The Cold weather camping / tipi tent camping / share your experiences thread!

[chadyaz]

Seeing as how you purchasing a chainsaw is #1 on your list, I'm guessing you don't chop firewood when you get out there. So my question is what do you do for wood? Do you bring a truck load out with you? Or purchase it from the campground (which would be a huge expense)?

The reason I ask is that I'm thinking about heading out next weekend but this is the one thing I'm not sure what to do about.

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by chadyaz

Seeing as how you purchasing a chainsaw is #1 on your list, I'm guessing you don't chop firewood when you get out there. So my question is what do you do for wood? Do you bring a truck load out with you? Or purchase it from the campground (which would be a huge expense)?

The reason I ask is that I'm thinking about heading out next weekend but this is the one thing I'm not sure what to do about.

Depends where we go. I have firewood at home that I'll bring, and chop at the campsite.

If it is crown land, I will use deadfall. Or in some instances, I've gotten a firewood permit and I cut enough to bring home to supply us for a while. (I've borrowed chainsaws or rented them in the past)

Sometimes we'll purchase a $7 bundle from the campground, if we're staying in one, but that's rare.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

^^ That's the one thing I wish we could do. Using an SUV to tow our trailer, it's not feasible to bring our own wood. And since we're always camping in Provincial Parks, we have to buy our wood. We go through quite a bit. 3 bundles per night minimum. On a 10 day trip, that's $200 just for firewood.

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by Calgary Dave

^^ That's the one thing I wish we could do. Using an SUV to tow our trailer, it's not feasible to bring our own wood. And since we're always camping in Provincial Parks, we have to buy our wood. We go through quite a bit. 3 bundles per night minimum. On a 10 day trip, that's $200 just for firewood.

Put a tarp down on the trailer floor and haul wood that way? Have to be careful to not make a mess, but it works.

[Clgy_Dave2.0]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

Put a tarp down on the trailer floor and haul wood that way? Have to be careful to not make a mess, but it works.

I thought of that, we take a wagon with us, so that takes up some space...but since we go through 30-plus bundles, we'd never be able to haul all of that. Plus we're close to maxing out on our GVWR, the wood would likely put us over. We've filled the wagon, and even put some in the back of the SUV for short weekend trips. For the big trips we just accept it as a necessary expense. Plus having wood delivered right to your campsite is a nice luxury lol.

[357xp]

I once let myself be talked into spending a winter nite in a teepee ( 15 doller blue tarp) with an open fire in itwell the buddies assured me it would be nice an cozyturns out it was about -35 that nite, i was eating smoke all nite long plus all nite there was condensation dripping right on my sleeping bag that was rated for about -5, didnt sleep a wink, in morning i had a nice layer of ice cover my bag......... i think there might have been some design flaws with the tepee, learned a good leason that nite

[Walleyes]

Originally Posted by 357xp

I once let myself be talked into spending a winter nite in a teepee ( 15 doller blue tarp) with an open fire in itwell the buddies assured me it would be nice an cozyturns out it was about -35 that nite, i was eating smoke all nite long plus all nite there was condensation dripping right on my sleeping bag that was rated for about -5, didnt sleep a wink, in morning i had a nice layer of ice cover my bag......... i think there might have been some design flaws with the tepee, learned a good leason that nite

Lol,, yah that would pretty much sums up winter camping right there..

Thx had a good chuckle,, geuss it brings back memories

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by Walleyes

Lol,, yah that would pretty much sums up winter camping right there..

Thx had a good chuckle,, geuss it brings back memories

Now that's a trip that I wouldn't enjoy! Mostly because of the discussions the wife would be having in the tarp with me.....

[Heavy K]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

And a little bump to the thread. Please, add your photo's of winter camping too!

OK. Here are some pics for ya!

[Heavy K]

And a couple others.

[chadyaz]

Originally Posted by Heavy K

OK. Here are some pics for ya!

THats crazy. Where is this?

[Albertadiver]

Great pics heavy K!

More hardcore than I've ever done that's for sure!

[Heavy K]

Originally Posted by chadyaz

THats crazy. Where is this?

A number of different spots round' and about the Rockies and the Purcells mostly.

[Soreneck Racing]

So here's a question for the experienced winter tent campers. . . How do you minimize the condensation issues?

This past weekend I spent two nights in a small two man tent (alone) and woke up with significant moisture on the top of my mummy bag. Had the windows half open for ventilation both nights. Maybe I need to open the fly too?

I hung my bag on a line between the nights so I wasn't cold. Just would like to reduce the condensation issue.

Any thoughts?

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by Soreneck Racing

So here's a question for the experienced winter tent campers. . . How do you minimize the condensation issues?

Best bet is to use a tarp setup. There's more airflow, and no condensation. I actually prefer it to a tent because you can play around with configurations, and have a fire going at the entrance for heat all night long if you like.

A tent will have condensation pretty much whatever you do unless you have a bunch of candles or something along those lines.

[Heavy K]

Originally Posted by Soreneck Racing

So here's a question for the experienced winter tent campers. . . How do you minimize the condensation issues?

This past weekend I spent two nights in a small two man tent (alone) and woke up with significant moisture on the top of my mummy bag. Had the windows half open for ventilation both nights. Maybe I need to open the fly too?

I hung my bag on a line between the nights so I wasn't cold. Just would like to reduce the condensation issue.

Any thoughts?

X2 on AD

If you are going to use a tent, keep the windows and doors and fly entryway as wide open as possible. You just need to keep the spindrift out. No bugs to worry about in the winter. Many winter tents have two doorways which help with this. The more airflow, the less moisture, the more comfortable you'll be, even if it doesn't feel as "warm" in the tent when you first crawl in. A proper sleeping bag for the conditions should keep you warm provided you're out of the wind, and you're not getting blasted with snow. My personal preference is to rely on a good sleeping bag for insulation, rather than the structure I'm sleeping in, which I just use to keep the elements out. The exception would be quincees, igloos, or snowcaves which, as others here have pointed out, are remarkably warm due to the insulative properties of snow. They can get damp in certain conditions though. Either, way, moisture can be a problem if it gets out of hand or if you're out for an extended period of time. Anyway you can minimize its buildup is good. If you can air your bag out during the day, that always helps a lot (sleeping bag, that is).

hk

Another thought - your sleeping bag might be a bit warm for the conditions. If your body heat is making it's way through the bag, it'll melt any snow or frost that settles on the bag surface causing it to soak into the insulation and "wet-out" the bag prematurely. Thicker, warmer, bags will minimize this, allowing you to brush precipitation off the surface of the bag, where is stays in frozen state.

[Soreneck Racing]

Some good answers here. After reading them, I will keep the fly door open on my next trip and see if that makes for less condensation. There are vents in the fly, but probably not enough.

My previous winter camping experiences have always been in a shelter with one open wall, so condensation was not an issue.

I imagine an unheated trailer will have the same issues as a tent, seem to remember something a few years ago about some guys sleeping in a trailer without a working furnace and reporting the condensation issues in the trailer.

[Outdoors Woman]

I have not winter camped in several years but I could never forget the stillness, and the sparkle of the snow on a cold night under a full moon.
My experience was primarily with a 4 season 4 person expedition tent with only myself or 2 people and with proper ventilation condensation was not an issue. I found that a key factor to staying warm while winter camping is not to vary your temperature too much dress for the cold and stay in the cold. Sitting close to a fire, going inside a warm building etc and then back into the cold will leave you much colder than if you are just dressed for the cold and stay in the cold. Some people take a little convincing but it is true.
This thread has really made me want to winter camp again! Not sure if my old bones can take it anymore but I may just have to give it a try!

[Albertadiver]

Time for a bump. We'll likely be headed out in some form over the holiday break.

Let's see your pics folks!

[dale7637]

Don't have any pictures, but I did do a mid November camp this year for a week. Used my fifth wheel. It all worked ok, other than some frozen water lines and lots of condensation.

[Albertadiver]

Originally Posted by dale7637

Don't have any pictures, but I did do a mid November camp this year for a week. Used my fifth wheel. It all worked ok, other than some frozen water lines and lots of condensation.

That's why you need the arctic fox!

[dale7637]

Originally Posted by Albertadiver

That's why you need the arctic fox!

It's on the wish list, maybe next year. I probably wouldn't want to take it where i camped this year though.

[ishootbambi]

ive done lots of this. i have camped in big wall tents with wood stoves which wasnt too bad, and a small dome tent with summer bags...which was very bad. -27 overnight meant i didnt sleep a wink. did kill a good buck on that trip, bt since then i have spent at least 10 nights a year in a trailer in hunting season. this year it was 16 nights...just got home a few days ago.

i dont have a 4 season trailer, but dont miss it either. the thought of frozen lines isnt appealing. tried that once in a friends "winterized" unit and blew a line the first night. i helped him repair in in the spring and that sucked. i have a 2006 dutchmen 26B that has all the things i need in a trailer, including enough beds and space for my guests. i love that thing, but it dawned on me this year that it is getting older and a few small things need fixing. might be time for an upgrade this summer.

[recce43]

well have done my far share of it in the army and hunting after a night of rum rations we use to save it up all week the rum was 151 proof . Drank mine and couple of my buddies they fond me passed out in a snow bank had all my artic gear on so was ok . this year we used a wall tent slept on cots and had good sleeping bags , stove minus 20 sitting in t-shirts but next camp Iam using my 5th wheel i like my couch

[chadyaz]

My girlfriend and I went out to Mclean Creek this weekend. It got down to -17 Friday night, but the rest of the weekend was around -5. Since its a power site, I brought a space heater and used that to warm the trailer (instead of blowing through propane). We brought a truck load of wood. The worst part of the weekend was getting back to Calgary during a snow storm and -13 weather





This was our first winter trip and we will learn from it and make the next trip that much more enjoyable

[Albertadiver]

Glad you had fun chad! Winter camping can be such a blast. Hoping to build an igloo on the acreage next week and take the niece and nephew out. We'll be cheating with a bobcat to move snow, but still looking forward to it.

[Albertadiver]

Well, we did the igloo camping again this year.

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=161549

I'm still hoping to get out for a lean-to / big fire overnighter before winter's over. Usually we get a firewood permit, and cut down some trees, shoot some guns, and do a little camping. Maybe towards the end of the month if I'm lucky.

still very interested in the teepee, but will work on that one.

[nimrod]

I working on building a tipi tent in canvas, still need to add a stove hole into it, great reading this older post,