C-COLD CAMPING

C-COLD CAMPING

By Kevin Callan

I’LL ADMIT THAT sleeping out overnight in the wintertime is definitely not for everyone. I’ll also admit that cold camping obviously has a number of hazards, or at least some major discomforts. It’s understandable that the moment the sun sets and the temperature drops, you’re going to want to escape to a warm place. It’s human nature. I’ll even confess that the older I get, the more excuses I seem to find not to head out for my annual winter trip. In fact, lately I’ve had to have my wife call me a sissy before convincing myself to once again sleep out in frigid temperatures. The point, however, is that I still manage to do it and always end up loving every minute. So I guarantee that, as long as you develop the necessary skills and pack along the essential equipment, your first time sleeping out in the cold definitely won’t be your last.

The trick is to dress in layers. Start off during the cold morning temperatures looking like a walking puffball if you like, but as you generate heat through exercise, peel off the layers to avoid having your sweat freeze to your skin. The outer layer should not be the main insulator; save that job for the bulky wool sweater or fleece and synthetic long underwear. The breathable”outerwear (jacket and pants) should protect your body from the cool wind, and should come equipped with an assortment of zippers to allow quick ventilation. A foot wrapped in 10 pairs of socks and then squeezed into a tightfitting boot will definitely freeze due to poor circulation. You also can lose up to one third of your body heat through your head, so

make sure to wear a hat. The traditional woolen toques or the new, softer Polarplus beanies work, but in extreme cold temperatures a balaclava, made from the same material as your long underwear, is preferred. Neck gaiters made from Polarplus fabric help to seal the gap between collars and caps.

BEDTIME WARMING TECHNIQUES

The trick to keeping warm in the winter is to never sweat, and the only way to do that is to always dress in layers.

You will rarely have difficulty staying warm during the day on the trail, but the night air brings a bone-numbing chill. Here are a few ways to keep yourself more comfortable:

• Daylight is greatly shortened during winter and it usually takes much longer to set up camp, so be prepared to end the day early.

• Avoid making camp on designated summer sites; with the heavy use they receive throughout the prime season they are usually far too exposed and have limited wood for a fire. Choose a wellprotected forested area, well away from the wind and blowing snow.

• Make sure to provide a lot of ventilation inside the tent. Condensation will quickly form from your breathing and cause the interior of the tent to become completely covered in a layer of fine ice particles, which will eventually melt and soak everything inside.

• For extra insulation, pile up snow around the sides of the tent with your snowshoes or a small plastic shovel.

• The moment you finish setting up camp,

change into an extra, dry pair of long underwear and socks (keep a spare set in the front pouch of your parka so they are nice and warm to put on) and wear a wool toque to bed.

• Sleep on a thick foam pad or Therm-a-Rest (not an air mattress). Your body will definitely lose more heat to the cold ground than to the air.

• Fluff your sleeping bag (a top-of-the line, high quality winter design) before crawling in. The action creates more air space between the fibers or feathers.

• Use a liner to increase the efficiency of your sleeping bag. Or better yet, double up two sleeping bags and share your warmth with a partner.

• Munch on high-calorie snacks just before bedtime. The fuel your body has to burn off will help you stay warmer.

• If you find yourself shivering inside your sleeping bag, put on your rain gear to act as a vapor barrier and hold in your body heat.

• Keep an empty (well-labeled) water bottle inside the tent to pee in. A full bladder robs the body of more heat than an empty one; and besides, who wants to crawl out into the cold night air to relieve themselves at 2 a.m.?

• Store your water bottle inside your sleeping bag to keep it from freezing solid. Even a Nalgene container filled with hot tea doubles as a hot-water bottle. Also stuff the next day’s clothes, and especially boot liners, inside the bag as well.

From Kevin Callan's Happy Camper www.fireflybooks.com

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