Sierra Ledge Rat wrote:One way to avoid cold injury is to stay hydrated.
Another cold weather injury prevention tip. Take one asprin and one garlic pill a day. The asprin thins the blood and the garlic makes the platelets less 'sticky' so circulation to the extremeties will be improved.
A number of folks advocate taking a satelite phone. My wife insisted I take one and I regretted it.
-The phone was the single greatest expense of the trip
-The phone was heavy and bulky
-The batteries ran out extremely quickly in the cold - you will want a solar recharger
-I got to hear all about the problems at home which took my attention off the mountain
Books are a great idea. I suggest books that are light hearted and easy to read. I figured that I would use the time for self improvement and brought scholarly books and classics that were either not entertaining or difficult to read.
I brought both synthetic and thin wool liner socks (Smartwool). I rotated the socks I wore daily, drying the damp ones at night in my bag. After a couple of days the synthetic socks smelled like unholy death while the wool did not smell much at all.
My partner brought a small bottle of Gold Bond foot powder. That was genius.
Down booties are worth the weight.