Just so happens most of my camping seems to involve a negative in the temperature talk.
Ive done a TON of arctic camping.
From -45 out on the North slopes, to Rainier, Whitney, to late muley hunts. Ive done several weeks in the snow with very little....
- ALWAYS bring a sleeping pad. 2 if you can afford it (weight/ space wise). If you dont, make a bow bed, grass bed, stick bed... Whatever bed, just GET OF THE GROUND. The best bag in the world wont keep you warm if you dont.
- I prefer to avoid a bivy if its real cold. They condensate. ALL OF THEM (to some degree).
- If its not real cold (I use below freezing as a measure), i use a bivy as the rain becomes a factor.
- Putting a warm liquid container in bed with you is not a bad idea (do it myself), but a risk. Kinda a big one. If it leaks/ opens...... You may not wake up.
- Synthetic bag.... No down. People will chime in, your call who to listen to. I have lived off my back for 28 straight days, in sub zero temps. with a quality synthetic bag. No drama.
- Spent 7 days on a 72 mile voyage with a Mt Hardwear phantom 0. Great bag. I burn hot, and condensation was present as I slept. Down loses all insulation value when wet. I slept the last 3 days on a fire bed in all my cold gear. Not worth the risk!!!! Dont trade compression/weight for safety/comfort.
-Hit up a surplus store, and get a old Army camo blanket. Throw it in the bottom of your bag. It will help keep your feet warm. If the bottom falls out of the temp, pull it up to your vitals. It will raise the temp rating on your bag 10-15 degrees.
- If you bag is improperly fit (yes, there is a bag design for each body), fold the excess under your feet at night. Your body will try to warm up all the excess, and your warmth will be reduced as a result.
- Place your shoes OUTSIDE but under your sleeping bag at night. Learned the hard way that boot laces are capable of freezing to the point they are like a coat hanger or a phone pole (had some i could place on the ground and laces were paralell the ground
). This also helps (though very, very little) with drying your boots.
- Socks, Socks, Socks. If your socks (or any clothing item) is the slightest bit damp. Change it out. It will pull the heat straight out of you. A bag will not slow it down much either.
- Put your battery powered items in your bag at night. I wrap them in a dry jacket, and use them as a pillow. Batteries are fine in cold weather UNTIL they have been activated. Then a little satanic *censored* known as cold soaking WILL creep up on you while your not looking. Dead batts...
- Kinda a debatable topic. Some say sleep as close to naked as possible. Some say wear all base and thermal layers. I would start the coldest and find out what works for you. If you wake up cold, put a thermal top on. Then bottoms etc... Dont go hot all at once or your bag will start to condensate.
- If you choose to rock a bivy, put all your outer garments between your bivy and your bag (if they're dry). It will keep them from freezing, and its much nicer to put on a kinda warm top then a freezing top.
- Water freezes from the top down. Think rivers lakes etc... So if you use a nalgene, or canteen (suggested) turn it upside down before bed. The top (really the bottom as you drink) will be frozen but the threads will not be. During the day do the same thing, unless you have a insulator. If you use a camelback..... Brave! Ive done it, but it sucks. Typically your hose freezes. If you route it under your armpit, and stow the mouth valve in a pocket you stand a chance of not freezing your line.
- Always bring spare socks.
- A way to intake HOT liquids is almost a must. Unless your harder than woodpecker lips, you'll appreciate it. Even if its water.
- Chapstick. A MUST!!!!!!!!!
- If your using a tent instead of a bivy, make an effort to keep the snow outside. It will warm up, melt, and make life hell. (this is mainly if your cooking in the tent as well. Not preferred, but at times necessary).
- If the bottom washes out of the temp, and your face is cold, place a t shirt around your head. Or bring a scarf. Your body will burn a ton of energy, water, and heat trying to warm your breath as you take in air. This will help a ton. It is very noticeable. A neck gator by smart wool is one of my favorites.
- If its real cold and your a restless sleeper (most new winter campers are), dont use the hoody in your bag for anything more than a pillow case. Instead, wear a nice thick beanie, and a face wrap/ neck gator. You will breath all over your sleeping bag making the face hole an ice box. It doesn't seem to freeze folks up as much as its uncomfortable and keeps them awake. Kinda funny.
- As already mentioned, dehydration in winter is way more common than most other seasons as you do not "feel" the need to drink. Just know that. Your fuel consumption will skyrocket. Carbs are not a bad thing for a winter camper.
- Eat just before bed. As your core digests food, it creates heat.
- If you can help it, pitch a bivy under a large STURDY tree. If snow hits, it will help keep you from being buried. The down fall, if the wind hits you may get buried in a even less desirable way!
- Then all the normal stuff applies. Fire starter, knife, yadda yadda yadda......
Remember this. Condensation kills. Its better to be slightly cool (not cold) while sleeping/ hunting at than toasty. If you have a wall tent or a camper... Different story....
A cold camp is a mans camp!
Eitherway, you will likely learn something about yourself which is always a good thing. I have seen the toughest SOB's reduced to nothing from being cold and wet for days on end, so dont feel bad if your motivation starts to waiver a little. I'd bet it will, but just drive on man. If you leave because it's "kinda sucking", you'll wish you never had, and you most definitely will wish you were "back in the suck"....
WB
