Stairguy and I had a grand time visiting and looking at all the well-made but pricey canvas tents with wood stoves, toboggans, hard-core anoraks & mukluks, pulks, etc. and chatting with the
cognoscenti of winter camping.
Though Stairguy and I are both "local" to the location, he was the only one to camp there, while I was a day-tripper
. Next time, I'm taking my rig and showing off like Stairguy!!
The truly committed (think $$$) follow the path of "hot tents", big things made of canvas with wood stoves. The weight and bulk are possible when you tow all your gear on a sled, pulk or toboggan, and offer the ability to get really warm in seriously cold temperatures...a huge plus even if you have to be a ground-dweller. We hammockers fall into the "cold tent" variety of winter travel, doomed to endless schemes of trying to keep our drinking water in liquid form, coping with frozen boots overnight and having enough insulation to deal with the cold.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the event and plan to go again. The people were nice, the place worked well for the activities and the workshops and seminars were well-done.
I spent some money ordering some new mukluks from
Empire Canvas Works and a new waist harness for my ski pulk from Ed Bouffard
http://www.skipulk.com/. I'm getting excited looking ahead to cold and snow (yipes!)!! My busy weekend schedule won't let me get out until December for any trips, but I'm already planning!
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