Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting How to prepare for this forecast? CO/3rd Season

3rd season rifle coming up. Going to be hunting in Unit 77. Camping near 7500, hunting near 9000.

Forecast: http://www.intellicast.com/Local/Weather.aspx?location=USCO9791

Will be going in Sunday night, and hunting through Wednesday. This is my first time doing 3rd season, and it looks like some kind of weather is moving in on Tuesday. Showing precipitation chances - 60% - on Tuesday, dropping to 30% on Wednesday. Big drop in temperature as well. I'm guessing snow up high, but how high? And nasty rain/freezing rain in the lower elevations.

Trying to decide if I need to pack an extra layer, rain gear, both, less... all weight conscious choices because I'm backpacking in.

Any help from seasoned CO veterans would be great. How do you see the forecast playing out when the 10-day shows that? What will I most likely encounter?

Yup, you need all of it. You may not actually use it but you best have it.

You should read through this thread in the backpack hunting section. "Surviving a cold wet night". I carry a nylon stuff sack with some bare minimums for survival whenever I'm out. I'll vary what I have in my day pack depending on different situations but the survival sack always goes. It includes the obvious fire making ability with chemical toe and hand warmers, first aid, and a bivy bag.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/1105065/1

I will be carrying a high quality emergency blanket, fire starting, etc during all my day hunting.

I'm really just trying to decide between the following options:

Option 1: (in addition to my layering) Bring soft shell jacket - Sitka 90% and a good poncho for any wet precip. I've worm the 90% in snow and it does a fine job. Lots of rain and it start to soak up some.

Option 2: (in addition to my layering) Bring Cabelas lined raid coat with hood. Would repel more water, but not as dynamic as the 90% jacket that has pit zips, and is quieter and wont sweat me out.

Weight is a push. As weighed on my kitchen scale, the 90% plus poncho is 1LB 14oz. The Cabelas lined rain coat is right on 2LBS 1oz.

Thoughts?

You want to buy a 2nd Sitka 90%? NOT at all impressed with mine....

I'd go lined Cabela's....

No I currently have a Sitka 90% that I've worn on many hunts. Even used it to ski in. Don't know whats not to like. Good a repelling light to moderate precipitation, warm but with the options to vent body heat in pit zips. Well made, sturdy, takes a beating.

Don't want to turn this into a debate on the jacket. Simply trying to decide what outer layer combo would benefit me most based on the forecast I'm seeing for next week in the mountains.

As far as rain gear, in the mountains at this time of year wind may be a bigger issue than wet precipitation, so my thoughts are, go with a good unlined, lightweight hooded jacket and pants.

Ponchos are not as good as a jacket/pants combo in the wind, and a liner in a jacket really limits its versatility. If you're climbing and generating heat, a liner makes it more likely you'll overheat yourself and get soaked from within.

A jacket without a liner can just be worn over a base layer top for climbing or warmer temps, and you can always add an insulating layer underneath if you need it.

What is your high quality emergency blanket?

Something like this:

http://www.rei.com/product/813512/sol-emergency-blanket

Good points Smokepole.

I'm thinking of keeping my 90% as my main outer layer to wear while hiking. It would be a big weight penalty to throw in the 2lb coat to put on while sitting. Maybe just use the emergency blanket over me to cover up and break the wind while sitting?

I dunno, I've always thought that for backpacking in the mountains in November, a good windproof, waterproof outer shell was a prerequisite, and the one thing I wouldn't cut corners on. I'm not a fan of emergency blankets.

Edited to add, say you're sitting there overlooking a good vantage point, holding your emergency blanket around you, in the wind. The elk or deer of a lifetime steps out a hundred yards away, and you let go of the blanket to get ready for the shot.

Just as the blanket sails away.....

Find the nearest local aviation forecast....I've used it before to look at areas where we were hunting at elevation.

Example, a quick search in the area indicates winds aloft at 9000ft of 30mph and a temp of 33 for a 24 hour forecast.

You could probably find one a bit closer.....

Good point. Maybe the rain/wind shell stays in the pack while I hike the layers. First time doing this thing. Want to do it right, not be under prepared for weather, but also not over pack with weight.

Maybe the 90% stays at home in place of the Cabelas shell. Puffy has always been planned to pack along as the warming layer. I guess the soft shell is just too much of a tweener. Doesn't shed enough precip or enough wind if it gets really nasty.

Good layering. I have Kuiu DCS Guide jacket that has worked great so far. I provides the wind and water protection. With a Cabela's Switzer Primaloft layer and some merino wool layers I can adjust to just about anything.

Edit: waterproof gloves are a great thing. Gaiters to keep the tops of your boots and bottoms of your pants dry while hiking in the snow/wet vegetation. Huge plus.

I was down near Canyon City today and looking west into the mountains ,there is one heck of a lot of snow up there already.

Think that at 9000 ft you are going to be hiking into a foot of snow at least with crust on top and then this week add another 6-12".

This. Take the rain shell and 90% rather than one big coat.

I'm a big fan of the light, packable rain shell and a soft shell jacket. I've been using the Cabela's Space Rain Ultra Pack series and they've been great. While it isn't the most durable of material, it is still pretty strong and it's extremely tough to beat for the price. It's also very light weight and easy to pack. The great thing about a shell like this is it can be added as a top layer regardless of the temps to help keep wind and precipitation off of you.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Cabelas-Dry-Plus-Space-Rain8482-Ultra-Pack-Rain-Pullover-Jacket-150-Regular/750708.uts?Ntk=AllProducts&searchPath=%2Fcatalog%2Fsearch.cmd%3Fform_state%3DsearchForm%26N%3D0%26fsch%3Dtrue%26Ntk%3DAllProducts%26Ntt%3Dspace%2Brain%26x%3D0%26y%3D0%26WTz_l%3DHeader%253BSearch-All%2BProducts&Ntt=space+rain&WTz_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products

I like the Space Rain stuff too, but more as a lightweight compact option for day hikes. I wouldn't use it in situations where I might have to plow through brush/blowdowns and stuff like that. If you're certain you can avoid stuff that might tear it, it's about as light & compact as you can get. Mine has several patches on it.

I think you're more likely to get more snow than rain next week at 9000ft.

Wish I'd thought of that

Thinking rain is a remote possibility. Be better prepared with some wool base and a good outer shell.

I usually wear wool long underwear, wool shirt and pants, windproof hunting vest, and carry jacket around my waist for heavy wind/snow or a night out. Everything else goes into pockets.

Picked up a Patagonia Houdini.

This looks like nothing. Stepped out in the wind and...stopped it.

Will see how it fares in the woods.