New to winter/snow hiking and camping

**mbiraman** · 08-05-2013, 09:37

There's really allot to learn about winter camping and what will turn out to be your style , your preferences. Its a learning curve that you want to take a step at a time. Being out in winter is magical as long as things are under control but they can go south quickly. For myself staying dry has been a very important part. Learning to manage perspiration , my clothes etc. What kind of winter conditions and terrain will determine how well a pulk will work for you. Snowshoes may be an important as well. Shug's got some video's on winter camping and i'd also suggest you look at the site "wintertrekking".

**Shug** · 08-05-2013, 09:40

Whoooooo Buddy....bring the Winter)))) Hammock camping in winter is wonderful but takes some thought. I have many trips in my trip reports....http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL42A47C8FBAB9C49A
Carry forth.
Shug

**Mountnman** · 08-05-2013, 10:00

As you see, those of us with camping in cold weather has a theme. Control your temp. Too warm you sweat and start to chill quickly. I think on mistake I see that makes people the most miserable is go to sleep with too many clothes on. Let the insulation do its job and add clothing as you may need it. If you dress to warm of the get go you with start to sweat and that's bad. I start off when between freezing and 0 degrees with only warm socks and my base clothing. I also keep my clothes under TQ with me to keep them warm. You will find that you will be sleeping with quite a bit of stuff too keep it from freezing. It is a great time to be out, one of my favorites. Have fun with it but be safe, hypothermia can strike in a moments notice

**MrPopper** · 08-05-2013, 11:09

Last winter i did a lot of sleep on the patio strapped between porch posts. I was testing the gear i was making. I finally got to the point where i was mostly warm around mid-20s. I think if i used my 3/4 under plus a peapod i think id be warm. The only issue i have are my feet getting cold while i sleep. I've done some cooler weather stuff but nothing like what i want to do. The unfortunate thing is that in the valley it doesn't snow terribly much. Not like up in the mountians. I've been watching shug's stuff for a while now and thats where I've gained a lot of knowledge from. The whole concept has me nervous, just the risk factor and all. I stayed out on my patio when i was flurrying one time. Thats as close to snow as ive gotten.

**BullFrog** · 08-05-2013, 11:28

Here's some good info from a member here: http://watermonkey.net/2011/09/14/wi...ng-hammocking/

**ice man** · 08-05-2013, 11:41

One thing we ice fishermen have learned about pulling a plastic tub type ice shelter is to spray the bottom of it real generously with ArmorAll. Makes it slide through the snow a lot easier. A pulk being most prob'ly a plastic sled, give it a try. ArmorAll makes 'bout anything slicker'n snot. Just don't EVER use it on a Mototcycle seat. Makes staying on a challenge, to say the least.

WV · 08-05-2013, 11:44

Originally Posted by mbiraman

There's really allot to learn about winter camping and what will turn out to be your style , your preferences. Its a learning curve that you want to take a step at a time. Being out in winter is magical as long as things are under control but they can go south quickly. For myself staying dry has been a very important part. Learning to manage perspiration , my clothes etc. What kind of winter conditions and terrain will determine how well a pulk will work for you. Snowshoes may be an important as well. Shug's got some video's on winter camping and i'd also suggest you look at the site "wintertrekking".

Maybe "go north" would be more apt, but Bill's advice is good. Also Boothill's suggestions in post #6. After that, I'd suggest coming to the Mt. Rogers hang next January. You'll find a good group of hangers who will watch your back. Others have posted good stuff, too. Chimpac probably knows wherof he speaks, but I wouldn't start with his stuff until you've got some experience to help put it in context.

**BillyBob58** · 08-05-2013, 11:58

Originally Posted by MrPopper

Last winter i did a lot of sleep on the patio strapped between porch posts. I was testing the gear i was making. I finally got to the point where i was mostly warm around mid-20s. I think if i used my 3/4 under plus a peapod i think id be warm. The only issue i have are my feet getting cold while i sleep. I've done some cooler weather stuff but nothing like what i want to do. The unfortunate thing is that in the valley it doesn't snow terribly much. Not like up in the mountians. I've been watching shug's stuff for a while now and thats where I've gained a lot of knowledge from. The whole concept has me nervous, just the risk factor and all. I stayed out on my patio when i was flurrying one time. Thats as close to snow as ive gotten.

OK, I misread your 1st post. You are already experienced at staying warm in a hammock, it seems. And in fact you already have experience with 3/4 UQs, correct? But you are wanting to backpack and hammock hang in the snow/cold. So you already have some good ideas about how to stay warm, you just need to push it a bit further and gain some confidence heading out in the snow. Correct?

On your idea of adding a PeaPod to what you have, yes, you can rest assured that it will boost the temps you can go to by a large amount. Your only limitation is the amount of room, further complicated by the size of your hammock. A store bought PeaPod has enough room with many hammocks to add a good bit of insulation ( like your 3/4 UQ or clothing etc) and still have room enough to close it up without compressing the loft of the pod and added insulation too much. You might, for example, then go from 2.5"+ of insulation underneath you to a total of 5" or more underneath you, which would take most people well below zero for back insulation.

I have slept in a 20F rated Speer PeaPod at 10F with a warm back just by adding a 2 oz and very thin space blanket between my hammock and the pod. ( caution, study up on vapor barriers before using this approach).

Keep in mind that a Speer PeaPod is just as thick on top as it is below, so theoretically just as warm on top as bottom. However, the sides of most hammocks, especially wider hammocks, raise the pod off of your body. Which leaves a cold gap, so Ed Speer only rated it at 50F on top by itself. For me, more like 40F. But once you add even a summer weight top quilt or sleeping bag to fill up that gap, it is now just like the bottom: you have a total of the PeaPods 2.5"+ top insulation plus whatever loft your TQ has. So maybe 2" added. Now the gaps are filled and you on top loft = 2.5+2= 4.5". And that is a warm combo, way warmer than the original 20F rating of the pod, and way warmer than the rating of the TQ you added. But don't expect to be warm on top in the PeaPod by itself at 20F. On the bottom yes, but not on top.

I have found the PeaPod to be almost free of any draft issues, and also to have lots of built in head insulation, it's biggest selling points. But it will be heavier and bulkier than just using a 3/4 UQ and thick enough TQ, since you are covering the entire hammock. But that approach sure does work!

**MrPopper** · 08-05-2013, 12:38

Billy, you mentioned vapor barriers. I've read about a lot of people useing them. Im not entirely sure what they are. I imagine something equivilant to a shower curtain. Thats what pops into my head