There are some people who are into winter camping. This is pretty much a challenge since winter camping involves staying outdoors in harsh weather which can actually injure or even kill the camper.
While most winter campers return home okay, there are some who don’t. Some of them may have lost their way. The paths they may have taken may be covered with snow. Whatever the reason, their lives are at stake. Therefore, it is important to learn important tips on winter camping survival.
A very important, life saving aspect of winter camping survival involves finding and building shelter. Having good shelter protects a camper from snowstorms and extreme cold which can kill him.
Where a camper builds shelter is an important consideration. Wooded areas are the best location since the area can provide protection against the brunt of the wind. These areas also provide timber for shelter construction, fuel for fire and concealment from sight. Open or barren areas will force the camper to use snow as a building material.
In winter camping survival, it is important not to use metal as shelter. The metal is a good conductor for cold and will drain away the heat generated from a human body.
Also, in winter camping survival, sleeping directly on the ground is a big no-no. Doing so will drain the body of heat. Therefore, it is important to lay down boughs, leaves and grass to act as insulating material.
Once the insulated floor has been laid down, it is time to build the walls and the roof. One of the most effective and easiest types of shelter to construct is a fallen tree shelter. As its name implies, the insulating material is built under a fallen tree after digging the snow out of it.
Once a little trench is dug out and the leaves and grass are laid, boughs and branches are arranged in a cone. More branches spell out thicker walls and better warmth. But it is also important not to lay out too many branches. That’s because the shelter must have some kind of ventilation.
Keeping warm is essential in winter camping survival. That is why a camper carries with a portable stove or lamp with him. However, when he is in his shelter, he should never forget to turn it off. Carbon monoxide, the gas that the portable stove gives off, is toxic and might get trapped in the shelter. Also, an unattended lamp might burn the shelter.
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