Winter Camping- The Basics to Staying Warm
Camping in the colder months of the year can be a real treat but it also requires being more prepared than you normally would. The benefits include less people, allowing you to snag that prime campsite, you don’t have to listen to those loud generators at night or folks up partying and blasting their music. I also find it to be more peaceful, the snow silences so much and offers another layer of beauty with the frosted trees and a cracking fire. While yes, winter camping is often cold, there's a misconception that you need a whole separate set of gear to really enjoy camping in the winter. 100% not true, you can still go with what you have, as long as you prepare properly.
Top 5 to have a good time
Pack plenty of layers. They always say that you can take off layers but you can’t add more if you don’t have them. Bringing snow pants and a heavy winter jacket are integral to staying warm and can make/break your night. Warm gloves and a hat are also important. I also recommend bringing at least 2 extra pairs of socks, one pair to immediately change into after you go for a hike, sweaty feet will be cold feet. I then change into another dry pair right before bed to make sure my feet are as dry as possible.
Insulate while sleeping. Do you need to go out and buy the fanciest 0 degree sleeping bag? NO! If you have 2 sleeping bags, you can double up, or just bring lots of blankets to bundle yourself up in. A well insulated sleeping pad will help keep your heat from warming up the ground. I also use my Therm-A- Rest Z lite pad below my sleeping pad to offer extra insulation (silver side facing me). You can even take it 1 step further and buy some of that silver bubble wrap they use for insulation to line your tent with but its not necessary.
Watch the weather. Unless you have a full backcountry winter set up, I recommend staying home if the temps are going to fall below 20 degrees at night. Hypothermia’s a bitch, it's not quick like a stroke. Expect snow, even if the forecast doesn’t call for it. Sleeping during a snowstorm might be my favorite. The sound of flakes on my rain fly is so soothing and it's peaceful to get out of your tent in the morning with a fresh layer on the ground.
Car camp over backpack. If you’re like me and prefer to backpack over car camp, it can be tempting to trek further into the woods. However, car camping allows you to make sure you can bring enough layers and not have to try to hoof them in. It also gives you an easy out if the weather takes a nasty turn.
Winter set up. The one thing I do recommend investing in if winter camping is going to be a regular thing, is a 4 season tent. Most tents will run you hundreds of dollars but I got my Geertop 4-season tent for $120 and it is life changing. So, what's the difference between 4-season and 3-season? A 4-season tent has double layered walls and the ability to zip up the windows. The rain fly also goes all the way to the ground, making sure that a draft doesn’t zip up and under. The thing to remember is its important to open your vents at night to let out CO2 from your breathing. Otherwise, you can literally suffocate yourself.
Always wanted to try winter camping? Now you have the basics to get started, to stay safe and warm and to not spend hundreds of dollars. Winter camping allows you to recreate year round, enjoy some quiet and sometimes have the woods all to yourself. Just make sure to be prepared, pack enough layers and watch the weather.
