Topic: Winter Camping Tips and Tricks

[PainRoller]

Someone somewhere on this forum offered advice for Winter Camping.  But I can't remember who or where. 

Since advice helps the entire class, I thought I'd post a new thread and ask:

What tips/tricks do you have for winter camping?

What are your "must have's" "never ever forget to bring" items for winter camping? (besides a sleeping bag)

Big trip coming up and I feel over-packed but under-prepared.  So any help is appreciated. 

Also, if you don't like answering but have awesome links, those are nice too.. 

[Sage Bromax]

A stocking cap, or warm hat with ear flaps.  You lose 80% of your body heat through your head.  This is another reason to go full mummy with your sleeping bag.

My wife likes a hot water bottle to put in her sleeping bag to keep her feet warm.

Slippers that you can put on in the middle of the night when you have to pee.

Peppermint schnapps or Goldschlager to go in your coffee/cocoa!

Put you next day's clothes in or under your sleeping bag so they are not freezing when you put them on the next morning.

[Jayrat]

I usually sleep in a hoodie or wear a Toque (a beanie)

The cold on the face feels good when your sleeping, but like Tony said all the heat is lost out your head.

Long undies always help to sleep in,

 and lastly Hot Chocolate , Coffee, or Tea for the morning to get your innards warmed up.

[Ghost65]

Layer the clothing.

If you don't like the weather in the desert,  wait 30 minutes....it will change.

Second Jays night time head gear...a beanie will keep your head nice and toast during slumber time.

Christiaan introduced us to hand warmers in JTNP, and Daphne swears by them. We have a 10 pack from Amazon for this trip, but I have seen them at Sports Chalet and Big 5 locally.

The desert is cold naturally, but when the wind blows it is down right frigid. Dropping an extra layer (fleece blanket or otherwise) over your sleeping burritos has helped us insulate a little better too.

Like Sage said, it's all about maximizing the body heat you have.

One other trick I learned camping in Sedona at 7,000' is to try to insulate your propane stove's regulator overnight. It will freeze, rendering your stove DOA. . A cloth or towel wrapped around should suffice, but a neoprene cover would be better. I haven't seen these,but I bet someone makes it.

Nothing worse than not being able to heat a cup of coffee when it's 19* out...


Sent from Cygnus X-1

[Celt]

Make sure you have wind barrier clothing that breathes, that wind cutting through the clothing will chill you very fast. Bring extra 550 cord or similar for those windstorms that pop up out of the blue to anchor your tents/awnings down. Put chairs etc away at night because with the wind they will relocate to a different zip code over night. Chapstick etc. as your lips will dry and begin to crack within hours. Insulate the seat in your camp chair even if you are near a fire, it will keep you a whole lot warmer. Even if you don't feel like it drink plenty of water because you are still dehydrating very quickly.

[PainRoller]

Make sure you have wind barrier clothing that breathes, that wind cutting through the clothing will chill you very fast. Bring extra 550 cord or similar for those windstorms that pop up out of the blue to anchor your tents/awnings down. Put chairs etc away at night because with the wind they will relocate to a different zip code over night. Chapstick etc. as your lips will dry and begin to crack within hours. Insulate the seat in your camp chair even if you are near a fire, it will keep you a whole lot warmer. Even if you don't feel like it drink plenty of water because you are still dehydrating very quickly.

These are some great tips guys!! Some we knew and prepared for, but others are not anything we considered before.

Prepared with: cocoa, schnapps, beanie, coffee, hydration, xtra blanket

Things to consider: slippers, Goldschlager? (is this better than FireBall?), and insulating regulator (great idea, Yota)

Layers are tricky...

Celt - I like the storing chairs to prevent loss idea.  But what do you mean by 'insulate the seat chair'?

Seriously, this is very helpful.  Any more ideas? 

[Celt]

Use some foam or fold a blanket for the bottom of your camp chair before you sit on it. It will help to hold in the heat. Similar to when you sleep on the ground using a ground mat for insulation.

[steve c]

Or, dig a small hole under your chair and place hot coals in said hole.

*Mind your bits. 

[RBduffer]

Thanks for all the great tips, and for this thread.

I think it was Motorpig who offered to offer cold weather tips.  I'm sure he will be able to add to this very helpful list.

And yes, Fireball WILL work just as well.  I may be experimenting with Rum on this trip

[FrankB]

Be sure you have plenty of insulation like closed-cell foam under your sleeping bag, even if in the back of the truck.  Your body weight will compress the insulation in the sleeping bag itself, so you'll need something firm and dense underneath to keep the cold out.  An air mattress, by itself, is probably not such a great idea in very cold temps. It won't insulate much at all.  If using one, put a layer of closed-cell foam over it, or maybe some extra blankets or something.

If you are sleeping in the back of the truck, it helps to keep a window cracked slightly to avoid a lot of condensation inside.  This is where window vent shades come in handy.

[Alex]

Even just a small extra blanket in the seat of the camping chair helps with insulation and heat loss.
This all is also a good reminder that I should grab a new beanie.

[PainRoller]

Or, dig a small hole under your chair and place hot coals in said hole.

*Mind your bits. 

THIS!!!  Mind blown by CKayaks hot coal distribution.  Our butts were swaddled in warmth..... 

The hot cocoa with Schnapps was awesome.

I appreciate ALL the tips and tricks - they definitely came in handy this last week! 

[steve c]

THIS!!!  Mind blown by CKayaks hot coal distribution.  Our butts were swaddled in warmth.....  

The hot cocoa with Schnapps was awesome.

I appreciate ALL the tips and tricks - they definitely came in handy this last week!  

Barb, I noticed somewhere that you said you were cold at night.  New sleeping bag time.

I've had GREAT luck with the Teton Sports bags.
I personally use the Celsius XXL -18 Degree C / 0 Degree F Flannel Lined Sleeping Bag
You could definitely use one of their standard size bags, like the Celsius Regular -18 Degree C / 0 Degree F Flannel Lined Sleeping Bag

What's cool about those bags is that if you want to, you can zip two of them together (left hand and right hand zip) for ultimate RTT snuggles with an S/O

[knightrider]

those are the bags Jill and I have, she was still freezing.  we probably could have gotten by with only one bag, the whole time she was wrapped around me stealing my body heat since Jill seems to create no heat herself.  i think next trip we will have hand warmers in her bag or maybe try one of those battery hand warmers to help her stay warm.

[PainRoller]

Yeeeeah......the sleeping bag I've had since I was 9 yrs old isn't cutting it anymore.....  

Thanks for the links, Steve.  Totally will check them out.