Check those GHBs

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So when I left for Buffalo, NY two weeks ago, the forecast was calling for 4-8 inches of snow. By the time that I got to Buffalo (I-90 from Central MA...based upon the GPS' directions, that translates into "Turn right in 400 miles"), the forecast was calling for 1-3 ft of snow but I said "its Buffalo and they now how to handle it"). Well, that 1-3 ft, turned into a few feet more and pretty much shutdown anything that I needed to get done out that way. Given that I travel frequently for work, I have a GHB in the truck and am fairly good about going through it a few times a year. By the time Tuesday night rolled around and I had been stuck in the hotel and power outages were beginning to be a real threat, I decided to go through the bag again with an eye towards my current situation. While I had my "essentials", I found that I really wasn't prepared for heavy snow and bitter cold. I do keep spare work clothes in my truck but I needed something to keep the wind off as well as the rain gear doesn't fit comfortably over the winter clothes. While I don't expect to see five+ feet of snow again real soon, I spent some of my thanksgiving holiday researching and purchasing some new gear including a new 20 below sleeping bag, an easily drainable water filter, and a better cold rated lightweight stove.

Long story short, I was able to escape mid-week by driving north to Lockport and taking 31 east towards Rochester to avoid the travel ban on 90....a few miles east of Lockport, the storm cleared and I had sunny skies with green grass as far as you could see (at least to the east). Watching the convoys of State plow trucks and the National Guard heading into the storm was pretty amazing. On a positive note, I did bring a snow shovel into the hotel room when I checked in and got a few strange looks while doing so but guess who was "easily" shoveling out their vehicle the next day while the guy next to me was attempting to use his room's ice bucket to do so.
 
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Good lesson. I always keep a GHB in my car and update it at least a couple times a year. Do not currently have a good sleeping bag with it, but am shopping around for one.
 
If you don't own a suplus GoreTex bivvy, buy one right now. Nothing keeps you warmer or you and your sleeping bag drier.

Also highly recommend a balaclava over a regular winter hat and mittens over gloves.

Staying warm and dry are the absolute primary goals of a winter GHB in New England. For water get a Jetboil.
 
If you don't own a suplus GoreTex bivvy, buy one right now. Nothing keeps you warmer or you and your sleeping bag drier.

Also highly recommend a balaclava over a regular winter hat and mittens over gloves.

Staying warm and dry are the absolute primary goals of a winter GHB in New England. For water get a Jetboil.

If you're looking for austerity from a space perspective, consider a handful of mylar space blankets.

I've also found that the silly vacuum 'space bags' work to compress garments/blankets, etc down until you need them.
 
I need to put together a proper ghb, but I do keep a lot of stuff in my jeep. My winter bag went back in a few weeks ago; a dry bag with a milsurp wool blanket, a couple winter coats and rain shells, a few different types of gloves, and a few hats. I keep a small tent and sleeping bag in there year round. This thread reminds me that I need to get a shovel.
 
For the car, I have 2 SOL thermal bivvys (in addition to the other stuff in the GHB) for the wifey and me. They take up no space and will keep you alive when everything else fails to keep you warm.
 
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Hm....I suppose I should put one of these together at some point. Suggestion: reflective strips on your clothing. Nothing worse than throwing on your super warm jacket to stay alive, only to be run over because you were a camouflaged speck on the side of the road at night.

I'm thinking a couple MRE's, change of clothes, rain gear, my old field jacket, sleeping bag. I always have a case of water in the car, and lighters, as well as pain relievers and a med-kit that is stocked to the point of minor surgery(seriously, the thing has suture kits in it; no idea what I'd do with it, but it has repaired clothing readily in the past). Anything I'm missing?
 
Vitamins and Datrex bars are another good high calorie food option. Though admittedly devoid of taste.
I keep a pack of Datrex bars in the car year-round. Tried some a few years back, they taste like a bland shortbread cookie. Also have a few Datrex water pouches in the car - they have the same 5 year guarantee as the bars and the flexibility of the pouches means no burst containers from temperature changes.

Is Jetboil fuel stable in the car year-round or would I be asking for trouble to just chuck one in my GHB and leave it there?
 
ever since my dad got trapped on 128 in the blizzard of '78 in nothing but a suit and dress shoes, all my cars are equipped.

Old winter jacket, hat, gloves and boots, disposable rain poncho
scraper and shovel
couple of space blankets
always a couple of bottles of water in each car
compact camp stove, stainless cup, two person mountain house food pack with spoon, knife, fork
flashlights, lighter, duct tape, knife, screw drivers, pliers
fix a flat, cell phone charger, jumper cables, road flares

and gas up the car when the weather is bad. 1/4 tank means fill me!
 
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