Cold-weather-hiking

McGregor McCance | The Roanoke Times

Campfires have their obvious benefits during cold-weather camps, but some avoid them for environmental reasons.

Campfires have their obvious benefits during cold-weather camps, but some avoid them for environmental reasons.

I swear to you this is true. Once, while camping in the dead of winter, snow began to fall inside my tent.

The Vortex, as my little Kelty tent is named, had generated its own internal weather system. There I sat, gawking at the sparkling frost on the interior walls and ceiling of this nylon dome.

Then, it began to snow. Tiny white flakes drifted down on my sleeping bag and Slumberjack. Fortunately, there was no accumulation.

To be honest, I have doubts about my little storm. I'm thinking now maybe I kicked a tent pole, knocking some of the frost loose.

The point is, hiking and camping in winter's cold presents some elements that you won't find at summer camp. Winter-camping advocates always point out the obvious benefits that make a trip seem inviting: No bugs. No humidity. No snakes. No crowds. Great views.

True. All true. No one seems as eager to point out the other side: Numb feet. Frozen Gatorade. Cutting winds. And my personal bane of winter camping: Dragging yourself out of a sleeping bag to go to the bathroom when it's 20 degrees.

Aside from that, the tough parts of winter camping can be minimized.

Preparation and strategy can make the good part of winter camping outweigh the not-so-good parts.

Here are a few tips that have proven worthy and effective:

Wear synthetic fabrics, which usually dry quickly. Avoid hiking in blue jeans and cotton T-shirts, which refuse to dry and are bone-chilling when wet and exposed to wind.

Use layers instead of relying on a single, bulky parka to stay warm. Some say layers keep you warmer. To me, the biggest advantage is flexibility. You can add layers if it's chilly and pull them off as you heat up.

My most reliable cold-weather combination is a synthetic turtleneck longsleeve shirt, topped with a short sleeved synthetic shirt, then a fleece vest (or full fleece jacket if extremely cold), topped with a windproof hooded shell.

With layers on, be ready, however, to peel them off quickly. If you feel heat steaming off your back while climbing a ridge, yank off a layer before you begin sweating. The longer you're completely dry, the warmer you will be.

Always have dry socks and underwear to change into at the campsite after a long hike.

Keeping warm while hiking usually is the easy part. The real difficulties of winter camping happen at the campsite, where people tend to stand or sit around.

And when the sun dips below the ridgeline, and your bright campsite suddenly sits squarely in the shade of dusk, temperatures drop quickly. At this point, campers break into two categories: those who build campfires and those who believe fires are more trouble - and more harm environmentally - than they're worth.

As with most things, I tend to agree with whomever is standing next to me. If my group wants a fire, I help gather wood. If not, I grouse about those careless fire-builders who scar the earth with their blackened fire rings and threaten our national forests by abandoning smoldering pits. If nothing else, I'm easy to get along with.

During a recent trip to Camp Todd in Augusta County, I was with firestarters.

The area along the North River and Wild Oak Trail is very popular with hunters, campers and hikers. Finding firewood is no easy thing, so we took the lazy route, buying a bundle of firewood from 7-Eleven and using a Duraflame log to get the thing going. Real survivalists.

Once a fire is rolling nicely, you can't complain about its warmth and its trance-inducing embers. Realize this about a winter campfire: Once you cave in to its luxury, you cannot step away even for a second. To do so invites uncontrollable shivering.

What's the alternative?

Here's a worthy one, also proven numerous times in the cold of winter. All you need is a few friends, maybe a black lab, a flat rock and some tea candles. A few people, a dog and a handful of blazing candles will warm up a dome tent incredibly fast. Don't forget playing cards.

Couple of other suggestions:

Keep your boots in your bag with you while sleeping. If they're too dirty for that, at least keep them inside the tent. Stash your water or other beverage in the bag or near the bag, too.

Don't wait till your hands are frozen to put on gloves or your teeth are chattering to add a layer.

One more tip, though I freely admit this may only be a mental device: Getting ready for cold-weather camping used to start for me on the drive to the trailhead. I'd dial back the heat in the car little by little with the hope that, once I arrived, I would have the window half down and no heat going.

I'm not sure that tactic has any value. It may help you avoid that abrupt arctic blast when you open the car door and take off on another cold winter hike.

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