It is that time of the year again. Some folks winterize their RVs or pack their tents and gear away, and forget about camping until spring. To each his own, but it doesn't have to be that way. T here are lots of camping-related things you can do to maintain your edge during winter months when most of us choose not to venture out a lot. Make the most of that time between bouts of shoveling snow!
Of course, if you are active in winter sports, you may want to prepare your RV or tent for winter camping and keep right on going out. An RV makes a very comfortable mobile chalet for skiing, sledding, and snowmobiling. But you'll have to make sure everything is freeze protected. If you're just doing day trips you can run the generator and use electric heaters to keep your fresh water, holding tanks, and plumbing from freezing. Few exterior compartments are insulated. Running the generator over night is not a good idea. Any malfunction in the exhaust or a breeze blowing in the wrong direction could bring carbon monoxide into your RV while you sleep and you'd NEVER wake up again -- EVER! Carbon monoxide is colorless and odorless. It is know as the "silent killer". Tent camping in winter is more of a challenge. Of course, climbers on Mt. Everest live in tents in far more severe conditions than we're likely to face camping, but I'm sure they are not as warm or comfortable as we like to be. A tent with a full length rain fly will provide a little extra protection from winter weather. Some folks even sew an extra skirt onto the rain fly so it goes all the way to the ground to prevent snow from blowing up between it and the inner tent wall. A good ground cloth is essential. For added warmth, cut a piece of bubble foam insulation to use underneath your sleeping bags. I put a couple of old sleeping bags to good use. I unzipped one and put it underneath our regular sleeping bags . The other one (unzipped) was placed over two sleeping bags. We stayed quite warm and comfortable in spite of having set up the tent on a deep snow base and sub-freezing outside temperatures that night.
Winter is a good time to inventory, inspect, repair, and update your camping equipment and supplies. Go through your RV cabinets and camping tubs. Remove any provisions that might be susceptible to freeze damage or are outdated. Get rid of superfluous items you might have collected along the way. Clean your equipment and make any necessary repairs. Things like camp stoves and lanterns often get put away at the end of a trip without a really detailed cleaning, so now is a good time to open them up and really go through them. Stoves and and lanterns that use white gas should be drained and the lines blown out to avoid clogging the orifices when the gas deteriorates. Clean the glass globes on your lanterns. They do get smokey over time. Yes, all the disassembly and cleaning is a little tedious, but you'll enjoy using them even more next season and keeping them clean will extend their useful lifetime. Repair tents, awnings, camp chairs, canopies, sleeping bags, and packs. Check local camping stores and departments and online for end of season sales and stock up on items you want, need, or use frequently.
Winter is a also good time to review last season's activities and go over your notes to see what changes you need/want to make in your equipment, tools, supplies, and activities and begin planning for next year. Research new destinations and routes you might want to try out. Look up additional information about your favorite places. You may be surprised how much historical or geographic information you can find. I had wondered about the history of an old, abandoned railroad water tower near one of our favorite desert dirt bike staging areas for years and finally tracked down its history and learned there were plans to move it to railroad museum in a town some miles away. I found out the tower was once part of a little town that was a stop on the famous 20 Mule Team route. You can use your off-season time to learn more about the flora and fauna of your favorite camping spots and that can add interest, entertainment, and education to your next visit. If you can't find what you're looking for on the Internet, try contacting the local ranger station.
Catch up on your laundry. We sometimes forget about the towels and linens in our RVs and camping tubs until they become too soiled or smelly to use. Even if they seemed OK the last time you used them, they may have well developed some mold, mildew or other unpleasant odors in storage. Winter is a good time to take everything out and wash it. While you're at it check all items for any needed repairs and take care of those too -- or retire unusable articles to the rag bag. Don't forget the dish towels in the galley or the wash cloth hanging in the shower. You may have a favorite sweatshirt or jacket in the closet that could use a good washing after several evenings chopping wood and sitting in the smoke from the campfire. Unused items in the closet may have absorbed some of the odors from that sweatshirt or jacket so they may need be washed too, even if they haven't been worn. Having everything fresh and clean your next outing will be fun. Now is a good time to wash sleeping bag liners and take your sleeping bags to the cry cleaners so they'll be fresh for next year. When you're done, toss the used dryer sheets into closets or drawers to help keep pests away.
Shampoo carpets and upholstery in your RV. They'll have plenty of time to dry before your next outing in the spring. Cleaning them now may also help prevent spills from developing into unpleasant masses of fungus or mold over the winter. If you have leather driver and passenger seats, clean them with saddle soap and rub them vigorously with leather balm. It will keep the leather soft and pliable and keep your seats looking like new for a long time. Leather wipes from your auto supply store will also work for occasional cleanups, but won't provide the same deep cleaning and conditioning. Repair any holes or tears in upholstery before they get bigger.
Clean your tents, canopies, and sleeping bags. Tents and canopies can usually be set up and scrubbed with a sponge or brush and soapy water, then rinsed and let dry. You might want to restore the water repellant after a thorough cleaning as some detergents may weaken or remove the water repellant treatment. Camp Dry or a similar spray on waterproofing product can be used on tents, awnings, and even footwear and clothing. Be sure to repair any holes or rips. Some sleeping bags can be machine washed. If you don't know for sure, to be on the safe side, send them to the dry cleaners. When you get them back, don't roll them tightly. Doing so compresses the filling and destroys the "loft" that keeps you warm and comfortable. Hang them up or store them folded or put them into "stuff" sacks. Dry cleaning machine washable bags may help prevent clumping of fill.
If your activities include OHVs or horses you will want to inspect and service your gear. Dirt bikes and ATVs should be properly stored -- change the oil so they aren't sitting with contaminated oils all winter that can etch metal parts. Drain the fuel system. Lubricate all the cables and other moving parts. You horseback riders can take time to thoroughly clean your tack with saddle soap and rub it with leather conditioner to keep it supple and looking good. Clean out your saddle bags and get them ready for next summer. Freshen your bedroll. Go through all your riding gear. Make sure it is clean and in good repair for your next outing. While you're at it, check your horses' shoes and decide when you need to schedule the farrier to come and give them new ones. If you prefer natural hoof care, clean and trim the hooves.
Inventory, inspect, clean, and organize your tools. Sharpen axes, hatchets, and knives. Not only do sharp tools work better they're safer to use. Repair or replace any broken tools. Replacing missing tools. Things like sockets and the various tips for power drill/drivers seem to get lost easily. If you keep them logically organized you'll be able to detect AWOL items so you can replace them now instead of cursing their disappearance when later in camp when replacements are way out of reach.
Seek additional sources of camping and survival information and training. Take advantage of the many free resources on the Internet. Watch TV schedules for outdoor shows or history/science channel episodes relevant to where you like to go and what you like to do. Check out some local camping, OHV, or RV clubs and see if you want to get more involved with them. They often have winter gatherings where you can meet some of the people and learn about the club activities. You might even find some local adult ed or community college classes (like auto repair) that may be of interest. Renew or upgrade your first aid and CPR training or seek out a wilderness survival class.
Do some shopping for camping gear. Being what is normally the off season for camping you may be able to snag some good deals. Watch for clearances or year end sales at sporting goods stores and department stores starting in mid summer and into the fall and winter. Check ebay for items you've been looking for. Even private party prices may be low so check your classifieds, ebay, and craigslist.
Practice your Dutch oven cooking. You don't have to go camping to whip up a Dutch oven dinner. Now is a good time to try out some new recipes. You can set up your Dutch oven on the patio or deck or maybe even on the balcony of an apartment. If using it on a balcony or deck, be sure to put it on a fireproof or at least heat resistant surface. If something goes wrong with your Dutch over dinner at home, you can always make a McDonald's run and try again later. Better to get the bugs out now than do battle with them in camp or during an emergency at home.
Stay active! Don't just sit around all winter. You'll want to be in good physical shape for next season, so hit the gym or do some regular exercises at home. Pushing the buttons on the remote control and lifting a can of your favorite beverage to your lips does NOT count as exercise!
Maintain your edge!
Information on recreational vehicles (RVs) and Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs), Camping, Sailing, and Survival
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