Camp of the Month
12-19-2016, 06:29 PM
#1
JK Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Camp of the Month
Last January, I made a New Year's Resolution to go camping at least once a month, every month.
The rules were:
1. Must sleep at least one night IN A TENT. (No trailers, no cabins, no yurts, no RV's. I figure there will eventually come a time that I can't crawl around in a tent anymore, and I like tents, so I'm sticking with them as long as I can.)
2. Must make at least one cup of coffee, in camp, in the morning. (This prevents any possibility of bailing out early!)
And, I'm happy to report, just finished December camp over the weekend! (First night was -14F then it warmed up to 8F).
Making this simple goal, of tent camping once a month, every month, turned out to be a great idea. It's one thing to go camping on your own terms, in places you prefer, when you want to go there, in ideal weather, etc. But it's another game entirely when you MUST GO, no matter what. And because I live in a place with four seasons and a huge variety of outdoor settings and elevations, there are distinctly different regions and destinations that "open" and "close" at certain times of the year.
The result is that you force yourself to get outside, and out of your comfort zone, rather than procrastinating and making excuses, and not only that, but get outside at a time of year and in places that you may not have gone otherwise.
Making it a MANDATORY thing to do is key. Not subject to discussion. Get your gear together and GO.
It was such a huge success, that we are already planning to keep the tradition going. I highly recommend it.
Here's the Camp of the Month summary for 2016:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
The rules were:
1. Must sleep at least one night IN A TENT. (No trailers, no cabins, no yurts, no RV's. I figure there will eventually come a time that I can't crawl around in a tent anymore, and I like tents, so I'm sticking with them as long as I can.)
2. Must make at least one cup of coffee, in camp, in the morning. (This prevents any possibility of bailing out early!)
And, I'm happy to report, just finished December camp over the weekend! (First night was -14F then it warmed up to 8F).
Making this simple goal, of tent camping once a month, every month, turned out to be a great idea. It's one thing to go camping on your own terms, in places you prefer, when you want to go there, in ideal weather, etc. But it's another game entirely when you MUST GO, no matter what. And because I live in a place with four seasons and a huge variety of outdoor settings and elevations, there are distinctly different regions and destinations that "open" and "close" at certain times of the year.
The result is that you force yourself to get outside, and out of your comfort zone, rather than procrastinating and making excuses, and not only that, but get outside at a time of year and in places that you may not have gone otherwise.
Making it a MANDATORY thing to do is key. Not subject to discussion. Get your gear together and GO.
It was such a huge success, that we are already planning to keep the tradition going. I highly recommend it.
Here's the Camp of the Month summary for 2016:
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
MARCH
APRIL
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
SEPTEMBER
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
12-19-2016, 06:41 PM
#2
Super Moderator
This is an awesome idea! Now how do you keep warm when it's so cold? I've tried the propane heaters in a tent and when they run out at 1am.......whew 
12-21-2016, 03:12 PM
#3
JK Newbie
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Arkansas
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That is such an awesome idea i love it....the heater thing in alaska we used those buddy heaters in the tent but first when we are going to bed we would heat up a bunch if rocks to put in the sleeping bags that worked great the tents would hold the heat and by morning there would be condensation inside the tent
12-21-2016, 06:23 PM
#4
JK Enthusiast
Thread Starter
I'm not kidding, it's been awesome. Anybody else around here feel like joining the club??
All you have to do is camp in a tent once a month, and for extra credit, POST A PHOTO OF IT HERE!
WHO'S IN?
As for keeping warm, it's all about dressing properly (in layers, avoid cotton) and eating well. In fact one of the best parts about winter camping is that you can eat whatever you want, as much as you want, because your body needs the extra fuel to burn to produce heat so your insulating layers of clothing can trap it!
A good sleeping bag is obviously a plus at 14 below. I layer my sleeping system too, using two Wiggy's bags (the main bag and an overbag), and a blanket over the top of it all. A warm stocking cap and sleeping booties or loose-fitting warm socks are also a major bonus. I hang up a candle lantern in my tent when it's really cold, to raise the temp just enough to minimize condensation and add a bit of cheer.
A campfire at those temps will really give you a new appreciation for fire! It becomes almost a necessity, rather than an aesthetic prop. You'll need it (or a reliable cookstove) for melting water, if nothing else. If you do go with a stove and no fire, layers and food are even more critical. So is having a stove that will work in freezing cold.
Winter camping is a blast, but just as with any other kind of outdoorsy thing, you've got to take the time to properly prepare. And if you can camp in those conditions, it makes almost any other camping trip seem easy.
All you have to do is camp in a tent once a month, and for extra credit, POST A PHOTO OF IT HERE!
WHO'S IN?
As for keeping warm, it's all about dressing properly (in layers, avoid cotton) and eating well. In fact one of the best parts about winter camping is that you can eat whatever you want, as much as you want, because your body needs the extra fuel to burn to produce heat so your insulating layers of clothing can trap it!
A good sleeping bag is obviously a plus at 14 below. I layer my sleeping system too, using two Wiggy's bags (the main bag and an overbag), and a blanket over the top of it all. A warm stocking cap and sleeping booties or loose-fitting warm socks are also a major bonus. I hang up a candle lantern in my tent when it's really cold, to raise the temp just enough to minimize condensation and add a bit of cheer.
A campfire at those temps will really give you a new appreciation for fire! It becomes almost a necessity, rather than an aesthetic prop. You'll need it (or a reliable cookstove) for melting water, if nothing else. If you do go with a stove and no fire, layers and food are even more critical. So is having a stove that will work in freezing cold.
Winter camping is a blast, but just as with any other kind of outdoorsy thing, you've got to take the time to properly prepare. And if you can camp in those conditions, it makes almost any other camping trip seem easy.
Last edited by dustdriver; 12-21-2016 at 06:40 PM.