30/1/16 - January 30, 2016 at 07:07PM

-48 degrees ..... Oh my! We are in it well and truely. Its so cold .... everything, and I mean everything turns to ice immediately. Having 2 sleeping bags is great but even now they are starting to not work in these temps. So, its all about the layers. Today we had to put the tent up for 3 hours in the middle of the day because of the cold. With a couple of quick trail stops, not warming up on the trail (slow lunges for 9 hours doesnt do it sadly) and not having enough layers on meant that my body (and especially hands) turned to ice. When that happens it feels like someone is sawing my fingers off and the group shelter didnt help this time, so tent it was. After a couple of hours warming up hands and toes, putting on another 2 layers, we set off again in a far better state. But its blinkin cold!!!!! However, the three hours lost on trail have to be made up ... So we skied until 8pm and will make up the extra 1.5 hours tomorrow whilst hoping to gain a few more miles as the temp is only -34 degress, rather than -36 (both exclude wind chill), providing of course that we get through the -38 (plus additional wind chill) tomorrow evening!!! Words cant describe this ... my muscles and body are definately very tired and blinkin hurt especially with every lunge and pull! I can (and have for many a while) feel every part of the rucksack on my body, every pull of the sled and gust of wind... all -48 degrees of it! My softer side would definately cry at this moment but instead tomorrow I will wake up and will be able to say 'tomorrow is the last day'...., and I will probably cry for different reasons.