LAYERING
In my rush to close the series of articles on Ladoog, I omitted to write on one important element: LAYERING.
The concept of layering is pretty simple but effective. What it means is that your trekking clothing is categorized into three categories: Base Layer, Mid Layer and Outer Layer.
Base Layer: generally thermal with good wicking properties
Mid Layer: of much thicker material – mostly Fleece
Outer Layer: heaviest of the three categories/layers – most often Down
When trekking, you wear the clothing in order of the above. At extreme altitudes, generally you start with all the three layers on. As you progress on your trek, your body begins to heat up and you feel hotter than warm. So the first layer that comes off is – the outer layer. Further up, the heat and the sweating gets even hotter – at this point your mid layer comes off … so you are now left with the base layer. As a rule, you should always keep the mid layer on – because it is not good to expose your body to the elements – the base layer is very thin, and most often soaked with sweat. You do not want to expose your wet clothing to the chilly wind.
After the summit or the high pass, you begin to descend or your trail is over a flat, level ground. Your body begins to cool off – at this point the reverse order is implemented. You put on the mid layer. As your body cools off even more, you resort to putting on the final, outer layer.
It is at the camp that you really need to put on warmer clothing since inactivity means you will feel the cold even more severely.
........................... End of Series
Today I completed Death by Ladoog, all 9 articles. What an engaging read. Fascinating to know how deeply you are in love with trekking, the depth of you knowledge on the subject and the interesting anecdotal stories.
ReplyDeleteBut most of all, I thought you trekking equipment and gears are insane.
I remember a guide narrating a story of how even the western trekkers bowed to your caravan of 20 horses when they saw what monster of cameras you were carrying.
I wish we had the luxury to not only take ponies, but also extra ponies like you.
I thought sleeping with the batteries in your sleeping bag was a bad idea ha ha ha
With you series I'm more knowledgeable on Lhadoog but it has also made me anxious. I won't be the same person trekking anymore...these danger signs will always play in my head and I may be gripped by fear. But I must tell that this series is the most comprehensive guide on trekking in Bhutan, though you called it 'Death by Lhadoog' series.
Thank you for the great read.
The last article on your frustration is the icing on the cake, ha ha ha.