Although winter in Wisconsin can be long and cold, packing one's sleeping bag and embracing the weather might lead to an unexpected winter adventure.
REI-Wisconsin camping specialist Nick Bruns said he believes there’s a lot to enjoy about winter camping. Bruns emphasizes that winter camping offers just as many activities as heading out in the summer. For instance, many state parks have trails on which to cross-country ski, snowshoe and nature watch. Plus, he said that by the time winter rolls around, Wisconsin has a “completely bug-free environment.”
According to Bruns, winter camping is safe, but potential campers should upgrade to a winter camping outfit with a few key pieces of gear. First, a winter sleeping bag should be much warmer than a summer sleeping bag. Bruns suggests that in order to protect against hypothermia, campers should look at the temperature ratings of the bags.
"Winter campers should have a sleeping bag that is rated at least 10 degrees below what you expect the low temperature to be,” he said.
Winter campers will also need to invest in a new tent.
"Winter tents have less mesh on the interior wall than a standard summer tent. However, they have vents built into them because if you seal yourself up completely, the moisture from your breath will condense and turn into snow," Bruns said.
Most importantly, Bruns suggests campers invest in sleeping pads.
“You want to make sure you have two sleeping pads. You’re going to lose a lot more heat to the ground than you would with any cold air circulating around,” he said.
He advises that laying a closed-cell foam mat on the ground and a self-inflating or insulated air pad on top will help the camper retain the most heat.
Once campers have their winter gear and are ready for a trial run, Bruns recommends driving to the nearest state park for a short trip. That way, Bruns explains, they have a chance to see if everything works.
“If it ends up being too cold, too much, or just not as much fun as you thought, there is always the opportunity to turn around and come back another day," he said.