Cold Weather Camping
- Thread starter RingTwist
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ppine
Forester
We have covered this topic before. It is quiet. Everything stays cold. A fire feels good. The fishing is great. The biggest attraction is that no one else is out there. It is like night and day and a wonderful experience.
carmen
Active Member
There are times when I do but lately I am starting to push away from it. Until my doctor can figure out my medicine so my circulation is on the up rather than the down the cold just makes it worse for me and I can not hack it.
ponderosa
Active Member
I have a hard time staying warm, but hubby and I used to enjoy winter camping quite often when it was just the two of us. Now that we have little kids, our winter camping consists of skiing in to a yurt or forest service rustic cabin that come equipped with a little wood stove. The prospect of keeping the littles dry, warm, and entertained in a tent during the many hours of darkness is a little daunting, but in a yurt or cabin we have a fantastic time. The last time we did this, it was about 20 below zero F when we skied in after dark, but the kids were well bundled in the enclosed trailer that we pull behind our skis, with hot water bottles. The trail in was just a couple of miles so they didn't have time to get too cold, and the yurt warmed up quickly once we got the fire started. We cooked dinner, played games, and had a cozy night (as long as we got up to feed the fire regularly). The next day we went for a ski before heading out, and saw a moose and dozens of trumpeter swans, and lots of animal tracks. It was amazing. Yep, winter camping can be lovely.
ponderosa
Active Member
Another time, before we had kids, we spent a few days over Valentines day in Yellowstone. We were car camping at Mammoth, so it was easy to have the zero degree bags and extra blankets. I don't really care for that particular campground, but since it was well below zero even during the day, we had the place pretty much to ourselves. We spent the days skiing in Lamar Valley and the Blacktail Plateau and to frozen Lost Lake between Roosevelt and Petrified Tree (I forget the name). We cooked hot lunches each day with a little backpacking stove. We saw just a couple of other people each day, but tons of wildlife. We sat on a little ridge watching a pack of wolves feeding on a buffalo carcass in the valley below us just 200 yards away with no other people around. The wolves didn't care a bit that we were spying on them. We saw mountain goats playing around on Barronette Peak. We heard frozen trees crack and fall. Pretty great stuff.
ppine
Forester
Ponderosa,
Good story. The last time I camped at Mammoth, there was a herd of 35 elk in our assigned campsite. I like to take dinner out to the Lamar Valley and stay until dark. Truly the American Sarenghetti.
One of the real challenges of winter camping is all of the darkness. Low sun angle can also be daunting. The best winter trips involve good fires. A wall tent, well constructed lean-to or a cabin can make a trip luxurious. I like camping in a trailer in winter. I would rather go in Feb-Mar because of the additional daylight compared to Nov-Dec.
Last year's Feb canoe trip was remarkably cold even on the CA/AZ border. People said they would go again but wait until it was warmer like April.
I remember those late elk camps in Colorado at over 10,000 feet. It was below zero every night, but quite comfortable with a group of wall tents with wood stoves and a string of mules. We were younger then, but that was the most exciting and rewarding thing I have ever done.
Good story. The last time I camped at Mammoth, there was a herd of 35 elk in our assigned campsite. I like to take dinner out to the Lamar Valley and stay until dark. Truly the American Sarenghetti.
One of the real challenges of winter camping is all of the darkness. Low sun angle can also be daunting. The best winter trips involve good fires. A wall tent, well constructed lean-to or a cabin can make a trip luxurious. I like camping in a trailer in winter. I would rather go in Feb-Mar because of the additional daylight compared to Nov-Dec.
Last year's Feb canoe trip was remarkably cold even on the CA/AZ border. People said they would go again but wait until it was warmer like April.
I remember those late elk camps in Colorado at over 10,000 feet. It was below zero every night, but quite comfortable with a group of wall tents with wood stoves and a string of mules. We were younger then, but that was the most exciting and rewarding thing I have ever done.
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OutdoorMomma
New Member
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I've been a few times, but it's really not for me. I just can't seem to get warm enough at night, so I don't sleep. I am a cranky camper when I don't get enough sleep.
Yep.
No bugs.
Fresh food keeps for a long time.
When there is enough snow a pulk can transport a lot of gear.
Off trail travel is easier.
Tracking wildlife is easier.
The winter sky.
Moonglow reflecting off the snow makes for joyous nightime hiking.
The only downside is the short days, so when I am solo it is a long night. Wish more of my friends were available to go with me.
No bugs.
Fresh food keeps for a long time.
When there is enough snow a pulk can transport a lot of gear.
Off trail travel is easier.
Tracking wildlife is easier.
The winter sky.
Moonglow reflecting off the snow makes for joyous nightime hiking.
The only downside is the short days, so when I am solo it is a long night. Wish more of my friends were available to go with me.
Used to do a lot of it years ago. Cold hurts a little more now but still venture out once in a while. When the kids were small, I left a big wall tent up all winter way up in the hills. Had a big storage box to hold the sleeping bags, etc so the rodents didn't get in and had a nice stack of wood for the stove. We'd snow machine in for the night, get the fire going, cook up some steak and taters on the stove. Kids loved it .... great times.
Theosus
Backpacking Noob
The lack of crowds and bugs makes up for the cold. Went hiking last January in a state park. We had the whole place to ourselves. And it's amazing how little clothes you really need when hiking. 40 degrees and we were in shorts and t shirts.
ponderosa
Active Member
Haha, the wussy scouts from our ward (in town) also went "camping" last weekend...indoors at Holt Arena.
Pathfinder1
Well-Known Member
Hi...
My mail carrier wears SHORTS all year around. Says it doesn't bother him at all...in fact, he says he can get very warm/hot just doing 'normal' things.
Temp's are above zero today...will have to see what he's wearing later (I'm the last stop).
This year's Post Master hasn't been there long, so don't know what he will say. The former P.O. insisted that the carrier wore long pants on those colder days.
My mail carrier wears SHORTS all year around. Says it doesn't bother him at all...in fact, he says he can get very warm/hot just doing 'normal' things.
Temp's are above zero today...will have to see what he's wearing later (I'm the last stop).
This year's Post Master hasn't been there long, so don't know what he will say. The former P.O. insisted that the carrier wore long pants on those colder days.
Newanderthal
Member
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When it's cold, you can always bundle up.
When it's hot, there's only so many layers you can remove before you get arrested.
When it's hot, there's only so many layers you can remove before you get arrested.
Odinborn
New Member
I frequently go backpacking in the winter, I just end up taking a much larger pack and loading it with more than I probably should. I agree with the points about no bugs and no competition. My favorite place to hike has limited places to camp for the night, during the summer you need to get there by 2 or 3pm just to make sure you get a spot. The last time I camped out on that trail, me and a buddy rolled in about 6pm and no one else was there all night (besides a few 4-legged, uninvited friends).
Gunny Webb
Outdoor Member
The difference in winter camping is about 5 or 6 pounds. LOL
More clothes, heavier sleeping bag and thicker pad and I'm set. We went the other night in 12 degrees and then later in the month we camped in 16 degrees. The water bottle freezing and water filter working very slowly is annoying, but you can have bacon for breakfast and taking a steak for every night is nice. We had to thaw dinner for the second night.
Never saw a crowd in the forrest under 20 degrees either.
More clothes, heavier sleeping bag and thicker pad and I'm set. We went the other night in 12 degrees and then later in the month we camped in 16 degrees. The water bottle freezing and water filter working very slowly is annoying, but you can have bacon for breakfast and taking a steak for every night is nice. We had to thaw dinner for the second night.
Never saw a crowd in the forrest under 20 degrees either.
ppine
Forester
We are having a mild winter in the West with little snow pack. I am planning some short backpacking trips by February when there is more daylight. The darkness is the hardest thing in winter. The low sun angle disappears really fast, especially in mountainous country.
Pathfinder1
Well-Known Member
Hi...
Re: my mail carrier wearing shorts year around...
Snow here hasn't been too bad...maybe a couple of feet. Cold for the last (approx) ten days has been mostly near zero and below nights, and a little below or above during the day. Was +3 when I got on my keyboard this ayem.
And, yes, he's still wearing his shorts every day...blowing snow and low temps don't seem to matter...!!
Re: my mail carrier wearing shorts year around...
Snow here hasn't been too bad...maybe a couple of feet. Cold for the last (approx) ten days has been mostly near zero and below nights, and a little below or above during the day. Was +3 when I got on my keyboard this ayem.
And, yes, he's still wearing his shorts every day...blowing snow and low temps don't seem to matter...!!