Pure Trad Multi-Pitch Rock Climbing - How Cold is Too Cold?

Though for the more decadent among us--myself very much included these days--there's this...

Did epi in red rocks in the high 30’s to low 40’s. Overdressing the core was huge.  Long underwear, thin socks under the shoes, wore an r1 with an r1 tech face over it.  Wore my ice climbing puffy at the belays. Also the bd heated chalk bag was kind of awesome!  Just had to be extra careful in the chimneys to keep from shredding it. Normally my cutoff is 50 in the shade but was able to push that quite a bit and stay comfortable. 

F r i t zwrote:

I had been working year-round at an outdoor education camp above Lake City. By the start of the winter season, I had been sleeping outside for nine months and really wanted to get one year in a row.

There was a truck topper on the ground in the camp junkyard, so I put a lot of closed-cell foam pads and several zero-degree bags in it. It was pretty cozy! I was doing a lot of biking, ice climbing and backcountry skiing, so adaptation was high.

Awesome!

Isa and I did a two pitch  10c face climb FA in the shade and low 20s. You can see ice behind us. 

used to climb rock often when it was way too fckn cold.  

This is just way more fun. You can wear better cloths and gloves. 

I climbed this week in Eldo. It was 30 with 10 degree windchill. It got cold after the sun went down, but still possible. I just layered as much as possible, 2 pants, 5 jackets. Ski gloves for the belay and wiggle your toes when possible. 

Ben B wrote:

I wouldn't be too concerned about cold climbing temps now that we have unmitigated climate change 

This thanksgiving at the gunks is 15-20 degrees colder than the one of 2 years ago. Where’s the global warming when you want it?

Redacted Redactbergwrote:

This thanksgiving at the gunks is 15-20 degrees colder than the one of 2 years ago. Where’s the global warming when you want it?

Please learn the difference between weather and climate. 

Marc801 Cwrote:

Please learn the difference between weather and climate. 

To me, it feels like David was joking around.  Anyway, the extended forecast for the Gunks looks grim in terms of temps.  Looks like the winter training schedule kicks in for the next four months.

I heeded everyone's advice about overdressing the core and noticed a big difference the other day while cragging.

High of 40, no sun, 78% humidity, 20mph gusts. Routes were 60-80 feet and 15* overhanging. Whimpering barfies on the first, slightly cold on the second, no complaints on the rest.

I added long underwear to my kit, which I normally never wear for rock, and made it a point to double up down jackets when resting. I also brought my insulated fatbiking mitts and did tendon glides inside them right before climbing. Oh, and I clipped them to my harness and tossed them on at a crucial no-hands.

gunkie Xwrote:

To me, it feels like David was joking around.  Anyway, the extended forecast for the Gunks looks grim in terms of temps.  Looks like the winter training schedule kicks in for the next four months.

I think the actual cause of climate change is MP rage. The amount of brains that overheat around these parts… well… let’s just say cow farts got nothing on us.

Marc801 Cwrote:

Please learn the difference between weather and climate. 

Marc is just flexing nuts.  It’s all good