Long Term Winter Hiking

N

Nichov

Joined
Dec 8, 2004
Messages
5
I'm going to be embarking on a long-term journey and due to circumstances beyond my control I will be leaving just before the new year. I live in New York's Hudson Valley, and though we have had a very mild winter so far, I expect that by the time I'm leaving the whether should be around the teens to 20's... with possible dips below zero occasionally.

I'm walking from my current local, near Albany city, to St. Louis. Ohh and did I mention I'll be travelling alone?

I have almost no money and almost no equipment. I also have very little time to prepare. Don't try to convince me not to go because I've already made up my mind, the best thing you can do is to give me the most helpful suggestions on what gear to get. Should I bother with a tent? I have a pup tent. Should I bother with a sleeping bag? I have one too... should I get a poncho liner? and if so, how do I know what one to get? I saw a thinsulate one that looked pretty nice... but the descriptions of these things online are only so good... are they essentially small sleeping bags? or are they more like blankets? is there an 'inside' or is it just one blanket?

My trip is at lowest estimate 1050 miles and at highest 1200. I plan on averaging 12 miles per day. This is a LONG trip, but one I must do even if I freeze to death on the way. Fortunately by the time I arrive it will be spring, just in time for a nice warm hike to San Francisco from Illinois.

What about clothing? Remember I don't have alot of money, and this is not going to be a fairwhether trip, so water is definately going to come up. I don't have to camp everynight, but I want to be prepared to camp atleast 3 nights in a row just in case I get caught up somewhere...

snowshoes are probably a must, so where can I get some that will last me the trip and cost me very little?

tips for keeping snow out of boots?

I'm sure this is going to be a painful crash course in winter survival and hiking long distances, but like I said my mind's made up and I just have to do this so while I understand I can't learn everything I need to know over the next couple of weeks, the more info you can give me the better. I want to keep my pack around 50 lbs as I'm not used to carrying any pack at all (I guess I'll get used to whatever weight tho so dont make that a priority.)

This is a serious inquiry, I'm not trying to joke around so please limit replies to helpful ones, not garbage about how crazy I am.
 
I'd recommend you get some wool clothing. Sportsman's Guide has surplus Swedish wool military trousers for about $20.00 a pair, and they are very well made. The wool US Army shirts are very well made and can be had on ebay for five to ten bucks. Good luck. :)
 
50 lbs day after day for an unconditioned back is going to hurt you after a couple of days.

How much money do you actually have? Have you worked it out on a $/day basis.

Obviously some of this trip is going to be a dream, others a royal pain in the rump.

Its do-able, no two ways about it, just depends on how much you want to finish what you start.

Give us some more details and I'm sure we can come up with sufficient minimal kit for your price range.
 
For long term walking advice, I refer you to Colin Fletcher's Complete Walker. I believe it's now in it's fourth version. This is a book written by a guy who has walked the Grand Canyon, no small feat.

He gives lots of advice on boot choices, sleeping bags, frame packs, tents, food to carry, etc. If you're thinking of doing it, this guy's most likely already done it. (Of course, I don't think he's walked Albany to St. Louis, but...)

Before your trip I recommend you read this book, take notes, get in shape, and start breaking in whatever boots, or shoes you'll use on your trip. If you don't break in your boots, you could end up with a very short trip indeed.
 
Good Lord, when you consider all the outlay for pack, stove, etc., wouldn't it be more cost effective to just get a one way ticket with Greyhound?!?

It's not exactly the most luxurious ride, and I can attest to that, but you'd probably get there a lot sooner.
 
Sounds like a potential disaster waiting to happen.Good Luck in your travels,but you need more than equipment to survive such a trip,if your talking about a wilderness hike and not a hitch hike trip in this type of weather.I'll go with the Greyhound advice.The trip will cost ya less than buying the basics for a long term hiking trip.
 
it can be done, but you are being very unrealistic about your personal capabilities and equipment limitations. What you plan right now, will most probably end up killing you.
 
The cost of an adequate pair of boots will likely be more than the cost of a bus ticket. If you insist, the minimum would be decent polypro or wool base and mid layers, wool outer layer, and something to stop wind. Excellent (not just good), properly fit, broken in boots. Heavyweight wool socks. polypro liner socks. And 2-3 sets of everything. doesn't have to be new, but it has to be good quality and in good repair. A good, durable tarp. A small stove and fuel. something to boil water in, and to cook. several reliable sources of ignition. at least one good but nonthreatening knife. a folding saw. water and a means to carry it. food as necessary according to your skill and route. sleeping bag is likely to be essential based on your description. tent would certianly make things easier. and you'll need a good pack. that's a decent start at least. All that being said, if you have to ask what you need, you probably don't have the skills to make survival likely, much less reaching your destination.
 
also duct tape, cordage, sewing kit, maybe some glue for repairs. basic first aid supplies, duct tape again, diapers and superglue can go a long way, a couple bottles of iodine and some aspirin.
 
I think the trip is well within the realm of the possible. It's not as if Nichov is planning a trip across Siberia. On a walk from Albany to St. Louis he'll be within easy reach of civilization (ie; food, medical help, etc.) at all times. Sure there will be some discomfort, so what? Just by virtue of the fact that he is considering this, it is clear that Nichov hopes to accomplish something more than just winding up in St. Louis. I say go for it Nichov! Stop at a few public libraries along the way and post your progress.
 
Albany to St. Louis? You'll be in some fairly developed areas the whole way. How are you planning this route? You'll either be following public roads (don't get picked up by local law enforcement for being a traffic hazard) or be moving through miles and miles of private property (don't get nailed there, either).

Since you'll be going through Indiana and Illinois in the winter, I would advise you to get some formal orienteering training. No doubt about this: if you're doing this by GPS, be sure you know exactly what you're doing with this unit. It's not as easy as it looks.

Ideally, you'll have (in addition to a GPS unit) a compass and you'll know how to use it with USGS topo maps. It's very easy to get turned around when all you'll be seeing are brown and grey leafless trees and flat white snowy ground. If you haven't had formal compass training, get it fast. Even IF you have a top-of-the-line GPS receiver.

That said, you'll probably be okay. You'll have miles and miles of asphalt to guide you, with an endless succession of truck stops for rest, food, water, and warm shelter virtually the whole way. If you're walking at night and get lost, look up: there will be patches of glowing light from nearby towns and cities to guide you or save you.

I agree with the suggestion that you should check in periodically: this could be an amazing "adventure in your own backyard" story that people here will find very entertaining and educational.
 
To those who encouraged me, thank you for your faith. To those who gave me suggestions, thank you for your advice. To those who think I'm crazy, thank you for your sanity.

It's not as if I've never been camping. I've built lean-to's before and I've camped dozens of times in the adirondack mountains in small tents. This trip is not going to be a wilderness trail hike. I'm going to follow roads, and though I doubt I'll get many rides, I will probably not refuse them if I'm offered. I will also seek shelter at local churches etc on the way so I will not be camping every night.

As for money, right now I have none. Zero. That's why I'm hiking it. It's amazing how hard it can be to get a job, especially when you left your last job for a knee injury. Nobody seems to want to hire someone with tendenitis in their knee! Interesting thing about it though is that it doesn't get inflamed when I walk on it, not even for extended hikes! It's repetative squatting and lifting that does it, so I can do this with the knee, no problem.

Who knows, I just may luck out and the schedule may change and then I can leave in late February instead of late Decembder... more likely for some mild whether that way.

Can't take a bus, that's cheating. If I don't get there under my own power I don't get the reward. Apparently hitching rides is acceptable so long as it doesn't make up the bulk of my trip. What's my reward? Well, I'll tell you, but it's just going to confirm your suspicions of my failing mental state! My reward is that if I make it to Illinois by walking and I perform certain tasks along the way, the woman I love will meet me there and walk with me to San Francisco. That's motivation for you folks. 1000 miles.

Anyway, I've got a tent and a sleeping bag, and I'm just going in my Wolverine steel-toes. I've got some good thick wool socks I'll bring them. I'm planning on doubling up on my jeans and packing them with insulation, newspaper or maybe leaves or if I can enough, those little packing peanuts made of polystyrene. That's not too good against wind and water, but it'll have to do because I don't have a thing in this world but the love of my lady. I don't have a proper hat or facemask, so I plan on wrapping my head in a towel or t-shirt or something like that. I do have a decent waterproof hooded poncho. My pack is nothing more than a cheap nylon schoolbag. I'm going to bring hardtack rations and peanutbutter and if I can procure it, some beef or venison jerky. Other than that, I'm going to have to scavenge for my nutrition needs and rely on the compassion of strangers.

I will goto libraries to mark my progress on this forum as well with other people... God bless America for free internet access in public libraries!

I will have family support and an atm card in case of emergencies (which everthing is an emergency) ... such as I wore a hole through my boots and I need to buy new ones.

I plan to keep toothpaste and toothbrush and deodorant and I will keep two sets of clothes and hopefully I'll find places to wash clothes and shower along the way so that I'm not a stinky hobo bum! hahaha.

I'm 22, 6'0", 205lbs. But by the time I get to Illinois I'll be 23, 6'0", probably 180 lbs. ...

I know I'm jumping in the deep end, but sometimes thats the best way to learn to swim. If I can truly survive and get comfortable or 'used to' living without money then I can do the things I've always wanted to do with my life.

Did you know that the Mujahideen in Afghanistan used to hike over 20 miles through the 90-120 degree desert, and into the mountains where the temperature was as low as -10's? They wore the same clothes through the whole thing. It's amazing how resiliant the human body can be when it's well conditioned. And, my body will grow to be well conditioned with time.

I'm setting my pace at 12 miles per day. I'll take rest for ten minutes every hour until I've reached my quota for the day... then I'll camp and read the Bible and write in my journal. Some days I'll be in towns, in which case I'll mingle with the locals as much as possible.

You recommend wool pants, I think I'll try and get a pair if I can, wool stays warm when wet, but I don't think I want to be hiking very far with wet pants regardless. But you do what you have to do right?

OK, thanks again. And hey, anyone got any route suggestions? Know any good trails to hike on the way? Any good towns or cities I should check out? I'm going to probably walk south west into pennsylvania before heading earnestly west in hopes of getting somewhat milder whether than western NY.
 
I had an idea there might be a woman involved in this somehow, LOL! Given your financial state, I'd be hitting the Goodwill or Salvation Army stores for clothing. I've gotten some really amazing gear there, ranging from a nearly new pair of Sorel boots ($4.50) to LL Bean backpacks ($2.00). Worth a look.
 
Keep in mind that cotton is *not* a good winter clothing material. newspaper ont he other hand will be a fair insulator so long as it stays dry. and do realize that even walking along a highway, a bad storm in the wrong spot could still doom you within a few hours. And I have a strong suspicion you're gonna come to hate those boots, at least in the first weeks. but if it snows, you may be able to do with a couple layers of heavyweight wool socks alone. finally, 12 miles a day will probably prove to be pretty conservative for many parts of the trip...and perhaps rather ambitious for some.
 
Nichov said:
I'm going to follow roads, and though I doubt I'll get many rides, I will probably not refuse them if I'm offered. I will also seek shelter at local churches etc on the way so I will not be camping every night.
Click to expand...
Try to contact the churches in advance. Libraries are good warming stations - especially if you don't look too scruffy. (toothpaste, soap, and comb :D )

Nichov said:
As for money, right now I have none. Zero. That's why I'm hiking it.
Click to expand...
If you get a couple of bucks, Goodwill and Salvation Army stores have used but perfectly servicable polyester fleece jackets and vests real cheap. This material insulates even when damp, is light, washable, and stays soft against the skin. A day working for McDonalds would be helpful. If you stay totally broke, try trash-picking -- or "gleaning" or "recycling" if that sounds better. ;)

Nichov said:
It's amazing how hard it can be to get a job, especially when you left your last job for a knee injury. Nobody seems to want to hire someone with tendenitis in their knee!
Click to expand...
Employers don't want to hire a workers' compensation claim.

Nichov said:
I'm planning on doubling up on my jeans and packing them with insulation, newspaper or maybe leaves or if I can enough, those little packing peanuts made of polystyrene. That's not too good against wind and water, but it'll have to do because I don't have a thing in this world but the love of my lady.
Click to expand...
Cotton is miserable when its wet and cold. It holds the moisture right against the skin to suck out the heat. Jeans get heavy when wet. (Try it out in advance.) "Packing" with insulative materials is OK unless it makes the clothing tight. Tight clothing binds when you walk and it's air that insulates; force it out and you reduce insulation -- as with trying to force in an extra pair of socks. I tried the newspaper trick when I first came to Ohio and was wating for the first paycheck with my California jacket. I second the warning about keeping the newspaper dry. (General tip: plastic bags are needed to keep your gear dry.)

Nichov said:
I don't have a proper hat or facemask, so I plan on wrapping my head in a towel or t-shirt or something like that.
Click to expand...
Half of the heat loss for a typical person is through the head or neck. Thus, that is the LAST area to neglect. A cotton shirt or towel as a head covering is a ticket for hypothermia -- failure in your quest. Do whatever it takes (lawfully) to get a wool, or better polyester, watch cap to fit under your poncho hood. By the way, in cold weather, your perspiration will condense on the inside of a waterproof poncho and soak your clothing (another good argument for polyester fleece insulation). Try not to hike in cold rain.

Nichov said:
Did you know that the Mujahideen in Afghanistan used to hike over 20 miles through the 90-120 degree desert, and into the mountains where the temperature was as low as -10's? They wore the same clothes through the whole thing. It's amazing how resiliant the human body can be when it's well conditioned. And, my body will grow to be well conditioned with time.[?QUOTE]
Well-motivated Chinese troops died by the tens of thousands in Korea from "exposure." (quilted cotton uniforms) Your skin will freeze under given conditions of wind and temperature. You body will stop functioning when its core temperature reaches a given level.

PA is a series of mountain ridges across your path. Use maps at library to find a route with minimal climbing. Following water is one good general rule. Sometimes the "long" way is the shortest.

Good luck.
Click to expand...
 
One more essential item- a closed-cell foam sleeping pad.
And one more piece of advice...please come on over to the survival forum at Swamp Rat Knifeworks and post this over there. You'll find a few people who've done (I strongly suspect) more or less what your planing, and your certain to get some advice based on "been there, done that" experience and then some. You'll also find a few of the people who answer the call when things go wrong, and I'm sure they'll have some good advice to offer as well.

http://www.swampratknifeworks.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=forum;f=11
 
*Wow* Look, if you are really going to do this, I suggest you contact a magazine, or several magazines like Backpacker today.

Pitch your idea. See if any of them are interested enough to front you money in return for the story. Hell, National Geographic did a piece just like this a few years back. But that was years ago. There is no reason another magazine wouldn't be interested in this. Especially, from the sound of this, that this would be a continuing story...

Get, or borrow a camera. Even if none of the mags bite right away, you might get them to reconsider if you have photos to show.
 
They most likely will not bite until the trip is over. Get a cheap dictaphone from ebay for $5. its easier than writing stuff down. This will really help should you try and pitch it to a magazine.
 
yes this does sound like a crazy thing to do but it also sounds like fun to just pack up and go walking across the country ala david banner or cain :cool: good luck and try and keep us posted

i think you should buy a victorinox swiss army knife or a multitool for this type of adventure
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top