Hello,
Winter camping and hiking is always a fun challenge, but it can very uncomfortable if you are not careful.
Here are my top 5 tips to making winter camping fun and comfortable.
- SET UP CAMP: Setting up camp is more then just putting up your tent or making a shelter. It is making the area that you are deciding to stay in safe and comfortable. The very first step in setting up camp is getting your tent or shelter established. During the winter, daylight does not last, and the last thing you want to do is set up your shelter in the dark.
As soon as the shelter is completed, you want to gather firewood for the fire. Which will be your friend for the cold dark hours of the night. Collect several dead standing trees and process it into logs for the fire. Meanwhile be collecting Tinder and Kindling, enough to start a fire at least 3 seperate times. Once for the first fire, one for the middle of the night, and one for the morning.
Keep in mind of this one simple rule, If you think you have enough tinder and kindling, get double what you have. Once you have the wood processed, get your fire started. - GET DRY: Setting up camp can be fairly labor intensive, and is a great way to generate heat. Most times, to much causing you to sweat. With the camp set up, and the fire going, take the next 15 minutes to get yourself dry, change out damp clothes, use the fire to dry out your damp items. Damp clothes in the winter can lead to serious complications and all levels of misery. Get dry clothes next to your skin as soon as your work load is starting to settle down.
- ORGANIZE THE CAMP: Now that you are in the process of being dried out, start setting up your camp while you still have light. Get your sleep pads out, sleeping bags out, cookware ready, start making your shelter your home.
Remember that in the winter time, daylight is a luxury and it is always easier to do with out the need for a headlamp. This is also a good time to fill up the pot or kettle and start boiling water. - GET COOKING: With the camp setup, fire going, clothes drying, and water boiling. This is the time you want to start cooking. Once the cooking is done and your belly warm from all the food you just ate, take this time to clean up and get things ready to use for the next meal.
- GET READY FOR THE LONG DARK: Its usually dark at this point, so with the fire going, Take this time to get enough wood ready for the next fire you are going to start. Place the splits and logs near the already buring fire to help everything dry out, take your tinder and ensure its in a dry safe place, easy to use for the next morning.
I also found, that this is a good time way of getting your body warm and ready for bed, by processing a few logs. Be careful not to sweat. Take your time and get what you need. The nights are long and this is a great way to keep busy until you are ready to climb into the bunk for the night.
And here you go, my top five priorities to setting up a winter camp.
