Re: Clothing System for Mt McKinley

Clear skies, high winds, & blazing sun, topped off with -35 in the morning asks a lot out of your clothing.

What didn't work:
-the leather belt that dug into my back. I'm switching to a skinny nylon belt.
-the R1 fleece which wasn't very useful since it's not windproof like the synthetic insulated garments (Nano Puff hoody)
-the fleece liner & shell gloves, which didn't keep my hands warm enough when hiking in cold windy conditions. I went for versatility, but warmer modular glove system would have been better. 
-the Ibex windproof wool boxers, which kept my thighs and butt too warm for hiking. I experienced a lot of cold times on my bike, so I thought they'd be a good addition, but my legs stayed plenty warm when walking.

What worked exceptionally well:
1. VBLs for footwear are awesome. I wore wool liner socks, Ziploc bags, and thick wool socks in Keen Summit County boots and my feet were actually hot most of the time. In camp, even at -35, my feet were very comfortable. Never once got even cool. I'd recommend wearing a mid-weight wool sock over the VBL, as to not overheat your feet while hiking, as I did.
2. Synthetic insulation is amazing. We hiked in synthetic insulated hooded jackets over base layers to stop the wind and stay warm enough. Paired with synthetic base layers, moisture was rapidly pulled away from the skin and through the insulation. If we did get a little sweaty during high activity, we dried out very quickly and the insulation was not compromised as it would have been with down. Even if it is a little too warm for times of high activity, any moisture built up will dissipate rapidly and you'll be warm when activity decreases. While my R1 hoody was nice, I don't like it nearly as much for cold & windy conditions, as I have to put a shell over it, as well, to stop the wind. I'm completely sold on synthetics.
3. I have to contradict myself, however. My Marmot Greenland Baffled Jacket (800 fill down) is awesomely warm for under 2 lbs. It has a great hood, low collar so it doesn't sit right in front of your mouth and get frosted up, and a great zipper that allows access to big internal pockets to keep things warm in frigid temps, like fuel bottle pumps and candy bars.
4. Visor was great for the strong sun. Also helps keep big hoods out of your eyes.
5. It's not really clothing, but I'll have to bring a better facemask now - although my beard kept my face warm, there will be no more beards for winter trips - I'm sick of snotsicles and ice balls.

Frost-nip developing on the left side of my nose as we return to the car