Winter Tent Challenge '13

Okay, kids, who's up for a winter tent test with "Son of The Blizzard of '78" possibly on the horizon? Only two rules:

1. You have to put the tent up before the snow starts and leave it in place until the snow stops.
2. You can only shovel off as much as you would honestly get up to do in the middle of the night if you were out camping in it.

Then submit your before and after pictures here. I don't care if you post from some (legal) spot above treeline or just your backyard in Providence – there's a good chance you're gonna get a chance to see what your tent is made of this weekend if you're in New England. (No, you don't have to sleep in the tent for this challenge, you wuss.)

I have two entries from the last millennium I'm going to erect for this one. Pictures will follow tomorrow.

I am in. Will get up early for the "before " . 7 year old Sierra Designs Alpha.

North Face VE-24

I bought this tent in Anchorage in 1984. One of the highlights has been camping on the Iditarod Trail during the race one year. A few years ago the door zipper failed. North Face replaced it, plus a screen zipper that didn't need it. All I paid was the one-way shipping cost.

Bring it on, Boreas:

i am in!maybe with some extra stuff too.....I set up a emergency shelter[bivy] also,to see how it does with the wind and snow.Took my pre storm pics,ready to play the sardog game....Confidence is high with this storm.....Hope this becomes the general weather norm in the future.Surprised not more are taking you up on your challange?

Does it have to be a people tent?




(and that's a detached garage it's up against - no CO2 risk)

REI Mountain 3 ready for some winter weather. Sounds like fun.

I'm set up in an exposed area of the side yard, in the open. Not where I'd normally set up but it's a challenge right ?



And it just started snowing.

My Arete ASL2 will be packed on my back or in use this weekend!;-)

Sierra Designs Wilderness (1971)

Back when "SD" meant something other than a data transfer format, Sierra Designs set the standard for backpacking and mountaineering tents. (Some of you have been smart enough to buy their newer models, I see.) This is the "Wilderness" version I bought in 1971, outfitted for winter with the optional tunnel entrance. It also had a muslin frost liner that hung inside as an inner tent to catch condensation. You removed the frost liner in the morning, shook it out and put it back. (With two people and a Newfoundland dog inside, it was tough to keep some frost crystals from cascading down nonetheless ...) The liner is gone, but I have high hopes for tonight. Now, which one to put my fate in ...

Dave Bear said:

My Arete ASL2 will be packed on my back or in use this weekend!;-)

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Good on ya!

I have the Sierra designs ''Tiros 1'', its old, but still in great shape. My tent has seen horrible winds and snowloads and never let me down, great company.

Chip said:

I'm set up in an exposed area of the side yard, in the open. Not where I'd normally set up but it's a challenge right ?

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4pm Update (this front vestibule without its own support hoop is why this is not an above treeline tent...)

marnof said:

REI Mountain 3 ready for some winter weather. Sounds like fun.

<img src="http://www.vftt.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=4357"/>

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It's been 33.3 degrees since the snow started around 8am. Wet, sticky snow. These are just the prelims, though--the fun starts tonight. We might see 2inches/hour and high wind. Anyone sleeping out tonight?

marnof said:

It's been 33.3 degrees since the snow started around 8am. Wet, sticky snow. These are just the prelims, though--the fun starts tonight. We might see 2inches/hour and high wind. Anyone sleeping out tonight?

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Ayuh – casting my lot with the dome since it will be quieter.

We've had steady, light, very dry snow since 0600. Wind is slowly picking up. Heavy snowfall arrives later tonight, per NWS.

sardog1 said:

Ayuh – casting my lot with the dome since it will be quieter.

We've had steady, light, very dry snow since 0600. Wind is slowly picking up. Heavy snowfall arrives later tonight, per NWS.

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It looks like almost a foot of wet snow here, and there's pea sized ice mixed in now with gusts around 30. Ramping up!

Time to make the donuts. Approaching 3 feet of white stuff. Very comfortable night in the tent as I was able to keep the moisture down with the vents on top and back door.

Always bet on Bucky

As the Grail Knight told Indy:" You have chosen ... wisely." As did everyone else who ever bought a geodesic dome tent.

The results when I emerged from the VE-24 this morning:

Chip said:

4pm Update (this front vestibule without its own support hoop is why this is not an above treeline tent...)

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Survived !



The wind and exposure actually helped to carve out the snow around the tent.

Chip said:

Survived !

The wind and exposure actually helped to carve out the snow around the tent.

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Did you have a Labrador Retriever sleeping on your head?

Very interesting challenge. I learned some great stuff and I didn't even have to go outside. Thanks for sharing your experiences. This thread is a fun read!!! Kudos to you all.