BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING IN THE WINTER

 

 

Welcome to this website about backcountry camping in the winter time. Right now it's the middle of July and there's no snow to go camping in so I'd rather stay home and make this little website about what I love the most, snow camping. When the snow is back in a few months I'll be in an igloo somewhere up in the mountains.

I've tried to turn snow camping into my livelihood by becoming a backcountry snow camping trip guide but there are not a lot of people who would pay money to sleep out in freezing temperatures and the few of us who snowcamp mostly go on our own. So for now it's a more of a spare time thing. But I just turned 30 so I might retire next year and move to Northern Alaska to be a full time snow man.

If you live in a place where it snows in the winter time you must start snow camping. All you need is a pair of snowshoes or cross country skis, a back pack, a good sleeping bag, a Stratus Trailstove and some warm clothes.

Some people will tell you that you need to bring a tent, but I never do. It only takes a few minutes to make a snow shelter and it's a lot warmer than the warmest tent in the world. All you have to do is to stomp or dig a hole in the snow or find a natural depression such as the space between two big snow covered boulders. Bridge the hole with some branches and cover with a tarp. If it's snowing just let the snow cover the tarp, if not then toss some snow on to the tarp.

I am one of the founding members of  the International Snow Camping Association (ISCA) please check out our web site, it's got some very useful info about snow camping. Please also check out the links below for even more info by some snow camping friends of mine:

Bill's Snow Camping Site 
Info on good gear and descriptions on how to make snow shelters and emergency snow shoes.

All About Snowshoeing
Great illustrated step by step description on how to build an igloo

Dale's Wilderness Survival Site
Not snow specific but great wilderness survival info on such topics as catching squirrels for food

I will be adding more material to this site as soon as I find some time so please check back once in a while.

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