BYBC?
Yep, Back Yard Bush Craft!
Since it is not allowed by law to do things like this in the woods, here, I have to practice in my own backyard.
I wanted to test my tripod, kettle and homemade lid in wintercondition and deep snow.
This meant that I had to make fire and keep it going in the snow and to add another challenge I wanted to use only materials from my backyard, being 5x20 meters.
I cut off some of the lower branches of coniferous trees and I found a small pile of wood that I left behind last summer. I only used a paper handkerchief to get the fire started with a firesteel.
Using the wood from the pile I made a small bed, stacking 2 layers of wood. This way melting snow and ice could drip down, without extinguising the fire. Befor that I remove as much snow as I thought would be necessary.
Because there was more snow coming I used a german tenthalf as a shelter. I don't have a tarp yet and I didn't dare using a poncho, because of possible sparks.
A large stack of green coniferous branches made a great comfortable seat, but I also made an isolated outdoor "seat" myself. I used the foam backing, found in Dutch army daypacks and I covered that in a piece of cheap insulation mat, the kind you use in the summer to cover your car's windshield. To top it off I made a little, washable bag for it too. I added some handles while I was busy, so it can double as a foragingbag, too, for instance.
Thawing/deicing the wood;
And drying it;
There was a unpleasant surprise, however. The water turned brownish, while boiling! Would it be rust coming off or might it be from the ash, that was blown up in clouds?
Anyway, today's lessons:
Making and maintaining fire is deep snow is possible, if proper precautions are made. It doesn't matter much if the wood is frozen or covered in snow.
Add some dry to my backpack, when going out in winterconditions!! It doesn't have to be much. Just to keep a fire going in the beginning.
The handles from kettle and lid still can be handled without problems, even when being used over a fire for a longer period of time.
6 parts of snow give 1 part of boiling water and the lid is ideal for scooping up snow!
Being outdoors in cold conditions is fun!!
But I already knew that....
Yep, Back Yard Bush Craft!
Since it is not allowed by law to do things like this in the woods, here, I have to practice in my own backyard.
I wanted to test my tripod, kettle and homemade lid in wintercondition and deep snow.
This meant that I had to make fire and keep it going in the snow and to add another challenge I wanted to use only materials from my backyard, being 5x20 meters.
I cut off some of the lower branches of coniferous trees and I found a small pile of wood that I left behind last summer. I only used a paper handkerchief to get the fire started with a firesteel.
Using the wood from the pile I made a small bed, stacking 2 layers of wood. This way melting snow and ice could drip down, without extinguising the fire. Befor that I remove as much snow as I thought would be necessary.
Because there was more snow coming I used a german tenthalf as a shelter. I don't have a tarp yet and I didn't dare using a poncho, because of possible sparks.
A large stack of green coniferous branches made a great comfortable seat, but I also made an isolated outdoor "seat" myself. I used the foam backing, found in Dutch army daypacks and I covered that in a piece of cheap insulation mat, the kind you use in the summer to cover your car's windshield. To top it off I made a little, washable bag for it too. I added some handles while I was busy, so it can double as a foragingbag, too, for instance.
Thawing/deicing the wood;
And drying it;
There was a unpleasant surprise, however. The water turned brownish, while boiling! Would it be rust coming off or might it be from the ash, that was blown up in clouds?
Anyway, today's lessons:
Making and maintaining fire is deep snow is possible, if proper precautions are made. It doesn't matter much if the wood is frozen or covered in snow.
Add some dry to my backpack, when going out in winterconditions!! It doesn't have to be much. Just to keep a fire going in the beginning.
The handles from kettle and lid still can be handled without problems, even when being used over a fire for a longer period of time.
6 parts of snow give 1 part of boiling water and the lid is ideal for scooping up snow!
Being outdoors in cold conditions is fun!!
But I already knew that....
