I love camping in the snow – if you are prepared for the weather. I have spent many years camping with the scouts. You have to make sure that each one of those boys have the gear that they need in order to stay warm in the winter. Some of the tips that we relied on to keep them warm:
- Dress in layers to stay warm
- Bring two sets of dry clothing for the trip. One to sleep in and the other for when they get wet playing in the snow
- Plan on a cup of hot chocolate just before bed with some exercise to get the heart rate up, but not enough to make them sweat
- I would bring a propane heater with us for the trip. That is a better source of heat than a fire
A snow cave is a great way to keep warm during winter camping if you make it correctly. Thick ceilings, insulated materials on the ground, digging out benches in the walls of the cave will allow you to sleep above the cold air that will sink to the bottom of the snow cave. Also, pouring water on the outside of the snow cave will allow the outside will freeze and trap in the warm air inside the snow cave.
Make sure that you store your shovels inside the snow cave in case the cave collapses during the night. You might also place some bright clothing or other materials around the cave to keep people off the top of the snow cave or in case there is a cave in to help rescuers find the cave.
Picture of a snow cave
Snow cave dug out in the mountains at a scout camp. Image available at the following stock agencies: