If you’ve ever spent a night curled up in your sleeping bag shivering and cold, then you know there is a huge difference between ‘camping’ and ‘cold weather camping.’
All it takes is one ice cold trip to realize that you are dramatically unprepared and uninformed.
Your gear, your camping abilities, and your mental willpower are all quickly put to the test once the temperature starts to drop.
We’ve already done one post on winter camping (you can find it here), but that one really only covered the basics, not the in-depth stuff.
Think of these as extra supplemental tips.
These ideas are a little looser, a little more personal.
They are a few life lessons, from us to you, so you can be better prepared for your next (or first) below-freezing camping trip.
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Lesson One: First Things First, Start Your Fire
How you go about setting up your camp is ultimately up to you, but we highly suggest getting a fire started as soon as your get to your site.
Searching for wood, lugging it back to the site, and chopping it up will help keep your body temperature up by keeping your blood flowing.
And having a warm fire to stand around will make putting your tent up and getting your site ready much easier and more enjoyable.
Believe me, you’ll want warm fingers for the more detailed parts of your site setup. It’s hard to do some things in gloves.
Remember: Always check fire regulations for your area, especially when camping in National Parks or State Parks
Lesson Two: Your Tent Is Not Your Safe Space, the Fire Is
During the warmer months, you might think of your tent as a cozy comfy place.
This is not the case in the winter.
Even with the right gear, you will only feel truly comfortable and warm around the fire.
Walking away from the fire at bedtime and crawling into your tent will feel like walking from a sauna directly into a deep freezer.
No matter how hard you try, the fire’s warmth will not stay with you.
Enjoy it while it lasts.
Lesson Three: Watch Your Water Supply (It Will Freeze)
This is something you might not think about until it’s too late.
Water starts to freeze at 32 degrees, and despite what you might think, your water supply is no different.
If you plan on camping in the cold, you may end up reheating your frozen water over the fire from time to time.
That’s okay.
Tip: Keep drinks near the fire so they can use the outward heat to stay liquid.
Remember, large containers of water take longer to freeze than smaller ones. Consider bringing a larger water bladder as opposed to individual water bottles.
Lesson Four: Temperature Ratings Matter (No Matter How Tough You Think You Are)
Not all sleeping bags are created equal.
If you’re going to be camping in the winter, you need a winter sleeping bag.
Normal sleeping bags are usually only rated for a low of 40 degrees (minimum comfortable temp), and they won’t keep you warm much below that.
You might think you can tough it out, but I’m telling you from experience, you can’t.
You will spend your night cold, miserable, and awake.
Look for sleeping bags that are rated and designed for the cold weather you plan to camp in.
They make zero degree sleeping bags for a reason.
Lesson Five: Frost on the Ground is Beautiful, Frost on Your Gear is Not
Have you ever wondered how the frost ends up on the ground every morning?
Well, if you stay up late enough, and it’s cold enough, you can actually watch it start to form as the night carries on.
We learned the hard way that frost will form on any piece of equipment you have out.
From your tent, to your lantern, to the packs of ramen you laid out on the table, nothing is safe.
Frost will leave your gear cold and wet, so put any sensitive gear in your pack and keep it in your tent away from the elements.
Always remember to knock the frost off and dry your equipment as much as possible before loading it up the next morning. It’s not good to store your equipment wet.
Lesson Six: There is No Such Thing as Too Many Layers
Every layer of clothing you have on your body is another layer of defense against the bitter cold.
Why attack the cold with a weak defense?
If you’re camping in temperatures below freezing, you should definitely be wearing a minimum of at least three layers (personal opinion).
This goes for all areas of the body: socks, pants, shirts/jackets.
The better bundled you are, the more comfortable you will be.
It’s always better to be too warm than too cold.
You can shed excess layers later on if you feel you need to, once you know what level of cold you’re going to be dealing with.
Lesson Seven: Ramen is King
Ramen may or may not be my new favorite thing to eat while camping.
It is quick, easy, cheap, and when it comes to cold weather camping—it’s incredibly warm.
In a camping pot, it only takes a few minutes to make.
We were only a few hours into our last polar camping plunge when we finally broke out the ramen noodles and started cooking.
The warmth and flavor warmed our cores and kept us motivated to keep going.
Also, the calories from the noodles helped fuel our bodies in their fight against the cold.
If you’re looking for a good cold weather camping meal, you can’t go wrong with ramen.
Lesson Eight: Always Pack an Extra Blanket
Your sleeping bag needs all the help it can get when it’s fighting the cold, and bringing an extra blanket is a great way to make sure you sleep warm and cozy.
Hell, bring two.
I debated whether or not to bring a second blanket with me on our last trip, decided I would be okay, then regretted my decision as soon as I crawled into by sleeping bag.
Learn from my mistakes, if you can fit a second blanket in your pack, do it.
This will mean a little extra weight to carry, but it will go a long way towards making you a happy camper (literally) at bedtime.
Final Thoughts, Enjoy the Experience
Winter camping is rough, no matter which way you look at it.
That’s kind of the fun part about it. Right?
Go into your trip with a positive mindset.
Don’t think of it as “I have to camp in the cold.” Think of it as “I get to camp in the cold.”
It’s an experience, a change of pace from your regular summer and fall camping.
That’s what makes it so special.
Warm up by the fire, eat some warm soup (or ramen), and enjoy the quiet peace of winter.
If you do it right, and you plan ahead properly, winter camping can be incredible.
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We hope to see you again soon, and happy camping!
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