Fall hiking: Be prepared for any weather

Frosty morning, photo by Nicolas Sirois

I recently did an overnight hiking trip to Locomotive Mountain, just North of Pemberton and accessed via the Hurley Forest Service Road. Daytime felt like summer, reaching a high of about 24 degrees, but it got pretty cold pretty fast when the sun dropped behind the mountains. The dampness had me chilled to the bone and, once we retired to bed — pretty much right after dinner — it took a while for me to stop cursing about being cold, warm up, and fall asleep. The mercury obviously dipped way below the forecasted 10-degree night-time low as we woke to a layer of frost on everything and ice on the smaller ponds.

I tend to get cold easily, so despite the glorious weather predictions, I had packed what I consider year-round backpacking essentials:

• A warmer-than-necessary sleeping bag (I brought my -10 Merlin and am very thankful I did).
• A down jacket: I’d rather have it and not wear it (you can always use it as a pillow).
• A waterproof-breathable jacket: Keeps you dry and cuts the wind, and also acts a barrier against humidity if you put it under your sleeping pad at night.
• Merino hoodie and long johns: Great to sleep in or use as a change of clothes if you get wet. Remember, wool retains its insulating powers when wet; synthetic fibres don’t. (See comment thread below to understand why this has been striked out.)
• Tuque and light gloves: Don’t let those extremities get cold.
• A change of socks: Your feet will love you.

I did also bring along my bikini and a travel towel, just in case I got brave enough to go for a dip in the glacier-fed lake. I didn’t end up swimming, but I did use every piece of warm clothing I had brought along.

Climbing up Locomotive, looking out towards the Chilcotins
Photo by Nicolas Sirois

Gear is only half of the equation. Doing the right thing is the other equally important half. What saved me from freezing all night were the tips I got long ago from my friend Hugo. This experienced outdoorsman and search and rescue volunteer had namely suggested:

• No hot toddy before bed: Hot liquids will mess up your internal thermostat. Your body will think you are hot enough as it is and will stop producing heat because it doesn’t want you to overheat. Reverse psychology won’t work, so don’t chug liters of ice cold water either.
• One last dance before bed: Do a few jumping jacks or practise your dance moves to get the blood flowing and help your body produce heat. You can also down a handful of nuts to kick of digestion, which also generates heat.
• Don’t wear socks to bed: They don’t allow room for a warm air pocket around your feet. You are better off loosely wrapping them in your fleecy mid-layer.
• Fill the void around your mid-section: That’s where women tend to lose a lot of heat, so lay your down jacket over your torso and bum inside your sleeping bag to minimize cold drafts.
• Cover your head: Humans lose up to 45% of their body heat through their head. Enough said!
• Don’t fight your bladder: You are wasting precious energy holding in your pee, energy that should go to keeping you warm. Suck it up, step out into the cold night for a few minutes and then be comfortable the rest of the night. Remember to check out the stars while you’re out there

View of the Pemberton valley. Photo by Nicolas Sirois

Fall is the perfect time of year for hiking and backpacking. The light is incredible, the foliage is beautiful, there are no bugs, and the summer crowds have moved on.  Now that you know how to stay warm at night, why not plan an overnight hiking trip for the Thanksgiving long weekend?