Happy New Year !
2011 is almost here and it is time to start shooting out in the cold weather. My hats off to the folks in the east coast right now who have in some places up to three feet of snow. My thought and prayers are with them that they stay safe and warm.
In preparation for the Frozen Film Shoot I look for and find some real gems about cold weather hiking, staying warm and safe. Some very important advice was found at the Trails.com web site. They speak about layering cloths to keep warm and staying away from cotton clothing. Hard to keep me out of my jeans but safety in the cold is paramount. Here is what they published on layering clothing.
“Hiking is an enjoyable activity in any weather. By following a few, simple winter hiking tips, you are in for a treat! These tips are designed to keep you safe, comfortable and going strong in a weather that scares off a lot of fellow outdoor enthusiasts. Since winter hiking has its very own set of rules and associated needs, it is a good idea to fully familiarize yourself with the suggested items you need. Make certain that they are serviceable and pack the night before the hike
Step 1
Dress in layers. Choose a number of clothing articles you can take off and put back on independently. Wear a pair of long johns made from polypropylene over which you wear a pair of pants made of a lightweight, water proof and breathable material. A good choice is the Schoeller Dryskin fabric that is offered on the Trails website (a link is listed with the resources). On top, start out with a short sleeved t-shirt---also made of polypropylene--top it with long sleeved thin fleece shirt, add a turtleneck sweater and finish up with a jacket made from Schoeller Dryskin material.
Step 2
Remember to dress the head. Pick out a balaclava since it is perfect for keeping nose and ears protected from wind, snow and rain. It also prevents the heat loss from the head, which is a danger during longer winter hikes. Add sun goggles to protect your eyes from sunlight as well as wind.
Step 3
Choose a backpack made of breathable material. Avoid the sweaty back and the sore shoulders by investing in an all weather backpack made of breathable material. A good example is the Deuter Futura 28 Daypack that is large enough to carry a thermos, canteen, excess clothing as you shed it along the winter hike, food, extra vapor barrier socks, extra gloves, and assorted odds and ends.
Step 4
Wear cold weather hiking boots and vapor barrier socks. Choose an insulated, water proof boot that is not made from leather but is instead made of a plastic and rubber combination. Leather freezes in winter weather, while plastic and rubber will not. You can make your already broken in leather boots work by waterproofing them with spray-on chemicals, but you might want to add plastic gaiters to add moisture resistance to your footwear. Dress your foot in vapor barrier socks to prevent excessive sweating that makes the inside of your boot slippery and uncomfortable.
Step 5
Bring food and water. Remember that during a winter hike your body burns more calories and requires more nourishment and water than it might during a summer hike. Bring plenty of food and plan on stopping frequently and replenishing your energy by eating moderately sized snacks. Plan on bringing along a gallon of drinking water; depending on the length of your hike, you might even drink more than that. If you keep a canteen in addition to the water supply in your backpack, carry the canteen upside down. “
Tips & Warnings
Carry your canteen upside down on winter hikes. Water freezes in a bottle from the top down, and if you carry the canteen upside down, it is actually the bottom where the water freezes, not the mouth of the canteen.
Avoid cotton when choosing your clothes. When cotton gets wet, it takes a long time to dry. Wet cotton also freezes quickly and--whether it is sweat or simply moisture from snow or rain---becomes useless almost immediately for the hike.
Taylor cautions against overdressing, as it could cause overheating. "If you're comfortable at the trail head, you're going to end up sweating as you travel, and being wet will lower your core temperature. A little sweat is okay, but once you're wet, you're in trouble," he says.
Its a rule of thumb not to use cotton when layering-"No cotton!" Taylor emphasized, adding that "cotton retains moisture, drying slowly rather than allowing it to evaporate."
My RB Pro S kit with 90mm & 180mm lenses is on it's way ! Any dates being kicked around for the shoot?
We would love to have you. Dates are Feb 11, 12 & 13. Lots of details in the threads. We should have a full schedule ready in a week.
We were just there yesterday to check out one more location to go and a place to warm up and eat lunch on Saturday our longest day out in the elements.
Yesterday Sue and I made a pilgrimage to Hocking Hills area to do some exploring. It was about 12 degrees F and winds there were gusting up to 15 mph on occasion. Our journey was to check out a “Permit Access Only” location called Saltpetre Cave Nature Preserve. We contacted the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and obtained permits to hike and photograph in this area as well as a parking permit to park in the very limited pull over spot. We found great caves; water falls frozen in time and no tourists. Images soon!
Saturday’s Lunch will be at the Grouse Nest Restaurant at the Hocking Hills Resort. This is a great small company offering a yearlong restaurant, cabins, wedding chapel and reception hall. We had a great lunch there Saturday and we hope you all will join us there to warm up, have a beer or coke and a hearty lunch. More information at: http://www.ashcave.com/index.htm
We would like everyone going to follow this link and download the PDF request for access form, fill it in and mail it or fax to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. You must do this more than 14 days before our journey. Please place both Saltpetre Caves and Sheick Hallow in your request for access. http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/863/Default.aspx The Caves will be on out primary places to visit. You will need to have your permit.
Sue and I were covered head to tow with the warmest things we owned. Polar Tech base layers, face masks and multiple layers; we were warm. We also hiked with our trekking poles for balance while moving along the trails. A base layer of ice with up to 3 inches of show on top made the trails challenging but beautiful. Roads were passable although I almost carved off the right side of my car as we slid down a huge hill, so caution while driving and hiking is very paramount.
We will form up the hiking schedule very soon for the Frozen film Shoot. Those who commit to go and PM me will get the completed schedule.
PLEASE PM ME IF YOU ARE JOINING US. Just in case we need to help in some way please provide your names, addresses and phone (cell) numbers. * cell phone coverage there is very spotty at best but it helps to keep connected.
Also, we do this because we love the area, we are not professional tour guides and can only share some of the beauty we have found there, so be safe, stay on the trails and know we cannot and do not accept liability for your safety. Just be safe we will all have a COOL TIME.
Dang, I have to work on the 12th. I might be able to just drive down for the 13th, though. Will I still need the permits for Saltpetre Caves and Sheick Hallow?
Dang, I have to work on the 12th. I might be able to just drive down for the 13th, though. Will I still need the permits for Saltpetre Caves and Sheick Hallow?
Jeff
Jeff,
There are so many places to photograph there you will have plenty of places to shoot. Sue and I will be going into the preserves area and for those yes you need to file a permit. (They are worth it and free) http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/863/Default.aspx
We are faxing our permits in today to Ms. Judyi Love at DNR Ohio. Normally USPS is fine.
Today and tomorrow, we finish the trecking plans and post here. We plan to PM a lot of folks on APUG to do a personal invite as well. Keep you on the list.
Dayton Ohio to Cincinnati will get up to 5" of snow today, I will be watching how SE Ohio weather goes to see how it will add to its snow base.
A neg scan from 645 neg on a HP G4050 is hardly a good representation of the real silent beauty of such a secluded place. Thought you all might like to see this shot of the permit controlled area of Hocking Hills.
Lee
Sounds good Lee. I'm about 90 minutes Northeast of you in Marysville. Looks like we're in for the snow as well. I'll send in the permit request so I'll have it just in case.
Sounds good Lee. I'm about 90 minutes Northeast of you in Marysville. Looks like we're in for the snow as well. I'll send in the permit request so I'll have it just in case.
Thanks,
Jeff
Great. I made my request for Friday through Sunday, daylight hours, sent it in by fax to 614-265-7202.
Snowing good here in Dayton right now. I'll take a look and see if any is building up in the South East Ohio. We have a couple of weeks yet but the more the better.
Adv Reply
! Any dates being kicked around for the shoot?
Originally Posted by jpreston
