Winter Camping Secrets

[RioWilson]

With temps expected in the lower 40's this weekend - we are contemplating a trip out to a local state park. We've done winter camping in tents before, but this would be a first in the tear. Anyone with specific winter advice? It's not too cold - highs in lower 40's and lows in the teens. Our trailer has no onboard water so we don't have that to worry about like our old TT.

Thanks - Mike

[bobhenry]

One of the things I have learned during these cold weather campouts is that the heat will stratify at the roof of a teardrop. I have taken to using a small fan pointed upwards to wash the heated air back down the sidewalls to be more comfortable in extreme cold weather.

P.S. our record is -1 with a -15 wind chill at the 08 shivaree.

[streetrod23]

Hi we have camped in 25 degree temps in our tear. The roof has an inch of foam insulation thats it, nothing in the walls. We had a very small electric heater ( car warmer style) if you know what that is haha. It was toasty warm. We had to turn it off a few times as it was too warm. We did leave the roof vent open slightly to vent the humidity. No issues other than the darn water left outside was frozen and I didnt get my coffee right away. By the way were jealous...Its -4 deg f here so our tear is put away until May....Good luck
Hey I see your from Wisconsin, you know what a car warmer is..

[bobhenry]

Here is an older post with a few other humorous points to ponder.

Tue Oct 02, 2012 9:49 am

Well we talked about it at the fall gathering so might as well earmark a post for discussing the renegade January of 2013 "Shivaree".

Things I have learned winter camping.....

Hot air rises.... The teardrop is 110 degrees at the roof and drops 20 degrees for each foot from the roof so at my nose when sleeping it's 15 to 20 degrees. A small fan pointed up (think small ceiling fan) washes the stratafied air back down the outside walls and make it a lot more comfortable.

Small plastic shopping bags placed over thin socks then covered with a good pair of wool hunting socks and feet stay warm and dry.

Yes still crack a window just a bit. Woke up a bit disoriented at the "10" shivaree. It scared me so I walked it off by getting out and the fog cleared instantly. Oxygen depravation is real!

Koolers are for keeping hot things hot as well as cold things cold. At 12 degrees ambient a good kooler still keeps your beer a frosty 32-34 degrees.

Any closed cabinet on an uninsulated wall area turns into a great refrigerator.

And last but not least don't lock your keys in the vehicle with all your heavy outer clothing. While putting bulky outerware in the vehicle does saves space in the camper it is damned cold waiting for the locksmith



OH THERE YOU ARE !

[jfocallag]

Thanks for the information. I wish I had seen it before I went camping this last weekend. It was definitely much warmer near the ceiling of the camper. I thought about how you reverse a ceiling fan in order to push the warm air down during the winter. A small fan in the camper will do the trick. Thanks again.

[wagondude]

Also remember to drink plenty of water. Dehydration happens in the cold too and sneaks up on you more easily.

[RioWilson]

Yup I have a 12V Heater and a ceiling fan and two vents so I should be good to go there! Trying to figure out where to put my winter boots now...hate to leave them out and have them frozen when I get in to them!

[Zollinger]

ALWAYS have a plan B! That has saved our butt's a few times. We winter camp a lot, and always have an electric and propane heater just in case. You never know when the wind will pick up and blow snow across the driveway of the camp site. If the temps are in the 40's you should not have to worry about being frozen inside. Trust me. It happened to us a few years ago when we took my husbands (then) uninsulated '61 Shasta camping in January. It was beautiful during the day when we set up. Then when the sun went down and the temps dropped we went in the trailer. The next morning we were frozen in. We had to wait until the sun came up and warmed up the side of the camper. It turns out that the snow on the roof melted and ran down the doorway and froze. We still laugh about it to this day.

[RioWilson]

The next morning we were frozen in. We had to wait until the sun came up and warmed up the side of the camper. It turns out that the snow on the roof melted and ran down the doorway and froze. We still laugh about it to this day.

OK, there's one I hadn't considered, but makes sense! Good to know!!

[jonw]

Here are some ideas from when I used to go winter backpacking:

Keep you boots inside in a plastic bag so they are not like concrete putting them on the next morning

Keep the next day's socks and underwear in your sleeping bag so they are warm when you need to put them on

Have a filled water bottle nearby and a porta-urinal container so you don't have to leave the teardrop in the cold, dark middle of the night. And make sure you can't confuse which is which in the dark...

You lose most of your heat thru your head and neck - bring a knit hat to wear, even to bed if that's what it takes to stay warm. A turtleneck dickey provides a lot of warmth for little bulk and weight, and is easy to take off it you get too warm.

Higher fat foods help you generate a lot of heat and stay warm. If you are cold when you're ready to turn in eat a piece of cheese or (ugh) a squirt of butter or oil

Don't eat any yellow snow

Lastly, remember that a careless mistake that you'd think nothing of in the summer can cost you your life in the winter (at least in the wilderness - maybe not so much when TD camping with a vehicle nearby...)

[jonw]

I hear ya Slow. What is fun in warmer weather becomes a challenge in winter. Not my cup of tea anymore...

[Shadow Catcher]

Compass Rose is fairly well insulated and I would like to do some wither camping, Nancy however...
Why winter camp I think goes along with the why winter canoe. We have on a number of occasions canoed the Portage river in Michigan and putting in below the dam and with enough flow the river does not freeze. I remember well paddling along in below zero temps and having the paddle come out of the water and the water on it freezing, I also remember the absolute silence and the crackle of the ice along the edges of the river as the wake creates disturbance, seeing deer coming down to the river to drink because they do not expect people and birds.
This is dangerous, Nancy and I both wear dry suits which will keep you dry if you go in. For those not so equipped they carried dry bags with a complete change of clothing and enough fire starter to build a substantial fire.

[Zollinger]

Winter camping is not for everone. You must be prepared. We enjoy it because usually we are the only people in the park. It's nice sitting around a campfire while the snow gently falls around you. "No screaming dogs or barking kids anywhere in sight!"

[bdosborn]

There's one critical item you'll need to remember and I can't stress this enough:

Don't forget to turn the heater on.



Enjoy the winter camping trip.




Bruce

[indycamper]

"No screaming dogs or barking kids anywhere in sight!"

For that, I might even be tempted to go! Probably wouldn't, but might be tempted!