SNOW NIGHT

Experience the magic of winter camping

Story by Sam Lozier
Photos by Grant Gunderson

Nothing is as magical as camping in the winter. Often seen as a cold, wet, survival-only experience, winter camping is a perfect way to extend your ski or snowshoe trips an extra day or two. If you’ve ever backpacked or camped, you’re halfway there. You’ll just need to be prepared, and never underestimate how much energy and focus it takes to stay warm and dry. If you’ve never tried camping in the snow before, staying close to the car is a good idea for the first trip.

Before you go. Good planning is the most important ingredient in a safe and comfortable winter camping trip. Don’t count on anything “just working out.” It might, but nature doesn’t tend to be accommodating in winter. Check the weather forecast before you go: Will there be precipitation? Wind? High or low temperatures? What is the current snow pack? A good understanding of the weather will help you decide what gear to bring, what route to take and what contingencies to prepare for.

Choose trip objectives that won’t stretch your limits – it’s important to have enough energy in reserve to deal with a potential problem. Leave enough time to get settled in camp before darkness and colder temperatures set in.

During the day. In the (relatively) warm Pacific Northwest, less is usually more when clothing is concerned. Dress in layers, and if you’re sweating and soaking them, open your jacket vents, roll up your sleeves or take your jacket off. If all else fails, go slower. Sweat is your body trying to cool off, and you need to stay dry to avoid getting hypothermic when you stop. If it’s snowing hard, as it often is, staying dry can be challenging, if not impossible. Have enough dry clothing to change into at camp. If you’re getting cold, put on a warm hat and add more layers.
You’re burning more calories and sweating much more than you think. Take the time to eat easily digestible food at regular intervals and drink plenty of water. You’ll stay warmer, have more energy and set yourself up for success later on.

At camp. Broadly speaking, two types of shelters are used in winter camping: tent-style shelters, which can include everything from the strongest four-season expedition tent to a simple tarp, and snow shelters, which include igloos, snow caves and everything in between. Tent-style shelters tend to be heavier and colder, but easier to set up and generally more convenient. Snow shelters don’t require anything more than a shovel to make, are typically warmer and more weatherproof than a tent, but can take more than an hour to build and require some practice to get right.

A 15-degree sleeping bag from a respected manufacturer should provide enough warmth for winter camping, but that isn’t the whole picture. When camping on snow, even in a high quality sleeping bag, you’ll lose a huge amount of body heat to the ground if you don’t have a good sleeping pad. A sleeping pad with an R-value of at least 4 should be enough to keep you warm in most situations.

Wear only the clothes you need to bed and bring everything that shouldn’t freeze into the sleeping bag with you. Water bottles won’t freeze overnight if you bury them upside down in snow, but put contact cases, batteries, boot liners and any damp layers from the day into the bag with you. Your body heat should keep them from freezing.  

Food and water. More than just a luxury in winter, a stove is an essential piece of safety equipment. You can melt snow for water, cook hot meals and prepare hot water bottles to warm your sleeping bag. Make sure you have a stove that works in cold weather. Stoves generally come in two forms, those that rely on pre-pressurized canisters, such as the Jetboil, and liquid fuel stoves such as the MSR WhisperLite. Canister stoves, though convenient and light, experience a huge decrease in performance as the temperatures drop or as the altitude rises. Liquid fuel stoves, on the other hand, are heavier and a little bulkier, but more reliable and effective in colder weather.

You’ll need simple, high-calorie, easy-to-prepare and easy-to-eat food. Save the Dutch-oven peach cobbler for your summer camping. Even hot food gets cold fast – an insulated bowl or wide-mouth mug can ensure that you aren’t eating an ice cube by the time you reach the end of your portion.

No topic can be fully explored in a short article, and winter camping is no exception. For great tips and a more in-depth look at snow shelters, efficient movement through snow and the challenges of winter camping, check out “Allen & Mike’s Really Cool Backcountry Ski Book: Traveling and Camping Skills for a Winter Environment” written by Allen O’Bannon and illustrated by Mike Clelland and “Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills,” edited by Ronald C. Eng. X

Sam Lozier followed his dream and moved to the Mt. Baker area, where you can find him skiingrunning, hiking, climbing, fishing, photographing and writing. Visit him at www.famousinternetskiers.com.