This video features the book The Motivated Amateur’s Guide to Winter Camping:
https://aaronrlinsdau.com/nonfiction/the-motivated-amateurs-guide-to-winter-camping/

Watch the video:
5 Cold-Weather Camping Tricks That Actually Work (Sleeping @ -40º)

 

Blog Entry

I’m going to share five cold-weather camper tips that actually work. I’ve camped in minus-40 to minus-50 degrees in Antarctica, Greenland, and on high, cold, snowy mountains in the Rockies and the Sierra. These five tips will make a huge difference.

Tip 1: Store Your Gear in Your Sleeping Bag

Anything that can freeze—water, electronics, whatever you need to turn on in the morning—goes inside your bag. It’s going to feel like you’re sleeping in a garbage dump. Not the smell, just the clutter. But whatever you need in the morning, especially water, has to stay warm.

Sleep with your headlamp, batteries, and electronics. Maybe your camera too. You can put them at your feet, beside you, or between your legs. That makes a big difference when it’s -20°F or -28°C and everything outside is frozen.

If your water bottle’s frozen or your headlamp won’t turn on because you used alkaline or rechargeable batteries instead of lithium, that’s a problem. I’ve made that mistake. Don’t. Now I just sleep in a pile of gear, and it works.

Tip 2: Don’t Underestimate Downhill Sections

If you’re trekking somewhere flat—like the northern woods—you’re fine. But once you hit downhill terrain, adjust the tightness of your boots and your poles.

Uphill burns your legs, sure, but downhill is where most injuries happen. Going uphill, you’re in control, clawing into the landscape. Going downhill, you can slip fast. I’ve face-planted going up—no big deal—but downhill? I’ve had my feet break loose on the Devil’s Slide Trail in Grand Teton National Park. That’s when it gets real.

Tip 3: Learn Basic Knots with Mittens On

I can’t emphasize this enough. Learn to tie knots while wearing gloves or mittens. You’ll eventually need to tie something in freezing conditions—your tent, gear, or a line to lash something down.

Taking off your gloves can mean frostbite. Practice tying knots behind your back while wearing gloves. Sounds dumb, but when you’re in blasting wind and snow, can’t see anything, and need to tie something fast, that muscle memory saves you.

And if you want to go deeper, check out my book The Motivated Amateur’s Guide to Winter Camping. It covers everything I’ve learned over decades of cold-weather camping so you can enjoy the outdoors too.

Tip 4: Choose Sheltered Rest Stops

Whenever possible, take breaks behind something—a snowbank, tree, cliff, anything. Over time, cold weather isn’t just physical. It’s psychological.

I’ve been out in polar climates towing my sled in 40-mph winds, sometimes 55 or 60 kilometers per hour. I’ve literally hunkered behind my sled just to get out of the wind. The relief is instant.

Wind sucks heat out of you fast. Convection drains your energy and wears you down mentally. Even hiding behind your backpack helps. Shelter is survival.

Tip 5: Warm Up Before Getting in Your Sleeping Bag

If you’re done shoveling or just stepped out to pee, don’t crawl straight into your bag cold. Do a few jumping jacks, flap your arms, get the blood flowing. It feels silly, but it matters.

Even lying in your tent, do a few air-bicycles with your legs until you feel the burn. That warmth carries into your sleeping bag and helps you sleep better.

Yes, your heart rate will take a minute to settle, but it’s worth it. Getting into a warm bag beats shivering into a cold one when you’re already exhausted. I’ve made that mistake too. Don’t repeat it.

Warm up first. It’ll make all the difference.

Thank you for watching. Check out the links below in the description and the pinned comments.

About the Author:
Aaron R. Linsdau is an explorer, speaker, and bestselling author of adventure and survival books, including Antarctic Tears and The Motivated Amateur’s Guide to Winter Camping.
Learn more at https://aaronrlinsdau.com