| One crazy winter day, my wife and I decided | | | | However, there was one notable difference, it |
| that we wanted to experiment with cold | | | | was starting to get dark already! It was |
| weather camping. It was January, we had cabin | | | | merely 4:30 and the light was starting to |
| fever, and the sun had been out briefly, so | | | | change. This we had not counted on. We |
| we thought we would go. We packed all of our | | | | hurried our activities and by the time we sat |
| gear, put our two dogs in the SUV, and drove | | | | down with our camp stove for dinner, it was |
| an hour to Shenandoah National Park. On the | | | | really dark. Worse than that, it was also |
| way, however, the skies filled with clouds | | | | getting colder quickly. |
| and a slight rain started to fall. The | | | | |
| temperature was right at 32 and we started to | | | | This is the real lesson about winter camping. |
| worry about our adventure. When we got to the | | | | You tend to forget that the light is on a |
| gates of the park, the ranger informed us | | | | completely different schedule. By about |
| that the road was only open for about a half | | | | 7:30pm, we were cold and ready to be in our |
| mile because as the elevation increased, the | | | | tent. But we weren't tired. We talked for a |
| temperature dropped. This meant that the rain | | | | while in the darkness and eventually went to |
| on the road had turned to ice. He showed us | | | | sleep. We got a ton of sleep that night, but |
| one trail that we could still access from the | | | | not good sleep. Our four-season gear did not |
| part of the road that was open and said there | | | | prove to be as strong as advertised. The cold |
| was parking. But he also looked at us a | | | | seemed to leak into my sleeping bag from |
| little funny and said "you know that it's | | | | every tiny seam. My suggestion for those who |
| January and raining, right? You aren't going | | | | are seeking the winter camping adventure is |
| to freeze on me up there are you?" We | | | | DO IT. However, bring three of just about |
| assured him that we had four season camping | | | | everything. If it's your first time, perhaps |
| gear and that we would be fine. We also had | | | | consider car camping so that you don't have |
| two large dogs. Off we went. | | | | to agonize about the weight of all the extra |
| | | | stuff. It was truly exhilaratingly to wake |
| The first part of the hike was simply | | | | and find an igloo of ice on the tent fly. |
| amazing. Sure enough, about 100 years up the | | | | That first cup of coffee was perhaps the best |
| trail and the rain had turned to big snow | | | | tasting morning drink of my life. As the |
| flakes. It was quiet and beautiful. We walked | | | | morning sun started to melt the ice on the |
| and enjoyed the surroundings. The dogs played | | | | trees, it made for a surreal winter scene |
| in the forest, which was all ours of course. | | | | that I will not soon forget. However, be |
| Nobody else was crazy enough to be on the | | | | smart and bring tons of gear. Start small and |
| mountain in these conditions. When we | | | | make sure you don't get into real trouble by |
| approached the first suitable camping site, I | | | | stretching your camping equipment farther |
| suggested we take it. We unpacked and started | | | | than it can really go. |
| the familiar rituals for setting up our camp. | | | | |