Pull up a warm seat by the fire and let’s talk about a misunderstood outdoor activity. When you think about camping in the cold, Im sure your mind jumps to images of being buried in the snow, ice sickles on your nose and no feeling in your toes. Maybe that could happen, but let’s do our best to plan a fun weekend that you will remember for many years to come.
First I’d like to discuss my reasons for winter camping. Where I live, we have mountains 2-3 hours away that get pretty good snow but we also have some cool water areas and sand dunes as close as a hour away that can be great for winter camping shenanigans. The spots ones close by can help scratch that camping itch. Some of the great benefits are less crowds, no bugs and I always believe its easier to make yourself warmer than cooler, (there’s only so much clothing you can take off to cool down without getting in trouble haha).
At this time, we mostly camp in tents or tent cots in my family. When it comes to ground camping, you always want to put a vapor barrier such as a tarp under your tent. This will help with moisture as the tent warms up. Nice bonus if you can put some straw under the tent as well. Our tent cots are great, but I discovered a few years ago that the wind or breeze passes under them and chills you to the bone. I think the solution would be either a layer of straw underneath or possibly a tarp that goes all the way to the ground. Inside the tents, a great insulating mat with a great proper winter sleeping bag is key. Many folks even fill their water bottles with boiling water and place them at their feet inside their bags, I personally haven’t, but I hear it works great.
If your set up for it, sleeping in your vehicle can be a great solution but this also comes with some risks. The main risk is condensation, you really need to leave a window cracked for air flow. Many people are tempted to use a propane heater such as the Mr.Buddy, they will produce more condensation than just breathing. Please, if you run any kind of heater in your rig or run your rig off and on to keep the chill off, please bring a simple CO2 detector. If you need heat, the best solution at this time is the diesel heater. Prices are coming down and they are becoming much more common than just a few years ago. Diesel heaters are great because they can be placed on the ground next to your vehicle, they get their air for burning from the outside, they exhaust out side and all you need is to route the hose (dryer duct like hose) into a window. They do of course require diesel but not much, plus a steady supply of 12v. Many power supply/battery banks will run them for a night just fine. Any time you introduce a heat source to your tent or car, please also include a carbon monoxide detector to your gear.
When it comes to cooking in the winter bring on the stews. Stews are great because you can sort of leave them on the fire and let them cook. Filling foods like soups and breads go along way to help fill your belly and keep it warm. As for the stove, try to shy away from Propane, they can have a difficult time in cold weather. I prefer Coleman Dual Fuel stoves and lanterns.
Now a little safety. As I said before, a CO2 detector may save your life. Ive had one go off while sleeping one of my rigs and it really startled me. Always a great idea to share your trip with someone not going. Just like any trip, let some one know what area you’re going and when you expect to return. Having a gps tracker or a Garmin InReach type of product can also offer some piece of mind.
But the best thing is hanging with your friends around a big fire, tossing the occasional snow ball and enjoying a nice bourbon, plus you don’t need so much ice.
Next post I’ll go over getting your vehicle ready for a winter trip, stay tuned!
In the shop with Craig. 