Why Go Winter Camping At All?
This is a question I've heard a lot over the last few weeks, and the answer is quite simple... it's just one more way for me to flaunt man's contempt for nature. Seriously... nature is all show-offy... constantly thinking it's better than us by drenching us with rain, burying us in snow, and cooking us with intense heat. Well, when you're winter camping, you turn the tables.
Well, not really. More fun than giving nature the finger, winter camping is about pushing your own limits and reminding yourself of the things you take for granted. When you walk from your house to your car, or from your apartment to the bus, you don't really know what cold is... but when you're subjected to it all the time... while eating, and sleeping... you realize how great it is to have a warm home. While I'm out there, I'm constantly reminded of two things.
1) How tough were the pioneering Canadians who survived winters here with little more than a shack to live in?
2) I would freeze to the sidewalk and die if I was homeless in Canada.
Another great thing about winter camping, is the closeness with nature. In the snow, you can make out fresh tracks and see a lot of wildlife that would normally be hidden by leaves and bushes. Just this past weekend, we had a pair of Chickadees playing tag around our campsite, lighting in trees and bushes just feet away from where we were sitting.
One of my primary reasons for going winter camping is much more simple though... as a Canadian, I have faced the fact that we are a cold nation. Almost half of our year is spent in winter weather, and we can choose to do one of three things... avoid it by hibernating indoors, run from it by visiting someplace warm, or embrace it and enjoy it. I vote for the latter.
All you need to do is get outside and stay active to be warm. Go snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, or build a snow fort. If you keep moving, you'll stay plenty warm. Just don't eat the yellow snow.