Winter camping is the perfect example of the old adage: we seek adventure at the end of the world when it is right next to us! Do we think we’ll be too cold? If we follow a few basic rules, we only “risk” finding a fun new way to spend our weekends!
Pascal Dubuc, an equipment advisor at the La Cordée store in Montreal, is a winter camping enthusiast. As soon as the snow falls and he has some free time, he rushes with his tent into the Adirondacks. The best place, according to him, to camp during the winter season. “It’s a way to disconnect
Pascal advises beginners to go gradually. “The best way to start is to choose a night when the temperature will not be too cold, around 0°C, and then to try for two days at -10°C”. It’s up to us for the rest!
You can also start slower by choosing an easier way to camp in the snow. Among other things, there is the traditional igloo, which thanks to the insulating properties of snow, maintains its interior temperature at around -4°C. If we have children with us, they will certainly enjoy the experience. The prospector’s tent and the teepee, which are generally equipped with a slow-burning stove, are also very practical if you want to camp in the winter with a little more comfort. But if you are looking for a total change of scenery, nothing beats a night in a tent that you will have transported and erected yourself.
We can also do a test in our yard, but the danger is too easily giving up after an hour and going back into the house to warm up…
The importance of being well equipped
Winter camping does come with a few dangers, the worst of which: is hypothermia. It is therefore essential to dress well. The best way out is to dress in onion skins, which allows you to add or remove pieces depending on whether you are shivering or not. “The trick in winter is not to be wet, confirms Pascal Dubuc. You have to be warm… but no sweat!” A single garment that is too hot would create this sweating.
If the idea of sleeping outside at -30°C may seem a bit crazy, you should know that all you need to do is use the right equipment to sleep without hassle. With a suitable tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad, there is no risk. If Pascal survived the James Bay nights, where the mercury plunges to -50°C, it would be wrong to fear our “little” colds from the south!
Here is the equipment necessary for any winter camper:
- four season tent
- Winter sleeping bag (-15°C or less depending on temperature)
- Full-length insulated sleeping pad (having a good one is as important as having a good sleeping bag, otherwise the latter will be useless!)
- Stove (capable of operating below zero)
- Lots of warm, dry clothes
- Mouflons (outdoor slippers for winter)
The cost of it all? If we start from zero, the bill is likely to climb quite quickly! For example, a tent and a good sleeping bag easily cost over $400 each. Fortunately, some stores, such as La Cordée and some campgrounds, offer equipment rental at reasonable prices. We then taste the experience without losing our wallets.
Starting with all-inclusive packages is another good option.
Places to learn
- Nine of Quebec’s 16 national parks offer sites for winter camping. Some of them also allow you to sleep in an igloo or a yurt, the traditional dwelling of the nomads of Central Asia. More information is available on the Sepaq website or by calling 1 800 665-6527.
- As part of this network, Parc d’Oka, located near Montreal, offers a very practical “turnkey” service for families. For $62, a family spends a winter night in a prospector’s tent. Just bring sleeping bags, warm clothes, and what you need to prepare meals and you’re done!
- Near Quebec, the Lac Beauport outfitter offers overnight stays in an igloo or prospector’s tent.
- If you are simply looking for a campground open in winter, you can contact Camping Québec at 1 800 363-0457.
- Are we still hesitating? For $150, the Karavaniers club offers a two-day training to become familiar with winter camping. A true Nordic all-inclusive, it even provides food! UQAM and the Chinook Adventure Club also provide training of this type.
- Less exotic, but offering a unique experience, the Bougex team continues its tradition by offering us the chance to experience a night of camping in February on the quays of the Old Port of Montreal (tent and equipment not included).