Camping on February 24th in IL. Is that a good idea?

Question

It's cold, but I believe it may not be so cold as Jan. I will camp with a tent and a heater. Do you think it's a good idea to camp at that time? Why people like winter camping? I just want to try it. However, I don't want to try at the coldest period for my first experience. When is the coldest time and is February just mid-cold or low-cold? Thank you.

Answer 1

Snow camping is safe and fun, but running a propane heater inside any tent is deadly dangerous. Read this article: http://www.anglerguide.com/articles/505.html

You're better off wearing the right clothing and bringing sufficient sleeping bags, blankets, sleeping pads, vapor barrier liner, liner bags or over bags in order to stay warm.

All sleeping bags have temperature ratings. If you're planning to just get by with an old cotton lined poly fill rectangular bag, you should seriously think about upgrading to a 0°F rated winter mummy bag. If you have a proper mummy bag rated for 40°F or 20°F you can stretch its usefulness down to 0°F by buying an over bag or quilt that goes over your bag, doubling its efficiency. You could also wear heavier clothes, rather than long johns, add a full fleece top and bottoms, and only below freezing you could utilize a vapor barrier liner bag/plastic garbage bag, either an entire large bag to fit your body, or just one with holes cut out to wear as a poncho inside your sleeping bag.

A mummy bag will have a hood, which is essential to staying warm, along with wearing a beanie hat. And you should never breathe inside your sleeping bag, which will dampen the insulation, always leave a hole, and wear a scarf, balaclava, or fleece face mask to breathe through if you don't like the cold air.

If you're camping on top of the snow, be sure to compact the snow before setting up your tent, and be sure to use two sleeping pads, equalling 1 1/2 inches thick, to insulate you underneath.

Answer 2

Looks like you covered most of it, schnurrba.
iAMme, I can't tell from your question if you've ever been camping before or just have not camped in the winter. As most everyone has already said, DO NOT sleep with a gas heater in your tent. I have used hand warmers in my bag before, but I will be the first to admit that even those give off carbon monoxide. People camp in the winter for many different reasons: lack of insect pests, the stark beauty of the woods are a complete contrast to the green of summer or colors of fall, or just the challenge of winter camping in itself, to name a few. The weather is much more invigorating and a lot less humid than in the warmer seasons and you can definitely enjoy that fire more. As this is your first time, you probably won't have the correct gear and unless someone is going to lend you what you need, you'll be spending a good chunk of change just to find out if you will like camping now or not. My suggestion here would be: before you go camping, why don't you try spending a whole day, dawn till dark in a campground visiting or making friends. You can check out the gear others are using, gets some good ideas, and find out if you LIKE spending all that time out of doors this time of year.
Personally, I love camping in the winter best, though I've spent years accumalating my gear. It does get frosty at night, and I usually do some shivering before I get warmed up. Sharing a double bag with my bag buddy,(my wife), really helps a lot as it gives us a great reason to snuggle very close. I make sure we have plenty of hot beverages, tea, cocoa, instant soups and such to help keep warm. You'll also burn more calories in cold weather, so you'll be more hungry. And for sure, those latrine visits are a challenge! If you like camping, give winter camping a try. There sure are a lot less people around this time of year!

Answer 3

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Answer 4

The last 2 weeks in Feb.and first 2 weeks in March are good winter camping times.Proper clothing is a must and if you are going to go all hog then a tent ,fair size one and a wood stove with funnelling fitting stove and tent. In March you have nice days and crusty snow ,add shoes and way to go. Some shocking good.

Answer 5

don't have heater on when your sleeping
get a good sleeping bag. don't get a sleeping bad that the stitching that goes all the way through the material those will be the cold spots. you have to sleep off the ground too. i.e air mattress cot . put some thing between cot and bag or ground and mattress like newspapers will keep you warmer . it acts like a insulation layer. used too camp in winter all the time when i lived in Michigan .not now my Florida body cant handle anything below 50 now .

Answer 6

If you're using a heater you aren't winter camping. And if you're using a heater in a tent please be super careful.
Illinois is 390 miles long. You can have snow and cold in the north to relatively warm and sunny down south. There's great palce to camp all over the state. And the best thing about winter camping is you have the place pretty much to yourself. It's quiet. The critters aren't too skittish.
Enjoy.

Answer 7

it is currently 15 degrees here in colorado...a wrather warm night for this time of year, but next week i am going on a month long camping trip, no tent, no stove, just a sleeping bag and some stay warm cloths...and I am going to ahve a blast the colder it gets...just pack for bad weather and prepare for the worst...then every thing will turn out fine