Cold_Weather_Camping2

When you come home at the end of the day you have a nice warm house to enter and a soft warm bed to sleep in. Your goal
when camping in any type of environment is to make your tent or sleeping area as comfortable as what you are used to. This
enables you to get a good nights sleep. So, what can you do to give you a nice comfortable home away from home?
Here are some suggestions:

1. Location, location, location. Where you pitch your tent or prepare your sleeping area is very important! Remember the
following:

a. Pick a spot that is as sheltered as possible from the winds and elements. Stay away from streambeds that could be
prone to flash floods. If you locate at the base of a hill or mountain, look up the slope and make sure it isn't an area that looks
like it is avalanche prone or washout from rains. If camping in a forest or wooded area, never pitch your tent directly under a
tree. If limbs get wet or snow covered - they become heavy and can break: falling on your tent in the middle of the night. Winds
flapping your tent or tent fly all night can also keep you awake.

b. Select a location that is as flat as possible. Sleeping on a slope is no fun at all! You end up sliding down the slope all
night long and that leads to a sleepless night. Also sleeping on rocks, branches, and an area with holes in the ground leads
to a loss of sleep. Prepare your sleeping location by clearing the area free of these objects.

2. Ground padding. In the summer it's o.k. to just place your tent on the ground and your sleeping bag right on the tent floor.
In a cold weather environment however, you have to take a few extra steps if you want to get that good night sleep.

a. When you lie on the ground for the night, 75% of your body heat goes down in to the ground. So you want to try to put as
much insulation between you and the ground as possible.

b. I typically start with a ground cloth or heavy gauge plastic tarp. Either cut it to the size of your tent, or mark out the size of
your tent and fold it so that your tent fits just perfectly over it and you have room to stake it in.

a. The ground may be frozen. This means that you will either have to dig down in to the ground to place your tent stake, or
pound a hole in the ground then pound your stake in. This means taking along a hammer and a metal rod to pound in. Also, your
tent pins might have to be longer instead of the ones originally supplied with your tent.

b. Your other option is to use a "deadman" to anchor your tent. Make sure you bring extra cord for doing this, and of course
you will need something to use as an anchor, and a small shovel to bury it.

4. Inside Your Tent. Once you have your tent pitched, let's continue preparing where you will sleep. Remember, you
lose 75% of your body heat to the ground. So, like your clothing, we're going to "layer" our ground bed. Ideally, if you do not
have to strike camp and hike to another location, you can put more bedding in your pack (which means more insulation and
warmth)!

      d. Finally, time to get out the sleeping bag. Always, always, always remember to shake your bag before getting in to it.
      The reason for this is to fluff it up and get lots of air in between the fibers/goose down/... Remember - air = insulation =
      warmth. Do this every night! As you sleep in your bag, you compact the filling and lose that warmth.

5. Ventilation. Two points here. First make sure that your windows are zipped or buttoned up. Second, if there is a window
or vent at the top of your tent, open it about the size of your fist. This lets the condensation from your breath escape and will
prevent waking up with a lot of frost in your tent.

a. You lose 75% of your body heat through your head - So keep it covered with a nice warm wool cap.

b. About 1/2 an hour before crawling in your bag, throw a hand/foot warmer in the bottom of your bag to start warming it up.
These disposable warmers typically last 8 - 12 hours and are worth their weight in gold!

      c. Next is some "Hot Wets." This is the term used to describe a cup of hot chocolate or mocha. Drink a small cup before
      going to bed to warm your core. Also, a nibble or two of chocolate before bedtime will give your body a bit of sugar and
      make your body work at digesting it. A working body generates warmth.

d. Sleep only in a pair of shorts and a tee shirt. This allows your body heat to warm up your sleeping bag. If you
have a lose pair of wool socks you can wear them if you do not have a hand/foot warmer in your bag.

e. Put your next layer of clothing inside your bag with you. Long Johns, socks, mittens or gloves, and your flashlight & extra
batteries. Cold batteries drain faster than warm ones. Keep your batteries warm at all times!

f. A Pillow. Use the rest of your clothing that you will put on in the morning and make a pillow out of it.

g. Never sleep with your nose and mouth in your bag! You fill the bag with carbon dioxide and your body needs oxygen!
Also, you will be adding moisture to the inside of your bag. Moisture = wet; and wet = cold!

h. Last item. Try and go to the bathroom before going to bed. There's nothing worse that waking up at 3:00 in the
morning when it's freezing cold outside to have to go to the bathroom.

7. Your Gear. If you have room inside your tent, bring all of your gear inside. If you don't have the room, keep it next to the
entrance of your tent and keep it covered in a plastic bag.

a. If your gear is inside your tent, place things where you can find them in the dark.

Hopefully you have found a few "golden nuggets" you can use. Perhaps, a few items you might ask Santa for to make your
cold weather camping a little more comfortable.