(From a former GPA, Lauren Welsh’s winter camping experience)
First we taught the campers how to use a map and compass, then how to pack; not only what was needed for camping, but also what was needed for winter camping. We planned a route and grabbed our snowshoes, then headed out into the woods! It was a challenge to walk through snow with a pack on your back and with snowshoes on. Hiking like this made it go quite a bit slower. All the bogs and marshes were frozen which allowed us to make our own trail. However, stepping over fallen trees in snowshoes with weight on our backs was a recipe for falling down. I did a lot!
Campers SnowShoeing Through The Woods
Winter campers reading the maps.
Setting up camp kept us warm as we were collecting wood for a fire, finding new ways to keep our packs dry, and building tents and snow forts. This was one of the moments where I felt like a kid again! We used stoves to cook with as well as cooking over a fire. Finding water was easy but making sure the snow we melted was white and did not have pine needles in it was a challenge! Also, planning hot meals for breakfast and dinner were an emotional booster for our group. One secret to staying warm through the night was pouring boiling water into a Nalgene and placing it at our feet in the sleeping bag. It was still warm in the morning and our feet were too!
This was really fun for a few days and nights then I was ready for some warmth!
