Huron Trails Roundtable Presentation on Winter Camping by Jeff Kennedy

1. Winter Camping
Round Table – Huron Trails District
November 12, 2015

2. Outline
• Safety First
• Winter camping quiz
• Clothing
• Equipment (sleeping bags, tents)
• Hydration
• Checklist
• Winter camping spots

3. Safety First
• http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Health
andSafety/GSS/gss12.aspx
• Qualified Supervision – Leader with winter
camping exp, strong character and common
sense
• Equipment – Outfitted for cold weather and
scouts should be properly clothed (bright
colors)
• Physical fitness – Prepare and take breaks.

4. Safety First (Continued)
• Buddy System – Very important! Buddies can
observe condition of each other.
• Planning – Plan to cover no more than 5 miles
on snowshoes or 10 to 12 miles on cross-
country skis
• Safe area – Avoid dead branches and ice must
be at least 3 inches thick for a small group
• Weather check – Monitor, monitor, monitor.
Hazardous Weather training on-line.

5. Safety First (continued)
• Burning – Third characteristic for the leader
• Winter sports
– Ice skating, cross country skiing, sledding, snow
shoeing, ice fishing and snowmobiling
– Hazardous
• Leader should educate and also go over proper
technique
– Avoid collision with immobile objects (rocks,
stumps, trees)

6. Clothing
• Base layer
– Synthetic and merino wool fabrics. Avoid _____?!
– Wick away perspiration to outer layers to be
evaporated
– When camping you can wear 2 layers (lightweight and
thicker heavyweight layer)
• Middle layer
– Insulating layer
– Expedition – weight fleece or microfleece shirts,
pants, jacket

7. Clothing (Continued)
• Outer layer
– Waterproof, windproof and breathable
– Gore-tex, eVent, REI Elements
– Less expensive include ployurethane-
coatedfabrics
– Tip: if you take a put on a layer so you don’t cool
off too much

8. Clothing (Cont.)
• Misc Clothing
– Boots
• Traditional hiking boots could work
• Winter or mountaineering boots (preferred)
• Tip: Warm up socks and boot insoles in sleeping bag as
you sleep
– Hat
• Mountaineering adage, “If your feet are cold put on a
hat.”
• GoreWindStopper fabric

9. Clothing (Cont.)
• Misc clothing (cont.)
– Gloves and mittens
• Mittens are preferred
• Take extras
– Socks
• Thing snug sock close to skin
• 2nd layer on top. Both layers made of merino wool or
synthetic fabric

10. Sleeping Bags and Pads
• At least rated at 10°F
• Down is the most popular but make sure you
keep it dry
• Sleeping bag liner
– Adds 5° to 15°F of warmth
• Sleeping pads
– 2 pads
• Foam pad underneath and self inflating on top. Foam
one serves as insurance.

11. Shelters
• Mountaineering (4-season) Tents
– Dome Shape and extra strong pole structure
– Mostly solid fabric (opposed to mesh) for more
warmth and strength
– Large vestibules for wet-gear storage or a sheltered
cooking area
• Single Wall vs Double Wall
– Single is light weight, cooler, quick setup, costs more
and more condesation
– Double is heavier, warmer, longer setup and costs less
and less condensation and better ventilation

12. Shelters (continued)
• Snow Caves
• Igloos
• Quinzees
– Setup
• 1. Shovel a mound of snow 6 to 8 feet high
• 2. Shape mound into dome shape and let sinter for at
least 90 mins. Begin to hollow out.
• 3. Ventilate through top
• 4. Change into warm dryer clothes

13. Hydration
• Use insulated reservoir unless it’s extremely
cold, then use a water bottle cover.
• Turn the water bottle upside down so the top
doesn’t freeze. Put in snow bank to insulate.
• Melting snow is a good option. Use water to
melt quicker.

14. More Tips
• COLD
– C -