Camping can be rough in the summer if you aren't completely prepared. Throw in some bitter cold, and the experience can be miserable or even life threatening.
Spending the night outdoors in the dead of winter is not for most people. It takes careful preparation, but can be enjoyable if it is done right. It takes you back to more wild times where people were in a struggle for life on a daily basis. Everything was out to get them, including the weather.
It makes you appreciate the simple life we have. You constantly hear people talking about how hard their life is. I promise, that tune can change pretty easily. One uncomfortable night in the winter woods can give someone a whole new perspective on life. You learn that the word life doesn't have anything to do with your housing situation, religious beliefs, job status or car you drive. The word life represents your survival and nothing more out there. What you had previously called life was nothing more than lifestyle.
I do believe if you go out unprepared, that religion will play some role in most people. You will be praying to whatever god you believe in, that the sun will just rise, and you can warm up. Here are measures you can take that can prevent you from having to pray, unless that's just your thing.
Insulation, shelter, and a heat source are the name of the game when trying to camp in the winter. They are differing styles, which can be used alone quite well or you may choose to combine them as most modern campers do, and have the best chance of staying warm. Your shelter design will be chosen based upon what style of heat you will be using. There is a sliding scale based on the size of your shelter in relation to the amount of heat produced. Let's get into some scenarios and how I would deal with them.
You are on a hunting trip that takes you far from home and makes it nearly impossible to hunt the morning because you would have to get up at 2 a.m. and drive to the location. Your best bet is to arrive the previous evening, set up camp, and sleep there. This way you can get up at a reasonable hour and head out on the hunt. Let's just say it's going to be below zero. What would your options be?
