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CookieCrumbs
Fucked off to the pub
Registered: 12/10/11
Posts: 14,166
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Snow camping
#26423501 - 01/08/20 07:32 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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Hi shroombery
If we get a good snow this year I plan to go out with my tent with a little heater. I have backpaker food and decent tools for fire making. I have thermals and a 30 degree bag with a thermal liner (which increases the rating to 15f). If I need to I can get a 20 degree bag on my way to the campsite at Wal-Mart. It very rarely gets below single digits here and even the teens are somewhat rare.
As some of you know I have some health issues so it's VERY important that I stay relatively warm.
So I'd totally like some suggestions on gear and especially gloves. Tips and tricks for keeping dry and keeping snow out of the tent. Have waterproof boots but they have unprotected laces, would that be a problem?
What's the most efficient way to get out of the bag and get dressed while minimizing the amount my ass freezes?
Looks like we might get snow in 2 weeks after a period of rain. So I expect ice under the snow. That would be hard to clear out from the ground for my tent. But if it's not much my footpad should protect the bottom from leaking, right?
-------------------- Free time is the only time
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Nifflerz
Registered: 06/09/08
Posts: 48,601
Loc: Pudge County, TX
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You might want to look into mountain climbing expedition boards since their camping consists of almost entirely snow camping
-------------------- Aka Pudge (the real one, not the bitch ass fake one from 2020)
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dodgem
Learner
Registered: 08/04/11
Posts: 2,683
Last seen: 8 months, 11 days
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Re: Snow camping [Re: Nifflerz] 1
#26432233 - 01/13/20 09:25 PM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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I work for a wilderness therapy company and we work year round here in Oregon. 2 shifts ago we had 4 nights in a row below 7 degrees F and about a foot of snow the week we were there.
The main thing is make sure you stay dry. Wet things insulate like a paper sack. If your socks get wet, have a dry pair ready to swap them out. put the dry pair inside your waste band against your skin and they will dry quickly.
A decent set of base layer pants and top can go a long way to trap heat next to your body. I just use a pair of base layer pants and a pair of prana hiking pants and have no problems with cold legs. Base layer top, long sleeve shirt, and a puffy down jacket keeps me plenty warm all day as well.
Change your clothes in your sleeping bag. I always tell the kids if they are cold going into the sleeping bag, the best way to warm up is to take off and put on your clothes while in the bag. It is not easy to do, but it will definitely warm you up. On that note, sleeping bags retain heat, they don't make it. So if you go in cold, it will be tough to really warm up. I recommend knocking out some pushups before getting in, and then do some leg lifts or crunches while in. That will create a lot of body heat for the sleeping bag to trap. And be weary of sleeping bag ratings. Usually the temp the give it the tolerable temp, and 7-8 degrees above is comfortable/able to be warm rating, and then 7-8 degrees below is more on the extreme side where you'll stay alive, but won't be warm. I sleep with a 35 degree bag inside a 5 degree bag, so the 35 is like a super liner. Keeps me warm even around 0 degrees.
Make sure you have waterproof fire making materials. And access to dry wood. I would recommend bringing your own dry wood if that is an option. Fire will warm your skin, but the best way to actually be warm is movement. Lift some heavy logs, do pushups, squats, whatever for 5 minutes, and you will be way warmer than sitting next to a fire for 2 hours.
I wear these all winter season. They are made to go over boots to help insulate and waterproof them. I wear chaco sandals under them and my feet are toasty even when it gets down to 0 degrees. A couple nice pairs of socks go a long way as well.
https://www.overshoesneos.com/Overshoe_Neos_%20Navigator_5.html
We sleep with tarps above us, and then have a ground tarp with our sleeping pads on those. A good sleeping pad will help insulate you from the cold ground, which can suck heat from you very quickly. Even a couple inch thick piece of foam will do the trick. So I wouldn't work too much about water getting into the tent unless its way warm and everything around you is melting.
Holler if you have any other questions. I personally enjoy the winter season more than the summer season, but I also never get cold so that helps. Hope this helps!
--------------------
Walk where you like your steps
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daysbetween
Stranger
Registered: 10/23/19
Posts: 73
Last seen: 12 days, 15 hours
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Re: Snow camping [Re: dodgem] 1
#26439730 - 01/18/20 06:54 AM (4 years, 2 months ago) |
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Good tips dodgem.
Being insulated from the ground is just as important as a good sleeping bag. Make sure you've got closed cell foam or specially designed air mattress that provides insulation. Closed cell foam is much cheaper and works fine. Make sure its closed cell foam as they won't soak up water.
Keep a set of long underwear and wool socks in a dry bag that ONLY go on you when you are in your shelter. If you get wet in the day, resist the urge to change into your dry clothes, those are for sleeping only. Your body heat will dry you out.
In my experience the liners really only add about 5 degrees F.
If its really cold out, I heat up water, put it in my nalgene, make sure its closed TIGHT, and put it against my body wherever I feel cold. I also sometimes "preheat" my sleeping bag with a hot water bottle before I get it in.
Winter camping can be very rewarding, please just be safe.
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CookieCrumbs
Fucked off to the pub
Registered: 12/10/11
Posts: 14,166
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thanks for the input guys.
Sorry it took a little while to get back, we ended up not getting any snow. Just a few flurries today and that's all we've had
Dodgem thank you for the amazing input! What you said about the sleeping bag trapping body warmth makes alot of sense. I tend to get in feeling good about getting out of the cold air and then lay down for a bit and find I'm freezing. Until later in the night when I need to unzip the bag because I'm burning up.
I have a sea to summit reactor sleeping bag liner. It claims to add at least 14 degrees to the bag. I can't speak to that but between it and my snuggie I managed to turn a 40 degree bag into a comfortable sleeping arrangement when the temps dipped below freezing.
Since the snow camping is looking less likely I'm thinking I'll hold my horses until mid(ish) march and have a trip at the Shenandoah river basin. It will likely be chilly enough then to still put the advice to good use. So thanks again guys.
(I'm rushing through the response so that I actually submit one. I'm shit at this lately. But I still want to say I read and appreciate it!)
-------------------- Free time is the only time
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outdoors
Stranger
Registered: 11/07/19
Posts: 10
Last seen: 3 years, 7 months
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Edited by outdoors (03/01/20 07:42 AM)
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jambuck
Strangerdanger
Registered: 08/07/15
Posts: 10
Loc: Canada
Last seen: 3 years, 10 months
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Re: Snow camping [Re: outdoors] 1
#26548664 - 03/21/20 11:04 AM (4 years, 8 days ago) |
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In the snow I'm usually sleeping with a bunch of clothes on inside my sleeping bag - fleeces and downs are best, so I'm not crawling out naked into the cold in the morning.
Watch out with the heater with carbon monoxide. Also many tents and sleeping bags have been melted with lanterns, stoves etc inside tents.
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stubb
Dahg Rastubfari
Registered: 03/23/19
Posts: 1,339
Loc: Memory
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Just to add, digesting fat generates heat. Having a high protein snack before hitting the sack will help keep you warm through the night.
-------------------- 🆃🄴🅰🄼 🅲🄻🅸🄽🅶🅆🆁🄰🅿 You wake up. The room is spinning very gently round your head. Or at least it would be if you could see it which you can't. It is pitch black. > TURN ON LIGHT
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Junebug
Registered: 05/03/12
Posts: 139
Loc: In a van, down by the riv...
Last seen: 2 years, 6 months
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Quote:
daysbetween said: Good tips dodgem.
Being insulated from the ground is just as important as a good sleeping bag. Make sure you've got closed cell foam or specially designed air mattress that provides insulation. Closed cell foam is much cheaper and works fine. Make sure its closed cell foam as they won't soak up water.
Keep a set of long underwear and wool socks in a dry bag that ONLY go on you when you are in your shelter. If you get wet in the day, resist the urge to change into your dry clothes, those are for sleeping only. Your body heat will dry you out.
...
Winter camping can be very rewarding, please just be safe.
Exactly this. Keeping a layer between you and the floor is extremely important. You can use a mylar blanket underneath your sleeping bag and it will do and incredible job of keeping the heat directed back at your body. Plus, they're like 99cents at walmart. (Always nice to keep one in the car too, just in case!)
Core heat is also very important. If you keep your chest/torso warm, you're much better off for surviving a cold night. They make very nice goose down vests that have saved me on a -4 Colorado night.
-------------------- Funky not a junkie, but I know where to get it.
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