larlet-fr-david/david/blog/2018/into-the-snow/index.md

title: Into the Snow
slug: into-the-snow
date: 2018-02-16
chapo: Winter camping is basically melting snow again an again.
lang: en

<details lang=fr>
  <summary>Résumé en français</summary>
  <p>Je suis parti pendant trois jours faire du camping dans la neige. Et c’était chouette :-). Les conditions étaient clémentes et j’ai appris plein de trucs.</p>
</details>

After my [reasonably bad experiment](/david/blog/2018/into-the-cold/) trying to light a fire under hard conditions, I decided to [buy a cooker/snow melter](/david/stream/2018/02/15/), grab some [skis-snowshoes](/david/stream/2018/02/14/) and iterate.

## Earn or learn

You know the drill:

* *earn*: finding the appropriate wood during winter time is hard, it has to be dead but standing with no ice and not since too long but still has no moisture in it. My current ratio is one tree down out of two is good to burn, still improving…
* *learn*: letting your snow melt on your nascent fire while assembling your camp is a double-edge sword, you can get back with your water spilled on your half-dead fire #TrueStory.
* *earn*: filling up a bottle with hot water in your sleeping bag gives you free warmth for a few hours AND water when you wake up.
* *learn*: evergreen trees are great to protect your tent from snow BUT with the sun and mild temperatures it can be dangerous to stay under for a nap. Moreover, your tent will be totally soaked and turned into ice during the night.
* *earn*: mourning a loss alone in the forest is adapted to me.
* *learn*: going onto a big frozen lake can be stressful, especially if there is no steps/traces, I stayed on the shoreline to be safe.
* *earn*: I’m starting to be used to distant wolves yapping at night, there is still a prey in me though.
* *learn*: winter camping is basically melting snow again an again or being in the process of doing it.
* *earn*: using a hand warmer when you wake up with cold feet in your sleeping bag provides an extra comfort really appreciated!

What I missed is my hammock to rest a bit during the day and my thin whistle (I thought I could not remove my gloves but one of the days was very warm).

I think it closes my winter session, see you [next spring](/david/bushcraft/) for multiple days with rain, flies and hopefully fishes!