Winter Camping

1. Winter Camping Joel Robinson n’ Nick Clifford

2. Clothing • Always remember to bring a warm toque/hat, your head loses a lot of heat. • Bring a plentiful amount of clean and dry socks, columbiaomni heat socks. • Add layers, there’s nothing worse then being freezing cold, e.g., long sleeve shirt, fleece jacket, warm winter jacket. • Make sure you are well insulated underneath, underarmor, columbialong sleeves. • Wear warm winter boots, not having the proper footwear will make you regret camping, e.g., Sorels, Columbia, Gaitors, Merrel. • You may use Vapor barriers in very cold conditions because you don’t want to sweat and it to freeze. Vapor Barriers are a thin layer of impermeable material to prevent moisture from damaging the fabric of clothing

3. Shelters – Different kinds

4. Shelter – How to set up a tent Try to dig a little bit of a hole to pitch your tent in as it will act as bit of a wind break. Avoid choosing a site with trees overhead. This will make it so you don’t randomly get a huge snow pile on your tent while you sleep. Stomp around your area you plan on pitching your tent, as you want a stiff base/ table in which you can place your tent so you don’t sink in the deep snow. If the snow is still fluffy and soft, melt snow on your camp stove to pour over the area to make it more stiff. Use a winter tent specially designed to withstand winds and the weight of accumulated snow Stake your tent down using snow stakes!

5. Shelter – Ground Preparation Ground preparation is essential in setting up your campsite. As you prepare to set up your camp, consider the following… 1. Is there natural wind protection? 2. Is there a good source of water nearby? 3. Is the site free of avalanche danger? 4. Is it reasonably safe from falling trees and branches? As you prepare the ground to set up your camp, be sure that the snow underneath you is hard packed enough so you won’t sink it. You can use snowshoes, skis, feet, or shovels to pack it down. Also plan where the sun will rise so you will warm up much faster in the morning Ground cloths may also help prevent water from seeping into the tent.

6. Where should you cook? Wind break? With enough snow, dig out a small pit to cook in. This will act as a perfect wind break for windy weather. What are you going to sit on? A person could either bring a lawn chair of some sort, or make a chair out of snow and bring a cushion and even something to keep yourself warm underneath. Issues with canister stoves. Canister stoves with little amounts of fuel, can freeze over in cold temperatures. By placing it in your jacket for approximately 30 minutes before cooking, you can de-thaw the fuel left in the canister making it much easier to light. Water Source. Melt the snow in a pot on your stove….pretty simple. How can you prevent your water bottle from freezing? Hang the bottle upside down so the cap of the bottle doesn’t freeze. Cleaning Dishes. Melt snow and boil the water you plan to clean your dishes in. Cooking

7. Sleeping Wise • Take a sleeping bag that is rated 10°F lower than the coldest temperature you expect to travel in • Make sure to keep your sleeping bag dry, you can even buy a water-resistant down bag • Use sleeping bag layers, as they add a tremendous amount of heat to your sleeping bag • Be sure to have 2 full length sleeping pads to prevent the body from losing heat on snowy surfaces • Go to the washroom before you go to bed, your body is using lots of its energy to keep that extra liquid warm • Make sure you are well insulated underneath. Use your coat as another warm layer on top of your sleeping bag • Cozy up with a partner if you are getting seriously cold • If someone wakes up freezing, you can always build a fire to get them warm then just go back to bed

8. Bathroom What should you do with bio-waste when there in no outhouse available? While attempting to go #2 in deep snow and frozen ground when there are no outhouses nearby you should hike about 200 feet from your campsite and leave it near the snow’s surface, where the freeze/ thaw cycle will help break down the waste. You can also substitute snowballs for toilet paper but they must be packed out. Also use a separate pair of gloves for cooking and going to the bathroom to avoid cross-examination. Set up your bathroom far away from the campsite and try to choose a south-facing location because the sun speeds of the decomposition process

9. Campfire Large vs. Small Our group doesn’t need to a bonfire to be enjoyable, and we can’t have a tiny fire that can’t fit everyone around it. So a fire somewhere in the middle would be preferred. (In Joel’s own words) Single vs. Multiple More fires could be good, but it also means more materials are being used up (e.g., matches, kindling, etc). So if there is a limited amount, just a single fire will surpass. (In Joel’s own words…once again)