Stay Warm - A Backpacking Skill

Stay warm or die. That's what it comes down to at the extremes. More people die in the wilderness of exposure than from any other cause. Staying warm, of course, also means more comfort, and for backpackers, it can mean going even lighter, without more risk.

Staying warm in the wilderness is about proper gear and good skills. Proper gear means clothing and equipment suited to the enviroment you're in. This is a subject in itself, worth studying if you spend much time backpacking. With better materials and designs, the newest clothing and equipment saves lives. It is skills, however, that make the biggest difference.

How To Stay Warm - Tips and Skills

- Set up camp in the right places. Hilltops are windy and cold, and cold air also fills valleys at night. Level ground somewhere in between, out of the wind, is best.

- Wear clothes to bed. Shake and fluff them up to make them insulate better. Some recommend against sleeping in clothes, but I've tried it both ways many times, and it's always warmer with clothes on.

- Wear a hat. This may be equal to a pound of insulation in your sleeping bag. A lot of heat is lost through an uncovered head.

- Go to bed dry. Stay up until your clothes have dried, or change into dry clothes. On a warm, dry night, however, you can put damp clothes on your sleeping bag to dry them with body heat. You may need warm, dry clothes the next night (Thinking ahead is a great wilderness skill).

- Breath into your sleeping bag. Only do this in a dry climate, or if you're sure it's your last night out. You'll get damp, but you should dry quickly from hiking in the morning.

- Take a water-bottle full of hot water to bed with you. This is easier and safer than heating rocks and placing them around you.

- Make a pine-needle mattress. Dead leaves and dry grass work too. Scatter the leaves in the morning, so they won't smother the plants underneath. I've slept warmly below freezing, with no sleeping bag, in a pile of dry grass collected from a frozen swamp.

- You can breath into your sleeping bag if you're really cold. You should only do this in a dry climate, or if you're sure it's your last night out. You'll get damp, but you should dry quickly from hiking in the morning.

- Fill a water bottle with hot water, and take it to bed with you. This is easier and safer than heating rocks and placing them around you.

- Adjust your clothing as you hike. Remove and add clothes as necessary to stay warm without sweating. Sweat can cause you to lose heat rapidly when you stop.

- Stay dry. On a cold day, wet and hot can become hypothermia soon after you stop moving those muscles. On a hot day, however, wear wet clothing to dry it out in preparation for a possibly cold night.

- Conserve your energy. It's tough for your body to keep itself warm with no energy reserves. You may also need that energy to gather firewood or hike to the car to escape a blizzard. Finally, you'll make better decisions if you aren't tired, and you'll remember how to stay warm.

This is a sampling of wilderness skills and knowledge. There are many more things to learn about how to stay warm. In fact, I've left out one of the most important, because it deserves its own artcle: how to start a fire in any conditions.

Steve Gillman is a long-time advocate of lightweight backpacking. His tips, photos and stories can be found at The Ultralight Backpacking Site: http://www.The-Ultralight-Site.com

---

The Great Outdoors is to be Explored and Loved in all its fullness

The thing with enjoying the great outdoors is seeing aspects... Read More

Shark Attacks! How Common are They? Where do They Occur?

Last week in Australia, one man's day at beach could... Read More

Lightweight Backpacking: How Light?

You aren't lightweight backpacking if you are carrying twenty-five pounds... Read More

My Five-Ounce Sleeping Bag

Okay, it wasn't quite a sleeping bag. However, it was... Read More

Hiking Trails Mt. Washington Valley NH - Trekking trails USA

Mt. Washington Valley Trails & Mt Washington - NHThe highest... Read More

What You Need to Know About - Camping Vacations

Camping is a delightful and adventurous way to spend your... Read More

Hiking from Your Own Home

Picture this. You are stuck at home knee deep in... Read More

Traveling To and Around Hawaii, A First-Time Visitors Primer

Six different islands in Hawaii are open to tourism. Most... Read More

Whitewater Rafting Trip

For the dedicated water sport enthusiast there can be no... Read More

Zambezi Sharks Under Threat at Protea Banks

Sharklife.co.za has been fighting an ongoing for the protection of... Read More

Too much to do in London!

No one can truly say... Read More

Driving in Greece - How Bad is it?

Generally speaking, Greek drivers are not the best in Europe,... Read More

Tips for Mountain Bikers in Spain

As any keen mountain biker will know, there are some... Read More

Camping and Outdoor Activities: Get Involved with Nature

Camping mixed with outdoor activity is a great way to... Read More

Backpacking Journals ? Preserve Your Backpacking Experiences

Backpacking is a great way to escape the rat race... Read More

River Cruise in Bangkok ? Sightseeing on the Chao Phraya

A river cruise in Bangkok gives an insight to the... Read More

Discover The Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden In Arcadia California

In The city of Arcadia California, right next door to... Read More

The Royal Barge Procession ? Splendor on the Chao Phraya River

The Royal Barge Procession in Bangkok, conducted on very rare... Read More

River Rafting in Washington State

The great state of Washington offers some of the best... Read More

Camping For Fun

Camping for fun is a great way to enjoy the... Read More

The Kuan Yin Shrine, Bangkok ? the Goddess of Mercy on the Chao Phraya

The Kuan Yin Shrine in Bangkok is in an old... Read More

The Classy Way to Do WA

Western Australia ? South-West Coast driving holiday. Great Australian Road... Read More

All the Way to Timbuctu

Yes, it's real. There is a place called Timbuktu and... Read More

Going it Alone: The Waterfall at Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska

I stood at the observation point on the balcony at... Read More

Inflatable Pontoon Boats

Bryce Whitmore designed the modern whitewater inflatable pontoon boat, and... Read More

Great Family Camping Trips Make Excellent Traditions

A wonderful way to invest in your families' treasure trove... Read More

Kerala Backwaters - Gently Down the Stream

The quaint little balcony was large enough to accommodate two... Read More

Join the American Hiking Society

Have you taken up hiking as a new form of... Read More

GOA ? A Carnival of Beaches

The state of Goa on the West coast of India,... Read More

Yachats, OR: An Outdoor Lovers Paradise on the Oregon Coast

There is something about a town tucked between the mountains... Read More

Yellowstone Camping In The Fall

Soon, the busy summer tourist season will be over in... Read More

Hiking in the Forest Knowing When to Slow Down

One morning in mid summer, I headed out for some... Read More

Rafting on the Rogue River in Oregon

Oregon's Rogue River is one of the nation's most beautiful.... Read More