Cold-weather Camping

“How many of you enjoy cold-weather camping?

Have any of you evolved from "hating" winter weather and being cold, to a point where you enjoy winter camping?

I'd like to hear about that learning/growing process.”

“I car camped in cold weather in college just being "tough" then started what my wife calls insanity weekends backpacking in the Smokies in January with a small group. I love it and have been up on the AT in mid January every year since 1990. The views are better, less people on trail, just great. I have gone nuts for gear in later years as my feet get older and colder. The solitude of the mountains in winter is hard to beat particularly with good friends passing the flask close around the fire at night. Darn, I want to go...”

“It's a blast if you ask me. Once you get the necessary gear needed to survive out in the cold it is real fun. It is a whole new ball game if you are strictly a 3 seasoner hiker.

I learned as many do about cold weather hiken, by trial and error for the most part. Finding out what works best for you in regards to gear; the necessary things(clothing, bag(s)) and then the little comfort items(pocket heaters,down booties) and tricks(sleepin w/a hot water bottle,stuffing the bottom of the "long"sleep bag with clothes) will take alittle time.

It is a love- hate relationship. You love it when its snowy and hate it when it rains.

Just avoid jumping into the deep end your first time out.”

“I've never hated winter weather, it's my favorite time of year. There's no bugs, no people, but getting to the trailhead can be a problem and all the extra clothing weight sucks.
Also, if you're going where you have to melt snow for water bring some powdered gatorade to cover up the pine neddle taste.”

“I dig it! Of course, it takes alot of gear to keep me warm, which makes me have to carry an extra 10-15 lbs on cold-weather trips. Anywho...I've always enjoyed the winter and it's snow...so nothing is gonna keep me from it!”

“Winter camping is great.. better views.. no bugs.. lots of FREE frozen water..

Seriously.. I love it.”

“Nothing like having to have yer water bottles, water filter, camera, boots, clothes, etc. in yer sleeping bag with you! (:”

“Yeah, that sleeping with a liter or two of water thing takes some getting used to. Gotta remember to turn them upside down when they sit outside for more than a minute or two. Fire good.”

“The few times I have done it have been great! Every time I go, I learn something new. The last time was the TT trip in the Catskills, where it was like -10 at night! =:0

I learned the hard way...
-that a thermarest is not the ideal sleeping pad in Winter!

-to always always always triple check the quality of rental equipment before you hit the trail! (I now own my very own snowshoes, thanks to bpbaby)

-the Eureka Zephyr will not hold up to frost AND strong winds together.

Some cold-weather tidbits...
-down booties ROCK!
-gear sleds rule! (you can haul all sorts of extra goodies into camp)
-carry a hot drink/soup in thermos for a hot lunch on the trail, when it is super cold. recharge!

BTW, Buddur does an excellent "shake your bootie" campfire dance. heheheh”

“I always thought winter camping was for crazy people. Who wants to be cold and risk freezing to death?

Then I tried it just to prove something to myself and guess what? - I liked it.

The woods are so peaceful and beautiful covered in snow. It's a great excuse for accumulating more gear. And yes, "fire good".”

“Same as most of the others: no bugs, fewer or no people and I love to play in the snow. Hard part is that safety becomes more of a concern and it is hard to find other who are willing to go.”

“I just started cold weather camping very recently and the jury's still out. The lack of bugs has a definite appeal and yes, fire very good.”

“Yes, I understand all the reasons given here for liking winter camping... And another reason to like it, if you live in a region that actually has a winter, is that you don't have to stay home for 5 months of every year...

So the concept intrigues me, and yes, I think I could enjoy it if I have the right equipment and a little know-how.

Maybe I'll let some of you show me the ropes in a few months... ;-)”

“Did somebody say that Sorels were on sale? Gotta keep those tootsies warm!

I also find that I REALLY appreciate gizmos I can operate without taking off my gloves!


"There is no poor weather, only poor clothing."

~ Tibetan Proverb”

“I love winter camping...started when I began snowshoeing, then backcountry skiing. With the right gear you can be warm and dry, wrong gear and you are a popsickle.

I have a "Tipi" (made by Patrick Smith/Mountainsmith) that sleeps 8 and comes with a wood burning stove...I use it for clients and the occasional party, like New Years! He does make smaller versions, his Tipi line is worth checking out.....

This is my first attempt at HTML...lets see......

Tipi Page

8 Person Tipi”

“Wow...way cool, thanks TT'rs for the HTML hints.

I wanted to mention that I usually use snow caves or a Mtn Hardware Kiva for my winter shelter...the Tipi is for special occasions, it weights around 27 pounds...not bad for a stove and sleeping 8 though.”

“P.S. B. Rabbit is right about that cold rain. 10-20 degrees is preferable to 25-35 when everything turns to mush!

(and Santa needs to bring me a sled from Wilderness Engineering)”

“I love cold weather camping!! I don't get out much in the summer because I don't like the heat. The woods are so quiet and peaceful in winter, the views are great and there are no people! What more could you ask for. With the equipment and clothing available these days, it's fairly easy to stay comfortable. I love to snowshoe, but don't get the chance often. Ditto on the "fire good".”

“Dittos on the down booties, they were the envy of the shelter last winter, warm toes -good.”

“Is there another kind of camping?”

“I don't sleep with my water. I pour it into my cook pot before I go to bed. If it freezes it just takes a little longer to make coffee.”

“I LOVE Cold Weather Camping!!! Fall & Winter is the time to visit the woods IMHO.”

“AmyG, what happened to your thermarest? I was under the impression that thermarests helped keep you warmer in winter.”

“Snow Caves, people, Snow Caves!!. I haven't seen them mentioned yet? Absolutely the best winter shelter, fun to build, excellent protection, add about 15 degrees... Who all here builds their own snow-shelters to sleep in?”

“Lyndy...
Thermarest is quite comfy, but you lose heat at the bottom, when you sleep on snow. I woke up and had a melted body mold in the snow!

I would now use a z-rest as the bottom layer and put the therm on top.”

“Winter camping is great! I go out in February with a college winter camping class, and we always have a good time. We camp near a hot springs, and after building a snow shelter and having a hot dinner, you can't beat soaking in a bathtub of hot water under a starry winter sky. A good down sleeping bag helps a lot.”

“My favorite time. No bugs, no people. If you don't winter bp in New England, you lose half the year. Only problem is, all my winter gear wants to go. So hard to leave good gear at home while other good gear has a good time. My favorite boots for hiking/snowshoeing are Chippewa 50 Belows. Broke in immediately, lighter and more comfortable than my summer Raichles, super warm and waterproof, and very durable. I almost look forward to winter as they are my winter street shoe, as well.

Alas, for most of the winter out here, the snow is too dry to build shelters with - it just doesn't pack well.”

“LOVE IT. For all the same reasons everyone else stated. I particulairly enjoy the solitude of solo winter camping.”

“Cold weather camping is the best!!! it's a bit more weight, but the night sky is amazing.No crowds and no fools out then either, at least not as many. I see a lot of snowshoers but are there any other skiers out there? I use touring skis for light conditions and telemark for backcountry, all wax type.”

“I can't wait until it's time to strap on those snowshoes again!”

“Winter camping is great, I just put everything on a sled and snowshoe or x-country ski into the woods.”

“Sleds are great. I use a sled and cross country skiis. Steiny, when the snow is too dry to make blocks, do you ever try to make a Quinzee? Thats what I use when I can't make blocks. You just pile up a large pile of snow, like 6 feet tall, 10 feet diameter, pat it down with a shovel on the exterior walls, stick in a large number of 18 inch long sticks, let it sit for an hour, then tunnel into the center at ground level, and hollow it out till you hit the little sticks. Some people put a pack in the middle, and pull it out when excavating, to get a start on the interior.

Last winter the snow was only 18 inches deep in an area that is usually 6 feet deep, and we made shelters using this method.”

“this has some great information.

Outdoor Action Guide to Winter Camping”

“Two words:
Get A Dog.

(okay... that's three words)”

“I actually had to wear a jacket to work this morning! :@)”

“I like the winter and I don't backpack much at all in the summer.”

“Ok Budder put that keen mind to work on a homemade sled.”

“IB, I like quinzees even if I can make blocks, I think they're easier & quicker. Every year we let the scouts build whatever type of snow shelter they want, we always have a few who want to "build" a structure of some type w blocks and a few who build quinzees...invariably the Quinzees are completed first. They seem especially more appropriate for us because, as you know, it's easier to make them a little bigger just by piling more snow on...we've had some large enough to accommodate 6-8 scouts comfortably.”

“Cold weather/ Snow Storm backpacking and hiking is a blast. Best times I have had in the mtns were during snow storms. Of course the right gear is essential. But nothing is as serene as waking up after a nights storm. And looking at the blanket of white without even so much as an animal track. And being the first to trek across unbroken snowfields.”

“Got new contacts, wore them on a campout for the first time this weekend and have an ammendment to fire good . Smoke and contacts bad combination!”

“A few questions about tents...

I think of tents as keeping out the wind and rain but having virtually no insulation value. Is that true?

If tents do provide insulation, would a smaller tent stay warmer because it would accumulate body heat?

What constitutes a "4-season" tent? I can see that they would be structurally stronger (to withstand wind) but what else would be different?”

“Whatdya want a tent for? No rain or bugs. I offset the extra weight in clothes by leaving the tent home.”

“Awesome! Last year backpacked Xmas weekend (overnighter - 1st time for SnwDude & a friend) and New Years weekend (3 days of snowshoeing, all lakes were frozen, had to melt snow for water - walked over a low pass into 2001 on New Years Day).”

“To answer yer questions, Mr.Fritz...

Tents don't really "insulate", but they do block wind....so in a way they do keep you warmer than if you had no shelter at all.

Moisture in the air holds more latent heat than dry air...so a smaller tent, with no ventilation, will hold in yer transpiration and subsequently make the tent better hold the heat you give off.

A 4 season tent is one that has no ventilation, or veeeerrry little, so that when the winter winds whip over the tent, you don't feel the cold draft or get snow blowing into the tent. A 3-4 season tent will have mesh windows-like ventilation areas that have tent material that can be zippered up to close off the mesh areas...ie lots of ventilation, or with a zip, no (very little) ventilation.”

“i see lots of 4 season tents with a fancy vent at the top.

supposedly so you can breath, when under a foot or so of snow!”

“Fritz, a cold weather tent will have a profile which sheds snow, and has no places for it to pile up. Some 3 season tents have little mesh windows at the top, or flat spots or ledges, which would accumulate snow. 4 season tents also have more poles, more guys, more reinforcement, and ways to connect the poles for extra stength.

However, I have certainly done some winter camping with a cheap REI dome tent, and it did fine. Dome tents are pretty strong and versatile.”

“Fritz,
Last winter I hung a thermometer outside my two man tent (with two in it)and one thermometer inside. At about 2:30am the temp outside was 8 degrees while the temp inside the tent was 25 degrees. I was in a 20 degree bag with clothes on and slept comfortably. (Down booties are a must!)”

“I'm curious what you all consider cold weather? I know most of you are on the west coast or in the south so is 45* cold to you? What's your definition of cold?”

“65 degrees!

BRRRRR!!!!!!”

“Radagast you'd never make it in the north! There's only three months outta the year that have lows of 65! 30* at night is as cold as I'll go.”