I did live in the mountains when I was younger, and believe it or not cold is relative. I think the key to flying in cold weather is to dress very warmly. Dress warmer than you think you actually need to. When you are out for hours at a time, the heat does seem to bleed away from you. Keeping your core warm is important. If your body core starts to get cold, your body will reduce the blood flow to your hands and fingers. The body is just trying to conserve the heat that is in it. But the effect is that your hands will become numb and you will have difficulty feeling the sticks. Cover your head. Much of your body heat is lost out the top of your head. Dress like you will be living outside for days. That way the blood flow to your hands will be good.

I did see on one website a pair of mittens that had thumbs that flipped on and off, fingers too, but the thumbs got my attention. Also, comapnies make chemical heating patches. They are small plastic envelops that warm up when a seal is broken and the two chemicals inside are allowd to mix and react. These typically work for a couple of hours and are small enough to fit in your shoes or your gloves.

If you can feel the sticks, you can fly. But its really bad when you can't feel the sticks. You might as well be flying with your elbows.