You thought I was kidding about the "buddy stomach warming" . No way. If any of you outside of serious winter like Alberta or Alaska or Maine or Minnesota or Quebec want to know cold, you got to adapt, learn the tools for keeping safe; not necessarily comfortable. But for most of us Up North, we'd rather deal with cold than bugs, moldy armpits, those swamp vipers you have.
When you're out there without any place to get artificially warm-- truck, house, chemical warmers, big bonfire--it's you that have to keep the extremities safe. And yes, when with your squad, buddy, platoon, any group, in serious winter you keep an eye on each other. Foregt the macho homo stuff. For most of us cutting solo, as the norm, use the skills to keep safe. Most of you may never get outside in winter for more than a few hours, or far from a heated building or vehicle.
Know:
1. Food, hot drinks.
2. Wilderness skills to know the signs of frostbite, hypothermia AND how to treat--especially yourself.
3. Gear.
4. Use buddies for help---no macho in below zero.
and,
5. When you get cold, or can't feel your hands or feet, know HOW to get warm without running to the truck or house. Recognise fear in your crew. It can be frightening the first time---I know from seeing reactions from banana belt troops in the cold for the first time with no place to go to get warmed up.
Out. JMNSHO