Far North Rambles #46: Too Cold To Work

Bush work in the winter is a challenge and a joy. Deep snow, slush on lakes, bitterly cold temperatures, and having to dress like 4-year old in a snowsuit are some of the challenges. Some joys include the absence of bugs and you can snowshoe, or use a snow machine, to get to places you would not get to in the summer. But, you are a slave to the weather and temperature. Occasionally, it is too cold to work. 

One winter I worked out of Pickle Lake, in northern Ontario. I was based in the office trailer, in town, when we had a field crew working out of a fly-in tent camp. The field crew used instruments to take measurements of the rocks. Their tent camp was comfortable and warm. They were double-walled, with a oil furnace or airtight stove inside. Nevertheless, it took a lot of effort to dry their clothes and boots each night. The instruments ran on batteries, which had to be kept charged and warm. 

One January week, the temperature turned cold. About -35C. That temperature did not pose a big challenge to the field crew, but it was close to the lower temperature where the instrument batteries started to complain. During an evening radio check, the field crew leader reported they had a “camp-day” because it was too cold for the instruments. It was - 40C at camp. Now, that was colder than at Pickle Lake, but they were working 50 km away and the temperature can differ locally. During the radio check the next day, the field crew reported another “camp-day”, because the temperature dropped to -45C. That was too cold for the batteries. Oddly, Pickle Lake had warmed that day and it was only -25C. On the third day, the field crew reported they had yet another “camp-day” because the temperature was -50C! That was not safe for the crew and too cold for the batteries. Yet, in Pickle Lake, it was a balmy -15C. We had supply flight scheduled for the next day, so I went along for the flight to visit the field crew and deliver a second thermometer. 

It was -20C in Pickle Lake when we took off that morning. When we landed on the camp lake, the field crew greeted us. The crew leader said it was another “camp-day”. It was still too cold to work. Odd, because the thermometer in the plane showed it was only -20C. As I walked back and forth between the camp and plane to help deliver the supplies, it did not feel that cold. Then I saw the camp thermometer outside the kitchen tent. I burst out laughing. The field crew was correct. The thermometer reading was off the scale! It could have been -50C, but there was no way to tell because the red thermometer bulb hung about 2 cm below the base of the thermometer (Photo). “There’s the problem”. 

Somehow during the camp set up and hanging in the cold, the glass thermometer had slipped down. That lead all to believe the temperature was at least -50C, maybe colder, and getting colder each day! When I showed the thermometer to the crew, we all laughed, although there was one uncomfortable laugh from the crew leader. 

The temperature mystery was solved. The old red thermometer was retired. The new thermometer was installed. The field work resumed. Subsequent temperature reports showed the camp and Pickle Lake temperatures were synchronized. I didn’t hear any more reports about the need for a “camp-day” because of cold weather. 

Sometimes it is too cold to work. Sometimes we see something that makes us think it is too cold to work.

Have A Question About This Note?

Dec 11/20 (Facebook Nov 13/20)