There are many things to worry about when going camping – and just as many tips, tricks, and advice to help allay these worries. You need to consider how to stay nourished with plenty of food and drink, how to stay safe and, of course, how to get there. However, something that is very often neglected is how to go about camping in winter – simply because most people do it in summer.
Most, but not all. In fact, there are many good reasons to go camping in winter. For a start, to experience the wonder of nature. Mother nature doesn’t just show off her best side at the height of summer. For sure, this will probably always be the most popular time to go camping, but while winter weather might be more inclement and less physically comfortable to camp in, it can nevertheless offer a unique beauty that you can’t get in the summertime. So, what are the top tips for making a success of a winter camping trip? Well, there is one tip that stands over and above all the rest – so let us get that out of the way first.
Go to the Right Place
To put it simply, you really need to go to the right place. Most camping locations are geared towards summer, and therefore are in places where the winter does not offer nearly so much to the average camper. But not all of them are like this.
As it happens, there are plenty of great winter camping locations, you just need to find them. Locations that are particularly beautiful in winter – think of snow-covered branches, frozen lakes, white-blanketed mountains, etc. – exist all over America. Just be careful when searching not to find a place that is recommended for winter camping because there is actually no winter weather there. Such places, usually found in the southernmost states, really just offer summer-style camping in the wintertime. That is not what we’re talking about here.
Bear in mind also that you’ll probably have to bring a lot more kit for staying warm. Make that journey as comfortable as possible by investing in some tie down straps in order to affix what you can to the roof of your car. Those offered by the likes of Rollercam, a company offering such equipment specifically for outdoor pursuits, are much recommended.
Tips for Winter Camping
With that out of the way then, here follows some of the most useful winter camping tips:
Insulate Below as Well as Above
The obvious wisdom for winter camping dictates that you should bring as much thermal covering as you can in order to stay warm. This is good advice but remember that the ground is actually a significant cause of heat loss. Be sure to also back something to go underneath, like a good roll mat.
Shake Your Sleeping Bag
Another tip for staying warm. Be sure to shake your sleeping bag. This is because a sleeping bag works by trapping air around your body. For maximum insulation, therefore, give your bag a good shake to ensure it is as full of air as possible.
Make Use of Lithium Battery Power
If you’re bringing along any power source – very useful for heating products – then you’re going to need to do something about the power-sapping effect of the cold. Use a lithium battery if you can, as these resist the cold best. Bear in mind though that you will still experience some decreased efficiency on account of the temperatures.
Heat and the power needed to provide it then, are the most important considerations for winter camping. Cover those bases, and the astonishing beauty of nature in the colder months awaits.