What To Wear - Winter
Generally speaking you can wear the same type of clothing you would
wear skiing plus one layer. However, unless you are helping
drive the sled you may not expend as much energy as you would
skiing. Most days at the 4 Eagle Ranch are sunny and warm, but
we never cancel tours because of the weather, so it's good to know
how to dress on those wintery days.
Developing a Winter Clothing System
- Your clothing must work as a system that wicks away perspiration,
insulates you from the cold and protects you from the wind.
The preferred system is made up of several layers. This allows
you to easily adjust your clothing to changes in the weather and
changes in your heat output.
The First Layer - Clothing next to
your skin must wick perspiration away from your skin to keep you dry
and warm. Capilene is excellent. Polypropylene is good.
Wool or cotton are inappropriate as they are poor wicking layers.
The Second Layer (or layers -
This layer provides insulation and retains your body heat without
restricting movement. Pile, polar fleece, and synchilla are
great. Wool is heavier and will hold moisture longer but
maintains most of its insulating ability even when wet.
The Third Layer
- This must offer protection from the wind. The more
wind proof often is the less breathable. Gortex is a good
choice as it is very windproof.
The Fourth Layer - This offers
extra insulation. A down filled parka or thinsulate over-pants
are good examples.
Hat and Neck Gator - Most of your
body's heat is lost right off the top of your head, so a warm hat is
essential and a neck gator can mean the difference in being
comfortable or almost comfortable.
Gloves and Boots - On
those colder days keeping the extremities warm can be difficult.
Warm gloves make your dogsledding tour much more enjoyable.
The worst thing for those toes is tight fitting boots. Don't
go overboard with multiple pair of socks. Let those toes
breathe.
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