Making a Snow
Dome
Did you know that snow
makes a great insulator; with a little work, snow and
patience you to can be as comfortable as a bear in
hibernation.
Find yourself a base camp
area early into your trek and locate about 30 sticks 10"
long. Now start piling up a mount of snow 10' wide at the
base and 6' high. A little trick I use to cut down on the
time and snow needed, is pile your gear in the middle of
were you want to build your snow dome and cover it with a
tarp. Start building your dome overtop of your gear. This
will create a void when you dig your gear out. Once the
snow is piled up, push all the sticks into the mound at
about 18" intervals and grab your snowshoes or x-country
skis and go for a trek.
Let the dome set for 2 to
4 hours, this allows the snow to settle and compact. Use
your shovel to cut a 2' high entrance as close to the
ground that you can get. Clear the snow out till you can
remove your gear. Using the shovel and tarp, open up the
cavity to the stick line you have created. You should now
have a roomy, peaceful shelter. If snow allows, I like to
dig a trench inside the dome floor near the entrance to
allow cold air to settle and then create a higher
sleeping platform in the back of the cavity. Also pull a
few of the sticks out for ventilation and smooth the
curved roof to remove sharp edges that may cause moisture
to drip on you. If you plan to use this structure for
more than one night; each day retract the sticks an inch
or so and shave any ice build-up off your ceiling to
allow the dome to breath.
Sleep warm on winter
camping trips by fortifying your sleeping bag.
Don't get cold feet
about winter camping. With the right insulation, food and
clothing, even the cold sensitive sleeper can snooze
soundly.
Size of Your Sleeping Bag:
You don't need a -30 degree sleeping bag for a toasty
nights sleep, but you do need a snug fit. A roomy bag
means more extra space for your body to heat, which saps
your energy. Choose a winter bag with just enough toss
and turn space. Pick a bags temperature rating for the
lowest temperature in your camping area and subtract ten
degrees.
Have a Snack:
Eat energy bars before bed to give your body the fuel to
stay warm and keep a Snickers bar handle in case you wake
up chilled before dawn.
Cover Your Head:
Always sleep with a hat on, you lose anywhere from 30 %
to 60% of your body heat from the top of your head. I
like to use a balaclava for this, I don't lose it while I
toss and turn at night.
Dress for Space:
It's tempting to put on everything you brought with you
on to bed, but to much clothing can make your bag tight
and compress the insulation. Adjust your layers to suit
the bags interior volume.
Put on Dry Socks:
Before bed you should change all damp clothing especially
your socks. To help with cold feet also add your fleece
shirt or jacket layer around your feet. Not only will
this help in keeping your feet warm, You'll have a nice
warm layer to put on in the morning.
Snuggle with your Water
Bottle:
Fill your lexan water bottles with hot water and slide
them into the socks you wear during the day. This will
help dry the socks out, add warmth to your bag and keep
your water from freezing during the night. I also take
the liners out of my boots and place them at the bottom
of my bag. It helps dry them out and keeps them from
freezing. Take your boots and put them in a turned in
stuff sack, leaving them near you in the tent. In the
morning I pull them into my bag till I'm ready to get out
of the tent, this helps with stiff frozen boots. If there
really frozen put them in you bag for the night.
Use a Full Length Sleeping
Pad:
Forget the ultra light summer shortie and go for a full
length mat. Back up the self-inflating pad with a closed
cell foam pad or the next days clothing from your pack.
Winter Camping: Getting
started
My favorite time of year
for camping is in the winter. There is nothing like the
solitude in the woods traveling on a pair of snow shoes
and following a set of animal tracks. You can learn more
about your favorite trekking areas from the history
written in the snow than any other season. Best of all no
bugs! You have probably heard of the extra challenges too
and they’re real, but with a little extra planning
and gear it’s worth the effort.
How to begin? There are
three fundamentals that should guide every decision you
make. Winter camping isn’t just a summer outing with
more fleece. Cold temperatures require a different level
of planning and thinking, but if you learn to camp
comfortably in that environment, you will have the joy of
going where few people trek.
- Begin in your
backyard: Don’t make your first winter
camping outing a trek up Mount Washington. Start
small; test your gear and yourself close to home
or right in your own back yard. On the side of a
mountain is not the place to find out your
sleeping bag isn’t rated properly for a
winter night’s sleep or your stove
doesn’t work in the cold.
- Take Your Time:
Snow and cold slow everything down. You’ll
travel half the miles and double your tent
pitching and cooking time. Spending an extra few
minutes setting up your tent or dressing properly
can make a big difference. Take the time to keep
track of your belongings. After you break camp
down take a few minutes to scan the area, two
mile down the trail isn’t the time to learn
you left your favorite over-mitt in the snow.
- Avoid Gear
Shortcuts: Getting quality equipment and the
right clothing is vital. In the summer you might
get away with a pair of inexpensive box store
boots; the penalties are small. But wearing an
extra jacket in a three-season sleeping bag
doesn’t cut it in winter, and it can start a
domino effect leading to much more dire problems.
Do what it takes-beg, buy, borrow or rent to
outfit yourself in a complete set of proven gear.
Talk to your local outfitter, or outdoor group
they value you as a member of their special group
and will steer you right.
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