Cree and I were driving across interior Alaska the other day in total awe of the winter landscape. Beautiful pink light, spruce trees buried in snow, and stunning mountain peaks were the norm. Roads were mostly ice with a little snow on top, but we have studded snow tires that kept us on the road. We stopped in Tok, Alaska since the aurora forecast was looking good. I got up at 4am the next morning and stepped outside to check the aurora display. Ouch! Ever felt stinging cold on your face, like walking out the door into a wall of ice? I checked the temp…-30F, it was going to be a chilly aurora photo session.
Honestly I love these frigid winter Alaskan nights. There is something special about standing in a snowy forest, complete silence, aurora dancing overhead…and well below zero. I will be detailing in future blogs some of the winter gear I use in extreme cold, but I thought I would start with boots. For me the first thing that gets cold is my feet. I’m pretty sure after years of stuffing my feet in tight climbing shoes, winter mountaineering boots and suffering through high altitude bivouacs my feet have some permanent damage. Through the years I have tried the warmest boots I could find from brands like Sorel and Baffin. These boots did well, but my feet still got a little chilly. Years ago I had a chance to try out a military cold weather boot affectionately called the ‘bunny boot’. These big white boots had a vapor barrier and even a valve to release pressure (when used on high altitude military flights). They were a little wobbly, but they did keep my feet warm. But then the Alaska Gear Company announced they were making a modern version of the bunny boot, and I ordered my pair as soon as I could. I have found my new favorite winter boot for extreme cold, and they are incredibly warm. More on these boots in just a second.
Above are the various boots I use in the winter. In Haines last week the temps were in the twenties, so temps weren’t that bad. More importantly, I was hiking with a 600mm F4 up and down steep slopes, which required a good sole and form fitting boot. For that I used the small pair above, Oboz Bridger boots. These waterproof boots have a great fit, and are the best of the lot for actual hiking. I also have used Sorel boots for years. The Caribous are great for sloshing around in the snow, and for my feet they keep me warm in the teens. Get a slightly larger size than normal so you can wear thick socks. For below zero conditions I use Sorel Glaciers, the black boots in the picture above. These boots are great for zero and below temps. They have a calf high wool felt liner and lots of insulation under the foot. These were my go-to boots for extreme cold, but Sorel stopped making this boot a few years back. Enter bunny boots, the white boots in the photo above.
Let me just start by saying this…I stood in snow at -30F for hours the other night, and my feet were warm, which for my feet is rare. These boots are vapor barrier, meaning they are not meant to allow your feet to breath. But vapor barrier boots, socks, gloves and known to keep you warm since they don’t allow evaporative heat loss. Alaska Gear Company also sells a sock for the boot that wicks moisture away from your skin. I normally wear size 12 boots, but ordered my bunny boots size 13 for extra room for thick socks. The top ankle and calf section of these boots is not insulated, which means they fit nicely under down bibs. I was wearing a very thick pair of Alpaca wool socks. The boots are waterproof, and fit nicely. For those who want to do a lot of hiking you might want a slightly tighter fit, but don’t constrict the circulation in your toes. I like my winter boots with a loose fit if I am mainly standing around in the cold, or doing short walks, not major hikes. As with all the heavy winter pac boots, bunny boots are not light. But when I saw the amount of insulation between my foot and the snow I just smiled. It’s no wonder why the cold can’t creep in from ground.
These boots are meant for extreme cold, so they might not be what you need. But here in Alaska they are perfect. And if you are planning a Fairbanks northern lights trip, they will keep your feet warm during those subzero winter nights.