Cold Weather Camping

The key to cold weather camping is staying dry, warm, and hydrated. If you need to make a fire to keep warm, you are not dressed correctly. If you are beginning to feel thirsty, you are not drinking enough water. Follow these steps to have a safe and fun cold weather camping trip

What to Wear

Clothing is one of the keys to staying warm and dry. You need to layer your clothes, and be sure they are not too tight. Loose clothing is more insulating and can keep you warmer. Try to keep every part of your body covered. Any skin that is unprotected will make you lose body heat.

What to Wear

• Thermal polypropylene or wool underwear, NEVER cotton, Cotton is not a good insulator, and if wet, will chill you quickly. Wool, gore-tex, and polypropylene clothing will wick the moisture away from your body. Do not use jeans, which are cotto and will become easily wet and cold
• Cold-weather coats (large enough to wear around your layers without being tight)�a coat that has a hood will help keep your body warm, and will keep rain and snow off of your neck.
• Cover (or hat)�A good cover is a good idea. in extreme cold you may choose a ski mask for extra warmth.�90% of your body heat can be lost through your head!

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• Scarf and Gloves�A warm scarf helps to keep the cold air off your neck. Although that you will probably need gloves off and on to tend camp, keeping mittens on is best when possible. This will allow your fingers to touch each other and gain heat from each other.
• Footwear�For your feet, start with thinner wicking socks, and finish with wool socks over them. Any boots or shoes you wear should be waterproof. Do not wear tennis shoes, and do not tight leather boots either. Your feet need to be able to move - especially your toes. Big rubber over-boots are good to place over shoes, with the socks underneath.�

If you are camping in moist cold, change your clothing several times a day. Immediately before you go to sleep, change your clothing. Never wear clothes to bed that you have walked around in at camp. they have moisture in them and will chill you in your sleeping bag. Always go to sleep with dry, fresh, and loose clothing.

Leatherneck Logic

Sleep in the bare necessities - but only if your sleep system is a good one! Good sleep systems will keep you insulated through the night. Usually all you'll need is a t-shirt, shorts, and maybe socks. Too many layers may cause you to sweat through the night saturating your sleep system.

Shelter

Your environment and the equipment you carry with you will determine the type of shelter you can build. You can build shelters in the wooded areas, open country, and barren areas. Wooded areas usually provide the best location, while barren areas have only snow as a building material. Wooded areas provide timber for shelter construction, wood for fire, concealment from observation, and protection from the wind.

Snow-Cave Shelter

• Most effective shelter that is not a tent!
• Insulating qualities of snow
• Drift about 3 meters deep
• The walls and ceiling should be at least 30 centimeters thick
• Keep the roof arched for strength and to allow melted snow to drain down the sides
• Higher sleeping platform
• Separate the sleeping platform from the snow cave's walls to prevent the melting snow from getting you and your equipment wet
• Ensure the roof is high enough so that you can sit up on the sleeping platform
• Block the entrance with a snow block or other material
• Ventilation

Snow-Block Shelter

Lean-To Shelter

Tree Pit Shelter

Snow House (Igloo)

Tent

• Place your tent on higher ground, away from the colder air
• Place a moisture-proof tarp or footprint under the tent. Do not let the tarp go past the tent, because if it rains, this will serve as a funnel for water to go under your tent
• Place your tent where the sun will shine on it in the morning
• You may build a wall of sticks, leaves, or snow next to your tent to form a wind break
• Insulated mats keep you off of the ground and keep you warm
• Never sleep on a cot in cold weather camping it allows the cold air to touch every side of you
• Never use a space blanket when sleeping in cold weather- it is a cold conductor and wil lower your body temperature

Leatherneck Logic

Snow makes a good insulator because of the intricate shapes of the flakes. These shapes trap air in between the flakes as they pile up.These tiny pockets of air prevent air from circulating, thus preventing heat from being transferred by convection. Additionally, ice is a poor conductor of heat. (This is why ice cracks when you put it into a warm drink.)These two factors help to prevent heat from moving through snow.

Fire

Fire is especially important in cold weather. It not only provides a means to prepare food, but also to get warm and melt snow or ice for water. It also provides you with a significant psychological boost by making you feel a little more secure in your situation.

Fire

• Carry dry tinder in a ziplock bag: it's great for getting wet wood to burn.
• Bring sticks with you. Unless you are leaving the state!
• Carry waterproof matches and a windproof lighter; store these in a ziplock bag for extra measure
• Consider carrying a "fire pan" with you when venturing into snowy environments. A fire pan is basically any flame-resistant metal pan with high sides that can keep ashes and wood inside of the pan.

• Place the fire pan into several rocks or logs to keep it from sinking as the snow melts and light your fire.
• Dig a hole in the snow and cover the inside of the hole with a layer of small to medium size sticks if you're building a fire directly in the snow. These sticks will protect the burning wood from melting snow.

Fire Kit

Leatherneck Logic

Survival Acronym

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S Size up

U Undue haste makes waste

R Remember where you are

V Vanquish fear and panic

I Improvise and Improve

V Value living

A Act like the natives

L Live by your wits, but for now, learn basic skills

Safety

• Pack Right�Bring tools and equipment you'll need to be comfortable in cold weather. Just the necessities though. You pack it, you carry it
• Dress appropriately�Be prepared for the worst situations. Toughing out the cold is not about subjecting yourself to health risks, it's about lasting the longest.
• Stay healthy�When you're sick, everything is worse. Your needs increase as your health declines. Address symptoms and needs appropriately

• Hydrate�What is a critical element required for the body to function properly? A loss of 5% of body fluids causes thirst, nausea, and weakness. A 10% loss of body fluids causes dizziness, headache, inability to walk properly. A 15% loss of body fluids causes dim vision, painful urination, swollen tongue, deafness, ans a feeling of numbness in the skin. A loss of more than 15% of body fluids could result in death. Don't over hydrate! Make sure you eat and drink items to help replenish electrolytes.
• Buddy system�Your buddy is your lifeline. Four helping hands are better than two. If you are injured someone knows to help.

Leatherneck Logic

Uncontaminated snow is safer to consume than ice. However, never melt snow in your mouth. This removes body heat and increases the chances of cold-weather injuries. Instead, melt fresh snow by placing it in a bottle or canteen between your layers before consuming.