The "Anyone winter camping?"<-- Winter camping, Winter camping ideas, photos, plans... Please read 1st post before posting.

[Sean Gadhar]

Sometimes a thread is irrevocably lost to a different discussion. People just want to talk about the other thing more than the original topic, "Anyone winter camping?" seems to have gone that road.
That's fine, these things happen, but I want to have a thread that is about Winter Camping. So I thought I would let those who want to have the other talk have that thread, and start fresh here.

If you would be so kind, please allow this thread to (as much as possible) Stay on the topic of Winter Camping. Thanks Sean

So! Who has gotten in a winter camp this year?

Who is still planning one?

Winter camp photos?

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Well I got out Saturday. Went solo. I got home Sunday, It's was on the cold side 15F ( -9.4 C) for the low. Snowing and a light wind.
There was 12-15 inches of snow on the ground when I started ,a few more by the morning.

https://rumble.com/ve1rx3-tent-camp-weather-moves-in..html
I found a Good tree that blocked enough that my tent was only on a few inches of snow. Two blankets weren't enough, so I hiked back the short ways to the truck and grabbed my emergency wool blanket, 3 wool blankets really weren't enough either, but the 3rd did make it so I could at least doze off from time to time.

I had a foot slip out of the blankets and had to sit up and rub the blood back into it about 1AM (had lost feeling in 3 toes.) The surplus tent did fine, but I broke 3 stakes in the frozen ground.

The little fold up "Fire Pit" worked well and required little wood, yet gave off some heat & boiled water quickly.

I didn't use my tent fly due to the broken tent stakes, things might have been warmer had I been able to

It's an odd sensation when you camp ON snow, it is more comfortable then the hard frozen ground, but every time you move it makes that cold snow sound (kind of a Styrofoam squeak) and dents in a little.

 

[Brokennock]

Looks great, very nice picture. Did you pack a drone, the pic looks like it is from quite an elevation.

Can we please see and hear/read more about your "fold-up" fire pit?

 

[Jaeger]

Well I got out Saturday. Went solo. I got home Sunday, It's was on the cold side 15F ( -9.4 C) for the low. Snowing and a light wind.
There was 12-15 inches of snow on the ground when I started ,a few more by the morning.

https://rumble.com/ve1rx3-tent-camp-weather-moves-in..html
I found a Good tree that blocked enough that my tent was only on a few inches of snow. Two blankets weren't enough, so I hiked back the short ways to the truck and grabbed my emergency wool blanket, 3 wool blankets really weren't enough either, but the 3rd did make it so I could at least doze off from time to time.

I had a foot slip out of the blankets and had to sit up and rub the blood back into it about 1AM (had lost feeling in 3 toes.) The surplus tent did fine, but I broke 3 stakes in the frozen ground.

The little fold up "Fire Pit" worked well and required little wood, yet gave off some heat & boiled water quickly.

I didn't use my tent fly due to the broken tent stakes, things might have been warmer had I been able to

It's an odd sensation when you camp ON snow, it is more comfortable then the hard frozen ground, but every time you move it makes that cold snow sound (kind of a Styrofoam squeak) and dents in a little.

View attachment 65460

I'm impressed. This is real winter camping!

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Looks great, very nice picture. Did you pack a drone, the pic looks like it is from quite an elevation.

Can we please see and hear/read more about your "fold-up" fire pit?

I hadn't noticed but now that you said it. . . the tree that protected my camp spot WAS a bit higher and the "Camp forms a small dell beneath it.

The Grill isn't HC but the last two years Colorado had burn restrictions nearly all Summer & fall and this will pack in easy but allows me to have a fire during Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. It's called the "Flatpack Grill & Firepit made by UCO Caught it on sale for $35 I think, weighs 3 LBs There is a grill that goes on top, but I didn't get a photo with it on in the daylight

 

[Centurion]

Sean, thanks for re-starting this. I was getting really interested in the first thread re-living a Winter Camporee in Scouts a few years ago - overnight was -13 one night and most of us stayed warm by following a few rules

In the last thread somebody mentioned having success with a cot and a mover’s blanket drapes over it to trap air for some insulation and to keep air from blowing through. Time to start working on my gear and tactics again. My wife rec’d a curiously heavy wool blanket/quilt affair stuffed with horsehair they say. Nobody knew what to do with it because it weighed so much and was itchy.

But I know!

Keep this going, please. I’m taking notes.

don

 

[Centurion]

And my favorite “primitive” shelter as a leader was a diamond shelter out of a tarp. That would be my go-to in the winter i think with a fire at the opening in an appropriate heat-reflecting design.

don

 

[Brokennock]

Thanks Sean.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

And my favorite “primitive” shelter as a leader was a diamond shelter out of a tarp. That would be my go-to in the winter i think with a fire at the opening in an appropriate heat-reflecting design.

don

I'm not sure if it's where I live or just bad luck. . . but I think every time I have tried a Diamond or lean-to with a fire, the wind has changed and it became a smoker!! As Teens we had a wooden lean-to in a cotten wood grove on the eastern slope and I only remember having to kick out the fire once, but here the wind has switched every time I can remember.

 

[Hawken]

It is common for wind direction to shift, generally up a long valley during the day and down towards night.

Not to cast aspersions on anybody's camp - but if it isn't possible to have a reasonable sized fire with hardwood logs and a decent coal bed, I don't want to bother too much with it. Burn time is too short. Don't get me wrong I enjoy a fire, but otherwise it's just kind of a "tease". Especially in the winter. I don't go out underequipped, and it may in fact be better to forego a fire altogether.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

It is common for wind direction to shift, generally up a long valley during the day and down towards night.

Not to cast aspersions on anybody's camp - but if it isn't possible to have a reasonable sized fire with hardwood logs and a decent coal bed, I don't want to bother too much with it. Burn time is too short. Don't get me wrong I enjoy a fire, but otherwise it's just kind of a "tease". Especially in the winter. I don't go out underequipped, and it may in fact be better to forego a fire altogether.

My fire meant vary little to my overall warmth, it does however give you the "feeling" you are battling the cold. And alone in the cold and the dark, facing a long night that phycological edge can mean quite a bit. . . . and that coffee in the morning

My kid tells a story about being on winter training in the Army (No Fires) It was the 3rd cold morning, and he and two others had "FOUND" hot water and made coffee. Just then his Sargent is standing over them. . . . My Boy holds the Coffee up to him and says something like "sure was a long night wasn't it Sargent"

The Sargent stood contemplating the sunrise while drinking half the coffee and handing back the rest says "yeah, but the morning is looking up" and walks away. Luck favors the bold!

 

[Hawken]

My fire meant vary little to my overall warmth, it does however give you the "feeling" you are battling the cold.

No argument there, the descending gloom in the wintertime without a fire always has a "What are you doing!?" element to it. And a campfire provides light, which is welcome when night comes so early that time of year.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

Well I got the Video clips together, I'm no cameraman nor a vary good editor & sound was terrible so I just ran some background music over it all. (I guess 45 years of Ghosting through the woods alone, I have learned to only whisper to myself when I talk at all ) Next Video I'll try to speak up!!! Anyway here it is.

https://rumble.com/ve7vkv-overnight-winter-campout-feb.-2021.html

 

[Calum]

Lesson 1, always anchor the ground cloth while getting the rest of the stuff. Yeah, I've chased them many a time myself!

Looks like you had fun!

Mike

 

[coloradoclyde]

With spring in the air, my thoughts have turned towards summer camping.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

With spring in the air, my thoughts have turned towards summer camping.

Just not TOO much summer, Bugs & dust might be worse than snow and ice. . . . .But I hear you

 

[coloradoclyde]

Bugs & dust might be worse than snow

Anything but humidity. That is the only thing I cannot bear.

 

[smo]

On the road too Friendship....

It’ll be here before you know it!

 

[coloradoclyde]

Shooting muzzleloaders in 100 degree heat. That's what I call "Sweatin to the oldies".

 

[coloradoclyde]

Well I got out Saturday. Went solo. I got home Sunday, It's was on the cold side 15F ( -9.4 C) for the low. Snowing and a light wind.
There was 12-15 inches of snow on the ground when I started ,a few more by the morning.

https://rumble.com/ve1rx3-tent-camp-weather-moves-in..html
I found a Good tree that blocked enough that my tent was only on a few inches of snow. Two blankets weren't enough, so I hiked back the short ways to the truck and grabbed my emergency wool blanket, 3 wool blankets really weren't enough either, but the 3rd did make it so I could at least doze off from time to time.

I had a foot slip out of the blankets and had to sit up and rub the blood back into it about 1AM (had lost feeling in 3 toes.) The surplus tent did fine, but I broke 3 stakes in the frozen ground.

The little fold up "Fire Pit" worked well and required little wood, yet gave off some heat & boiled water quickly.

I didn't use my tent fly due to the broken tent stakes, things might have been warmer had I been able to

It's an odd sensation when you camp ON snow, it is more comfortable then the hard frozen ground, but every time you move it makes that cold snow sound (kind of a Styrofoam squeak) and dents in a little.

View attachment 65460

Wow Sean, You're lucky you didn't freeze to death. Brought back some memories for me though.