I risk sending myself up here a little, but since I started travelling to the Arctic I have grown a beard. It might look the part to my friends and they might also reason that it has the practical advantage of warmth. They are probably right about the romance of the look but I’m definitely not sure about the practical advantages.
This is me after a day of snowshoeing at -30 and as you can see the moisture from my breath has turned to ice on my beard, the longer the day the more the ice grows (not to mention unseemly snotsicles) and you have to seriously be careful that your mouth doesn’t freeze over, no joking! Every now and then it’s a good idea to snap the worst of it off or even gnaw your way out with your teeth. I can’t help thinking it might be less trouble to be clean shaven.
no comments