Waiting for snow!

[Litehiker]

Not exactly hunting but often I've had to backpack hunt in snow. It has helped a lot that I had a good winter camping experience background while in my Nordic ski patrol including teaching winter survival to Army ROTC cadets, most of whom were airborne qualified.

This year I plan to do at least four winter camps in my Spring Mountains north of Las Vegas. Most will be above 9,000 ft. and in fairly cold temps.

I'll be checking weather forecasts for big snows and/or cold temps to test all my winter gear. Most has met the test but I have a new stove and -20 F. sleeping bag that were used only once last winter.
Looking around lately to see if I can find a camping partner who at least is willing to snowshoe and maybe even backcountry ski into camp. And hopefully that person has some avalanche training and avy gear. I'm doing a few pre-snow hikes to find some good routes to good camp sites. My Garmin GPS will help in that search.

To me a good winter night is one where a snow storm blows and I'm snug in my tent with a candle lantern cheerily warming it while I read a paperback novel I tore in 1/2 for lighter weight and snack on chocolate and home made fruitcake - all the while snug in my down -20 winter bag.

The anticipation and planning trips are part of the fun.

 

[HARPERC]

My idea of roughing it any more is some one dialing down the thermostat in the trailer.

I do enjoy reading of your adventures.

Good Luck!

 

[Barrelnut]

Used to do this stuff a long long time ago. The part I liked most was popping my head out of a snow cave in the morning, with calm crisp air, sunshine aplenty, and fresh snow for miles. Tents are good too. I used to backcountry ski.

 

[Mike 338]

Litehiker, wondering what stove you decided on?

 

[Litehiker]

Mike,
Sorry this reply is late.

->1st choice for a winter stove is my MSR Whisperlite Universal in the white gas ("petrol") mode. With various jets it can also be used as an inverted canister stove or kerosene.

->2nd is my Trail Designs Sidewinder titanium cone stove with the Inferno woodturning insert. It takes finger-sized sticks and the Inferno insert makes it a "gassifier" stove that recirculates unburned combustion gasses for a much hotter burn. It usually leaves white ashes due to the high heat. It is made of titanium sheet B/C the usual aluminum sheet construction for the Caldera Cone would melt with the gassifier Inferno insert used. The heavier and less efficient Canadian made Bush Buddy is another gassifier stove.
*This ultra light Sidewinder stove is great for melting snow for water B/C it uses available natural fuel that you do not have to carry. I use a 2 qt. JetBoil pot for melting snow.

Eric B.

NOTE: When forced to cook in my tent vestibule by high winds, rain or heavy snow I vent as much as possible opening my "back door" and low and high vents. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Cherry red lips and fingernail beds are tell-tale signs of CO poisoning. For my wood stove I just carry emergency cold food that needs no cooking.

 

[sp6x6]

Too much snow here to hunt now its raining on it

 

[Litehiker]

sp6x6 you lucky SOB! THAT is the kind of snow I'm lusting after. Great for backcountry skiing and camping (well, not with an icy rain crust).

Eric B.

 

[sp6x6]

That was at 6200 so it may be snowing thereMost game moved down