How to Stay Warm While Camping in Cold Weather

Cold-weather camping rewards you with quiet trails, crisp starry skies and campsites you have all to yourself.

It also punishes small mistakes.

Damp socks, a thin sleeping pad or a skipped dinner can turn a beautiful evening into a long, miserable night.

Staying warm is a skill, not a matter of toughness.

It comes down to understanding how your body loses heat and taking steps to slow that loss,

from the clothes you wear to the food you eat and the place you pitch your tent.

Understand How You Lose Heat

Your body loses warmth in several ways at once, and every cold-weather strategy targets one or more of them:

• Conduction: heat flows directly into cold ground, snow or anything cold you sit or lie on.
• Convection: wind and moving air strip away the layer of warm air next to your skin.
• Evaporation: sweat and wet clothing pull heat away as moisture evaporates.
• Radiation: your body gives off heat to colder surroundings, especially on clear nights.
• Breathing: every breath of cold air is warmed by your body and then exhaled.

Keep these in mind and many choices become obvious: insulate yourself from the ground, block the wind, stay dry and keep your body fueled.

Dress in Layers and Stay Dry

Layering lets you adjust your insulation as your activity and the weather change.

A typical system has three parts: a base layer of wool or synthetic fabric that moves sweat away from your skin,

an insulating middle layer such as fleece or a puffy jacket, and a windproof, waterproof shell.

Avoid cotton, which absorbs moisture, dries slowly and loses its insulating value when wet.

The biggest mistake in the cold is sweating.

Before you start hiking or hauling gear, take a layer off so you begin slightly cool, and vent or remove layers as you warm up.

When you stop, put insulation on right away, before you get chilled. Once camp is set up,

change into a dry base layer and dry socks, then add a warm hat, gloves and your warmest jacket.

Keep your hands and feet in mind too.

Bring a spare pair of gloves in case one gets wet, and loosen tight boots at camp so blood can circulate freely to your toes.

Build a Sleep System for the Cold

Many cold nights are lost from below, not above.

The ground pulls heat out of you through a thin pad far faster than cold air does through your sleeping bag.

Choose a pad with a high R-value, a standard measure of insulation where higher numbers mean more warmth,

or stack a closed-cell foam pad under an inflatable one for extra insulation and a backup if one fails.

Then add a sleeping bag rated for conditions colder than you expect, and use these tricks:

• Fill a sturdy, leak-proof bottle designed for hot liquids with hot water, close it tightly, wrap it in a sock and keep it at your feet or against your core.
• Wear a dry hat and dry socks to bed, and cinch the hood around your face on the coldest nights.
• Keep your nose and mouth outside the bag, because the moisture in your breath dampens insulation.
• Store tomorrow's inner layers, your phone, batteries and any water filter that can be damaged by freezing inside the bag or close to your body.

Eat, Drink and Keep Moving

Your body burns extra calories to stay warm, so eat more than usual and snack often.

A dinner with fats and protein digests slowly and helps keep you warm through the night,

and a small snack before bed adds a little more fuel.

Warm drinks feel wonderful and lift morale, but steady water intake matters most.

Thirst fades in the cold, so drink regularly even when you do not feel like it.

Use the restroom right before you crawl into your sleeping bag,

so you are not lying awake later trying to decide whether to leave its warmth.

If you feel chilly at bedtime, do a few minutes of easy movement,

such as brisk walking or a few squats, to warm up without breaking into a sweat.

Skip alcohol, which can make you feel warm while actually increasing heat loss.

Choose a Warmer Campsite

Where you pitch makes a real difference.

Cold, dense air settles into valley bottoms and low meadows on clear, calm nights, so a spot slightly above the lowest ground is often warmer.

Look for natural windbreaks such as trees, boulders or a small rise, and point the tent's narrow end into the wind.

A site that catches early morning sun warms up sooner and melts frost from the tent faster.

Inside, keep the vents slightly open even on cold nights.

It feels counterintuitive, but a tent with no airflow collects condensation that can freeze onto the walls and shower frost onto your bag.

Never Heat Your Tent With a Flame

It can be tempting to warm the tent with a stove, a portable fuel heater or the last embers from the grill.

Do not do it. Any appliance that burns fuel produces carbon monoxide, an invisible,

odorless gas that can build up quickly in a closed tent or camper and can kill.

Fuel-burning devices also create a serious fire risk inside fabric shelters.

Cook and boil water outside, in the open air.

Warning signs of carbon monoxide exposure include headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness and confusion.

If anyone develops them, get everyone into fresh air immediately and seek emergency medical help.

Recognize Cold Injuries Early

Hypothermia happens when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it.

It can develop well above freezing, especially when people are wet, tired and exposed to wind.

Watch yourself and your companions for these warning signs:

• Intense, uncontrollable shivering
• Stumbling, fumbling with zippers or poor coordination
• Slurred speech, confusion or unusual irritability
• Drowsiness, apathy or poor decisions

At the first signs, act: get the person out of the wind and wet, replace wet clothing with dry layers,

insulate them from the ground and wrap them in a sleeping bag or blankets.

If they are fully alert and able to swallow, warm, sweet drinks can help.

Worsening symptoms, confusion, or shivering that stops while the person is still cold are emergencies; handle the person gently and call for help right away.

Frostbite usually affects fingers, toes, ears, the nose and cheeks.

Watch for numbness and skin that turns white, grayish or waxy. Move to a warmer place, protect the area,

do not rub it and do not use direct heat such as a fire or stove, then seek medical care.

A first aid course that covers cold-weather injuries is well worth taking before winter trips.

Stay Warm, Stay Safe

Warmth in the cold comes from many small decisions: layers you adjust before you sweat, a well-insulated pad,

a hearty dinner, a sheltered campsite and a firm rule against flames in the tent.

Start with short trips close to your car or home, learn how your body responds and build up as your skills and gear improve.