Winter Camping Hints

Winter Camping Tips

from The Lightweight Backpacker™ @ www.backpacking.net

PLANNING A WINTER CAMPING TRIP

Three-sided A.T.-style shelters can be used comfortably in the winter by hanging a tarp across the open side to block the wind. The result is a roomier and sturdier place to sleep, cook, and pack. Tarps are much lighter to carry than winter tents. These shelters are usually not used much in the winter so finding space is not much of a problem.

WINTER CLOTHING

Be sure to carry plenty of dry socks. Wet socks can be dried overnight in your sleeping bag, preferably by placing them close to your body.

FOOD and WATER

The extra time needed for cooking and/or melting snow for water will require you to carry more stove fuel than for summer trips.

WINTER SHELTER

When camping on deep snow, you can fill 1 gallon size freezer bags with snow and tie your stake-out cords to them for deadmen anchors instead of using stakes.

DURING the DAY

Carry a water bottle on your pack hip belt to make it easier to drink when you get thirsty. Hip belt pouches are also a good place to carry small snacks.

IN CAMP

Exercise for a few minutes before getting in your sleeping bag. This will warm up your body and make it easier to warm up a cold sleeping bag.

AT NIGHT

Put sealed water bottles in your sleeping bag to keep them from freezing at night. You can also put them beside your sleeping bag, away from the tent wall, to keep them from freezing.

IN THE MORNING

Remove part of your insulation layer before starting to hike so that you don't overheat. Hiking will produce heat that you don't have while standing in camp, so you may feel cold after removing the insulation layer and before you start hiking. But as soon as you start hiking you will warm up.

MISCELLANEOUS

Arrange your items in your pack, etc where they can be easily found. Items such as snack foods, water, extra gloves, or a headlamp/flashlight should be easy to get out when needed.

Stau organized. Know where each item of your gear is stored in your pack. This will enable you to find the items you need quickly and prevent you from unpacking everything to find one small item.

If your water bottles don't have loops on the caps, tie a loop of cord around the bottle neck to make carrying them back from a spring or creek easier and warmer.

Tie loops of cord to all of the zipper pulls on your pack and jacket so that you can operate them with gloves or mittens or cold fingers.

Chemical heat packs can be used to warm feet and hands if necessary. Most types usually last several hours.

Store extra batteries in your sleeping bag or close to your body to keep them warm. Cold will reduce the life of batteries significantly.

Keep cameras and film as warm as possible. Frozen film becomes stiff and brittle. A frozen camera will not operate properly and may result in torn film. If you keep it inside your clothing, put it in a plastic bag to prevent moisture from wetting the camera.

Instep crampons are helpful in you will be walking over a lot of ice or hard packed snow. They will keep your feet from slipping.

Walking sticks or a ski pole is another way to help you keep your balance on icy or snowy trails.

If you do slip while hiking with a full pack, try to land on your back so the pack will take the brunt of the fall instead of your rear end.

Contributors: Mark Clayton, Don Childrey, Brian Raichle, Andy Sowers (12/94).