Camping Shelter - Choose Wisely
Winter camping can be an exhilarating, beautiful experience, as long as you have the right camping shelter. While most people consider a camping vacation a rest-and-relaxation holiday by the shore of a lake under the summer sun, enjoying a breathtaking stay in the outdoors when the world is sparkling and frozen is a whole other adventure. Winter camping does require more consideration for gear, as the equipment you take along with you and how you set it up at your campsite can make all the difference between a great stay in the snow and one that's full of chills and cold.
The most important thing to consider when planning a winter camping trip is your camping shelter. The elements during cold weather can be extremely harsh, and a good shelter can mean the difference between risky danger and a great experience. The tent you choose for winter camping has to be strong and solid to withstand snow and wind. Ratings for seasons are usually indicated on packaging, so make sure you pick a four-season tent that's designed with a slope to allow snow to fall off the roof. Accumulating snow can be extremely heavy and your tent could collapse. Dome tents are ideal for winter camping, but do also purchase a ground sheet or tarp to lie down before you set it up up. Your body heat will melt snow underneath you and create a layer of ice that could potentially damage the tent floor or make it wet.
Your tent also needs a good waterproof rain-fly cover. Below zero temperatures is no guarantee that you won't get rained on, and your tent needs protection from freezing rain. The slope of a four-season tent will help let the water run off and the strength of the construction will help with ice build-up. Rain-flies also reduce condensation by keeping warm air in but letting the tent breath to allow humidity to escape. Your breath and body will provide a good 10 to 20 degrees of moist warmth, and ideally the dampness shouldn't be held inside the tent. To further reduce humidity, have a brush on hand to remove snow from your clothing and footwear before entering the tent, as melting snow creates condensation and leaves water on the floor of the tent. When you're choosing a spot where you'd like your campsite to be, try to take into consideration how the elements are going to come into play with your relative comfort and your chosen camping shelter. Exposed areas are definitely to be avoided, as winds can sweep your warmth away and pile up snow against your tent. Likewise, stay away from valleys where the cold air will sink down and prevent you from staying warm. A flat location is always ideal, but do make sure that your tent isn't in an avalanche zone or underneath a tree. Heavy snow can bring branches crashing down on top of your shelter.
Don't let the amount of careful preparation required set you off of winter camping. The experience is one well worth living that you won't regret, the beauty and novelty of camping in the snow one that you'll remember forever, but making sure you choose a good camping shelter to ensure that you're going to come back with smiles and great stories as opposed to complaints and frostbite!
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