7 minute read
WINTER CAMPING
PHOTO BY DREW DODSON
The search for Solitude
BY DREW DODSON
Dan Noakes often drifts back to the moment that winter camping captured his heart. Noakes, a Donnelly resident, first forayed into winter camping last year as part of a 14-night, 110-mile solo ski traverse across the Frank Church – River of No Return Wilderness. It was there, camped along a ridgeline overlooking a high alpine lake in the far eastern reaches of Valley County, that Noakes said he found paradise.
“The clouds parted and I could see the moon coming up over the mountains,” he said. “I was the only one out there for so many miles, and it was my thing. If I could’ve captured that moment and sold it, it would sell for a million dollars.”
Although Noakes was completely immersed in solitude that cold winter night last February, he is far from alone in discovering the appeal of winter camping. The Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation (IDPR) has seen this trend first-hand within its network of 30 state parks.
“Last year at Priest Lake State Park, someone set up a hard-sided tent in the snow and stayed for several days,” said Chelsea Chambers, an IDPR spokesperson. “What is coined the ‘shoulder season’ has grown exponentially shorter. Historically, the shoulder season was anything outside of the Memorial Day to Labor Day timeframe, but people are now seeking camping sooner in the year and later into the year.”
Chambers does not see this paradigm shift as much of a surprise. In fact, she said it makes perfect sense, given that most campers covet privacy and the chance to see wildlife.
More Idahoans are seeing winter as a chance to find the outdoor solitude that can be fleeting during warmer months, when the concept of a secret camping spot is often only a memory of yesteryear. Among them is Jordan Messner, who goes camping five or six times each winter.
“It’s really cool because the same spots that are loaded with campers during the summer camping season are completely empty in the winter,” Messner said.
ALL-INCLUSIVE ADVENTURE
While long distance treks like Noakes’s trip across the wilderness aren’t for everyone, winter camping and the slice of solitude it offers can be catered to outdoors-lovers of all skill levels.
Messner regularly takes extended winter camping trips on hunting and skiing expeditions, but also enjoys winter camping with his two young sons, 6-year-old Hayes and 4-year-old Jackson.
Family winter camping trips typically take Messner to lower elevations with milder conditions. It’s also not uncommon for him to pack a large canvas wall tent, which holds heat better than standard three-season tents. Many canvas tents can be equipped with small wood stoves, though Messner prefers to use a pellet stove.
“The best part about having a pellet stove is you don’t have to chop a bunch of wood, and you don’t have to feed it all night long to stay warm,” he said. “I fill the stove hopper with pellets before we go to bed and it’s still toasty warm in the morning when we wake up.”
Like any true outdoorsman, Messner declined to disclose his favorite winter camping spots, but he did suggest the South Fork Payette River corridor near Garden Valley as a good place for beginners to try out.
“There are lots of hot springs, hiking trails, camping spots, and tons of wildlife there in the winter,” he said.
Within the state park system, Bruneau Sand Dunes State Park near Mountain Home and Three Island Crossing State
Park near Glenns Ferry are ideal for campers who are willing to endure cold temperatures, but would prefer little to no snow.
COZY RETREATS
High alpine outings are also not off limits for beginners. A network of rental cabins and yurts make winter camping accessible for those who long to take in the majesty of snow-blanketed mountains, but with the warmth of a nearby fire crackling in a wood stove.
“When the boys were little, we would ski into these yurts and tow them behind in a sled,” Messner said. “As they’ve gotten older and can ski themselves, we hook up a bungee tow strap behind us and pull them on their skis.”
Messner described the yurts as “luxury-style” camping accommodations, complete with a full kitchen, beds, pit toilets, and wood stoves.
Idaho City boasts six of the most popular rental yurts in the state. The yurts can be easily accessed on groomed trails with snowshoes, cross-country skis, or touring skis. Each yurt can sleep up to six people and can be reserved for $115 per night through IDPR.
The Boise National Forest also offers rental cabins year-round, including the Beaver Creek Cabin near Idaho City and the Warm Springs Guard Station near Lowman. Each cabin requires a 1.5-mile hike in on snowshoes or touring skis and can be reserved for less than $50 per night.
ROUGHIN’ IT
For those seeking a more rustic experience akin to Noakes’s trek—or at least a night or two like it—the 20.4 million acres of National Forest in Idaho are your playground. All seven of Idaho’s National Forests are open for free dispersed camping all winter, including in campgrounds.
“For many campgrounds there is a gate across the access road in the offseason, but people can park their vehicles and walk in and camp,” said Michael Williamson, a spokesman for the Boise National Forest. However, many standard campground amenities are not available during the winter. Vault toilets may be open, but are unlikely to have toilet paper. Drinking water pumps are also turned off, so campers should bring plenty of water or come prepared to melt snow for drinking water.
Noakes recommends using iodine tablets to sanitize water, which can help conserve fuel for camp stoves and firewood. He also swears by using cotton balls soaked in Vaseline as fire starters, which can save a lot of time and shivering.
“You’ve got to kind of pick the cotton ball apart so some of the fibers can catch, but once they do, it will produce a good flame and it burns for longer,” he said.
No matter where or how you plan to enjoy winter camping in Idaho, the basic rules of entry remain the same—pack to be warm. Down jackets and highly-rated sleeping bags are a must. Also consider bringing a 48-ounce Nalgene bottle to fill with hot water before crawling into your sleeping bag for the night.
If you are tent camping in alpine conditions, always start by packing the snow within the footprint of your tent. It’s also a good idea to lay a mat of pine boughs beneath your tent to provide extra insulation, in addition to bringing a sleeping pad with a high R-value rating.
Most of all, don’t forget to stop and enjoy the unique silence, solitude, and sanctity of Idaho’s winter wilderness.
“It’s just really clean and really peaceful, you know?” Noakes said. “It’s like the ultimate freedom.”
