Wyoming, winter and the cold.

[biathlon]

Right now, Monday morning before sunup, it's -12 outside.
I love it! This last evening I spent a few hours outside with a huge fire and looked up at an evening sky few ever see. No moon. No urban light pollution. Zero humidity and at an elevation above 9,000 feet.
All the bugs are frozen and buried under several feet of snow. Yogi is fast asleep.
Winter is good. I get to ski all the time. We have enough snow now that I can put my snowshoes away and not worry about rocking out my big fat Rossignols.
Mindset and attitude are paramount in any real life situation. Many here will cringe at the thought of dealing with real cold.
I love it! I get to eat like a horse and burn it all off. Crosscountry skiing is a real calorie burner. I can go through 4,000 to 5,000 calories a day skiing and still lose weight.
There simply is no description of the sky I gazed at last night.
Yeah. It's cold here in Wyoming! That's WHY I live here.

[goose3]

Very nice.

The only concern I would have in such a situation is how cold it is in the outhouse. Those 4000-5000 calories per day have to be addressed eventually.

[catmando]

glad your there, im on a beach drinking a maitai(SP?).....

stay thirsty my friends

[Lono]

Take care out there. I'm sure you are very experienced in snowy, low temperature, back country travel. When making decisions, just remember to factor in that things can turn bad very fast under adverse conditions in remote areas.

On a side note:: Hey catmando, I'm curious . . . how did you screw up and leave 5 thanks?

[Nutty Old Geezer]

Ummmm, your brain. It frozen.

[Crusoe]

Looks like fun.

I am in the process of building a ski pulk for my son so we can go skiing and pull him along.

[serpentsdove]

How are the summers?

[schweizer]

There is a surreal feeling about being out where nobody is and you have a dark clear night. I rememeber sitting up on the steppes of Wyoming on a clear winter night and picking up distant AM radio traffic.

[N-cognito]

I want to move to either Montana or Wyoming, love the cold

[LongInTheTooth]

Originally Posted by goose3

Very nice.

The only concern I would have in such a situation is how cold it is in the outhouse. Those 4000-5000 calories per day have to be addressed eventually.

...andmake sure that the seat isn't metal...youy don't want to get stuck.

[Montanajohn]

Originally Posted by biathlon

Right now, Monday morning before sunup, it's -12 outside.
I love it! This last evening I spent a few hours outside with a huge fire and looked up at an evening sky few ever see. No moon. No urban light pollution. Zero humidity and at an elevation above 9,000 feet.
All the bugs are frozen and buried under several feet of snow. Yogi is fast asleep.
Winter is good. I get to ski all the time. We have enough snow now that I can put my snowshoes away and not worry about rocking out my big fat Rossignols.
Mindset and attitude are paramount in any real life situation. Many here will cringe at the thought of dealing with real cold.
I love it! I get to eat like a horse and burn it all off. Crosscountry skiing is a real calorie burner. I can go through 4,000 to 5,000 calories a day skiing and still lose weight.
There simply is no description of the sky I gazed at last night.
Yeah. It's cold here in Wyoming! That's WHY I live here.

I know the feeling... The temp was -14 this morning and I love it with a passion.
I spend so much time in the outdoors I've become accustom to the frigid temps.
Hikes in the mountains winter camping you name it.. Be safe and live the life ..

[Dragunov]

When I was a kid, I'd stand outside in -15 or so weather, looking up at a starry sky, thinking the atmosphere had been sucked off the planet! No thank you!

I DO NOT like cold weather.

[DuneElliot]

Originally Posted by serpentsdove

How are the summers?

Nice, but way too short. I love it here, but I am not a fan of the winters

[Standox]

Its 4 degrees now love it, lots of people go out to the back country this time of year

[Aeam]

I live in Wyoming to. It is -20 outside at night and -5 in the day. Too cold to even go outside unless you have to. My backpacking plans are suspended until spring.

[iyaayas]

I've made the very same point myself. Those bitter cold northern states are likely going to empty right out if shtf.

With food and fuel shortages, the last place most people wan to be, or go, is places where the snow is measured in feet and the temp is in the -'s.

Granted life will be more difficult for those that remain in such climates, but it does have its advantages. After shtf the fewer people you have to worry about the better IMO.

[Aeam]

And after a while everyone in cities will have left. Than we salvage what we can from the cities and keep living in the wilderness. I'm lucky I live 27 miles from a isolated mountain range. Brrr though.

[DuneElliot]

Ditto above posts. Toleration of the winters here is a great advantage that most people won't have. It's a few miles to the mountains for wood for the stove but we have horses and are building a wagon - for hay rides for the kids now, and other stuff later if necessary.

[biathlon]

I knew I couldn't be the only one here who actually LIKED winter! The concept for me is to embrace the conditions and enjoy it.
I sure appreciate all the positive responses folks. I'll try to get some more photos up soon as I've been out quite quite lately.
Pray for more snow and remember. The cold only means you hafta use a hard wax and go fast!

Welcome to Wyoming.

[seawind]

Living in such climes IMHO increases the odds that you won't survive over time. Winter comes early or late there go the crop/garden. EMP the neighborhood will be denuded of trees any thing that can be burned within a week or two. Then what. Unless you have a horse/ or running transport you are going to have a problem getting wood. Then what? What happens if things last longer than you think and all those nice warm clothes start to fall apart? In a total SHTF situation you'll have a harder row to hoe than others in warmer climes.

I have the utmost respect for those with the skill/ desire, and will to make it work. For those not prepared or unskilled they will find it harder going than those in the South.