Snow camping

[jeremyaw]

I have some buddies who want to get together and try some snow camping. Being as though we are all beginners, I was wondering if anyone has any recomendations on places to go, preferably in Oregon. We want to get out for a good sized snowshoe journey and possibly try and construct a snow cave. Thanks..

[iain]

The Mount Hood area has a lot of winter access trails available that would work great. I'd recommend getting the Mount Hood ski trails map and choose some from there. There are a number of trails out of Trillium Lake basin that would be nice, with some nice views of the mountain. I would avoid multi-use trails where snowmobiles are allowed. Have fun.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Mount Rainier has all you can want. Even across the way in the Tatoosh Range if you hit it right one could do some winter camping with snow caves and shit

 

[ 11-18-2002, 02:06 PM: Message edited by: Cpt.Caveman ]

[iain]

Heading up White River Canyon from Hwy 35 would give you a nice scenic camp spot as well. Be aware of avalanche hazards if you go very far up beyond the last trees.

[rbw1966]

You can tromp up the Tilly Jane trail to around Cooper Spur and have a grand old time.

[Winter]

quote:

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Originally posted by rbw1966:

You can tromp up the Tilly Jane trail to around Cooper Spur and have a grand old time.

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Unless Mt. Hood Meadows gets its way, turns the Tilly Jane trail into a lift corridor and excludes anyone who doesn't pay for a lift ticket. Fight the power!

 

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming ...

[Beck]

Don't forget a stove board, shovel work, and sleeping with your footwear! Seriously, try camping anywhere higher than 4500 feet in the winter and you'll be winter camping, pretty much,

I think it's all about the same, long nights. sleeping 14 hours a day on neve takes on more enjoyable dimensions when enjoyed from the inside of a warm sleeping shelter.

 

There are so many tricks to comfortable winter camping, you need to go be miserable a few times before you begin enjoying yourself camping in the winter.

 

[ 11-18-2002, 09:17 PM: Message edited by: Beck ]

[mattp]

quote:

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Originally posted by Beck:

Don't forget a stove board...

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Beck, you old school snowgoose! The stove board is the number one essential but kids these days are carrying the MSR Trillium or some such thing because a piece of plywood or panelling is too low tech. But this item that you get for free and weighs next to nothing is better than the high tech counterpart. Next you'll be telling them to ditch their msr and carry a svea.

[Beck]

A nice piece of pine, or cedar shelving to preheat your stove, if you know how to operate a fire. Maybe.

Don't try it in a snowhole, and always put in SEVERAL airvents, regardless.

[Lambone]

Try Crater Lake. They get a ton of snow, and the road is plowed up to the rim all winter. it's awsome up there!

[eternalX]

We just use a couple snow pickets for a base. Hopefully you're not using them while you're cooking!

 

[Skisports]

Exactly, two pickets work great.. even a shovel blade works allright. The cedar board works better then the trillum bases that you have to buy. Find out what works for you.

[MntnrMichael]

Make sure you go far enough from the car; otherwise every one tries to go back in the middle of the night.

[mattp]

For digging a snowcave, look for a huge snowdrift with a very steep face in it -- something you will probably only find at or near treeline or above. If you can dig in, starting above the bottom of the drift face and dig upward, the snow more or less falls out by itself rather than having to be dragged and tossed out of the hole.