Guadalupe mountains in late December. A place known for its lack of water and high winds I believe the temperature drooped down in the low 20's at night we were out for four nights. 1st mistake: I brought a pair of thick marmot precipitation gloves they kept me warm but at night when I needed to cook I had to take my gloves off to work my Mar pocket rocket and Handel the mountain house meals. I should of brought some liners to keep me warm and still maintain dexterity. 2nd Mistake: I had a old slumberjack synthetic bag I've had for ten years I let my sister use it and she got cold so me being the big bro let her use my brand new marmot helium 15. We slept in my REI aerate. Mistake # 3 not venelating my tent. I guess the overhead vents on the REI aerate were not adiquit for letting out all of the mostiure or my feet were rubbing the bitten wall because on the second night it was even colder and I stole back my bag from my Sister and gave her some of my clothes to wear and when I woke up my feet were a little damp. The next day we were hiking in a valley were not much sun came threw it still had about six inches of snow covering the trails my 30 dollar hi tech boots got soaked and my feet were cold and misserable. The last mystake that happened was on the last night. We got to our last campsite located in a valley around 7 it was dark I was cold but lucky. For me my sister could not continue so earlier that day when we reached the other side of the park (dog canyon) she sweet talked a ranger in to taking her back to the car any

So its just me and my buddy and we use his tent an old northface from 12 years ( we let my sister have the REI aerate as we are hiking at night in this spooky valley with overgrown trees we begun to see foot prints in the snow and they belonged to a mountain lion. We're cold and tired and hungry so we start to set up his tent and a deer sneeks up behind me maybe 2-3 feet away and scares the daylights out of me. We don't worry about him and continue setting up and then SNAP!!! His tent pole snaps so here we are cold wet and hungry with a broken shelter we improvise and snuggle close make it through the night climb Guadalupe peak the next day and have memories for a life time

That is one way of learning what works, you are gaining valuable experience too. Good gear.
Duane