Whilst writing this camping blog post I am sitting here wondering how many people actually associate Australia with snow. There’s a lot of people out there that have no idea that Australia even has any snow, the idea being that all of Australia is covered in a barely habitable stinking hot desert.
This is of course not the case as we are blessed with many different weather biomes, including snow.
For those of us that love to camp, we love to do it in a variety of environments so for us snow is no barrier to getting out and enjoying the great outdoors.
Camping is perfect for getting out amongst the snow and really seeing all of it, especially since you’re probably going to need to hike a great distance and if you’re only going to hike as far as you can go in half a day, then turn around and come back, you’re not going to see much.
Camping gives us the opportunity to see much more nature than we could otherwise, but only if we do it right. With snow it’s paramount that you get it right to ensure you stay healthy and safe, snow camping is considered by many to be the riskiest way to camp in Australia.
So the following is a brief reminder of things to consider when it comes time to spend your first night in the snow.
Our first tip is to ensure that you stay wrapped up and warm even while you’re in the tent.
Many first time snow campers take a lot of care to properly set up a purposefully bought and decently prepared snow tent to keep themselves safe over the freezing night.
They then enter the tent and feel really warm, which is the feeling a snow tent is designed to provide. However this feeling can be deceptive as some campers feel so warm that they might strip layers and be tempted to sleep without the layers that they need.
While you sleep your body’s warmth is absorbed by the ground and without even knowing it your body can plunge into unsafe temperatures and stay that way for a risky amount of time. A rooftop tent can help keep you warm because you won’t be sleeping directly on the cold ground.
Be smart and wear a safe amount of clothing even if you don’t feel like it, don’t lose your cap even if your warm because a lot of heat escapes the top of your head over the course of the night.
Socks are also vital so don’t feel tempted to sleep with bare feet. It’s also smart to invest in a sleeping pad or a couple of them to further distance yourself from the ground.
Another smart tip is to melt some snow with your portable stove and fill up a water bottle with hot water. Take that bottle and add it to your sleeping bag and use it as a makeshift hot water bottle that will disperse heat all through your sleeping bag while you’re falling to sleep.
If you’re using a mummy bag be sure to seal the hood around your head and just leave a hole open wide enough to breathe, that will keep out the cold air and the moisture from your breath.
Keep these tips in mind while preparing for your first night out there on the snow and enjoy your cold camping adventure!