bark_eater 

Found a couple pictures. This was a pulk sled trip, so no bikes.

Doug64

A little off topic, but cold weather camping is the same whether on a bike or skis. The new blends of fuel for canister stoves burn well in sub-freezing weather. Our shovels make good windbreaks. For tours longer than a weekend we use a MSR Whiperlite, liquid fuel stove which is more efficient. What is the advantage of a wood burning stove if you have to carry a sleeping bag that will handle the lowest nightime temperatures anyway?


I usually just put the stove on the pot lid so it does not sink into the snow or fall over. That tent, sleeping bag, thermarest pad, stove, fuel, and utinsels, weighs about 15 lbs. Light enough to use on a winter bike trip. I use the exact same set up, only with a lighter sleeping bag, during the summer, whch gets the weight down to just over 10 lbs. This setup was very comfortable in some pretty cold weather for a 3-season tent.


Even this setup is good in a pinch. An insulated parka and pants (carried anyway), a foam pad, sil-nylon tarp, and a bivy sack are comfortable; and weighs about 5 lbs. If it gets too cold, a fire can be built near the opening.

PedalingWalrus

Great post Doug!

bark_eater 

I knew their was bike content from that trip
...

Erick L

Because it weighs less than your kit while being much more comfortable.

Doug64

Maybe My MSR pocket rocket and fuel canister, weighs less than a pound, and fits easily in my pack. The advertised weight of the smallest of the LiteOutdoors ti stoves is 2 lbs. 6oz.

I also have a Black Damond Megamid tent which is very similar to your tent. While that style of tent has their merits, they are not very light for what you get. I'm not trying to argue about methods, gear preferences, or gear weights, but I question that your set up is lighter, and more comfortabe. I believe we can have hot beverages made and dinner started in less time than it takes to gather fuel for a wood stove, while sitting comfortably in our tent, using the vestibule as our kitchen.

We used ours as an example for a shelter building class we were demostrating for our ski patrol. We are a backcountry patrol, and need to be able to spend the night out with what we carry in our packs, so weight make a big difference. I'm not sure if my wife is putting it up or taking it down in this photo.

PedalingWalrus

Here is my rig for deep winter. Tent, winter bag, foam and inflatable mattress, food and clothing and cooking... I am mot sure I could fit more on the bike...maybe if I wore a backpack or towed a sled rig

Erick L

My tent, stove, saw, the whole sleeping and cooking kit comes at around 12lbs. The tent is 3 feet wider than your BD and lighter. The 18" stove I have weighs 1140g, about the same as a Whisperlite and a full 1L bottle of fuel. I could probably cut another foot off the chimney. It's more work but it gets dark around 4-5pm in winter so it's something to do, as is the slow cooking. Plus I get to dry my clothes completely and not spend the evening in damp-ish layers or halfway inside my sleeping bag. It takes a few minutes in the morning to have t-shirt temperatures and I get dry, supple boots to put on. It's paradise I tells ya!

Mark Hoaglund

During winter season I wear thinner gloves with a tacky coating under my mittens so I'm not caught out in the cold freezing weather fiddling with things which works for the most part.

bark_eater 

Just saw this and wanted to add an observation. At one point I bought one of those glass globed tea candle lanterns as it was lighter than the spring-loaded plumbers candle lanterns. Problem was that with the candle in a metal shell in a lantern with excellent air flow, when it was cold, ie below zero, the flame couldn't produce enough heat to melt all the wax so that only a small puddle in the the middle of the candle would melt, and the wick would burn down quickly and snuff, without melting the majority of the wax. I tried different brands of tea candles and they all did the same. I didnt bother trying bee's wax because of the cost and I only have so much scientific inquisitiveness to work with..

djb

https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5027-9...4aAlUYEALw_wcB

this is the sort of thing I have had forever.
they work great.

Mark Hoaglund

A search reveals:

a single tealight has an energy output of about 100 BTU/hr. A small space heater, capable of heating a small room, is 5000 BTU/hr. https://www.theproblemsite.com/ask/2...t-space-heater

the human body produces between 250 and 400 BTUs of power, depending on its state of consciousness. In other words, when the body is asleep, it produces less.
https://www.google.com/search?q=human+btu

A resting human male gives off roughly 100-120 Watts of energy. A very small fraction of this can be utilized by a thermoelectric device to power wearable devices.Nov 27, 2016 Human Body Heat as a Source for Thermoelectric Energy Generation

sleeping bag Temperature ratings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleeping_bag

GrainBrain

Awesome thread, really appreciate the different methods - small stove, wind stove, Dakota hole. I also haven't thought of the need for a CO meter, thanks for that. Definitely an enjoyable read and video, makes my imagination run wild.

I think if I was solo and going for miles in a short amount of time (a few days) I'd go with a fuel stove, bivouac and layers ala Doug. Fast setup and teardown, quick eating.

If I had more time or wanted to take in nature I'd really want that wood stove like Eric. Relaxing, stretching and warming yourself, it seems like when I ride I never stop to take it all in. You could rinse your clothes and dry em.

The Dakota pit seems like - "Oh my God I'm caught in a polar vortex and don't want to die" But seriously I bet that would be nice after days of hard miles.

Does anyone here winter tour with a partner or two? Seems like you could really spread the load and have some nice setups. Doug you and your wife ski with a specific purpose, does this mean you purposely don't carry nearly as much weight as you could? Or are you close to your "limit"?

GrainBrain

How many miles/days do you go out? I'm experiencing winter bikepacking vicariously through these pictures

Mark Hoaglund

Any interest in these various articles?
https://campinghabits.com/tent-cooling-heating/

PedalingWalrus

Thank You. This trip was approximately 50 miles in two days Baxter State Park traverse from Abol Bridge to Matagamon Wilderness Camps.

Mark Hoaglund

NOTE for the enthusiast: Air-dried hardwood firewood typically contains about 20 percent moisture, or 0.83 pound of dry wood and 0.17 pound of water. The available heat value is then 7,100 Btu per pound (0.83 pound x 8,600 Btu/pound)
Wood Fuel for Heating G5450 Wood Fuel for Heating | University of Missouri Extension

For the DIY folk a little taste with Lonnie & Connie:
Hot Tenting In Alaska Winter Using Homemade Tent And Stove

You Tube

Make A Simple Cheap Tent Wood stove - Part 1

You Tube

Make A Simple Cheap Tent Wood stove - Part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guxiCibNKTg&t=109s

ricrunner

I experience hot tenting with my pop( grandfather) when I was 9 years old. He came and picked me up on a cold winters day in his soft top Model T ford 5 seater wagon. I was well rugged up but it was still very cold travelling out to Gara In NSW. When we got there, I helped him put up a four person heavy canvass tent, that had an asbestos tent flu opening. I was very much looking forward to doing this with Pops. He had built the small portable stove out of a medium sized ammo can. It was about 26 inches long and a foot square. He had I think 3ft long steel flue sections.3 of. We got the wood together for the first night of 3 nights out, and then went fishing for brown trout of which we caught 3 decent size ones. In the tent he had old army single camping cots and we both had heavy woollen blankets and a pillow each It was also the first time I ever had coffee, as was not allowed at that age to have it at home. During the night the temperature got down really low, as the water in the river froze about 2 inches down, so pretty cold. We had a great time fishing and also staying warm over night. He would throw in 4 inch things logs about 4 of them then turn it down and it would still be burning in the morning. I still remember this trip as if it was yesterday 51 years later. My Dad was not into camping, but my Pop was the reason I got into bush bashing gorge climbing and camping, as well as cycletouring which I started at 11 years old. Great memories