jeff 55060 |
11/14/2008 02:23PM
I would recommend for your first camping experience to stay a little closer to home. Once you've been out once or twice you will tweak your equipment to get things the way you need to be safe. Read all you can and even do some back yard testing. I even test meals in the back yard to see how much fuel they take and if they work. You also want to know if your sleeping bag really is a -20 bag before you need to know. Learn and practice fire craft and shelter craft. Seriously, building a fire in the open without gasoline and newspaper is a challenge for some people. Then head to the big woods. When I first started I didn't know enough to survive and stayed with in 1 mile of people I knew. Just in case!
Personally I'd never leave home without my snowshoes. I like my traditional wood 10 x 56 Alaskans. Weather can change, and if it snows a foot you want a snow shoe that you can get home on. I also bring ice picks. Learn how to use them and pray you never have to. Safety first, this is a hobby and there is no reason to endanger yourself to go camping in the winter.
With that said I make check lists.
Personal list, and cooped gear and then a meal plan and then a food list.
Here is an example of what I bring
Personal list:
Back pack or pulk, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, ice cleats, snow shoes, hiking poles, hiking boots, camp boots, walking pants, camp pants, gators, ice picks, 2 pr wool socks, 2 stalking caps
walking jacket, camp parka,1 pr light gloves for chores and walking, 1 pr of heavy gloves for in camp, camp towel, flashlight, small back up flashlight, flashlight batteries, (lithium batteries are good to -40 and last 8 times longer and are lighter than standard), 6 x 8 tarp, toilet paper, two water bottles, compass, waterproof matches, mess kit, camera, book, insulated coffee cup, snow shoes.
Coop list
Fuel, tent or tarp (depending on conditions), candle lights, shovel, map, cook set, spatula, serving spoon, Steripen (new this year), wood saw, small beaners for tarping, parachute cord, first aid kit, fuel funnel, two cook stoves.
Remember everything you bring add to the weight, so don't bring too much, but also remember if you didn't bring it - you don't have it.
I hope this helps, have fun. See ya on a trail somewhere
Jeff
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