UKC

A festive thread about Socks!

Off to Peru next year and potentially heading up to around 6000m, my current footwear is Sportiva Makalu and a single pair of the warmest Smartwool.

Dont feel cold in Scottish Hills and have been fine when moving at 3500m+ in Alps.

Anyone been out there and comment on how cold it actually feels etc and if I need to upgrade socks and or boots?

Thanks

In reply to Lancs Lad:

I suspect you might need a wee bit more than that.
I was supposed to be going up something called Nevado Huarancante down near Arequipa between Christmas and New Year.
It was cancelled due to combination of:

a) Weather will probably be rubbish;
b) Can't take my stuff as I have to take out tonnes of shortbread/whisky etc to my wife's family.

Anyway, I was speaking a few weeks ago to her cousin's boyfriend who is Peruvian and who has done a fair amount of stuff in the Cordillera Blanca. He reckoned that for 5300m in the south of Peru I would be able to get away with my Mantas and a liner sock/thick sock. That's mainly rock/scree though with not a lot of snow. I was up to 5100m in the Cordillera Blanca with a pair of Hi-Tec V-Lite boots and a trekking sock - again, no snow though.

He uses Vasque Super Alpinistas in the Cordillera Blanca. He's from Lima though and basically they moan it's cold as soon as it drops below 20C ;0

In reply to Lancs Lad: Ive worn Scarpa cumbres with stop tout gaiters, pair of liner socks and "normal" socks to 6300m in Andes - fine generally, only got cold when sitting waiting for sun to come up on technical section.

In reply to Lancs Lad:

What time of year are you going?

In reply to Lancs Lad:
I wore Mantas (1990's leather stylee..) on Nevado Pisco (5700m) with no ill effect in July 2001. TBO it never really got that cold; on a 1 am start I was wearing fleece troos, base layer, polartec 100 and a windstopper.

Only my experience , and it's limited to what I've just said (Bolivia was a damn sight colder....)

In reply to Lancs Lad:

Sportiva Nepal Extremes or similar will be ok. non-insulated leather is not suitable for anything other than snowplods. It can get cold up there and if you are attempting anything over say PD you will be spending time kicking steps in snow and will need a rigid boot anyhoo.

In reply to Rowie B:

Probably Early May, depends on what holidays we get offered by new company.

Thanks all so far