Boy Scouts of America, Windsor CT.
Troop 409 Tips on Camping

==== WINTER CAMPING ====

Winter camping is easy if done right. It can also be deadly. A few simple rules of thumb make all the difference. The main three things are WARM, DRY, and WELL FED.

Dry is the most important because without that you can't be warm.
Warm is second because it is nessesary for survival.
Food is last because you can survive a day or two without it. But you must have water.

Without a doubt, Mittens and hat make all the difference. If your toes are cold put on a hat! As funny as that sounds, it is absolutely true. Most of your heat loss is out the top of your head. Most frostbite is in the fingers and toes. The core of your body has a heat regulator that will shut down certain parts of your body when it gets cold to keep the brain and other organs warm. If you wear a hat, your head is warm, then your core is warm, then your fingers and toes are warm.

Waterproofing is also nessesary. If it is snowing treat it like rain because it melts on you and makes you just as wet. A Poncho or even a garbage bag works nicely. Don't forget your pack. It doesn't want to get wet either.

Never put your hat or gloves down in the snow.
Never put your pack down in the snow or wetness.
Never sit in the snow.

==== YOUR TENT ====

Your tent is your refuge from the wilds and shelter from storms. Great care should be taken. When putting it up, be sure nothing will poke thrugh it from underneath. Keep the polebag and the stakebag in the tentbag all together under a corner of the tent. You wont need them until the tent comes down and they will always be there when you need them.

Always use a ground cloth. Keep the edges tucked under the tent or it will collect rain. It is a vapor barrier from the ground and will keep dampness out of your tent. It is also the first layer of protection from the cold ground.

Boot's should never be worn inside the tent. Once you get snow or mud in the tent it is no longer a refuge. You should sit in the doorway (without ripping the zipper) and take off your boots. You can find a "boot corner" in your tent, or create a vestibule on your tent as a front porch, or even put them under the corner of the tent. In cold weather, remember to open your boots and laces wide so you can get your foot in them when they freeze. Otherwise you have no boots in the morning. Take care to check them for small animals before you put them on. You wouldn't want to step on a snake in your boot.

Make sure taut lines are not in pathways where people could trip and rip them from the tent. If this is unavoidable, tie a flag on the rope so people will see it and go around.

Keep the zipper closed. This keeps out bugs and animals. Skunks love to seek quiet warm places. Racoons like to search for food.
Never keep food in your tent. Bears will smell anything from toothpaste to blood and will try to find it. Food and sweet smelling stuff should be kept in a bear bag and hung up.

Never spray bug spray on your tent. This not only eats the waterproofing but also is flammable.
'nuff said.

==== SLEEPING BAG ====

There is no need to buy a winter sleeping bag. A three season bag with a blanket will do. Put something between your bag and the ground. A pad or thick blanket with the ground cloth is good. Dont raise your bag off the ground in the cold, such as a cot. You will be warmer on the ground.

Campers have a bad habit of putting their face inside the bag while sleeping in the cold. Not only could you suffocate yourself but you also make your bag wet which is very bad in the winter. People exhale a lot of moisture which is why you keep your mouth closed when you are dehydrated. That moisture is enough to frost your face and give you frostbite. So here is the clue:
Always wear socks and warm hat in your sleeping bag and always keep your nose and mouth outside the bag.

Many campers wake up with their blanket around their head because it crept out of the bag. Besure to tuck the bottom corner of the blanket to the bottom of the bag and fold over about ten inches of unneeded space in the corner opposite your feet. This will keep the bottom of your bag warmer because your feet are in less space. It will also keep your blanket in your bag. Remember to breathe outside the bag and keep your hat on.

When you wake up, get out of the bag and leave it open for half an hour to let all the moisture escape while it's still warm. That way it wont freeze when you try to roll it. Roll it tight to keep the moisture out and take less space. Then it will be dry when you use it the next night. If it is below zero you should roll it right away because it will freeze and be impossible to roll later.

==== ANIMALS ====

A word about Animals.
In Winter, animals are generally hungry and will try to get your food. A bear will follow you for days to get your food and may decide that you can be food too.

Many animals hybernate and should never be disturbed if found. Waking them early can kill them.
Never feed any wild animal! Ever!

Never Approach a wild animal, even cute little ones. An animal that is not afraid to let a human walk up to it either has rabies or is confident that it can kill you.

==== HIKING ====

When hiking, keep your hands free. A Hiking stick is the only thing you should carry.

Of course you left a Hike Plan with someone with your route and return time. This is why you should stick to the plan and stay on the trail. It is especially important to stay on the trail in an Alpine zone or a rocky trail. There is lichen and plant life that takes centuries to heal if disturbed.

Don't grab vines or trees with vines stuck to them. Poison oak and sumac are tree climbers and can still be active though it appears dead.

Don't trust rocks not to move. If one does, your ankle could break and the whole day is ruined for everybody.

Don't trust trees to be solid, especially on a steep trail. Remember that thousands of hikers came by here and grabbed that tree, it may come out of the ground someday.

If you fall, try to land on your pack. Better to break the eggs than your knees and both arms.

Always stay with your group. The Tail man is the Leader of the group. The head man keeps the tail man in sight. Sometime into the hike you can see who the fast people are and who is slower. If you split up your group, make sure the rules apply to the 2 smaller groups as well.

Most importantly, Take your Time. Accidents happen while rushing. Enjoy the view. Don't get winded just to rush through it. On steep climbs you should try to rest your leg in between each step. Every time you pickup your foot, relax it for a moment. Your breathing should be heavy and deep. You will reach this level of workout and remain there until you rest. It is better to stay in this mode as long as possible without interuption. You will find that frequent rests tire you out. Don't mistake hard work for exhaustion. If you are well fed, you won't be tired, just worked.
On the other hand, Don't overexert yourself. Pressing your limits is fine within reason. Only you can tell where your limits really are, but don't be afraid to stretch them.

==== BACKPACKING ====

This adds a whole new dimension to hiking. Every gram of weight is felt tenfold when hiking an incline. The body, though well equiped, is not used to bearing weight. Nor are most people used to hiking. Add the two together and you can imagine how tiring it can be. It is therefore important to limit your load weight as much as possible.

Start with a good sturdy pack that has good straps. A belt and chest strap come with most packs and are needed on long hikes of 5 miles or more.

A place for your sleeping bag is important too. Bottom straps are fine but a top mounted sleeping bag is better. Best of all are the packs with a waterproof zippered pocket for the bag.

Speaking of waterproofing, it is always best to waterproof everything. Line your pack with a garbage bag before you put in anything. Keep in mind that everything you pack must balance. Next comes whatever you will need last, usualy the next day's clothes. They too should be in a ziplock freezer bag. Leave a pair or two of socks for the side pocket. (in ziplocks)

Next should be your food, in ziplocks too. You should repackage all your food because it is sold heavier and in a lot of packaging. Many menu items can be prepared ahead of time saving space and weight. It requires a little creative thought to eliminate some weight. No metal and no glass.

On top should be what you will need to set up camp. Tent, Tarp, Rope, Saw, etc..Everything you put in your pack should be questioned. "What am I going to use this for? Do I really need it? How much does it weigh?" Prioritize. Safety first (as always). First Aid Kit, Flashlight, Rain Poncho, Map, Compass, and Water should all be accessible without opening your pack. You might also want to keep your hiking snacks on the outside.

The heaviest thing will be a stove and fuel. If you can have a fire that would be best because a stove will burn up your energy.
(A burner is a burner but a lighter is lighter!)

If you have to bring a stove it should be right against your back between your shoulder blades. Rather, the heaviest item you have should go there. The weight should be as high as possible but not over your head. Nor should there be anything below the end of your tail bone. If your sleeping bag hangs that low, be sure it will not touch your legs.

Everything on your pack must be secured. Nothing should swing. You should have a waterproof covering for the whole pack. A Garbage bag works very well.

Remeber the keywords, Lightweight, Strapped down, Balanced, and Waterproof. Follow the Rules of Safe hiking and have a nice leisurely sightsee.

Back to Troop 409's home page