WINTER CAMPING: WINTER CHECKLIST
Get the gear you'll need to stay warm and happy on a winter backpacking trip.
Get This Gear This checklist is optimized for winter trips in mountain environments where high/low temperatures will range from 20F to -30F. Adjust for the conditions you'll faceinsulated pants and goggles might not be necessary, for instance, for a November trip in the Smokies. Outerwear waterproof/breathable jacket waterproof/breathable pants synthetic or softshell hiking pants insulated parka or down jacket insulated pants waterproof gaiters Baselayer expedition-weight long john bottoms expedition-weight long john top midweight long john top midweight long john bottoms long sleeve T-shirt synthetic briefs Accessories wool or fleece hat balaclava synthetic liner gloves midweight insulated ski gloves (2) heavyweight down mittens waterproof overmitts sun hat or visor bandanna Footwear insulated camp booties waterproof hiking or snowshoeing boots (insulated is best) wool or synthetic socks (one pair for every day or two, plus an extra pair for sleeping only) liner socks (2) Gear internal or external frame backpack convertible or four-season tent sleeping bag (-30 to 0F) inflatable sleeping pad closed-cell foam sleeping pad collapsible snow shovel trekking poles white-gas stove and fuel bottles lighter and waterproof matches cookset eating utensils, bowl, and insulated mug headlamp w/extra batteries and bulb 32-oz. water bottles (2) & water bottle parkas (2)
vacuum-insulated bottle for hot drinks pocketknife or multitool compass or GPS (and map) sunglasses goggles first-aid kit with personal medications chemical heat packs assorted zipper-lock bags stuffsacks sunscreen (SPF 45+) lip balm (SPF 15+) toilet paper Consider towing sled or toboggan metal tray or lid for firebuilding avalanche beacon and probe ice axe crampons pee bottle Weekend Menu Planner A dining guide fortified with extra warmth and caloriesbased on the grocery list below Dinner 1 Instant soup, macaroni & cheese, hot drink (hot cocoa, or cider) Breakfast 1 Oatmeal, granola bar, hot drink Breakfast 2 PB&J bagel, hot drink Dinner 2 Hearty Veggie & Bean Soup, Abominable Snowman Lunches & Snacks Small, frequent snacks eaten on the go keep you warm and energized. Choose your favorites and graze hourly. Crackers, jerky, cheese, dried fruit, energy bars, cookies, Gatorade, trail mix with nuts and chocolate, pepperoni (foods with a low moisture content are least likely to freeze) Hearty Veggie and Bean Soup Alaska Mountain Guide Eli Fierer favors this recipe for a warming, rehydrating meal. 1/2 C. split peas 1 C. instant rice 1 C. dried veggies (try mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes) 3 T. butter 1 pouch chicken breast 1 packet Knorr soup mix 1 cube chicken bouillon Loaf of bread 1. Soak the peas in hot water for 45 minutes. 2. Add dried veggies, soup mix, and bouillon to one liter of water, and bring to a boil. Add peas and simmer
until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in rice and chicken; when rice is cooked, swirl in the butter. Enjoy with bread. Serves 3. Abominable Snowman Buck Tilton, coauthor of NOLS Winter Camping, warms up with this favorite brew. 1 packet instant hot chocolate mix 2 T. powdered milk Pat of butter 1 T. brown sugar Place hot chocolate and powdered milk in a mug. Add 1 1/2 cups hot water. Stir in butter and brown sugar. Now let's rethink the soup. The ingredients are great. But anything that requires soaking in hot water for 45 minutes and then simmering for 10 minutes is not winter-friendly, especially in below freezing temps. Try this: cook the split peas and regular rice (not instant) at home, then dehydrate them. Mix together with the other dry ingredients and divide into 2 or 3 quart size freezer zipper bags (one serving per bag). In camp, you add the butter and chicken to the zipper bag. Boil water, approximately twice as much as the volume of dehydrated food in the bag. Pour the water into the zipper bag, seal it tight, and place into a cozy or wrap it in an extra piece of clothing. After about 10 minutes, open and eat out of the bag. Advantages: saves fuel, no cleanup. Added advantage: if you're sitting in a camp chair while you're cooking, place the cozy either under your thighs or between them. This helps the cozy stay warmer while rehydrating the food and also helps your own body heat while you're sitting. Be sure the bag is zipped securely. Check out www.freezerbagcooking.com for more ideas.
Grocery list [ ] 2 packets instant oatmeal [ ] 3 servings coffee/tea/hot chocolate/cider [ ] 1 granola bar [ ] 1 bagel [ ] 2 T. peanut butter [ ] 2 T. jelly [ ] 1 box crackers [ ] 1 pack jerky or pepperoni [ ] 1 pack dried fruit [ ] 1 pack trail mix [ ] 2 energy bars [ ] 4 individually wrapped cheeses [ ] 1 pack cookies [ ] 7.5 T. Gatorade [ ] 1/2 C. split peas [ ] 1 C. instant rice [ ] 1/2 C. dried mushrooms [ ] 1/2 C. sun-dried tomatoes [ ] 1 pouch chicken breast [ ] 1 packet Knorr soup mix [ ] 1 bouillon cube [ ] 4 T. butter [ ] 1 loaf crusty bread [ ] 1 packet hot cocoa [ ] 2 T. powdered milk [ ] 1 T. brown sugar
Proper Nutrition
ColdWeatherCamping-4.jpg Food = fuel Breakfast should give enough fat to satisfy the appetite. Lunch is abundant in high carbohydrate energy. Dinner includes the highest amount of protein. Nutritious high caloric snacks at any time of day Check out www.mypyramid.gov link-html.gif Okpik:Cold Weather Camping book p.38 BSA handbook p. 259
****************************************************************************************** 1. Begin in your backyard "Don't make your first trip a five-day alpine expedition," says Gyorgy Kereszti, who teaches the multiweek Winter Camping School offered by the Colorado Mountain Club. Start small, with a local overnight, to test yourself and your new gear. Any time you introduce a new skill to your repertoirelike digging a snow cavepractice it in a place where success is not critical to your survival. 2. Take your time Snow and cold slow everything down. "You'll travel half the miles and double your tentpitching and cooking time," says Johnson. Account for this when planning your route, and respect the details: Spending an extra 30 seconds to get your gaiters just right can make a big difference if you break through ice while crossing a stream. 3. Avoid gear shortcuts "Getting quality equipmentand the right stuffis vital," stresses Eli Fierer, who has winter-climbed Alaska's 15,325-foot Mt. Fairweather and leads monthlong mountaineering courses for Alaska Mountain Guides. In the summer, you might get away with sneakers instead of bootsthe penalties are small. But wearing an extra jacket to boost the temperature rating of your three-season sleeping bag doesn't cut it in winter, and it can start a domino effect leading to much more dire consequences. Do what it takesbeg, buy, borrow, or rentto outfit yourself in a complete set of proven gear.
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NEED TO KNOW
12 gear tricks, solutions, and DIY shortcuts from cold-weather veterans
1. Extra padding Carry a 2-by-2-foot square of closed-cell foam that you can kneel on while shoveling snow, stand on to help keep your feet warm, and sit on during dinner. 2. Lashing alternative Duct tape doesn't stick well in cold temps, so add zip-ties to your kit to repair ski bindings, reinforce tent pole junctions, and attach gear. 3. Ice axe safety Those sharp metal points can save your lifeor threaten it, should you secure the axe haphazardly to your pack. Attach yours like this: Feed the shaft down through the pack's ice axe loop so the pick is pointing toward the middle of your pack. Flip the axe to point the spike skyward (so the loop cradles the axe's head) and secure.
4. Surefire lighter Carry a butane lighter on a cord around your neck to keep it handyand warm enough to function. 5. Glove security When shedding gloves, never drop them in the snow: They can pick up moisture, or worse, blow away. If yours don't come with leashes, sew them on. Or clip the gloves to a small carabiner on the front of your jacket (or just stuff them inside). 6. Dry bed Air out the moisture that your sleeping bag absorbs each night by unzipping it and draping it over two trekking poles or skis. 7. Gas booster Canister stoves can work in winterthey just take longer. Use isobutane canisters instead of 80/20 butane/propane, improve performance by warming the canister inside your jacket, and opt for a stove like the MSR WindPro that lets you turn the canister upside down, which pushes the more combustible gas toward the valve. Not buying a new stove? Place the canister in a shallow pan of water while cooking. 8. Warmer feet Reserve a pair of thick, dry socks only for sleeping. Still chilled? Wrap your puffy around your feet. 9. Unfrozen water Blow the water in your hydration tube back into the reservoir after each sip, where it's less likely to freeze. For extra security, look for a bladder with an insulated tube. 10. Double insulation Place a closed-cell foam pad under your inflatable pad for extra protection from the cold ground. 11. Toasty toes Size ski or mountaineering boots to accommodate thicker winter socks (staff favorite: wool), making sure you have wiggle room in the toe box. A tight fit constricts blood flow, making feet feel colder and upping the risk of frostbite. 12. Warm drink At breakfast, fill an insulated metal thermos with hot coffee, tea, cocoa, or cider. Take sips throughout the dayyou'll stay hydrated and get a psychological boost.
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TENT OR SNOW CAVE?
Answer these questions to determine your ideal winter shelter.
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Tent The shelter of choice for short trips, thin snow, and claustrophobes Follow these steps to ensure a comfortable night: Stomp down a platform two feet wider than your tent with skis or snowshoes, or pat it down with a shovel. "Wait an hour before pitching the tent to let the snow solidify," says Kereszti. That keeps ruts from forming when you sleep and kneel on the snow.
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Stake it out with skis (if breaking camp the next morning), or use snow anchors to secure guylines. Fierer packs 2-by-2-foot fabric squares that he fills with snow, attaches to the lines, and buries at least six inches deep. Also useful: trekking poles, ice axes, and sticks. All are lighter and more effective than snow stakes. Let the snow harden around the anchors, then tighten the guylines.
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Build a wind-blocking wall out of snow blocks or a pile of snow. Leave a three-foot gap between it and your tent so blowing snow collects in that space rather than on the fabric. Shovel snow from your tent during big storms to prevent collapse. "Be proactive," advises Fierer. "When you see snow piling halfway up your tent, you've waited too long." Store sharp equipment (ice axes, snowshoes, and poles) away from the tent, in one central location, says Fierer. "That way, if they get buried in snow overnight, you'll know where to dig and can recover them all more easily." Close all zippers before taking down your tent, and stuff the rainfly and body separatelymeasures that make it easier to pitch the tent next time. "When you unroll everything at once, the wind can easily blow part of your tent away," says Fierer. Snow Cave A simple, 90-minute plan for a cozy, bombproof shelter
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When basecamping for a few days, nothing beats a snow cave if you don't mind tight quarters: It's warmer than a tent and more customizable, since you can sculpt its dimensions to suit your needsright down to carving shelves and tables.
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Prep the foundation: Select a snow drift (look on the lee side of boulders and downed trees) and probe it from the top and the sides to make sure it's at least 6 feet deep and free of hidden rocks and small trees. If the snow is soft, stomp on and around it with skis or snowshoes to consolidate it before you start digging. Dig from the downhill side of the drift so you don't have to throw snow uphill, and create a 3-by-3-foot doorway as close to the ground as possible. Tunnel one foot into the mound, then angle the hole up to create a heat trap (a low door traps warm air inside the cave). Pile excavated snow on top of the mound. Probe the snow from the inside to gauge the thickness of the ceiling (one to two feet is ideal). Before digging, shove two-foot sticks into the mound: You'll know the roof's thickness when you hit them from inside. Mark the hollow area you're creating with branches or rocks to avoid stepping on the roof. Using ski poles, punch four to six vent holes into the ceiling. Smooth the inside with your hands to create a steep-walled dome. This will encourage condensation to trickle down the walls instead of dripping from the ceiling. Cut shelves and seats as desired. Keep a shovel inside for digging out, and mark the entrance clearly. ******************************************************************************************
COOK
Winter campers prefer liquid-fuel stoves, which work better than canister stoves at altitude and when temps plummet. Here's how to adapt your cooking skills to subfreezing conditions. Pack more fuel You'll need three times as much: Fierer calculates 250ml per person, per day in cold, highaltitude environments.
Site the kitchen Keep the stove a few steps from the tent for quick access to hot drinks. Insulate your stove Use a reflector pad to keep it from melting into the snow: aluminum foil wrapped around a square of cardboard or closed-cell foam. Keep it simple Since much of your fuel will go to melting snow, stick to boil-and-eat meals like noodles, instant potatoes, and rice. Make Water Melting snow for drinking and cooking is a big part of staying warm, mobile, and well-hydrated. Here's how we do it. Avoid the burn Never put a pot of just snow on the stove. "Snow doesn't conduct heat, so the pot will scorch before the snow melts," says Kereszti. Warm an inch of water, then add snow a handful at a time until the pot is full of slushy water. Put the lid on, then stack a second pot of snow on top to start melting. Remember to hydrate Winter is deceptive, like a desert: In the dry air, you don't notice how much you're sweating. But you area lotand hydration is critical to warmth. So drink two liters of water (or other beverages, such as tea or sport drink) each morning and another two at night. Supplement that with frequent sips throughout the day. Insulate your water To keep your bottle from freezing overnight, stash it in a "refrigerator" cut out of the snow (which is a phenomenal insulator). Carve a shelf, line it with a piece of foam, and stack bottles on top. Then seal it up with food bags or snow. ******************************************************************************************
POOP
Deep snow and frozen ground make digging a cathole impractical. Instead, do your duty near the snow's surface, where the freeze/thaw cycle will help break down the waste. Hike at least 200 feet from camp, to minimize your impact, and choose a south-facing location (sun speeds decomposition). Substitute snowballs for TP (which must be packed out). Dry snow? Bring some packed-down snowballs from around camp. Use separate pairs of gloves for cooking and crapping to avoid cross-contamination.
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Risk Management
To climb or not to climb? This handy table details winter's greatest hazards.
When/Where Threat Warning to Worry Level* Signs Avalanche In western A "whoomph" Traveling at mountains, on made by speeds up to 80 slopes collapsing mph, snow slides between 30 snow; cracks A kill 40 percent of and 45 in surface/ their victims degrees; after layers through trauma. new snow or indicating an Winter Hazard Assess and Prevent When in doubt about the snowpack's safety, stick to gentle hills (25 degrees Experts Say... "Stay aware of what's above you," advises Kereszti. "If there's a wide collection area with a lot of snowor a
No broken neck? You have about 15 minutes of oxygen before you suffocate if fully buried; only 28 percent of completely buried victims survive.
periods of fluctuating temperatures; in the afternoon, when warmer temps can trigger slides
Snowblindness At midday, as much as 90 percent of the sun's UV light rebounds off the snow, giving you Above treeline a double dose of in any snowy rays. At high environment, altitudes, the UV higher rays are even elevations in stronger, and they open forest will burn the corneas of unprotected eyes, causing tears, blurred visionand temporary but excruciating pain.
or less), which are less likely to slide. unstable slab; Hike in trees snowballs when rolling down a possible: warming Snow is often cornicebe cautious slope; broken bettercrossing below it." trees or debris anchored on indicating a heavily frequent slide forested and/ path or windward slopes. Travel in the morning. Wear sunglasses that filter at least 90 percent of UV radiation, and Symptoms use side develop six to shields (or 12 hours after To treat it, "Don't improvise radiation use eyedrops," says with tape). exposure. Dr. Sue Lowe of the Should you Eyes initially American lose your feel itchy and Optometric glasses, full of sand (as Association. "Cover make blisters form both eyes with emergency on the gauze until you can "goggles" by cornea). Later, comfortably open cutting two they become them" (usually by horizontal red and teary, the next day). slits (one for and may swell each eye) in shut. a piece of duct tape or cardboard.
Frostbite Frostbite can happen within seconds in extremely cold and windy conditions. Usually, though, it begins when the Below 30F, in outermost layer of areas of high skin freezes and wind becomes pale and numb (often called frostnip). Left untreated, the freezing will continue to the skin's deeper layers.
Wear roomy clothing, especially at the wrists and ankles, to let blood flow to the extremities. Shield skin "Thawing frostbite from wind Pale, numb hurts like the with a skin indicates balaclava or dickens," says Tod frostnip. Skin ointment (like Schimelpfenig of the that feels hard Dermatone). Wilderness (like frozen Hike with a Medicine Institute. chicken) buddy, and "Don't thaw frozen means areas if there's any check one frostbite. another for chance they will white spots. refreeze." Carry chemical heat packs for instant warmth.
Hypothermia Cold causes about 600 deaths every year in the U.S. (more than Falling into half between water, wearing November and wet clothes February). When (especially B your core temp when it's drops below 95F, windy), the brain starts to drinking do bizarre things. alcohol Unless warmth is restored, you become a popsicle.
Shivering; clumsy fumbling with gear and clothing; irrational behavior (like taking gloves off instead of putting on warm layers); slow, weak pulse
Add layers for warmth. Avoid overheating (and soaking clothing with perspiration). Exchange wet layers for "It's easier to stay dry ones. warm than to get Stay warm," says Fierer. hydrated and "Throw on a down fueled by jacket as soon as sipping hot you stop moving." liquids and snacking on sugary foods, such as candy.
*A=painful, often fatal B=painful, sometimes fatal C=painful, not life-threatening ******************************************************************************************
Warm vs. Cold Weather Clothing.
Summer clothes Let heat escape Keep cool Let moisture escape Loosely woven fabric Cotton absorbs moisture and promotes evaporation Winter clothes Keep heat close to the body Stay warm and dry Allow moisture to escape when active Retain 60% moisture on the skin need to layer & ventilate wool and fleece work well
Cotton is excellent for summer. When it is wet it cools the skin due to evaporation which is a cooling process. Cotton does not change its character in winter. It still cools you in the winter. Leave your cotton garments at home when the temperature is 50 degrees or less. Instead look at wools [merino and cashmere are great because they dont itch], fleece, down, polypropylene, other synthetics and silk. Winter camping clothing can be more expensive than cotton clothing but it does not need to be too expensive and can be important for comfort and safety. Winter camping clothing should probably be reserved for actual camping and other winter outdoor activities to limit the number needed. For example, polypropylene undergarments should probably not routinely be worn daily to indoor school classes. Thickness = warmth. It is the dead air spaces in the material which keeps you warm. Goose down, while very expensive is the lightest and best insulator because of its high loft, lightness and huge surface area. The dead air space in prime goose down is enormous [800 primaloft is great]. Get down wet, though, and the dead air spaces collapse, resulting in loss of insulation value. Its the equivalent of wearing cotton. Wool will insulate even if it gets wet because the material does not collapse within itself. Fleece works well due to its thickness and the fibers do not capture water. Fleece will dry quickly if wetted. The biggest dangers to fleece are fire and heat. Fleece melts. Nylons are good as the outerwear layer. If a nylon vest is worn next to the inner body all the moisture will be trapped and the inner clothes become drenched. Use a nylon vest for outerwear only. A wool or fleece vest works well next to the inner body because moisture is wicked from the body and moves to the outer layers. Waterproof, breathe-able fabrics work well at temperatures above freezing. Below these temperatures these fabrics begin to shut down because
the moisture can cool and condense inside the fabric. If temperatures are cold enough an ice can actually form inside the garment. ******************************************************************************************
Fire, Guaranteed
A five-step guide to a low-impact winter blaze "Even when conditions don't require it, I generally build a fire," says NOLS's Marco Johnson. Campfires leave little trace when constructed atop snow-covered groundbut they require a few special techniques to keep the flames from melting the snow and sinking out of sight. Pack a base Use a trash can lid or metal cookie tray as a base under the fire. Dig a seat The fire will gradually melt the snow under and around the pan, so shovel an area around the fire to sit and stand on. Otherwise, you risk falling into the fire. Gather dead wood Strip small twigs and branches to use for kindling, and break large ones into foot-long pieces. Build small to large Put tinder on the base (firestarter, birch bark, or twigs splashed with cooking fuel) and lean a few tiny pieces of kindling against it. Light it with a lighter or waterproof match, and as the flames grow, slowly add larger pieces of wood, leaving plenty of space for air to circulate. Burn it all Don't leave charred wood behind, and scatter ashes far from camp.
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LAYERED SECURITY
In winter, your comfortand even your lifedepends on savvy layering. Here's how to dress for everything from sun to storms. Start cool. "People often make the mistake of beginning a hike overdressed, and as a result, start to sweat profusely soon afterward," says Colorado Mountain Club instructor Gyorgy Kereszti. Adjust your layers so that you're cooleven shiveringwhen you start hiking. You'll warm up quickly as you move. Avoid getting wet, either through sweat or precipitation. Moisture will chill you as soon as you stop moving, and introduce the possibility of hypothermia later on, when the water freezes. As soon as it starts to snow, put on a waterproof shell to keep other layers dry. Try a windshirt. "Most days, I wear just a thin, wind-resistant baselayer," says NOLS's Marco Johnson. Key feature: The breathable fabric blocks chill gusts while letting moisture escape. Pace yourself. When wind or icy temperatures prevent you from removing layers to cool down, hike slower to keep from overheating. Opt for a breathable fleece or wool midlayer (when conditions permit) instead of a shell, which tends to trap more perspiration. Wear gaiters, which keep crampons and ski edges from slicing your pants and provide additional waterproofing to keep your feet dry.
"Keep layers accessible," says Alaska Mountain Guides's Eli Fierer, who loads midlayers and jackets at the top of his pack, where he can grab them quickly. Anticipate weather changes, and layer accordingly. Pull on a shell before emerging onto a windy ridge, and add on a fleece before you become critically cold. Work first. In camp, complete sweat-inducing chores before bundling up in a down jacket. You'll give moist inner layers time to dry and avoid dampening fragile down. Wear layers on your feet and hands, too. Use thick wool or synthetic socks and mitts over a thin, quickdrying liner.
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DRY YOUR CLOTHES
Inevitably, layers get dampespecially socks. Here are three techniques our experts use to get the wet out. Wear them dry. Keep slightly damp baselayers on under additional insulation so body heat will dry them as you cook or play cards. Slide damp socks inside your jacket to dry them. Sleep them dry. Spread soggy clothes, boot liners, and footbeds out in your sleeping bag, where body heat will dry them. "I wear long johns to bed, which keeps the wet stuff off my skin," says Fierer. "Your thighs and stomach, where there's a lot of blood flow, are especially good places to spread things out to dry." Bake them dry. Take advantage of blazing sunshine: Drape shirts across a rock or between two skis, or hang socks from your pack.
