Guest Author -
Seeking the solitude that only the remote wilderness can bring? Winter camping can be an exhilarating challenge for the experienced outdoor enthusiast. Backcountry travel, whether on snowshoes, cross-country skis, or in a good pair of winter boots, can be both bracing and beautiful. Especially in Arizona, high-elevation areas boast blue skies and brilliant sunshine, sparkling on snowy fields. But these isolated places can be deadly when weather turns nasty, or as the temperature drops by night.
Avid hiker Bryan Clements didn’t realize he was in for a life-threatening epic when he left his Flagstaff home last month. A recent solo trip in the San Francisco Peaks proved that good planning could have gone a long, long way towards preventing an epic.
Hiking up the Weatherford Trail, Clements, normally an experienced outdoorsman, underestimated the effects of freezing and thawing in the Inner Basin. He crossed Doyle Saddle and picked his way along the narrow ledge trail under Fremont Peak. A sudden misstep shot him 80 feet down a near-vertical slope of ice.
“The fall starts in slow motion,” he described. “Even with both feet sliding, you're going so slowly that you think ‘I can stop. It's gonna be okay.’ Even when your feet have gone out from you and you're clawing at the ice with your hands, your conscious mind is saying ‘I can stop myself. I'll be alright.’ But your instincts know the truth. They're saying ‘You're screwed.’ And then you pick up speed. I sped down the slope. I tried to dig into the ice with my fingers, even though I knew it was useless. There was a tree just below me, which I tried frantically to steer myself into, but ended bouncing off. I think I bounced off a few more before I finally jerked to a halt. It took a minute for my head to clear enough to figure out what stopped me. A tree branch snagged the shoulder strap on my backpack.”
Clements was lucky. Even then, he had to carefully kick-step his way back to the trail, hanging by his toes over an 800-foot drop. He reported worried about slipping, hypothermia and the possiblity of frostbite.
According to Flagstaff mountaineer Eck Doerry, carrying an ice axe – and knowing how to use it - would have made this whole drama a non-issue.
Doerry, author of Glaciers! The Art of Travel and Science of Rescue said, “I just take one along anytime I will see some snow. I just take a mini if I don't want much weight. Nothing worse than the feeling that you have nothing but your fingernails to hold you on the slope.”
He also recommended toting a pair of crampons to anyone who needs to travel somewhere slick. The toothy points on crampons can turn any ice field into a relative walk in the park.
There are tons of tricks to staying alive, keeping warm, and enjoying the wild and wooly winter season. Here’s a quick overview of the basics.
Dress for Success
Tony Nester, owner/instructor at Ancient Pathways Institute, teaches a series of courses designed to help Arizona adventurers stay safe in the wilds.
He said the key to comfortable winter adventuring is simply dressing right. While a hiker’s choice of attire is important every season, it’s absolutely critical when the temps dip below freezing and the snow flies. A hiker’s life depends on it.
“Respect the season. Those three words can keep you alive,” Nestor warned. “Clothing is your first shelter.”
Nester advised staying away from cotton clothes at all costs in the cold. In the mountains, he said, cotton fibers soak up just about every bit of perspiration and precipitation, leaving your body cold and clammy, leaving you susceptible to hypothermia and death.
“Cotton kills, as the saying goes,” he said. “Wear Polartec or wool, fibers that wick perspiration and moisture away from you. Wool is a time-tested, honored material and it’s very durable.The follicles that grow on sheep interlock and spiral, making a tight weave that holds up well when wet. It works well around the fire, unlike synthetics. Wool has kept people alive for centuries.”
While the survival instructor admits his preference for sheep fiber comes partly from a die-hard woodsman perspective, he allowed the new synthetics are quite servicable.
He said, “Synthetics take up less space in your packs and come in more colors and designs than with wool. It compresses better than wool.”
“My wife likes the Thorlos,” he said with a laugh. “But I’ll stick to the thick, old fashioned all-wool socks.”
To resolve the wool vs synthetic sock question, SWEAT tested Thorlo socks, a proprietary blend of acrylic, wool, polyester, nylon and spandex, against REI’s classic ragg all-woolies. Over a snowshoeing weekend, I wore Thorlos’ heavyweight Backpacker Thor-lon brand on the first day, and simple wool on the second. The result: while both kept my feet toasty, the wool socks absolutely required a synthic Capilene liner sock to wick away sweaty moisture. Thorlo socks did not require a liner sock and the spandex component kept the socks from slouching and sliding uncomfortably around my feet.
A progessive layering system your best defense against discomfort in sub-freezing temps. This way you can add or remove clothing as suits your level of activity – whether at rest or while buring up the calories grunting uphill. This starts with a layer of warm, wicking material, like Capilene or Polartec, closest to the naked skin. The next layer should provide bulkier warmth, like a fleece pullover. Over everything goes the final layer: a windstopping, water-resistant shell, made of Gore-Tex or similar breathable fabric.
Wear a fleece or wool hat on your head to prevent body heat from escaping upwards. A balaclava is an good idea for very cold temps, since it pulls up and over your face when needed. Make sure your gloves are warm enough to prevent frostbite. I usually wear a thin Capilene glove liner under my gloves.
Lastly, when traveling above treeline, a pair of sunglasses or glacier glasses (with side shields) are a godsend.
Hypothermia: Killer of the Unprepared
In the winter, avoiding hypothermia is an art form, requiring each hiker know his or her body and how it reacts to both physical exertion and weather.
Nestor said, “First read up on hypothermia in first aid books. Learn to recognize it and what you can do about it. Winter is not forgiving like the summer. And make sure you have an emergency blanket in your pocket, as well as two or three fire sources and a snickers bar.”
He said he keeps these essentials in his pockets in case he gets separated from his gear. His fire starters of choice are lighters and strike-anywhere matches.
“You’ve got to have fire,” he emphasized. “A fire will save you from hypothermia. And there are things you can use to get a fire started even when everything is wet. Be prepared and have something from home.”
His recommended sure-fire starters are cotton balls soaked in Vaseline and stuffed into a film can. These will burn for five minutes. He also suggested gathering pine sap as a guaranteed wet-weather fire starter.
He added, “Pines burn better than oaks, maples ands juniper. Try firs, pines and spruce. The resin lights up even if the wood is wet.”
Stay-Warm Tricks
Good judgment is key in the snow or above treeline, advised Erik Filsinger, president of the Arizona Mountaineering Club.
"If you stay warm, you'll have fun; if you stay dry, you'll stay warm," he said.
"Your head is one of the most important pieces of equipment you can take when snow
camping."
So, before you decide to tackle the winter wilderness with an
overnight outing, here are a few of his tips for keeping comfy:
For warmer feet, replace the cardboard insoles of your boots with a
closed-cell foam insole. The change will provide more cushioning and act as
an additional warm layer of protection from the winter ground.
When setting up a campsite, stamp out a platform for your tent and then let
the area sit for 30 minutes. The snow will reset to provide a more stable
area. Also, since cold air flows downhill, avoid valleys or depressions in
the landscape.
To dry wet clothes, put them in your sleeping bag at night. The warmth of
your body will help remove the moisture.
Winter camping isn't a time to worry about calories, so eat and drink
regularly. Hunger and dehydration will cause the body to lose its ability to
keep warm.
Doerry added, “Take twice the water you’d take for summer camping. You need to melt your water for cooking and drinking. There won’t be any liquid water if it’s true winter camping.”
Cozy Camping
If you’re going to be setting up camp in the snow, Doerry said to be sure you pack a shovel.
“That’s main thing people forget, but it makes a big difference for camping,” he reminded. “You should dig out your tent platform or snow cave, dig out a kitchen with counters and benches. It’s a real pain in the ass without a shovel.”
He also advised tucking a stove platform into your backpack, sticking it down next to the stays on the backrest. A stove platform can be a simple aluminum pot lid, large enough to sturdily support your stove ensemble.
He added, “Otherwise you will have no end of problems. Your stove will melt down into the snow and your dinner will disappear.”
Doerry said he takes his four-person tent to prepare for the worst weather, although a three-season shelter will do as well if you have a warm and comfy sleeping bag.
“Make sure you will sleep warm,” he warned. “Having a crappy bag can ruin any camping trip. You can double bag your crap bags if you are car camping. If you can’t afford a really high-quality sleeping bag, make sure you bring your best bag and wear all of your clothes – and a hat - to bed. A fleece bag liner is a good idea. And sleeping with a couple of hot water bottles is incredibly effective. They stay warm all night; you’ll even find yourself unzipping your bag.”
Doerry recommended down bags as the way to go in the colder seasons.
“It’s usually plenty dry enough in the colder temps for a down bag, but a lot of people are afraid to bring it,” he said. “I’ve never had a wet bag become a concern and they are definitely warm.”
Head for the Hills
With all this in mind, there’s one more bit of advice to offer: keep an eye on the weather. Get a reliable report before you go, and scan the skies while in the field. If you doubt the conditions ahead or aren’t sure: TURN BACK. Listen to your gut if you feel uneasy. Winter in the mountains is nothing to toy with because the risks are too serious. It’s even a good idea to let someone know where you are going and when you plan to return. While no one expects to need a rescue, it’s good to know one will be coming along if you get in over your head.
Lastly, read all you can about winter camping, speak with experienced hikers, take a survival course and, of course, use good judgment when the mercury falls. A qualified mountaineering course, such as those offered by many universities, could save your life, or at least open up a whole new season of outdoor exploration.
For further reading, browse the bookstores for these titles: Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, by the Mountaineers, Practical Survival, by Tony Nestor, Harsh Weather Camping, by Sam Curtis, Glaciers! by Strong and Doerry, and The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook, by Joshua Piven.
