Troop 811 Winter Camping Tips
When you tell most people that you're going winter camping -- and tell them that it will be in tents and that the temperature will likely be in the teens -- they generally think you're crazy. But there's something special about camping in the middle of the winter. The air is clear and the campfire feels especially good. And nothing (except perhaps that first cup of coffee or hot chocolate) fells quite as good as being snugged up in a warm sleeping bag when it's oh-so-cold outside. The key to having a good time on a winter camp out is being prepared. While you might just be uncomfortable forgetting something like your rain gear on a summer camp out, forgetting something essential on a winter camp out can be downright dangerous. Pay close attention to the checklist when packing and read and heed the following tips. Every winter Troop 1018 goes camping and every winter we have a great time. Happy camping!
Clothing
Dress in layers! Plan on using at least 3 layers. First is your "liner" -- long johns, top and bottom. Next, wear a heavy shirt. On top of that put on jacket. If the jacket does not have rain protection, plan on a water and windproof outer shell.
DO NOT WEAR COTTON. Cotton loses its insulating qualities when it gets wet, and the wetness can come from rain or sweat (yes, you sweat in the winter also). Once it gets wet, cotton also takes a long time to dry out. Wear wool or synthetic materials. Silk or polypropylene works well as a liner layer.
Hat - absolutely essential. Over half of your body heat can be lost through your head. I recommend a stocking cap that will also cover your ears.
If you're hiking, you'll need less clothing. But if you take a long break, put another insulating layer on before you cool down. This will make sure your body stays warm and won't have to heat back up again.
Foot ware
Wear wicking socks. Don't tie your boots so tight that it cuts your circulation. That will guarantee that your feet get cold and stay cold.
Before going to bed open your boots as wide as possible. This will make it easier to get your feet in should they freeze up overnight.
Put on fresh, dry socks before going to bed. This will keep your feet warmer than the moist ones you've been wearing.
Food
Keep it simple! It's more difficult to cook in the cold, it takes longer, and clean up is more difficult. Plan on simple meals that don't dirty may dishes and leave little residue. Plan your portions so that everything will be eaten. You don't have to dispose of leftovers if there aren't any.
Because of the cold you'll need more cooking fuel than normal; plan accordingly.
Do your cooking early so you're not cleaning up in the dark. In the middle of winter it gets dark early!
Have a snack before you go to bed. This helps your body generate heat during the night.
Tent
The best tent for winter camping is a "4-season" tent -- specifically designed with cold weather in mind. Most of us, however, don't have such tents and one or two winter camp outs a year certainly don't justify the expense of an extra tent. The good news, however, is that a 3-season tent will work just fine for our purposes. We camp in generally sheltered areas and simply won't go camping if there's a major storm or high winds. Make sure your tent is well secured against the wind.
If setting up on snow, pack it down where you'll be setting up your tent. Otherwise the snow will conform to your shape while you're in the tent and refreeze when you're out of it -- making for a bumpy and potentially uncomfortable second night.
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Bags come in all shapes and sizes. When I win the lottery, I'll buy a sleeping bag for each season, but, in the meantime, I'll continue to use my good old, trusty 20 degree bag. When rated at 20 degrees this means that I should be comfortable when the surrounding air is 20 degrees. That, I believe, is in a laboratory with ideal conditions and absolutely not wind (not to mention foot warmers). So is it necessary to go out and get a new sleeping bag for winter camping? Nope. But there are a few tricks that will help making that 20 degree bag into one that will keep you warm down to zero. First, make sure your sleeping bag is fully open and shaken to ensure the maximum loft of the fill. The sleeping bag depends on small pockets of air for its insulating capabilities, so to restore maximum loft to the bag, shake it out and fluff it up. Next, sleep in your long-johns and socks -- but make sure you put on clean, dry set before going to bed. The ones you wore during the day will have moisture in them, so put on fresh ones. Another tip: use a sleeping bag liner. These are inexpensive and can add an extra 5-15 degrees to the rating of your sleeping bag. They can also be used as sleeping bags themselves during hot summer nights. Also, you can get a sleeping bag shell (bivy sack) that your sleeping bag fits in. This provides additional insulation.
Miscellaneous Tips
Always carry an extra pair of gloves -- just in case your primary pair gets wet.
Water mixed with a flavoring (such as kool aid, gatorade, etc) will freeze at a lower temperature than plain water.
Keep your water bottle from freezing by keeping it in your sleeping bag (but I would recommend against doing this if you've put flavoring in your water). Also if you do this, make absolutely sure the top is secure. A wet sleeping bag is a very, very cold sleeping bag and 2:00 a.m. is not the time to be trying to figure out how you're going to deal with a sleeping bag flood
You can warm up your clothes by bringing them into the sleeping bag with you before you get up
Tie loops of thin rope around all of your zippers. This will make them easier to operate with gloves on.
A walking stick is useful to help maintain balance when hiking on snow and ice.
Arrange your gear so you'll know to find your stuff. You really don't want to completely unload your backpack in the cold, just to get to a flashlight.
Always, always, always use the buddy system.
Drink plenty of liquids. Your body uses a lot of water in the winter. That breath that you see in the winter is condensing moisture. It adds up. Even if you don't feel thirst, keep drinking water.
Exercise for a few minutes before getting into your sleeping bag. This will warm you up and warm up the sleeping bag a little more quickly.
Campfires don't really warm you up. You warm up from the inside. If you're cold, walk around or exercise.
Clothing
Dress in layers! Plan on using at least 3 layers. First is your "liner" -- long johns, top and bottom. Next, wear a heavy shirt. On top of that put on jacket. If the jacket does not have rain protection, plan on a water and windproof outer shell.
DO NOT WEAR COTTON. Cotton loses its insulating qualities when it gets wet, and the wetness can come from rain or sweat (yes, you sweat in the winter also). Once it gets wet, cotton also takes a long time to dry out. Wear wool or synthetic materials. Silk or polypropylene works well as a liner layer.
Hat - absolutely essential. Over half of your body heat can be lost through your head. I recommend a stocking cap that will also cover your ears.
If you're hiking, you'll need less clothing. But if you take a long break, put another insulating layer on before you cool down. This will make sure your body stays warm and won't have to heat back up again.
Foot ware
Wear wicking socks. Don't tie your boots so tight that it cuts your circulation. That will guarantee that your feet get cold and stay cold.
Before going to bed open your boots as wide as possible. This will make it easier to get your feet in should they freeze up overnight.
Put on fresh, dry socks before going to bed. This will keep your feet warmer than the moist ones you've been wearing.
Food
Keep it simple! It's more difficult to cook in the cold, it takes longer, and clean up is more difficult. Plan on simple meals that don't dirty may dishes and leave little residue. Plan your portions so that everything will be eaten. You don't have to dispose of leftovers if there aren't any.
Because of the cold you'll need more cooking fuel than normal; plan accordingly.
Do your cooking early so you're not cleaning up in the dark. In the middle of winter it gets dark early!
Have a snack before you go to bed. This helps your body generate heat during the night.
Tent
The best tent for winter camping is a "4-season" tent -- specifically designed with cold weather in mind. Most of us, however, don't have such tents and one or two winter camp outs a year certainly don't justify the expense of an extra tent. The good news, however, is that a 3-season tent will work just fine for our purposes. We camp in generally sheltered areas and simply won't go camping if there's a major storm or high winds. Make sure your tent is well secured against the wind.
If setting up on snow, pack it down where you'll be setting up your tent. Otherwise the snow will conform to your shape while you're in the tent and refreeze when you're out of it -- making for a bumpy and potentially uncomfortable second night.
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Bags come in all shapes and sizes. When I win the lottery, I'll buy a sleeping bag for each season, but, in the meantime, I'll continue to use my good old, trusty 20 degree bag. When rated at 20 degrees this means that I should be comfortable when the surrounding air is 20 degrees. That, I believe, is in a laboratory with ideal conditions and absolutely not wind (not to mention foot warmers). So is it necessary to go out and get a new sleeping bag for winter camping? Nope. But there are a few tricks that will help making that 20 degree bag into one that will keep you warm down to zero. First, make sure your sleeping bag is fully open and shaken to ensure the maximum loft of the fill. The sleeping bag depends on small pockets of air for its insulating capabilities, so to restore maximum loft to the bag, shake it out and fluff it up. Next, sleep in your long-johns and socks -- but make sure you put on clean, dry set before going to bed. The ones you wore during the day will have moisture in them, so put on fresh ones. Another tip: use a sleeping bag liner. These are inexpensive and can add an extra 5-15 degrees to the rating of your sleeping bag. They can also be used as sleeping bags themselves during hot summer nights. Also, you can get a sleeping bag shell (bivy sack) that your sleeping bag fits in. This provides additional insulation.
Miscellaneous Tips
Always carry an extra pair of gloves -- just in case your primary pair gets wet.
Water mixed with a flavoring (such as kool aid, gatorade, etc) will freeze at a lower temperature than plain water.
Keep your water bottle from freezing by keeping it in your sleeping bag (but I would recommend against doing this if you've put flavoring in your water). Also if you do this, make absolutely sure the top is secure. A wet sleeping bag is a very, very cold sleeping bag and 2:00 a.m. is not the time to be trying to figure out how you're going to deal with a sleeping bag flood
You can warm up your clothes by bringing them into the sleeping bag with you before you get up
Tie loops of thin rope around all of your zippers. This will make them easier to operate with gloves on.
A walking stick is useful to help maintain balance when hiking on snow and ice.
Arrange your gear so you'll know to find your stuff. You really don't want to completely unload your backpack in the cold, just to get to a flashlight.
Always, always, always use the buddy system.
Drink plenty of liquids. Your body uses a lot of water in the winter. That breath that you see in the winter is condensing moisture. It adds up. Even if you don't feel thirst, keep drinking water.
Exercise for a few minutes before getting into your sleeping bag. This will warm you up and warm up the sleeping bag a little more quickly.
Campfires don't really warm you up. You warm up from the inside. If you're cold, walk around or exercise.