101 tips for Winter Camping

[Wayland]

First off I'd have to say there are many members here with more experience than me in Arctic conditions but I thought it might be a good idea to collect together some tips for anyone considering a Winter camping trip for the first time.

I'll start with just a couple.

First of all, be organised. Everything really should have a place and be put back into that place when finished with.

On the evening you see pictured above I foolishly hung my folding saw on the firewood stack only to find the blade in the ashes of the fire the following morning. The rest of the saw had burned away completely.

That could have happened in any camp I suppose but items left lying about can quickly get covered in falling snow and lost. Small pieces of equipment will take every opportunity to bury themselves in snow as it gets kicked around too.

Organization is also important to keep loose snow from getting into bags and containers where it will cause problems when it melts. Dry bags are a big help for this but so is care and attention.


Secondly, use the conditions to your advantage. Snow is not simply a problem to be dealt with, it's a useful material that you can use.

Dig into it to make windbreaks for your stove, pile it up to make a comfortable seat, push your water bottles down into it to insulate them from the cold.

A little creative thought can really make the difference and best of all you don't have to carry the snow around with you.



Somebody else's turn now, I'll add some more later.

 

[udamiano]

As you go further into the arctic, the air becomes much, much dryer. Always remember to drink enough water to remain hydrated. even though you are surrounded by snow and ice. the moisture in your body is quickly drawn away by the cold dry condition, and you are effectively freeze dried, never eat snow or ice, it will quickly reduce your core temperature and also cause cold burn to the inside of your mouth, open sores allow the cold easier access to your skin, so keep any cuts and abrasion well covered and insulated. We also tend to eat much higher levels of fatty foods the further north we go, and this requires a lot higher intake of water to help break down in our bodies.

picture courtesy of wikipedia as part of public domain license

We tend to wear much more clothing in the arctic regions, however when doing something manual, we still start to sweat, when we stop this sweat cools our bodies down, in the arctic this keeps going until it actually inhibits the bodies ability to remain warm, so when work remove layers to moderate your body temp to stay cool, then add layers afterwards to increase insulation to keep warm.

The suns glare in the summer we all know hurts our eyes, even in the coldest places on earth the suns glare can become a real problem, non more than the arctic, where, the glare from the sun above is reflected off the snow and ice back at us. when in the arctic keep ample eye protection, in the shape of darkened glasses, and ample sun protection for the skin also, in the shape of sun protection creams, the type with a moisturiser are the better type, lip cream and good cold weather moisturisers for the skin are also a must, unless you live in the arctic areas, our skin is not used to the severe cold, and as thus needs a little help to stop it cracking in the cold dry environment. If you get tired eyes, give them a brake, their trying to tell you something, and its a good idea to listen, if you have ever had 'Arc-eye' you will know what I mean.


Next...

 

[spandit]

Beware of electric shocks - the very low humidity helps static build up. Don't know if it's strong enough to ignite vapours etc.

 

[Imagedude]

Carry a pair of rubber gloves (Marrigolds?) for use when handling fuel.
Practice your emergency trouser removal routines.

 

[mountainm]

If you boil water pop any excess into a flask for later.

 

[Chris the Cat]

Bring a decent axe and a decent saw.
Fry ups are good, saving the water for drinking.
da C.

 

[Wayland]

If you are keeping water in a metal bottle, do not fill it to the top, or the expansion of ice if it freezes will deform or possibly split it.

Also, put it in the snow upside down so that the ice forms in the bottom of the bottle first and you can still pour the liquid out of the top.

 

[Bushwhacker]

If you are keeping water in a metal bottle, do not fill it to the top, or the expansion of ice if it freezes will deform or possibly split it.

Also, put it in the snow upside down so that the ice forms in the bottom of the bottle first and you can still pour the liquid out of the top.

Wrap tape or use a sleeve cut from an old wetsuit around a metal bottle. You don't want your hand sticking (freezing) to it.

 

[udamiano]

When camping in any area that gets a large amount of snow fall, especially if you are in a tent, make sure that you ventilate, or your sleeping arrangements can become more long term. its easily done that a large blizzard can dump a large enough amount of snow to cover the normal vents in a tent, arctic type tents have the ability to open the vents from the inside as well as he outside to help with this. Make sure that the equipment that you are taking is able to stand both the extreme cold and the large UV exposure, I've seen expensive tents turn brittle and crack in the extreme cold, the better types are made from a special type of Nylon that has laminate construction used in the bonding process to help combat with intense temperature change and UV problems, the best type have a combined 40D outside material weight and a 40D inner material weight, as the thinner types tend to stand up less to the extreme cold, and some of the best type incorporate silver into the weave as a UV stabiliser, which is why expedition type tents are usually a lot more expensive than normal tents.
Ventile is also considered a good low temperature tent material, but its weight tends to put most people off it.

It always a good idea to further insulate your ground sheet with another layer, to help prevent cold seepage. a laminated butyl rubber foot-print is one of the best types, for both its insulating properties and its abrasion and puncture resistance, and is usually the type of choice for arctic expeditions.

The Arctic has some very severe weather, than can descend on the unsuspecting quite quickly, always get into the habit of 'storm lashing' your tent each and every time, otherwise you might wake in the night to see all those loverly stars looking back down on you.


Treat any tingling sensations in any of your toes or fingers immediately, don't wait or tough it out. if your with a group. tell the group leader or medic straight away. Stop, make camp and deal with the problem (to tight boots, can easily cause major problems later, frost nip, and other cold damage can't always be cured later on)

this later require amputation

loose clothing provides better circulation and helps the body keep warmer, as trapped air between the layers. tight boots can cause you feet to sweet, which freezes in the cold temps, especially when you stop, this further compounds the bodies inability to maintain a sufficient core, so it responds by pulling the warm blood back into the torso, leaving the outer extremities to be sacrificed to the cold.

 

[dwardo]

If in situ for a while and part of a group, all use the same area to pee. If the persons pee before yours is a bad colour you get to tell them off and mock them in public, also avoids the eating yellow snow situation and poluting a larger area.
Also if one drinks water we all drink. Just little things that can be a laugh but have a good reason.

 

[Teepee]

Keep your gloves/mitts warm by putting them inside your jacket if you take them off to do something when it really cold.

Cold gloves make cold hands even colder.

 

[Lister]

Have a method of firelighting you can use without needing to take off your gloves

Note: I have never done winter camping outside the UK but to me this sounds sensible.

 

[rik_uk3]

Carry extra lighters, two or three bic types, a zippo; Turbo lighters are great when they work but I've had issues with almost all the ones I've had ranging from Primus/Silva to the cheapo chinese ones, never rely on them. Store your spares on yourself and in your back pack and in your day/hip pack.

 

[Imagedude]

Have a method of firelighting you can use without needing to take off your gloves

Note: I have never done winter camping outside the UK but to me this sounds sensible.

Wise words mate, I'd like to have a firelighting system I could use with frozen fingers.

 

[ged]

Carry extra lighters, two or three bic types, a zippo; Turbo lighters are great when they work but I've had issues with almost all the ones I've had ranging from Primus/Silva to the cheapo chinese ones, never rely on them. Store your spares on yourself and in your back pack and in your day/hip pack.

Don't take a Turboflame lighter anywhere where it's cold. Unless you have a pouch for it in your underpants I can almost guarantee it won't work.

 

[Harvestman]

Before setting out, wait six months, until it is a lot warmer.

Lots of good advice on this thread. Let me add that pocket handwarmers are useful for situations where you need cold hands to function, and keeping your sleeping bag dry is an absolute essential.

Oh, and a stick or walking pole is very useful for balance in icy conditions, probing the depth of snow, and so on.

 

[Imagedude]

Snowshoes are only to be used for walking from your car to your house (so that you can collect your skis).

 

[PropThePolecat]

Change into a dry set of undergarments when crawling into your sleeping bag. Dont wear too much clothes when sleeping, or your body wont be able to warm the bag up. Remember you make the bag warm and not the other way around.

 

[Retired Member southey]

I use two of the coal stick type hand warmer to heat my issue Arctic bag on colder nights, just pop them into the mesh pockets along with your socks, toasty as well toast!

 

[spandit]

I could never keep those things going. The one-shot disposable hand warmers last for 10 hours & are very effective. For the price of a Zippo petrol handwarmer you could buy a couple of week's supply