongo in the winter!
Yeah, it was tough slog Pete! 😄 Definitely a different challenge in the mountains, (one we're more familiar with) but I'm keen on figuring this style of adventure as well. Thanks buddy! 👊
Oy, you just explained to me why there’s not much hot tenting going on here in Norway! Steep terrain and unreliable weather is the rule here, so that load would be a pain for sure! So thanks for that. I would much rather carry lots of clothing for camp. But can I suggest Nordic skis with skins? It’s what we normally use for or pulks here. Snowshoes may be brought along, but only for camp, dense woodlands and difficult terrain. It’s those dense woodlands that made snowshoes such a thing in North America. You don’t want to navigate long planks around in them. While the terrain is generally more barren in northern Scandinavia, and skiing is easier. But if you’re going in open terrain there’s really no need for snowshoes. Skis won’t have enough traction for pulling without skins, except perhaps downhill. But you still won’t have to do all that lifting of your snowshoes, as skis can slide forwards. For easy pulling half length mohair skins should be enough, but you can go all the way to full length nylon skins when you really need traction. You’ll need some sturdy backcountry skis, not those light things they race with. While steel edges are made for slopes under icy conditions and optional. And man, I’ll have to make sure to bag up those bottles properly. I don’t trust caps too much at all, to be honest with you. So extra bags around the bottles for me, thank you. I always keep a canteen on my body for drinks along the way (also working as a hot bottle on the chest) so I can take the extra work on breaks.
Thanks so much for your detailed explanation, appreciate it. Ironically, these skis actually do have skins on them. (Next time I will show them on a video.) Maybe it is the weight of the tobaggan and the fact the tobaggan is so slippery that I struggle going uphill with the partial skin?. And also, I"m not very skilled with them as well, so that could contribute to the problem. But I'm looking to get out this winter a few times so let's see how I make out. I agree, they are meant to be more efficient than snowshoes for forward travel. I think in general they do work well in that aspect, but combining that with a heavy tobaggan is where I need to work on fine-tuning that skill. Let's see!
@@ThePursuitofPassion Seems you have hunter skis, a compromise between long "nordic" skis and snowhoes. They're meant to be used without poles, as hunters have their guns to carry. But they're not really meant for traveling far. While backcounty skis have specialized boots where you can click your toe securely to the ski, and have your heel free to move up and down. You can go faster than by walking this way, at least if you don't have a sled to haul. Erik Normark has made an introduction, he's a sound recordist by profession and out a lot. Can I show you that? th-cam.com/video/z7_GMnHZ87U/w-d-xo.html Also, this video from a guy who got stuck in a winter storm is quite a lot to learn from. But in quite another way, of course. He's just sharing his passion for midwinter trips (when most everyone else keeps close to home) with his cell phone. It's in swedish, but mostly covered by english subtitles. th-cam.com/video/zXVBK38-650/w-d-xo.html
I THINK THIS VIDEO SHOULD BE SEEN BY ANYONE THINKING ABOUT WINTER CAMPING! First thing, sorry to hear about Teddy.That is a hard pill to swallow! As for your bindings, leather loves water and will soak it like a sponge. They need a heavy treatment of bees wax or mink oil or any of those types of products. This is never done from the manufactures. I pre heat the leather first for the wax/oil to penetrate and saturate, after that the leather won't soak up water and stretch to no end. You are very ambitious David! I think most would of turned around after a few hours! So yes, your crazy 😂 Perhaps the water incident was an omen for you to get out of there! Thanks for showing David see you on the next one✌
😄 It could scare people into winter camping!!! Thanks Marc. You are a dog owner. I think you know exactly the emotional roller coaster that comes with our furry children when they are not well and when we have to make the hard decision. Thanks for the great info re binding. Although I have already transitioned to candle wick bindings as I will also be changing footwear as well. Hopefully I will be able to showcase this in a future video. I may dress the leather bindings and try them again as per your instructions, but they left me with a bad taste/experience. (I also spoke to another winter tripper with the same bindings and they said they have had the same issues.) Thanks so much Marc!
Another enjoyable video to watch. As I reviewed it I wondered a couple of things though from a slightly different perspective from then the other comments I am reading here. 1) While you made a great case for why the particular water bottle didn't work at the same time you stayed entirely focused on a primary system outlook. How would things have been different for you if you had used a secondary system as well, like a drybag to hold the water bottle? Having a layer between the bottle and the essential gear would have added some time to getting to the water bottle however it would have likely stopped the water from going anywhere else. Even a good water bottle could get unexpectedly damaged and you could drink the water right from the bag if needed. In a situation where water soaking primary gear like your key jacket or sleeping bag could be life threatening it's surprising to me that you hadn't considered this either before, during or after the trip (based on what's in your video). Having watched many of your videos I've always been impressed on how often you have backups in place! 2) When things did get soaked I think the mental game was lost rather then the physical. Could your trip have continued if you had stopped at AO, setup camp again and used the stove to dry out the majority of the gear as well as get water? 3) Depending on how warm you were you could have melted snow either in a bag near your body using body heat/hand warmers and at least had some hydration on the way out Anyway these are just thoughts that crossed my mind watching the video. As always, I am a big fan of your adventures/channel and indeed you are one of the primary motivators that are getting me out of Algonquin and on to more wild, white water rivers. Thanks for sharing!
I appreciate the time you took to comment on this video/scenario because you made some good points. This is stuff we can all learn and gain insight from each other's experience and ideas. 1) Your suggestion for the secondary system is a great idea. Something I may consider in the future, To be honest, these double-walled bottles are new to me as I've previously used HDPE Nalgene bottles in an insulative sleeve for over 6 years of winter camping with great success - and never had a leak. So I was trusting and got burned by it. (I used the Hydro-Flask in limited circumstances on cold-tenting trips in the mountains without issue and assumed the same for the Manna bottle.) Lesson learned. The combination of a bag, plus locating the bottle in a better location could be a great strategy. (Ironically, I used the down jacket to insulate the bottle to keep it hotter longer. ) The other thing is, I did have a second bottle, but as noted in the video, I didn't fill it as I didn't think I'd need it. Go figure. 2) Yes, I could have certainly continued. Actually what was just as demoralizing was my Huron snowshoes that wouldn't stay on my feet. That incident was one of the most frustrating circumstances I've had to deal with in the field. This severely limited my abilty to do simple chores, like gathering firewood. So there were other factors that cemented my decision under the circumstances. 3) That's a good idea too, assuming it didn't chill you too much and it didn't leak in your outfit. But eating snow along the way helped me a lot, and ultimately if it got bad, I could have just stopped and made a fire to melt snow for water. I was just gunning to get out at that point and didn't want to stop if I didn't have to. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and ideas as it has given me some good advice on how to think about my system on future trips. And thank you for you kind comments! Cheers
Thanks for posting. A lot of lessons learned here especially for inexperienced winter campers that think it's all roses out there. Glad you made it out safe. Really enjoyed this one. See you on the next winter adventure. 👍
Yup, in this case definitely. I would be fighting a losing battle. You bet! Look forward to going back in the near future. I have unfinished business there, lol.
Nice beard! It seemed like a tough trip. I still haven't done a solo hot tent trip, maybe this winter. I stick to hauling with my snowshoes in snow that deep to pack a float for the toboggan but I don't have hybrids like the Altais. Thanks for posting!
Thanks Alec! Yeah, some tough conditions but if it wasn't for a couple key issues (water bottle and snowshoes) I would definitely have continued on. Hopefully I'll get another chance to do this trip again in the near future!
Hopefully the beard has a chance to drip all over another time....That sure was some deep snow.... You might have to give this route another try sometime, I would really like to see that. Thanks for posting, really enjoyed it even if things didn't go as planned.
I have just begun building up some winter trekking gear. One of the next items I'm thinking of acquiring is either going to be a plastic sled (typically used to haul ice fishing gear) or a tobaggan. I'm really curious to hear people's opinion on which is better to use for winter camping? I'll be using snow shoes to get through the snow over skis. My x-country skis are only suitable on track set trails.
It seems an advantage of using a plastic "tub sled" is that it does not need the "tank" to store items as on a tobaggan. The tank looks like it takes time to pack up and lash on the tobaggan. Versus the tub sled can be loaded up and hauled away quickly. That time savings is valuable in winter when daylight hours are short. Please give me a thumbs up if you agree and thumbs down if you disagree.
Hi Martin, it depends a lot on what you are planning to do. The typical sleds that most use are small and are not the greatest at pulling. They do have a lip and contain things, but you still need to strap them down. For tobaggans, like the one you saw on my video, it has much more carrying capacity in regards to volume and weight. Hence why I use it for hot tenting. I would never be able pull the same amount of gear with the sled. This subject is long, and there are so many factors to consider based on your needs. Hope this helps a bit. (I've used both, also the sled with a pulk style harness so there are different combinations as well.)
Martin, the tub sled does have some advantages for sure, but a lot of disadvantages as well. (Again, depending on your usage.) You would still need to strap the gear down in a sled as well. If you have a chance, check out this video. You can see both my tobaggan and our sled in use. th-cam.com/video/wY2-rHXqyAE/w-d-xo.html You can always email with questions.
@@ThePursuitofPassionI see what you mean. It's going to be a decision based on experience or preference. I did look at the LOTN tobaggans and they sound like they would be good. Yet I may start with the tub type offered at CT as they are a much less costly way to get into this sport. My choice in gear to take along would be influenced by the type of sled I start with. Yet I think just getting out no matter what is the best thing! Pray for more snow!
Yes, indeed it does re quality equipment. Ironically I already had the Hydro Flask bottle, but since the Manna bottle had more capacity, I thought I'd bring that one indeed. It certainly didn't pay off! Thanks a lot David!
That is a tough go David. Appreciate you sharing this trip with us even though it did not go to plan at all. I certainly learned a few things from this video. We didn’t realize Teddy isn’t with you guys anymore and we are sorry to hear that. No doubt that’s a tough loss.
Anytime. I think it is a good lesson for all of us to learn by sharing it, even though it isn't a 'great trip'. Especially with new gear. Yeah, losing Teddy early was very upsetting as he was a great canoe dog and did a lot of trips with us. Thanks guys!
Dave, WOW....talk about perseverance. Good job! The only issue I have was when you were cold from the lack of calories. There's an easy solution.......You need to "bulk up" for winter and consume KFC at least once a day. You could even buy a bucket and warm it up over the camp stove! Remember, gravy is a beverage.
😂😂😂 Tyler, you're killing me! I think for that reason alone, I may have to bring a bucket on a future winter trip one day, with gravy of course! (to hydrate 😉)
I was totally worn out just watching you do all that work. They say the adventure starts when things stop going as planned. That was an adventure. Sometimes you just have to power thru it. Well done! I think Teddy would approve.
What an absolute trudge, brutal! Good call on bailing and getting out. Too bad about the bottle but great that you got it figured out. You could be right that Teddy wanted a memorial canoe trip rather than a solo hot tent one. Thanks for sharing. :) :)
Yeah, that was a slog! 😄 But unfortunately it wasn't meant to be. I'm just glad I figured out the problem and could share this with the community. And yes, Teddy maybe gone, but certainly up to his antics! 😊
Hey Wade, it certainly had it's challenges. If it wasn't for the snowshoes and water bottle, I would have gladly continued the battle, but alas it was meant for another day! Thanks buddy.
Yup, I'm not surprised Tom. I actually have synthetic skins on those skis for that purpose too. (they cover about a third of the ski) It could be an issue with my lack of experience, or the fact I have my body weight on a super slippery tobaggan pulling me down. I need to test this out more. Thanks!
Hi Lisa, do you mind giving me a time stamp on where in the video you noticed this? It could just be a dirty mark. There is no wax with this tobaggan. The wood pieces were likely just varnished.
Thanks a lot Dave. As to the Nalgene bottles, I only use the HDPE one. They have never leaked on me and I use them regularly as a hot water bottle in my sleeping bag. The good thing about them is that it is entirely made of the same material so they expand and contract together, plus it is a flexible plastic. They do age with exposure to UV, so as they get older they can develop cracks and weaken, so you'll need to replace them at that point. But they last a long time and are durable.
Having wet gear in the cold is not good. I have a camp near Meteor Lake, Shoo Fly...Sandplain. I remember the snow being so deep on winter trip, it was 1.5 meters deep on the roof of our camp. We shoveled it off the next morning. This was many years ago. If you want to come to may camp, send me your email address. This is no bull💩 offer. I will take you. You may even like the camp 🏕 and even more crazy...you may like me to👍🤣🇨🇦 I have been to Lake Opeongo....was there camping a few years ago.
Yeah wet gear and freezing is a bad and risky combination. That's cool Mike, re camp. Thanks so much for the offer! Some of the lake names sounded familar. When I looked it up, I realized I paddled in the area a few times with my wife. Cool! Being further north, not surprising you got that kinda snow. Here's my email address. Let's see what we can work out. thepursuitofpassion.ca@gmail.com Thanks Mike!
That’s David for the honest look at the challenges that anyone can face on a trip. Showing us how to modify plans as the situation changes do to weather and gear issues is much appreciated. People need to know what could happen and how to remain fluid with one’s plan so not to end up in grave trouble. Great video for us newbie winter campers.
Thanks Zamy! Yeah, I did wonder about sharing this trip as it was a disaster in so many ways, but I thought it would provide some valuable lessons and insight into winter camping. Winter camping is a lot of fun, but it can very challenging and risky if you're not prepared.
It is always tough to make the decision to end a trip early, but you made the right call. Each winter trip is a learning experience. Gear failures happen below -10. Also at these temps the moisture is just sucked out of your body by just breathing the cool air and is is critical to stay hydrated. I have started carrying a thermos which I fill up with tea or hot chocolate in the morning and drink throughout the day.
Yeah, I wasn't very happy that I had to turn back. I could have stayed another night at the same spot I camped at the previous night, but with a frozen down jacket and dropping temps, I thought it was better to just pull out. Yup, dehydration is very real in the winter and I'm usually on top of drinking, but I messed up even on the first day! 🙄 Thanks!
Thanks for sharing hard lessons learned. I am definitely rethinking the stainless “hot water bottle” that I put in my sleeping bag winter nights out on the land.
Anytime! Look at the cap. I think that should tell you what you want to know. I normally just use the HDPE 1 liter Naglene bottle in my sleeping bag and never had an issue with them. (The cap and bottle is made of the same material so the expansion and contraction should be the same.)
Very nice video. I'm glad you're back safe and sound. There is always another day as long as you're alive! The lake ice just become solid but not a few weeks ago, very tricky in the wild.
Hi Joe, thanks! You bet. Yeah, this year has been weird with the weather and temperatures fluctuating a lot. Hopefully we'll have a normal winter soon.
What a lesson. Always something to learn, thanks for sharing.
You bet. Unfortunate you have to sometimes learn under these circumstances, but nonetheless lessons learned.
What a challenge, David! I’m sure that Teddy would appreciate all of your effort - not to mention the fact that not all trips go according to plan 😌 A+ for effort my friend!
It certainly kicked my butt, and then those equipment malfunctions threw me over the edge! 🙄😬 Looks like I have some unsettled buisness to take care of. Thanks!
@@ThePursuitofPassion Muahaha! …More to come, then! 😉👍
Beard looking good!
😄 Thanks! Not what my wife thinks! LOL
What a grind in that powder snow. I personally still prefer carrying a pack up mountains instead lol ha 😂Awesome video for sure and amazing scenery! It would pretty cool though going across Opeongo in the winter!
Yeah, it was tough slog Pete! 😄 Definitely a different challenge in the mountains, (one we're more familiar with) but I'm keen on figuring this style of adventure as well. Thanks buddy! 👊
Oy, you just explained to me why there’s not much hot tenting going on here in Norway! Steep terrain and unreliable weather is the rule here, so that load would be a pain for sure! So thanks for that. I would much rather carry lots of clothing for camp.
But can I suggest Nordic skis with skins? It’s what we normally use for or pulks here. Snowshoes may be brought along, but only for camp, dense woodlands and difficult terrain. It’s those dense woodlands that made snowshoes such a thing in North America. You don’t want to navigate long planks around in them. While the terrain is generally more barren in northern Scandinavia, and skiing is easier. But if you’re going in open terrain there’s really no need for snowshoes.
Skis won’t have enough traction for pulling without skins, except perhaps downhill. But you still won’t have to do all that lifting of your snowshoes, as skis can slide forwards. For easy pulling half length mohair skins should be enough, but you can go all the way to full length nylon skins when you really need traction.
You’ll need some sturdy backcountry skis, not those light things they race with. While steel edges are made for slopes under icy conditions and optional.
And man, I’ll have to make sure to bag up those bottles properly. I don’t trust caps too much at all, to be honest with you. So extra bags around the bottles for me, thank you. I always keep a canteen on my body for drinks along the way (also working as a hot bottle on the chest) so I can take the extra work on breaks.
Thanks so much for your detailed explanation, appreciate it. Ironically, these skis actually do have skins on them. (Next time I will show them on a video.) Maybe it is the weight of the tobaggan and the fact the tobaggan is so slippery that I struggle going uphill with the partial skin?. And also, I"m not very skilled with them as well, so that could contribute to the problem. But I'm looking to get out this winter a few times so let's see how I make out. I agree, they are meant to be more efficient than snowshoes for forward travel. I think in general they do work well in that aspect, but combining that with a heavy tobaggan is where I need to work on fine-tuning that skill. Let's see!
@@ThePursuitofPassion Seems you have hunter skis, a compromise between long "nordic" skis and snowhoes. They're meant to be used without poles, as hunters have their guns to carry. But they're not really meant for traveling far. While backcounty skis have specialized boots where you can click your toe securely to the ski, and have your heel free to move up and down. You can go faster than by walking this way, at least if you don't have a sled to haul.
Erik Normark has made an introduction, he's a sound recordist by profession and out a lot. Can I show you that? th-cam.com/video/z7_GMnHZ87U/w-d-xo.html
Also, this video from a guy who got stuck in a winter storm is quite a lot to learn from. But in quite another way, of course. He's just sharing his passion for midwinter trips (when most everyone else keeps close to home) with his cell phone. It's in swedish, but mostly covered by english subtitles.
th-cam.com/video/zXVBK38-650/w-d-xo.html
I THINK THIS VIDEO SHOULD BE SEEN BY ANYONE THINKING ABOUT WINTER CAMPING!
First thing, sorry to hear about Teddy.That is a hard pill to swallow! As for your bindings, leather loves water and will soak it like a sponge. They need a heavy treatment of bees wax or mink oil or any of those types of products. This is never done from the manufactures. I pre heat the leather first for the wax/oil to penetrate and saturate, after that the leather won't soak up water and stretch to no end. You are very ambitious David! I think most would of turned around after a few hours! So yes, your crazy 😂 Perhaps the water incident was an omen for you to get out of there!
Thanks for showing David see you on the next one✌
😄 It could scare people into winter camping!!!
Thanks Marc. You are a dog owner. I think you know exactly the emotional roller coaster that comes with our furry children when they are not well and when we have to make the hard decision. Thanks for the great info re binding. Although I have already transitioned to candle wick bindings as I will also be changing footwear as well. Hopefully I will be able to showcase this in a future video. I may dress the leather bindings and try them again as per your instructions, but they left me with a bad taste/experience. (I also spoke to another winter tripper with the same bindings and they said they have had the same issues.) Thanks so much Marc!
Great video mister.
Thanks Grant! Hope you've been well.
Another enjoyable video to watch. As I reviewed it I wondered a couple of things though from a slightly different perspective from then the other comments I am reading here.
1) While you made a great case for why the particular water bottle didn't work at the same time you stayed entirely focused on a primary system outlook. How would things have been different for you if you had used a secondary system as well, like a drybag to hold the water bottle? Having a layer between the bottle and the essential gear would have added some time to getting to the water bottle however it would have likely stopped the water from going anywhere else. Even a good water bottle could get unexpectedly damaged and you could drink the water right from the bag if needed.
In a situation where water soaking primary gear like your key jacket or sleeping bag could be life threatening it's surprising to me that you hadn't considered this either before, during or after the trip (based on what's in your video). Having watched many of your videos I've always been impressed on how often you have backups in place!
2) When things did get soaked I think the mental game was lost rather then the physical. Could your trip have continued if you had stopped at AO, setup camp again and used the stove to dry out the majority of the gear as well as get water?
3) Depending on how warm you were you could have melted snow either in a bag near your body using body heat/hand warmers and at least had some hydration on the way out
Anyway these are just thoughts that crossed my mind watching the video. As always, I am a big fan of your adventures/channel and indeed you are one of the primary motivators that are getting me out of Algonquin and on to more wild, white water rivers.
Thanks for sharing!
I appreciate the time you took to comment on this video/scenario because you made some good points. This is stuff we can all learn and gain insight from each other's experience and ideas.
1) Your suggestion for the secondary system is a great idea. Something I may consider in the future, To be honest, these double-walled bottles are new to me as I've previously used HDPE Nalgene bottles in an insulative sleeve for over 6 years of winter camping with great success - and never had a leak. So I was trusting and got burned by it. (I used the Hydro-Flask in limited circumstances on cold-tenting trips in the mountains without issue and assumed the same for the Manna bottle.) Lesson learned. The combination of a bag, plus locating the bottle in a better location could be a great strategy. (Ironically, I used the down jacket to insulate the bottle to keep it hotter longer. ) The other thing is, I did have a second bottle, but as noted in the video, I didn't fill it as I didn't think I'd need it. Go figure.
2) Yes, I could have certainly continued. Actually what was just as demoralizing was my Huron snowshoes that wouldn't stay on my feet. That incident was one of the most frustrating circumstances I've had to deal with in the field. This severely limited my abilty to do simple chores, like gathering firewood. So there were other factors that cemented my decision under the circumstances.
3) That's a good idea too, assuming it didn't chill you too much and it didn't leak in your outfit. But eating snow along the way helped me a lot, and ultimately if it got bad, I could have just stopped and made a fire to melt snow for water. I was just gunning to get out at that point and didn't want to stop if I didn't have to.
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and ideas as it has given me some good advice on how to think about my system on future trips. And thank you for you kind comments! Cheers
Thanks for posting. A lot of lessons learned here especially for inexperienced winter campers that think it's all roses out there. Glad you made it out safe. Really enjoyed this one. See you on the next winter adventure. 👍
Welcome Adam! You bet. I think these are valuable lessons we can all learn from so don't mind sharing my failures. Thanks a lot buddy!
@@ThePursuitofPassion not a failure. Sometimes shit just happens.
Discretion is the better part of valor as they say. Live to fight another day. Unbelievable snow!
Yup, in this case definitely. I would be fighting a losing battle. You bet! Look forward to going back in the near future. I have unfinished business there, lol.
I came for the winter camping... I stayed for the Beard.
😂 That is hilarious Ron. I'm most grateful that you called it a beard! Thanks buddy.
Nice beard! It seemed like a tough trip. I still haven't done a solo hot tent trip, maybe this winter. I stick to hauling with my snowshoes in snow that deep to pack a float for the toboggan but I don't have hybrids like the Altais. Thanks for posting!
Thanks Alec! Yeah, some tough conditions but if it wasn't for a couple key issues (water bottle and snowshoes) I would definitely have continued on. Hopefully I'll get another chance to do this trip again in the near future!
Hopefully the beard has a chance to drip all over another time....That sure was some deep snow.... You might have to give this route another try sometime, I would really like to see that. Thanks for posting, really enjoyed it even if things didn't go as planned.
😝 Too funny. I definitely do! I feel I have unfinished business, so if the opportunity presents itself this year, I just may. Thanks Jay!
Nice & Cool
Appreciate you checking it out! 🙏
I have just begun building up some winter trekking gear. One of the next items I'm thinking of acquiring is either going to be a plastic sled (typically used to haul ice fishing gear) or a tobaggan. I'm really curious to hear people's opinion on which is better to use for winter camping? I'll be using snow shoes to get through the snow over skis. My x-country skis are only suitable on track set trails.
It seems an advantage of using a plastic "tub sled" is that it does not need the "tank" to store items as on a tobaggan. The tank looks like it takes time to pack up and lash on the tobaggan. Versus the tub sled can be loaded up and hauled away quickly. That time savings is valuable in winter when daylight hours are short. Please give me a thumbs up if you agree and thumbs down if you disagree.
Hi Martin, it depends a lot on what you are planning to do. The typical sleds that most use are small and are not the greatest at pulling. They do have a lip and contain things, but you still need to strap them down. For tobaggans, like the one you saw on my video, it has much more carrying capacity in regards to volume and weight. Hence why I use it for hot tenting. I would never be able pull the same amount of gear with the sled. This subject is long, and there are so many factors to consider based on your needs. Hope this helps a bit. (I've used both, also the sled with a pulk style harness so there are different combinations as well.)
Martin, the tub sled does have some advantages for sure, but a lot of disadvantages as well. (Again, depending on your usage.) You would still need to strap the gear down in a sled as well. If you have a chance, check out this video. You can see both my tobaggan and our sled in use. th-cam.com/video/wY2-rHXqyAE/w-d-xo.html You can always email with questions.
@@ThePursuitofPassionI see what you mean. It's going to be a decision based on experience or preference. I did look at the LOTN tobaggans and they sound like they would be good. Yet I may start with the tub type offered at CT as they are a much less costly way to get into this sport. My choice in gear to take along would be influenced by the type of sled I start with. Yet I think just getting out no matter what is the best thing! Pray for more snow!
@@martincuda7947 Totally. Enjoy!
Thanks for sharing that it doesn't always go to plan. Fortunate that you were relatively close to the road access
You bet! I think it is also useful to share these experiences as we can all learn from them. Thanks guys!
Great to hear that you figured out the bottle issue. Quality equipment usually works best.
Always enjoy your videos.
Yes, indeed it does re quality equipment. Ironically I already had the Hydro Flask bottle, but since the Manna bottle had more capacity, I thought I'd bring that one indeed. It certainly didn't pay off! Thanks a lot David!
I assume this was last year? We have yet to get this much snow this year!
Hey Jonathan, yes indeed it was last year. This year has been pathetic so far.
That is a tough go David. Appreciate you sharing this trip with us even though it did not go to plan at all. I certainly learned a few things from this video. We didn’t realize Teddy isn’t with you guys anymore and we are sorry to hear that. No doubt that’s a tough loss.
Anytime. I think it is a good lesson for all of us to learn by sharing it, even though it isn't a 'great trip'. Especially with new gear. Yeah, losing Teddy early was very upsetting as he was a great canoe dog and did a lot of trips with us. Thanks guys!
Dave, WOW....talk about perseverance. Good job! The only issue I have was when you were cold from the lack of calories. There's an easy solution.......You need to "bulk up" for winter and consume KFC at least once a day. You could even buy a bucket and warm it up over the camp stove! Remember, gravy is a beverage.
😂😂😂 Tyler, you're killing me! I think for that reason alone, I may have to bring a bucket on a future winter trip one day, with gravy of course! (to hydrate 😉)
I was totally worn out just watching you do all that work. They say the adventure starts when things stop going as planned. That was an adventure. Sometimes you just have to power thru it.
Well done! I think Teddy would approve.
😄 You're totally right re adventure! Thanks so much Paul, including the comment re Teddy. 😊
What an absolute trudge, brutal! Good call on bailing and getting out. Too bad about the bottle but great that you got it figured out. You could be right that Teddy wanted a memorial canoe trip rather than a solo hot tent one. Thanks for sharing. :) :)
Yeah, that was a slog! 😄 But unfortunately it wasn't meant to be. I'm just glad I figured out the problem and could share this with the community. And yes, Teddy maybe gone, but certainly up to his antics! 😊
A damn good video David. I enjoyed watching while I am in a very warm home. Thanks for the video!!!!!
Thanks so much Jimmy! Glad you enjoyed it. 🙏
Such an arduous trip David, too bad you had to make that tough decision but it was the right one💪
Hey Wade, it certainly had it's challenges. If it wasn't for the snowshoes and water bottle, I would have gladly continued the battle, but alas it was meant for another day! Thanks buddy.
Teddy was such a great trip companion and dog!
Thanks for the water bottle ⚠️
Indeed he was. We still miss him. ☹ You're welcome Linda!
Another great video. Glad to see you make it out safely. Could you do a gear review on the toboggan and tank set up
Thanks Stephen! Sure, I'll try and do that this year, as I also have some new gear.
On theSurvival Russia channel he has ski's that are fur lined, I think that's what he said, that let's the skis grip to climb hills
Yup, I'm not surprised Tom. I actually have synthetic skins on those skis for that purpose too. (they cover about a third of the ski) It could be an issue with my lack of experience, or the fact I have my body weight on a super slippery tobaggan pulling me down. I need to test this out more. Thanks!
What is the black on the wood of the toboggan…some kind of wax?
Hi Lisa, do you mind giving me a time stamp on where in the video you noticed this? It could just be a dirty mark. There is no wax with this tobaggan. The wood pieces were likely just varnished.
Glad you ended the trip without injury. Was wondering about the plastic Nalgene bottles. Are they okay with hot water? Do they have a leaking problem?
I have used plastic Nalgene bottles with hot water for years and never a leak, could be plastic on plastic is ok but bendable plastic on metal not so.
Thanks a lot Dave. As to the Nalgene bottles, I only use the HDPE one. They have never leaked on me and I use them regularly as a hot water bottle in my sleeping bag. The good thing about them is that it is entirely made of the same material so they expand and contract together, plus it is a flexible plastic. They do age with exposure to UV, so as they get older they can develop cracks and weaken, so you'll need to replace them at that point. But they last a long time and are durable.
Agreed Jacqueline! Well said.
Having wet gear in the cold is not good. I have a camp near Meteor Lake, Shoo Fly...Sandplain. I remember the snow being so deep on winter trip, it was 1.5 meters deep on the roof of our camp. We shoveled it off the next morning. This was many years ago. If you want to come to may camp, send me your email address. This is no bull💩 offer. I will take you. You may even like the camp 🏕 and even more crazy...you may like me to👍🤣🇨🇦 I have been to Lake Opeongo....was there camping a few years ago.
Yeah wet gear and freezing is a bad and risky combination. That's cool Mike, re camp. Thanks so much for the offer! Some of the lake names sounded familar. When I looked it up, I realized I paddled in the area a few times with my wife. Cool! Being further north, not surprising you got that kinda snow. Here's my email address. Let's see what we can work out. thepursuitofpassion.ca@gmail.com Thanks Mike!