How cold was it ... ?

[PJ Hardtack]

Woke up to -35C this morning. That's a couple of degrees colder than it was yesterday when I broke trail on snowshoes in 30" of powder snow. Been dead calm lately, so no windchill factor to figure in. When there is even a 5 mph breeze, it gets bitter pretty quick.
Walking on packed snow makes a funny "Squeak - crunch" sound. I have friends who have never heard such a sound nor the long drawn out "Gronk" of the lake monster as the lake freezes over.

Our third day without water as the pump on the well packed it in. Parts on order. Been getting water from the Gen Store/Campground. This indoor camping stuff is starting to get old - especially on your birthday!

Celebrated by x-country skiing on the trail I made yesterday on snowshoes. Our Husky/Shepherd cross thought she had died and gone to heaven. The Rottie pup wasn't quite so sure he thought this snow stuff was a good idea, but he's still game.

Life is good .....

[Darto]

I had to look it up, -35C is -31 F.   

Colder than I ever was in, been camping at -20F which consisted of huddling around car heater until it rose to -5C so we could go outdoors.

[PJ Hardtack]

This is unusual for this time of year. Winters have been getting gradually warmer over the past two decades. Historically, it was this cold and colder for three weeks at a stretch, but not until January/February.

That was good because it killed the pine beetle infestation. The warmer winters let the little buggers survive and they took a heavy toll on our forests.

It's 'hunker in the bunker' weather, but this is farming and ranching country and the work goes on, made more difficult by the cold.

I served two years at the Canadian Army Arctic Warfare School at Churchill, Manitoba. Part of the graduation exercise was an overnight bivouac in a snow cave after a day on the trail pulling toboggans. The rule of thumb being that it takes 60% of your energy and resources just to stay alive. Fighting under those conditions is almost out of the question.

Ask Napoleon and Hitler .....

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