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Pack
your water bottle deep inside your backpack so it will not
freeze in cold weather. Make sure the lid is screwed on
tight and pack it upside-down. Water freezes from the top,
so if it is stored upside down, the mouth of the bottle
remains free of ice. You could also wrap a small heating
pad that is activated when shaken around your water bottle,
secured with duct tape.
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Before
you crawl into your sleeping bag at night, fill your water
bottle with warm water. Use it to warm your sleeping bag
by bringing it into the bag with you, like a hot-water bottle.
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If
you have room to carry them, take two sleeping bag pads,
a self-inflating one and a lightweight closed-cell foam
pad, for additional insulation when camping in cold climates.
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If
you stop to take a water or snack break, store the outer
shell of your mittens or gloves in your pack or attach them
to your jacket with a clip. Sticking them under your arm
makes it easier to have them blow away with a gust of wind.
If you lose a mitten, use a spare sock as a substitute.
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Take
a metal tube that is a bit wider than your tent pole with
you. If a tent pole breaks, slide the tube over the broken
area to act as a splint and secure the tube to the poles
with duct tape. Store your duct tape around your ski pole
or water bottle.
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Consider
taking an extra stove and plenty of stove fuel, up to one-half
cup per person per day. It takes a lot of fuel to melt snow
for drinking water.
-
Eat
often and carry plenty of food. You can burn up to 8,000
calories per day when winter camping.
-
Drink
plenty of hot soup and beverages during a winter camping
trip. You need to replace water lost both through physical
exertion and also from the dry, cold air drawing moisture
from your face and skin. Try instant cocoa, decaffeinated
coffee or tea, fruit-flavored drinks and instant breakfast
drinks. Caffeinated drinks are not recommended. They contain
diuretics that cause you to lose fluids.
-
Winter
is not the time to go solo, always camp with others. Leave
your itinerary with a friend or family member and check
in with them on your return.
-
Watch
for signs of hypothermia among your camping group: uncontrolled
shivering, poor motor coordination, mental confusion and
mumbling. If someone exhibits these symptoms, get them into
dry clothes or a sleeping bag. Have them huddle close to
a warm, dry person and give them a warm beverage.
-
Check
for signs of frostbite and pay attention to cold feet. Protected
skin, as well as exposed skin, are all susceptible to freezing
and toes are the most vulnerable. The first sign of frostbite
is white patches on the skin surface. If the skin does not
return to its normal color after applying gentle pressure,
you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
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If
you are backcountry skiing in hilly terrain, climbing skins
help you ascend hills with less effort. Skins are slightly
narrower than the width of a ski. They attach to a ski by
straps or an adhesive backing. The skins have synthetic
hairs or scales that flow from front to back so they grip
snow and keep you from sliding backwards on hills.
-
As
you gain altitude, food takes longer to cook. Plan meals
that do not require a lot of boiling.
-
Pack
a colorful bandana in your pack. In the rare event you need
to signal rescue workers, you can attach the bandana to
your ski pole and use it as a flag.
