WinterCampers.com Web Pages
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 This picture shows all the ingredients for a good lunch break during a winter expedition.
- Hydration – You lose more moisture than you may realize exerting on a winter trek so drink up. Notice the Nalgene water bottle parkas to keep the water from freezing en route.
- Easy to eat snack – In this case, trail mix. Skip the prepackaged stuff and make your own. My favorite recipe for gorp includes peanuts, Reese’s Pieces, raisins/dried fruit and Honey Nut Cheerios. Vary to suit your taste. Remember, don’t reach in the bag for your share – no one wants to share your germs. Either pour from the bag into your hand or make a temporary container from a plastic bag or your hat and pour your portion onto it.
- Hard candy – For quick energy, suck on a hard candy like Jolly Ranchers. Grab a couple extra and stash them into your pockets for a boost later in the afternoon.
- An insulated pad to park your butt. Some people keep a small piece of closed cell insulation readily available just for this purpose.
- Sunshine – It always makes the day nicer.
In response to our posting on Winter Camping with Your Dog Judy writes: “I’ve found that a large dollop of Bag Balm applied to the pads and feet of my dog help to insulate against the cold and prevent snow and ice from clumping up in the fur.”
In response to 10 Winter Camping Rules to Live By Greg states:
“I’m afraid you are mistaken about heat being lost evenly throughout the body. Try the following experiments, and I believe you will soon change your tune.
- In really cold weather, go outside totally bundled up, but without hat. Stand around and clock the time until you start shivering and can’t stand it any more. Then wait 24 hours and try the same thing, but this time with only an arm exposed. An arm has more surface area than your head, but you will not freeze to death nearly as fast with an exposed arm as you will with an exposed head.
- When it’s 95 degrees outside, turn your ac off at home for a day. When you are absolutely miserable, go take a cool shower. but don’t put your head under the shower head right off. After half a minute, or a minute, of water cascading over your body, stick your head under the shower head and let the water run over your head, and see how quickly you cool off. You will cool off so fast it will make your head spin, and shortly you will shiver and have to get out. NOTHING will cool you faster than cool water running (or cool air) over your head when you are really hot. You will also cool faster with ac blowing on your head than on your chest, or any other body part.
- Common sense time: Nobody ever froze to death due to a lack of gloves, even though your hands have a large surface area.“
The 12th Annual Winter Camping Symposium will be held Friday, Oct. 22nd – Sunday, Oct. 24th, 2010 at Pinewoods Retreat at Camp Miller. Mark your calendars now for this event!
Presenters include
- Dick Pula, author, field staff on winter equipment and veteran solo winter camper will provide insight into preparing for and being on solo winter trips
- Rick Kelley, Member of Quetico Foundation, will highlight the 4 season resources of the Questico Park and will provide the easiest way to use the park with the changing rules on border crossing.
- Glen Hooper, co-founder of wintertrekking.com, veteran winter traveler and camper. Glen will compare skis and snowshoes, provide background on each which ones to use and when.
- Ed Boufard, product designer, founder and owner of Ski Pulk will demonstrate on how to build a ski pulk and will cover design concepts behind using a pulk.
- Rhonda Reynold, Award Winning Chef, will share some cooking tips and outdoor fine dining recipes and demonstrate wood stove cooking.
- Kevin Kinney, product designer and owner of Empire Canvas, will review emergency field repair of equipment, some of the must know repair methods, and supplies needed.
- Fred Boulay, inventor, renowned speaker, group leader, and talented winter camper, will show you simple projects to make camping life easier.
- Dave Freeman, photographer, author, and wilderness guide. He has worked as a dog sledding, sea kayaking, and canoeing instructor for 15 years. His articles have been published in a variety of books, magazines, newspapers and online publications. Dave will be presenting on Winter Camping with Dogs and Skijoring.
Read here for detailed schedule of events
 HappyGoTahoes over at SkiingTheBackCountry has a nice article on her winter camping trip. She describes the recommended approach for getting starting winter camping: taking preparatory winter camping trips near a bail out vehicle, camping with others experienced in winter camping and giving yourself a safety margin by bringing enough gear to stay warm. It is a well written article relating both solid advice and her experience – worth a read.
Ed left this comment: “Read your article in the NY Conservationist. Loved it! Searched your website and couldn’t find extensive information on this: Winter camping with a dog. We have a 6 year old Italian Spinone who by some quirk is flat-coated. Could you please suggest articles or perhaps a book about winter camping with a dog like this? P.S. In July, I turn 60 and one of my goals is to winter camp with my dog before turning 61. Thank you. Ed”
Winter Camper Scott Handy responds:
My name is Scott, owner of Maddux, a 6 1/2 year old male Rottweiler/Husky. Unfortunately I can not recommend a book or articles, but a quick google of “winter camping (or hiking) with a dog” does turn up some good info.
I have done a variety of hiking and camping w. Maddux, from a short trip in to an area, camping overnight and out the next day to the 66 northern most miles of the long trail in Vt over 8 days.
I read a little about Spinone’s on wikipedia and it does not seem like you will have an issue w. him running off. Maddux has always been good about staying close and on trail, but loves to run up a head and ‘check back’ w. us, often running straight for us as if playing chicken before veering off and doubling back to lead. As he has gotten older and settled down and ‘learned’ how to hike he doesn’t play as much chicken. He will chase deer briefly, but heeds to a call from me, especially in the winter when the long-legged deer have a decisive advantage. Point: not sure if your dog has a tendency to chase birds or small animals but skunks and porcupines are of concern. Maddux was hit by a porcupine at a young age and altered the rest of the trip out. I carried a small multi-tool on the Vt. trip (actually Maddux carried it) for quills, prickers etc..
Another topic to consider is your dog’s coat. As a husky w. slightly longer, but think fur is often acts like velcro? Maddux does pick up burdocks and thistle quite easily. In the winter snow tends to build up and hang from his fur in small clumps, especially from his paws up to his elbows and under his tail. He does have longer fur/hair in these areas. Also and of possible concern is snow clumping in the fur between his toes. I had purchased him a set of high-quality booties but he has torn them off each time I’ve attempted to put them on. He will bite the clumps of snow away from his pads and Maddux carries a brush that helps to brush clumps of snow from his legs and underbelly. This is especially useful if I plan to have him sleeping in my tent or if he will be sleeping on or near my sleeping bag in a lean-to.
I spoke to my veterinarian today actually and he also brought up to watch for the pads. Maddux is used to being outdoors but if your dog is not and his paws are used to the comfy confines of home, you will want to work up some tolerance to snow, ice and cold. Per my vet, he also suggested the same for conditioning/exertion level. Do a little ‘training’ before hand and build up stamina.
I noticed on wikipedia too that Spinone’s are susceptible to hip dysplasia as are most large dogs. I do a majority of my hiking w. bagging peaks in mind. There is a lot of ascending and descending involved that causes great explosive demand from the hind legs to get over large boulders and up steep grades. If you plan to do varied terrain during your camping, do some while training or consider avoiding too strenuous terrain if warranted.
As for gear, Maddux has:
- A back pack from Kelty. This doubles as a harness which gives control on a leash. I always carry a leash but he is seldom on it as he is a good hiking companion and there really aren’t too many people around in the winter. He is always on his leash when using private land to access trails. The bag should be large enough for his frame of course, but also of a large enough capacity to carry the food needed for your longest journey. Maddux’s pouches have zippers that allow for contraction as his food load gets smaller or for shorter hikes w. less gear.
- As for food, I generally do not change his diet. For the Vt trip I did gradually change to a higher density food so that we were able to maximize nutritional value while maximizing space. Other than that I take a couple of milk bones or other specialty bones, usually 3/day b/c he enjoys them and so that he gets nutrition while I’m munching some gorp or a bar, it’s only fair!
- Two collapsible bowls by Ruff Wear. I use two, one for water, one for food.
- Booties, XL by Granite Gear. I actually just pulled them out of my bag as I think I will re-introduce them to him this weekend in while hiking in Cobleskill. The key is that they fit above the dew claw or there abouts and a rubbery traction on the bottom/sole.
- Bedding: I do not bring anything for Maddux to sleep on other than a rather thin blanket that doubles as a towel. Please don’t call PETA or ASPCA. It is thick enough to offer some insulation but he normally chooses to sleep in the snow anyway. I choose to have him sleep in my tent so that I don’t have to worry about interaction w. other animals/critters. When camping in a lean-to he is leashed and usually sleeps with/on or near Jason K. mentioned in the article. I have even shared my thermarest on a particularly cold night. I have considered looking into a smaller thermarest that I can strap to his pack aligned w. his spine as he gets older for comfort.
- Brush – the one I use at home is the one I take. Has the stiff, thin wired bristles, good for getting out burdock or clumps of snow.
- A small multi-tool: although I don’t think I will ever pull quills out, but serves many functions and I don’t have to carry it.
- Don’t forget the leash.
- Imodium. When I hiked in Vt. the vet recommended taking small Imodium tablets incase of stomach issues from water, food, cramping etc…
Well I hope this helps some. I am sure I will think of something as soon as I post this. Basically just have fun. I can’t imagine hiking w/o Maddux at this point.
There is also a discussion of winter camping and trekking with your dog at Wilderness Trekking Forum.
The well respected SectionHiker posted an interesting article entitled Winter Backpacking on a Budget. His basic premise is that winter gear is very expensive and while it may last a life time, the up front cost can be considerable. He maintains some 3 season gear is appropriate for 4 season use, but identifies many items that specifically for winter use including an ice axe, crampons, snowshoes, a liquid fuel stove, a thick sleeping pad, a winter sleeping bag, and a winter tent. He also recommends, depending where you hike, you may need to acquire plastic or synthetic mountaineering boots, a winter pack, a shovel, a windproof balaclava, 1 or 2 pairs of goggles, 2 pairs of mountaineering gloves, high gaiters, and a goose down parka. SectionHiker wisely recommends renting equipment or borrowing it from friends. The list of recommended gear is a staggering cost of $2,770!
At WinterCampers.com we recommend an alternative approach – find out if you enjoy “winter camping” before making a permanent investment.
Now this is drawing a fine line between winter backpacking and winter camping. Winter backpacking can involve covering long distances and traversing rugged terrain, usually with a mountain top as the designated goal. Winter camping is the art of simply camping outdoors during the winter and the experience is irrespective of distance covered or destination. WinterCampers.com suggests experiencing winter camping as part of the decision process before making the leap to purchase winter backpacking or mountaineering gear.
Using this approach the start up costs are considerably less. The rationale for eliminating or substituting gear is presented in the column labeled Winter Camping.
By employing a ‘try winter camping’ approach the list is boiled down to a few essential items some of which most snow country residents already have: snowshoes, gloves and good mittens, and winter parkas.
This approach draws a distinction between winter backpacking/mountaineering and winter camping with winter camping simply being the experience of camping out over-night during the winter. The two approaches are not exclusive of one another, but for the basic purpose of getting people to experience the winter outdoors, it is an important distinction.
Writer James Bishop published an article based on his first winter camping trip with Mike Langlois on a frozen Wisconsin River island.
1st – Plan for the coldest possible temperatures in your area. Whether it starts in October or ends in April, winter can be brutal.
2nd – Winter camping begins with a good night’s rest.
3rd – To tent or not to tent? With a sleeping bag to match conditions, however, tents are not necessary in the winter.
4th – Liquid intake is critical in winter camping.
5th – A good night’s rest depends on more than just a sleeping bag.
6th – The hardest thing about winter camping is getting out of bed.
7th – Prepare nearly all your food at home and make twice as much as you normally eat.
8th – Keeping warm during the day depends on your clothing.
9th – Take care of your extremities with the proper hats, gloves and boots.
10th – Have fun!
While most of the ‘rules’ are worth noting I take issue with a couple of James’ premises:
For item#8 James states “Raingear goes on every trip with me regardless of the forecast.”
While I applaud his goal of staying dry to stay warm, packing rain gear is an unnecessary burden when a lighter wind breaker will suffice during true winter conditions.
For item #9 James mistakenly states that “Seventy percent of heat loss can come from your head, so a good hat must provide warmth and wick moisture. I believe in being prepared and take a musher’s hat, wool watch cap, fleece headband and fleece balaclava.”
While the face, head and chest are more sensitive to changes in temperature than the rest of the body, covering one part of the body has as much effect as covering any other. The head is only about 10% of the body surface area. Thus the head would have to lose about 40 times as much heat per square inch compared to the rest of the body. Wilderness Medicine took volunteers, wired them to monitor their core temperatures, and discovered humans lose heat through any exposed part of the body and the amount of heat we lose depends on the amount of exposed surface area. The rate of heat loss is relatively the same for any exposed part of the body not simply the head. You do not lose heat significantly faster through the scalp than any other portion of the body with the same surface area. The idea that we lose heat faster through out scalp because of the constant blood supply to the brain is simply a myth.
I am a sucker for winter camping pictures – even if the winter camping involves staying in a cabin with a wood stove. Tammy at Plans to Give You Hope posted a great photo of her two girls in a winter scene. You can read her blog posting here.
NOAA’s National Operational Hydrological Remote Sensing Center has an Interactive Snow Information Map for the US. It is a great mapping tool for analyzing snow cover. The map is highly configurable. You can re-center the map anywhere in the US. One can map Hourly Snow Analysis, Driving Conditions, and Daily Snow Analysis. You can look at historical data. One can select overlays to be plotted such as Hydrologic, Political, Point or Transportation features for reference purposes.
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