Imagine this…you wake up in the morning to watch the sunrise over snow-covered trees and iced peaks. Your breath is visible, as you use your prepper prowess to start a roaring campfire. You cook breakfast over an open fire and take in its crackling and then the silence of the rest of your environment. Many birds have migrated, many animals are hibernating, and there’s an absence of bugs and people. It’s a peace you can only experience when camping during winter.
Winter camping is where you experience the raw power of nature in harmony with your survival abilities to provide an amazing experience. Nature can be rejuvenating, peaceful, grounding, and fun. However, it can also be remote, harsh, and lacking in comfort.
Winter camping combines intimacy with nature by providing a season when few people have the heart to go. This is why winter camping should be on your bucket list! However, sleeping in a snow cave is not necessarily enjoyable. The simple truth is that the more comfortable a person is, the more likely they’ll want to stay in a location. For chances at the most enjoyable experience, it starts with a plan.
The 7 Steps to Enjoy Winter Camping
My husband and I sat chatting by the campfire as our two little ones laughed and giggled themselves to sleep in our bell canvas tent. The kids enjoyed the day as we spent time as a family. They continued to express their joy as they played in the tent as if it were the coolest fort. Eventually, overcome with exhaustion, they fell fast asleep. It was a perfect moment that echoes in my memory.
In a book called The Power of Moments, it states that “a defining moment is a short experience that is both memorable and meaningful.” Defining moments shape our lives. The book explains how it is possible to create a defining moment. Winter camping helped us create a defining moment for our family that I will forever treasure. Here’s a list of seven things to create a retreat in a winter wonderland.
1. A Large Canvas Tent
Image owned by Dream House Family Tents
Having a tent you can stand up and walk around in is a real luxury! There is no need for crawling around, crouching, or getting dressed lying down! Unlike nylon tents, canvas tents act as an insulator, trapping heat.
There are many sizes to choose from, as shown in the image below. The best way to determine what size is right for you is to consider how many people will be sleeping in the tent. My family of four has a 13-foot bell tent. It feels like the perfect size. We still have plenty of room for our bedding, clothing and personal items, and to move around.
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2. Comfortable Bed / Furnishings
Camping wasn’t something that I was fond of doing. My memories of it were trying to sleep on the hard ground and shivering through the nights. It was intriguing that there is such a thing as comfortable camping. Once I discovered it was OK to have modern comforts while camping, it became something I would daydream about and deliberately schedule.
Our preferred sleeping gear has been upgraded to a Faux Fur Comforter Set on a queen airbed and two child cots. The kids have jean blankets which are naturally weighted that are laid over sleeping bags for extra warmth. For light during the evening, we use a couple of lanterns.
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3. Electrical Power
The airbed is plugged into a small 500-watt power station which inflates the bed. It is also used to recharge phones, smartwatches, and tablets. For really cool nights, an electric blanket can be plugged into the 12-volt section of the power station. As long as we remember to unplug the airbed (which will use up power just because it’s plugged in), the power station will recharge all of our devices for a week.
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4. Heat Source
Canvas tents are great for winter camping. The canvas works as an insulator trapping heat. We keep the tent warm by running a Big Buddy propane heater connected to a five-gallon tank. The tank is left outside, and the hose connected to the heater runs through the zipped doors. When the kids are a little older, we are planning to switch to a wood-burning tent fireplace.
A fire-starting kit is useful for a campfire. Campfires are a great way to warm up after a day of hiking or playing in the snow. It provides heat for drying off damp clothes, cooking meals, and warming up wash water. 
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5. Meals
Eating dry cereal or granola bars does not compare to freshly baked muffins and hot sausage! There is nothing quite like yummy food to make an experience unforgettable. When eating a freshly baked muffin or smores hot off the campfire, it uses most, if not all, of our senses. Stimulating the body through taste, smell, sight, sound, and touch helps us remember the experience.
The more senses that are engaged in an experience, the more memorable and enjoyable it will be. The key is making the memory a good one. The kids and I enjoyed having muffins and sausage for breakfast, but my husband prefers a mountain man breakfast. Camping for several days allows us to fit in everyone’s favorite camping foods.
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6. Toilet
Squatting in the woods when nature calls is no one’s idea of fun. Just because you are camping in the woods doesn’t mean you have to go without a toilet! Luckily there are simple, easy options. Decide what comforts you want in the camping bathroom category.
Many tent campgrounds provide restrooms, but it’s best to be prepared. Females do not like walking in the dark for a quarter mile to get to a latrine. A pop-up privacy tent and a Fold-and-Go camping toilet take up very little space and elevate the camping experience.
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7. Winter Camping Entertainment
Camping with loved ones is meaningful because you are spending time with them and hopefully deepening a connection. But how do you make it a fun, memorable experience? Family fun activities include sledding, snowshoeing, building snowpeople, building forts, exploring nature, or drinking hot cocoa around a fire. Consider how to elevate camping activities into a memorable experience. Make sure to bring snow clothing!
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The Cost to Start Winter Camping
A bell canvas tent is typically the most affordable style starting around $400 and ranging widely from there. Price can vary based on size, quality, canvas material (cotton or polyester), canvas treatment (fire retardant, water repellent, mildew resistant, UV resistant), and features (removable walls, fire resistant chimney patch). The cost is about what you’d pay to stay at a hotel for three nights.
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