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Winter Campsites and Tips

Winter Campsites and Tips. Max Cohen maxc@mit.edu. Acknowledgments. Thanks Dave for the slides Thanks to Zach and MITOC for getting to talk. Setting up Camp. Outline When Where What. Exum Guides camp, Lower Saddle, Grand Teton. When? EARLY.

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Winter Campsites and Tips

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  1. Winter Campsites and Tips Max Cohen maxc@mit.edu

  2. Acknowledgments • Thanks Dave for the slides • Thanks to Zach and MITOC for getting to talk

  3. Setting up Camp • Outline • When • Where • What Exum Guides camp, Lower Saddle, Grand Teton

  4. When? EARLY • A good spot early is better than a bad spot late • You might want to spread out and search for a spot • Remember it takes time to setup camp, eat dinner, clean up… • It gets dark pretty fast

  5. Where (1) • Flat spot in the woods, or sheltered area from wind. • In The White Mtns • below treeline in summer • above treeline only if on top of 2ft of snow(?) • within 200ft of trail • within 1/4 mi of streams or AMC huts

  6. Good View is nice.You don’t always need a tent.

  7. How important is a flat spot?

  8. How Important is this wind stuff? • If possibly windy make sure you have walls. • You don’t always need guy lines.

  9. Be prepared for some loving care • Broken branches? • Flying debris • Chaffing can break guy lines • Snow can accumulate

  10. Where (2) • Make sure you divide the cooking, toilet, and sleeping • Also specify area for snow collection • Make sure the back of the tent faces windward

  11. DO and DON’Ts • DO NOT Clear vegetation • DO NOT Make ditch around tent • DO NOT leave a trace (the spies won’t be able to follow you) • DO spread the snow or make sure people can’t tell you’re your tent was

  12. What (1) • You can do many things at once • First thing, is start melting snow (takes a lot of time >10 minutes) • Also collect snow in a black trash bag for more water • It takes a lot of snow in volume to produce a lot of water • Setup tents, spread sleeping bags

  13. What (2) • House Rules • Do not bring boots inside tent, easy to get snow inside tent • Brush snow out of tent • If snowing through the night, you might have to shake off accumulating snow off the tent

  14. Keep the camp clean and tidy • Snow can cover your stuff in no time. Do not leave stuff around. • Think big wall rotated 90º, always have your stuff inside or clipped to something so it cannot blow away or be covered with snow

  15. After you are done, you can enjoy… Sunset on Camp Shurman, Mount Rainier (two of the tents were blown down)

  16. Winter Overnight Tips • Use daylight efficiently • Carefully pick your campsite • Keep a clean camp • Rehydrate and eat for warmth • Stay warm and dry • Enjoy the long night

  17. Use Daylight Efficiently • Put on headlamps before dark • Do your “business” while you can still see • Make camp before nightfall • much easier to pitch tents; prepare food • allow 2 hrs daylight to build snow shelter • Consolidate small, dense, and white objects

  18. Carefully pick your campsite • Look at layout • Which side of the ridge are you on? • A small distance can make a huge difference • You can’t usually move if the weather gets bad, so pick your campsite with the worst in mind

  19. Keep a Clean Camp • Imagine your camp after a 2 foot snowfall • Put things away before you lose them • Practice Leave No Trace • Don’t get sloppy with human waste

  20. Rehydrate and Eat for Warmth • Melt ice or snow for following day • consider two stoves for a party of 3 or more • fuel usage is 6 person*meals/quart or more when melting • Start and finish with a hot beverage • cocoa or (herbal!) tea with sugar • tea bag or snow cleans your cup • hydrate or die! • Thick, hearty soups are great • starch base (pasta, couscous, instant rice, potato buds) • add protein, fat, and flavor (beans, meat, tvp, cheese, butter) • Take food and drink to bed

  21. Stay Warm and Dry • Keep busy, don’t stand around • Down is good…but ‘Cotton Kills’ • Get in tents/shelters ASAP • Don’t sweat in your sleeping bag • Sleep with boot liners and water bottles • Fergodsakes get up and pee! (downwind…) • It’s easier to stay warm than to get warm!

  22. Enjoy the Long Night • Catch up on sleep • Books, playing cards are great • Keep track of your headlamp • Candle lanterns rock (careful with fire) • Get up early and start the day

  23. Final Thoughts • Think for yourself • Use common sense • Learn from a leader • Ask more experienced people why they do things the way they do, there is no better way to learn! • Get out and try things for yourself • Summer the best time for beginners to push their limits and learn from mistakes

  24. More Info:some really good books • Freedom of the Hills, published by The Seattle Mountaineers is like a text-book • Allen and Mike's Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book: Traveling and Camping Skills , by Chockstone Press.

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