Welcome to this page about
backcountry camping in the winter time. This is the special edition that I've made
for gottagoitsnows.com . Right now it's the middle of July and
there's no snow to go camping in so I'd rather stay home
and make this little website about what I love the most,
snow camping. When the snow is back in a few months I'll
be in an igloo somewhere up in the mountains.

I've tried to turn snow camping into my
livelihood by becoming a backcountry snow camping
trip guide but there are not a lot of people who would
pay money to sleep out in freezing temperatures and
the few of us who snowcamp mostly go on our own.
So for now it's a more of a spare time thing. But I
just turned 30 so I might retire next year and move
to Northern Alaska to be a full time snow man.

If you live in a place where it snows in the winter
time you must start snow camping. All you need is a pair
of snowshoes or cross country skis, a back pack, a good
sleeping bag, a Stratus
Trailstove and some warm clothes.

Some people will tell you that you need to bring
a tent, but I never do. It only takes a few
minutes to make a snow shelter and it's a lot warmer
than the warmest tent in the world. All you have to do
is to stomp or dig a hole in the snow or find a natural
depression such as the space between two big snow
covered boulders. Bridge the hole with some branches and
cover with a tarp. If it's snowing just let the snow
cover the tarp, if not then toss some snow on to the
tarp.

I am one of the founding members of the International
Snow Camping Association (ISCA) please check out our
web site, it's got some very useful info about snow
camping. Please also check out the links below for even
more info by some snow camping friends of mine:
Bill's
Snow Camping Site Info on good gear and
descriptions on how to make snow shelters and emergency
snow shoes.
All
About Snowshoeing Great illustrated step by step
description on how to build an igloo
Dale's
Wilderness Survival Site Not snow specific but
great wilderness survival info on such topics as
catching squirrels for food
I will be adding more material to this site as soon
as I find some time so please check back once in a
while. |