Tidbits forWinter
Camping
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Tidbit # 03
- The Structure
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Structures - If you have the
opportunity to do all of these kinds of Winter outings, take it!
You will enjoy each one differerently, or maybe come to find out that
one versus the other is more to your liking.
Structures can be as simple as your existing 3 season tent to the grand
palace of a hot tent or even that of the Eskimo's where you build a home
from the snow! I have had the chance to tent in the Winter, to hot tent
in the Winter and to build my own snowdome called a Quinzee.
The standard tent works well if your plans are both short and not far
from the beaten path. your activity of meals is boil and eat or a
campfire is made to cook from, There's not much to it except for
preparing your meals on windy and cold days can be tedious. When the sky
has lost its cover of cloud, it's going to be a chilli night!
The best, by far, is the hot tent. It is your second coat to the
elements, it keeps you dry and warm and you also now have a reliable
source for you to use for cooking and water. The grounds stiff and you
have no means of getting any water, you melt snow. The hot tent ,when
hot, can be used to melt snow for your water needs and when your day of
activity is done, you can relax in comfort and warmth. Thsi is also a
work load to setup and gear for . You need to carry all kinds of
accessories to make this hot tent work. They are too numerous to go
into detail, but at some point I think I'll do that to show those that
may be interested in hot tenting. For now, let's say Chummy has offered
a winter getaway to a hot tent of theirs, take it! It's the best chance
to really enjoy a long stay in the wilderness!
The Quinzee, is and was a fun time. You use the snow to buid a large
dome shape shelter and from that you carve in the the structure, your
sleeping area. If your even better at it, you could probably make
enough area to also use as suitable cooking area ( considering CO
gases) and have a shelter for both sleeping and cooking in! My
experience was for a shelter only. In all, it took about 6 to 8 hours
to make a quinzee for two, possibly three if needed. It was hard work
and very exhausting and I was glad to have a dry change of clothes in
the end or else I was in big trouble with the sweat I had produced to
make the shelter.
