IMA SOL MAN
Flashlight Enthusiast
Campfire HEAT is great in a winter camp, but, my experience with campfires is, no matter where I move around the fire, the smoke moves to blow in my face.
Who else love winter camping?
- Thread starter raggie33
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Great to see that healthy Spanish moss, Islander.
One time cold weather camping, wife zipped everything up in the tent with 3 humans and the Oxygen level went down too much for me; ended up unzipping a window partially.
One time cold weather camping, wife zipped everything up in the tent with 3 humans and the Oxygen level went down too much for me; ended up unzipping a window partially.
soory but... the infantry got all of this camping nonsense out of my system. FOREVER!!!
IMA SOL MAN
Flashlight Enthusiast
When I was in Boy Scouts as a boy, (1970's) our adult leaders were largely military vets. Our Scoutmaster was an old retired US Army sergeant, and so we did high impact car/truck camping. Floor-less pup tents or A frame tents, which we trenched around to keep the rain water out. We pounded wooden crosses into the ground outside of each canvas tent, and hung buckets of water from the arms for possible fire suppression. We dug holes in the ground for campfires. We trucked in jerry cans of potable water, ice chests for fresh food, boxes with canned food, Army footlockers with tools/equipment, like bow saws, axes, hammers, shovels, etc. When I got older, and became an adult leader, the whole "thing" was "Leave no trace" hiking and camping. Talk about a culture shock! From what I grew up doing, to lightweight equipment, freeze-dried food, water filtration and Nalgene bottles, tree-hugging hiking and camping! "Pack out your trash." Big shock.
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When I was enjoying my footloose and fancy free early 20s, for an entire summer month, a friend and I would jump into Rattles, The Great White, Dooby, Dirt Bike and Camping Van, every Friday after work. Rattles was a 67 Chevy cargo van that had been rolled by the previous owner. We'd drive to Mount Rainier and after parking in one of the lower lots we'd make a little party in the back with all the windows blocked by curtains.
In the morning we drive to the trailhead and then hike to our overnight camping spot. Each of us would carry a sixer of 16oz brewskis for the evening's festivities 🥳 Arriving we'd place the beers in a stream, or in the snow.
Sunday morning we'd hike back down the mountain.
GOOD TIMES!
In the morning we drive to the trailhead and then hike to our overnight camping spot. Each of us would carry a sixer of 16oz brewskis for the evening's festivities 🥳 Arriving we'd place the beers in a stream, or in the snow.
Sunday morning we'd hike back down the mountain.
GOOD TIMES!
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Campfire HEAT is great in a winter camp, but, my experience with campfires is, no matter where I move around the fire, the smoke moves to blow in my face.
IMA SOL MAN
Flashlight Enthusiast
Yep! That's me! Where did you get that?
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Somewhere on Instagram.Yep! That's me! Where did you get that?
IMA SOL MAN
Flashlight Enthusiast
How did I get on Instagram? Okay, who leaked!
raggie33
*the raggedier*
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Was all set to camp then it started to rain lol now like a idiot I watched wrong turn lol scary movie
M@elstrom
Flashlight Enthusiast
I love the concept of Winter camping but I haven't seen snow for 15 years 🤣
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Slept on a beautiful sea island last night. Incredible.
CAMP
MORNING VIEWS
OUR LITTLE CHUCKHOUSE
\
CAMP
MORNING VIEWS
OUR LITTLE CHUCKHOUSE
\
Kestrel
Flashaholic
Have done a lot of winter backpacking in the Alaskan interior; the coldest I've camped in is 25 below, was very prepared with sleeping arrangements & I had to unzip my bag a third of the way to not get too hot that night, lol. Never any campfires on those trips of course, clothes stayed a lot drier that way.
Edit: perhaps a few doubters on the above, lol. The official record low for my hometown is 79 below; the coldest I have been out in was 69 below. And my father was a subsistence trapper, so I learned a few things.
Edit: perhaps a few doubters on the above, lol. The official record low for my hometown is 79 below; the coldest I have been out in was 69 below. And my father was a subsistence trapper, so I learned a few things.
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When you said Alaska it removed all doubt regarding temperature. Heck I've been in -28 in Indiana.
Do you know who used to love winter camping? Woods Walker.
I really miss Kevin's posts. He knew an f-ton about hot tenting…
I really miss Kevin's posts. He knew an f-ton about hot tenting…
raggie33
*the raggedier*
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what do you all use for cooking? i got a stove at walmart it burns twigs and etc etc im hoping it will do good with wood pelets
@raggie33 I use an old coleman stove that was designed for "white" gas or coleman fuel. Years ago the pump failed, and the unit was converted to use propane. The metal container is convenient in that it will store a propane tank in it.
If I am cooking just for me, like a can of soup, or hot chocolate, then I use a JetBoil unit
I have a coffee press for it, but I am not crazy about the coffee press.
It is great for heating up water for instant meals though.
If I am cooking just for me, like a can of soup, or hot chocolate, then I use a JetBoil unit
I have a coffee press for it, but I am not crazy about the coffee press.
It is great for heating up water for instant meals though.
raggie33
*the raggedier*
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lol popppy i swear to god i bought one of them jet boil stoves today at walmart but mine was missing the part to use normal pans. so i returned it lol was on cleanracne for 70 bucks but they didnt say it was missing a part
raggie33
*the raggedier*
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the secret to buying butane gas for cooking is at ya local asain grocery store cheaper then camping store
Dr. Jones
Newly Enlightened
Winter camping is most enjoyable! No bugs and few people.
I have an extreme-duty tarp that's set up as a hot tent, something like what this fellow made:
…with a small, non-folding stainless Chinese tent stove and a silicone stove jack.
A pair of Jet Sled Jr. sleds are hauled behind me, one linked to the other, and they're narrow enough that they just fit into my snowshoe tracks… with a sled (or two), as opposed to a big (70 liter plus) backpack, you can haul an incredible amount of gear and provisions for extended winter camping without all the strain. They simply glide over the snow, almost without friction. I configure the first one as a pulk, with a pair of long, crossed poles attached to me at the waist and to the front of the first sled; that keeps it from sliding into me on the downhills, among other benefits. With sleds, I only need to carry a lightweight pack, which is a godsend if there is a lot of snow.
If I'm going out for more than a day or so, most of the weight in the sleds will consist of provisions, as a great many calories get burned in temperatures well below freezing during a week-long excursion. For example, I mix up a huge bag of damper (a type of Australian quick bread/biscuit) that only needs water to activate it; it's rich in flour and butter, and provides a tremendous amount of calories. That gets baked in a small cast iron Dutch oven on top of the tent stove, like a big biscuit, or as dumplings if I feel like opening a can of beef stew, of which I take many.
The sleds also carry the tent, which isn't the least bit light, as well as other necessities like a ground mat, sleeping bag, wool blanket, cooking gear and change of clothes. Axe and saw, as well as some of my fire-making supplies and things like flashlights, are in or on my pack or person, along with the usual first aid kit, etc.
It sounds like a lot, but you only need to be caught out in the winter on a long hike and needed something you hadn't got, something the lack of which might threaten your very existence, and the weight doesn't bother you anymore. Winter camping, especially solo, is among the more risky outdoor ventures, and you all "know what a cautious fellow I am"…
I have an extreme-duty tarp that's set up as a hot tent, something like what this fellow made:
…with a small, non-folding stainless Chinese tent stove and a silicone stove jack.
A pair of Jet Sled Jr. sleds are hauled behind me, one linked to the other, and they're narrow enough that they just fit into my snowshoe tracks… with a sled (or two), as opposed to a big (70 liter plus) backpack, you can haul an incredible amount of gear and provisions for extended winter camping without all the strain. They simply glide over the snow, almost without friction. I configure the first one as a pulk, with a pair of long, crossed poles attached to me at the waist and to the front of the first sled; that keeps it from sliding into me on the downhills, among other benefits. With sleds, I only need to carry a lightweight pack, which is a godsend if there is a lot of snow.
If I'm going out for more than a day or so, most of the weight in the sleds will consist of provisions, as a great many calories get burned in temperatures well below freezing during a week-long excursion. For example, I mix up a huge bag of damper (a type of Australian quick bread/biscuit) that only needs water to activate it; it's rich in flour and butter, and provides a tremendous amount of calories. That gets baked in a small cast iron Dutch oven on top of the tent stove, like a big biscuit, or as dumplings if I feel like opening a can of beef stew, of which I take many.
The sleds also carry the tent, which isn't the least bit light, as well as other necessities like a ground mat, sleeping bag, wool blanket, cooking gear and change of clothes. Axe and saw, as well as some of my fire-making supplies and things like flashlights, are in or on my pack or person, along with the usual first aid kit, etc.
It sounds like a lot, but you only need to be caught out in the winter on a long hike and needed something you hadn't got, something the lack of which might threaten your very existence, and the weight doesn't bother you anymore. Winter camping, especially solo, is among the more risky outdoor ventures, and you all "know what a cautious fellow I am"…
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