Winter Camping

Winter camping- provides tips and information on winter camping.

When you are ready to plan for the winter months it is important that you have a complete winter camping list to follow before you set out on your trip. The first thing you need to decide is: am I going to be camping in a tent or some type of man made shelter? There is definitely a considerable difference in what you would need to pack. If you are in a tent then clothing and bedding would be important for warmth, depending on the temperature outside, the wind chill factor or snow on the ground. When winter camping you want to decide what type of outside activities you will be doing and what gear will be needed. 

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It is always important to bring enough clothing to keep warm because it is so much easier to have extra clothing on during winter camping. Dress in layers so you can easily adjust your clothes to regulate body moisture and temperature. Three layers are considered normal. Cotton loses its insulating qualities when it gets wet, whether from rain or sweat, and it takes a long time to dry. Your boots should have waterproof outer shells such as oiled leather or plastic. Do not wear too many pairs of socks. Be sure to carry plenty of dry socks.  Bring extra gloves and liners with you when you are winter camping, the gloves can be dried out overnight in your sleeping bag or under your pillow.

The shelter is very important when winter camping. Select a tent site that is sheltered from the wind if possible. Hanging a tarp between trees can help block the wind from your tent if needed. Pack down the snow where you want to set up your tent before you start. In windy, exposed campsites on snow you want to make sure that you dig out an area to get into and out of the tent door or flap. Make sure that you stake your tent down through the snow into the ground for better stability. Regular tent stakes usually don’t work very well in snow, so make sure that you get the steel heavy duty stakes. Lean-to shelters can be used comfortably in the winter by hanging a tarp across the open side of tree cover to block the wind, plus tarps are much lighter to carry than tents.

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Bring plenty of food and water when you are winter camping. Drink plenty of water, even though you don’t think you are thirsty. Food should be easy to fix and tasty enough to be appetizing. It is also a good idea to have all the food packed into plastic containers for protection from the weather as well as being kept dry from moisture. Have plenty of carbohydrates in your diet to provide fuel for activities and for simply keeping your body warm. Remember, when you are camping in the winter you will always be moving around, burning body fuel.  One pot meals are easy to carry and to fix for lunch or dinner. The next time you are winter camping make sure you bring plenty of water and food.
 
The gear you carry is as important as everything else when you are winter camping. The winter camping gear should be as waterproof as possible. The backpack should be insulated to keep the contents inside dry and as warm as possible. The pack should be lightweight. Do not put wet items back into the pack because, depending on the temperature outside, it could freeze. Bring plastic bags to put the wet items in to keep them separate from the dry items. Keep as much of the gear under a shelter or in your tent so, in case it snows, it will not cover it up and make it hard to find when you are ready to use.

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When you ready to pick out a sleeping bag for winter camping is it a good idea to look for one that has plenty of insulation or down in it. You want the sleeping bag to have plenty of room around your body without a tight fit so your body can breathe throughout the night.  Make sure you dress comfortably inside your sleeping bag so you do not sweat which will cause the chills.

The next time you are ready to plan your winter camping trip make sure you make a good list and understand the environment you will be camping in.

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