camping high up

kyleds8

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Hello,

I live in Central Idaho at 6000 ft. This season I've moved from harvesting the little guys down low to focussing on the bigger bucks up top, and as I froze my ass a couple days ago, and busted my ass hiking twice a day up and down from camp at 7500 to hunt around 9000 I realized a couple things I need to camp closer to the big guys bedrooms. How close do you guys setup from where they're bedding, both on the same side of the mountain as them, and on the backside? I'm solo hunting so not making a ton of noise.

Are there any useful tricks to living well at those temperatures? I have a good sleeping bag and waiting on a SO tent w/ stove, but am just not warm enough in my current kit to function well up there for a long time. Any specific recommendations clothing-wise and advice on where you find a good deal?

many thanks,

Kyle
 
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kyleds8

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currently I'm wearing FL 350g furnace base, thin kuhl pants, black ovis t + hoodie + beanie. So not wearing much and wanting to buy warmer pants and a jacket. SG Grummond looks great but v expensive, is puffy the way to go? I'm seeing good deals on the Sitka Kelvin hoody, but not much info on it, opinions?
 

Scorpion

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Which Kuhl pants? Ditch them if they are the cotton blends. Definitely go with a thicker soft shell type pant. Sitka, Kryptek, and Kuiu make great ones. You need some kind of puffy, Sitka Kelvin is a great choice.

What kind of ambient temps are you seeing?
 
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kyleds8

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Which Kuhl pants? Ditch them if they are the cotton blends. Definitely go with a thicker soft shell type pant. Sitka, Kryptek, and Kuiu make great ones. You need some kind of puffy, Sitka Kelvin is a great choice.

What kind of ambient temps are you seeing?
I was wearing the Radicals, and I have the Silencer, in hindsight should have worn the latter, although thinner than the Radical, at least not cotton.

last week @9000ft it was high 20's ambient, but high winds so high teens wind chill. looks like it's going to get cold this week, low teens ambient, single digits wind chill. I run cold, and will be hunting through November for elk here, so I'm looking for one jacket and pants that can get me through that, willing to drop some $ on high quality gear but hoping to get some bang for my buck, where do you usually look?

all the best
 

sneaky

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Yeah, it's crazy that you're hunting at that elevation and you don't have a puffy jacket with you. A puffy is in my pack year round, it's an essential piece of gear. A puffy with a wind or rain shell is money. Lots of gear showing up in the classifieds now that guys are finished with their week in the elk and deer woods for the year.

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kyleds8

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Yeah, it's crazy that you're hunting at that elevation and you don't have a puffy jacket with you. A puffy is in my pack year round, it's an essential piece of gear. A puffy with a wind or rain shell is money. Lots of gear showing up in the classifieds now that guys are finished with their week in the elk and deer woods for the year.

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thank you! yes i was very cold...
 
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I just did a trip up high in the snow and it was the first time wearing puffy's. They are well worth the money. My SG Jacket performed flawlessly, the Sitka Puffy Pants tore in the rear and knees while glassing on some rocks. Looked like a teddy bear tore up by a dog. Gonna get the SG puffy pants and keep layer over top of them when possible.
 

sneaky

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I just did a trip up high in the snow and it was the first time wearing puffy's. They are well worth the money. My SG Jacket performed flawlessly, the Sitka Puffy Pants tore in the rear and knees while glassing on some rocks. Looked like a teddy bear tore up by a dog. Gonna get the SG puffy pants and keep layer over top of them when possible.
You will be better off sticking with synthetic puffy pants. At least your insulation doesn't fly all over the mountain if you tear them. All of the lightweight puffy pants are fragile.

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robAK

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I used First Lite puffy and rain jacket for a sheep hunt when I lived in AK, both great. Whatever pantsyou get buy rain pants, cheap or not, for the high wind open slope glassing sessions to cut the wind. Take hand warmers with you too. Inner thigh or arm pit to get you warm.
 

mxgsfmdpx

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Try using a good quality grid fleece mid layer and then a puffy jacket since you run cold and will be in single digits. When I need a puffy, I want to get warm now and stay warm, “hunting brand” puffys honestly aren’t really that great.

For those temps I will pack the following clothing...

.Firstlite Fuse 250 weight base layer pants and hoody shirt.
.Firstlite Klamath Hoody Mid layer
.Western Mountaineering Snojack GWS Puffy
.Outdoor Research Puffy Pants
.Merino Beanie
.Insulated Boots
.Merino Fingerless Gloves
.Warm Mitten style ski glove
.Midweight Merino Long socks
 

gsully

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To the OP, what is you’re current tent/sleep setup? Just curious as it seems to work for you, although rightfully moving into a hot tent setup.
 
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kyleds8

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To the OP, what is you’re current tent/sleep setup? Just curious as it seems to work for you, although rightfully moving into a hot tent setup.
I am lugging around an old alpine design 3 person, weighs 11lb without stakes... can't wait for the SO, shipped yesterday.
 
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kyleds8

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How much do you eat? I’ve found I get and stay cold if I’m not eating enough in colder weather.
definitely true. lol I was eating a lot. I hear guys talking about 1 meal a day plus snacks... This last trip I was on three MH a day + snacks and still dropped weight.
 
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Do you use a layering system? That can really help, I would also suggest thinking about keeping a temperature rather than going for a temperature. What I mean is, start warm, stay warm. Don’t wait until your cold to try and warm up. It doesn’t work that way. This is where a layering system shines. Physical fitness plays a part in helping, as does nutrition, but sweat management is the key. You can’t be lazy. You have be proactive. Before you head up the mountain, shed layers and put them on when you stop. Take them off before you move. Its alot easier said than done.
 

sd375

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Try using a good quality grid fleece mid layer and then a puffy jacket since you run cold and will be in single digits. When I need a puffy, I want to get warm now and stay warm, “hunting brand” puffys honestly aren’t really that great.

For those temps I will pack the following clothing...

.Firstlite Fuse 250 weight base layer pants and hoody shirt.
.Firstlite Klamath Hoody Mid layer
.Western Mountaineering Snojack GWS Puffy
.Outdoor Research Puffy Pants
.Merino Beanie
.Insulated Boots
.Merino Fingerless Gloves
.Warm Mitten style ski glove
.Midweight Merino Long socks
Which OR puffy pants are you using?
 

seww

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No one ever makes a fire?
A fire can't be beat, and the deer shouldn't be too scared of it since it's a natural smell. It will also hide your smell.
Of course there are always fire warnings out so then it's out. But nothing beats a big ole bonfire at camp or while glassing.

And remember, white man - big fire, sit far away. Red man - small fire, sit close.
 
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No one ever makes a fire?
A fire can't be beat, and the deer shouldn't be too scared of it since it's a natural smell. It will also hide your smell.
Of course there are always fire warnings out so then it's out. But nothing beats a big ole bonfire at camp or while glassing.

And remember, white man - big fire, sit far away. Red man - small fire, sit close.

Sure unless it's wet, a burn ban, above tree line, snowed in, minimal fuel, etc,.
 

mxgsfmdpx

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Which OR puffy pants are you using?
They are just a pair of grey puffy pants from them... With the double stitched knees and seat. Not sure the model name, but they are awesome as far as puffy pants go. Maybe they are called the tradecraft? I can't remember...

I can fit those pants and the WM puffy jacket in a large 3 string Kifaru stuff sack so they pack down very nicely.
 

mxgsfmdpx

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How much do you eat? I’ve found I get and stay cold if I’m not eating enough in colder weather.
This is very important... I was amazed how many calories my body was using just trying to keep my core temperature warm enough sitting still in -15 F. I found that I was needing to eat every 2 hours or so when normally I eat every 4-5 hours.
 
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