A LOT of layers can make you colder. Having too many clothes on can restrict your circulation. When it gets cold enough to matter, I often find I feel warmer with fewer layers on.

I have done it with a similar setup. You may not be toasty warm but you wont be shivering. With a hat, you may not a need many layers. One perhaps two sets of heavy weight baselayers may be all you need. A couple of things you should do-

1) Eat a hot filling meal and be hydrated before sleeping.

2) Boil and Boil some more, hot water and put it in your nalgene. Put the nalgene inside your sleeping bag it will act as a heater and will stay heated for awhile.

3) Have a piss bottle inside your tent. You loose a lot of heat going outside to take a leak. Piss in the bottle in the tent, seal it and fuhgettaboutit.

You'll be fine. I'd wear longjohns and fleece in the sleeping bag. Any wind shells are really unnecessary. The coldest part of the night is right before dawn, so once you start getting cold, it might be time to wake up. Where are you going?

Bring two full length pads (make sure one of the is foam!), you'll sleep warmer.

Make sure that the clothes that you do wear are fresh, not the stuff you have been wearing. Also Candle lantern from the ceiling of the tent, have the door slightly open for air. Hat plus a jacket or something thrown over your head.

I'm going to Northern Minnesota where we're having a cold wave. It's supposed to be 13 degrees when we go to sleep at night, and when we wake up, it'll be -10. We might build a quinzhee hut, which supposedly raises the temp. 20 degrees. Is that right? There'll be around 6 people in it. THanks for your help :)
-MC

That's not a cold wave in Minnesota, it's a heat wave. I was ice-climbing last week north of Grand Marais, and it was -20 when we got up. And that's still not a cold wave. Have fun!

Steve

We won't be sleeping in a tent - a quinzhee hut rather. but I will definitely wear a hat. Why not wear stuff I've been wearing? Is that only if it's wet or what? I believe you, I'm just curious.
Thanks
_MC

Read his last sentence again. hat plus a jacket or something over your head. It helps immensely to keep your warm breath heating up the next inhalation.

I believe using a shell in this manner is more useful then wearing it since they are usually so thin.

A couple more tips:

1) Not just a filling meal, but one with lots of fuel, like butter, oil, proteins. Take some candy with you into the tent, and if you wake up cold, eat some candy.

2) Make sure that everything you are wearing into the bag is dry.

3) Take extra clothes, Crazy Creek, etc. and use them to supplement your pads.

4) Sleep in the middle!

Frostbite occurs exponentially faster in wind. -20 with no wind is really the same as 10 or 15 with a strong wind. If you expect to have any wind, I'd go for a baklava or a coat with a hood with a drawstring. Use sunglasses or glacier goggles to protect your eyes. Minimize any skin exposure.

I've never built a shelter, but any will make it warmer, especially if you jam everyone in it to conserve heat. Keep the shelter as tight as possible. Just remember, spooning, not forking.

Right, I'll remember that too. OK, this may be a silly question, but If I'm all warm and covered up except for, say, my eyes or something... is it possible to get frostbite that way? I mean, they say not to be out for more than 30 mintues at that temperature, not to have any skin exposed. . . . . .
Thanks
-MC

3) Take extra clothes, Crazy Creek, etc. and use them to supplement your pads.

That sounds like great advice too - especially the thing about the candy!
A question about #3: SO I should just stick clothes underneath me in my bag to provide extra insulation?