Camping in the winter can be a really lovely experience; you get the quiet solitude of being away from crowds in a lovely white landscape. It also offers alternatives to hiking as you can snow shoe your way up a trail, glide across the snow on cross-country skis or even ascend ice waterfalls with picks.
While camping in cold weather offers some really great experiences, at the same time it can be very hazardous and dangerous if you are not accurately prepared for your trip. You will need to arm yourself with information about the location, weather patterns and potential hazards. You will also need to buy the proper gear and safety equipment to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable trip.
Planning
Before you begin to assemble your gear, you will first need to do some serious research and careful planning. Here are the things you will need to know before your trip:
- Route to the destination and terrain - are you staying on the trail?
- Snow levels on the trails and at the campsite
- Quality of snow - is it powder, slush, packed or a combination?
- Type of transportation - snow shoeing, hiking, skiing, etc
- Experience of group and group size
- Elevation changes
When you are researching your campsite and planning a timeline, remember to give yourself more time to accomplish things than you think you need. Snowy conditions cause people to slow down, and doing things like setting up a tent and hiking to a new destination can sometimes take twice as long.
Clothing
Hypothermia and frost bite are the most common hazards of cold weather camping. In order to avoid this, you will need to pack the right clothes and accessories to keep your body warm at all times. A good habit to practice is the art of layering. When you are out on the trail you will experience big variations in your body temperature and need to have enough layers to remove so that you don't sweat too much, and enough layers to put on when the temperature falls. Look for clothes made from wool, blends and synthetic materials designed for cold weather. Don't buy cotton clothes as they absorb water and retain it, making it useless in keeping your body warm. For your other gear, you will need a hat, face mask, mittens, snow boots and a windproof and waterproof jacket that has good ventilation.
Shelter
Your tent is an important piece of equipment that will keep you safe and warm during the cold winter nights. Look for tents that are rated as 4 season tents. They will typically have stronger poles, a rainfly and the ability to shed snow. For your sleeping bag, make sure it is rated for the temperatures colder than you will be experiencing. If temperatures will reach -15f at night, then you will need a bag that is rated for -30f. You will also need a foam pad to protect you from the snow beneath the tent.
