[pct-l] sleeping bags on the PCT

[Gary Wright]

On Nov 7, 2007, at 1:20 PM, David Stewart wrote:
> I am a "warm" sleeper (I am always very warm, even sweating when  
> the temperature does not warrant any kind of perspiration).
>
> What kind of sleeping bag should I have 1) from Campo to Kennedy  
> Meadows and then 2) after Kenn. Meadows?
>
> How cold does it get in the desert at night?

Cold enough to have frozen water bottles in the morning.

Coldest I had before KM was probably 25 near Big Bear.
Coldest I had after KM was probably 17-18 near Chicken Spring Lake
(just before Mt. Whitney).

Next cold spots were in Oregon in August (around freezing) and
then in Washington in mid-late September (snow above 5'000 feet).

If you aren't used to katabatic air flows you'll learn on the PCT.
Air temps can be 5-15 degrees colder in low-lying areas such as
gullies, valleys, or depressions.  Moving just 50-100 yards can
make all the difference.  Sleeping under trees vs. the open air
will also make a big difference.

I think it is easier logistically to have one bag for the entire
trip and then learn to manage sleeping layers in the same way
you manage layers while hiking.  My sleeping layers are:

    20-degree bag
    long underwear
    Marmot DriClime Wind Shirt
    silk bag liner
    sleeping shorts
    balaclava
    rain gear (only if I'm desperate)

If it is too warm to be in a zipped up bag, I unzip it completely
and use it as a quilt.   If the quilt is still too warm, I use
just the liner.  Generally I'm only wearing the long-underwear
on the colder nights.  Normally I just wear a pair of lightweight
sleeping shorts or nothing at all depending on the liner to keep
my bag clean.  I never wear my hiking clothes in my bag/liner.

Gary Wright
'Radar'