Winter Camping
By Brian J.
Murrey
This is what I
pass out to my Scouts about a month before our winter camporee. That gives us a
couple of meetings or more to discuss cold weather survival skills, and a
chance to inform parents of the dangers of cold weather camping when one is not
fully prepared.
Brian J.
Murrey - Assistant Scoutmaster and Outdoors Activities Planner Troop 120 -- :brian@iquest.net--
Crossroads of America Council
PLANNING FOR
WINTER CAMPING
Most of this
information can be found in the Boy Scout Handbook. If you are going to be
doing a lot of outdoor activities, this book is an invaluable source of
know-how and advice.
"One has
to lie deep in the snow to learn how warm and protective it is. A den in the
snow confines the body heat like a blanket or overcoat. It is a snug place, no
matter how hard the wind may howl. One who holes up in the snow understands
better the mysteries of the woods in the winter. He knows why the severe
weather grouse squirm their way under soft snow and be quiet. He understands
why deer bury themselves in drifts, lying a half-day or more with just their
heads sticking out. He learns something of the comfort of the bear in
hibernation."
William O.
Douglas, 1950
MISCONCEPTIONS
ABOUT WINTER CAMPING
Myth #1: Leather
hiking boots will keep your feet warm. -- FALSE
-
The snug fit of most leather
hiking boots can limit the circulation of blood in the foot. Especially with
thick socks on. Overboots cut generously enough to hold your foot and shoe are
much more effective. The cloth stitching in leather boots can also wick
moisture into the shoe. Nothing is worse than wet feet in cold winter.
-
Myth #2:
Waterproof clothing is ideal for cold weather camping. -- FALSE
-
To keep warm, in the cold,
your clothing must allow body moisture to escape. Moisture that is trapped too
close to the body can wick heat away through evaporation. It is better to layer
your clothing on in cold weather. Wool, Gor Tex, and polypropylene garments
work nice in the cold. Always wear insulated underwear.
Myth #3:
Winter camping does not require much preparation. -- FALSE
-
Arctic conditions exist when
the wind is blowing and the temperature drops below 20 degrees F. There are
only seven states in the U.S. that do not experience arctic weather. Indiana is
not one of them.. It is very important to prepare and even over prepare. I've
never heard anyone complain about being too warm or having too many dry clothes
on a winter campout.
Myth #4:
Mental attitude has little to do with winter camping. -- FALSE
-
A positive mental attitude
is the most important ingredient in the success of cold weather camping trips.
The demands of winter will drain your energy and you'll have to rely on
yourself to keep your spirits high.
-
Myth #5: In cold weather, tasks can be done just as quickly as in warm
weather. -- FALSE - Every effort in cold weather takes longer to complete. Be
sure to bring some winter patience with you when you camp in the cold.
CONSERVING BODY
HEAT - THE PRIME OBJECTIVE
There are
three ways to lose body heat. Keeping them in mind will help you be much more
aware of what you are or could be doing to keep your body warm.
RADIATION - The emission of body, especially from the skin areas exposed to the
elements. A good set of gloves, hat, and scarf can help best in keeping bare
skin to a minimum.
CONDUCTION - The absorption of cold by the body when sitting or laying on cold
ground, or handling cold objects such as metal cooking utensils and metal
canteens. This is why a decent sleeping pad is required for cold weather
camping. The same goes for wearing gloves. A camp stool is a must on a winter
camping trip. Try not to sit on the ground.
CONVECTION - The loss of body heat due to wind blowing across unprotected body
parts. This situation can also be reduced by keeping bare skin covered with
hats, scarves, and gloves. It is important to keep exposure to a minimum,
ESPECIALLY in a windy situation. Convection heat loss can reduce body heat the
fastest. Wet clothing will accelerate this process, making staying dry even
more important.
OTHER CONCERNS
Tent
Placement.
Whenever
possible, place your tent in a location that will catch the sunrise in the
morning. This will aid in melting off any ice and evaporating any frost or dew
that may have formed during the night. This will also warm your tent as you
awaken in the morning. Cold air sinks. Try to place your campsite on slightly
higher ground than the rest of your surroundings. Try to choose a protected
site if it is snowing or the wind is blowing.
Water
Consumption In Cold Weather.
Dehydration
can seriously impair the body's ability to produce heat. Drink fluids as often
as possible during the day and keep a water bottle or canteen with you at
night.
Cooking
In Cold Weather.
Cooking in
cold weather will take about twice as long as normal. Always use a lid on any
pots that you are cooking in. This will help to hold in the heat and decrease
the overall heating time. Make sure you start hot cleaning water before you start
cooking. The pots and utensils must still be cleaned. Try to keep your menu to
good one-pot meals. Things like stews, chili, and hot beans stick to your ribs,
lessen the cleaning time, and provide good sources of energy and fuel for your
internal furnace. A good high-calorie snack before bedtime will also keep you
warm all night. Stay away from an overabundance of sugar, cheese is a good
high-calorie bedtime snack.
Sleeping
Tip .
Do not sleep with your mouth and nose
in your sleeping bag. The moisture of your breath will condense in the bag, and
cause it to become wet and ineffective as an insulator.
Buddy
System.
Buddies can
help each other pack for a trek, look after one another in the woods, and watch
for symptoms of frostbite, hypothermia, and exhaustion.
Checklist.
Make a
checklist of everything you need before you start to pack. Then check each item
off as you pack it. This way you will not forget anything.
Keeping Warm
Keeping warm
is the most important part of cold weather camping. Use the C-O-L-D method to
assure staying warm.
- C - Clean
Since
insulation is only effective when heat is trapped by dead air spaces, keep your
insulating layers clean and fluffy. Dirt, grime, and perspiration can mat down
those air spaces and reduce the warmth of a garment.
- O -
Overheating
Avoid
overheating by adjusting the layers of your clothing to meet the outside
temperature and the exertions of your activities. Excessive sweating can dampen
your garments and cause chilling later on.
- L - Loose
Layers
A steady flow
of warm blood is essential to keep all parts of your body heated. Wear several
loosely fitting layers of clothing and footgear that will allow maximum
insulation without impeding your circulation.
- D - Dry
Damp clothing
and skin can cause your body to cool quickly, possibly leading to frostbite and
hypothermia. Keep dry by avoiding cotton clothes that absorb moisture. Always
brush away snow that is on your clothes before you enter a heated area. Keep
the clothing around your neck loosened so that body heat and moisture can
escape instead of soaking several layers of clothing.
Clothing
- Footwear.
As with other
clothing, the layer system is also the answer for foot- wear. Start with a pair
of silk, nylon, or thin wool socks next to your skin. Then layer on several
pairs of heavier wool socks. When and if your feet become damp, change into
another pair of dry socks at the first opportunity. Rubber overboots will
protect the feet from water and will allow more comfortable shoes to be worn
within.
- Mittens and
Gloves.
Mittens allow
your fingers to be in direct contact with each other. They will keep your hands
warmer than regular gloves that cover each finger. Select mittens that are filled
with foam insulation, or pull on wool gloves and cover them with a nylon
overmitt. Long cuffs will keep wind and snow from getting in.
- Headgear.
The stocking
hat is the warmest thing you can cover your head with in cold weather. Get one
that is large enough to pull down over your ears. Also ski masks are great in
the winter and can help in keeping your neck and face warm as well. Noses and
ears can be very easily frostbitten, so a scarf can be an invaluable item to
have.
- Parka and/or
Overcoat.
Your coat or
parka is the most important piece of your winter clothing. It needs to be large
enough to fit over extra clothing without cutting off blood flow, and allowing
ventilation to keep moisture away from your body. A large permanently attached
hood will prevent heat loss around your head and neck.
- Sleepwear.
Never should you sleep in the same clothes that you have worn all day. They are damp and will cause you to chill. This
could cause frostbite and hypothermia. It is advised that you bring a
thick pair of sweats and thermal underwear to sleep in. Keep the thermals and
sweats for sleeping in only. Do not wear them during the day, this will keep
them the driest. Also be sure to have a couple of layers of wool or heavy thick
cotton socks on as well. Always sleep with a stocking hat on your head. Your
sleeping bag needs to be a winter rated bag. Typically rated down to 15 degrees
and stuffed with 5 pounds of Holofil, Fiberfil, or other polyester ticking. It
is also a very good idea to have some kind of sleeping mat to use in the
winter. The mat can be a $90 Thermal Rest from Galyans (Scouts get a %10
discount by showing Scout ID card) or a piece of high density rubber foam at
least one inch thick. In cold weather camping you never want to sleep on an air
mattress or off the ground in a cot. The air under you will cool you off in no
time and this would create a threatening situation. If you don't have a
sleeping mat, bring a spare wool or natural fiber blanket to use as a ground
pad under your sleeping bag. The sleeping mat is worth it's weight in gold.
Have fun!
Every year,
tens of thousands of boys will go winter camping. Although the threat of danger
is always present in a winter camp, planning and knowledge can overcome this.
It is very important that the Scouts come prepared. If a Scout feels that at
this time winter camping is not for him, then he should not go. There is always
next year and the year after and so on. If a Scout comes to camp and I do not
feel that he is prepared, I will have to ask him to stay behind. Make sure you
are ready, and most of all, SAFE.
Link to MacScouter
