Burn ban woes dampen camping. This past month has been a roller coaster of to burn, or not to burn. With high fire dangers constantly being announced we are in a State of danger. This means winter camping is even harder than just just the normal concerns of freezing.
Burn bans mean no campfire songs and smores shared with glee. No staying warm huddled up with friends. As soon as the sun drops it’s lights out, and temperatures follow fast.
Since february 1st: Atoka, Beaver, Beckham, Bryan, Caddo, Carter, Cimmaron, Cotton, Comanche, Garvin, Grady, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnston, Kiowa, Love, Marshall, McClain, Murray, Stephens, Texas, Tillman, and Washita Counties have all been under a burn ban.
If you look at a map of the counties listed this covers all of the Wichita Wildlife Refuge. A hot spot for winter camping.
Refuge officials state that numbers have not been affected by the ban, and in fact visitors are up from this time last year. Of the course weather has been unpredictable, but has not turned many away.
When camping during burning restrictions it is very important to remember any spark or flame can get out of control even if it’s not on the ban list.
With that said, when burning regardless of restrictions one should not count on campfires to stay warm. You never know what nature is going to do so one should be prepared for all temperatures.
Layer is a must, but more is not always better. A good rule of thumb is to never wear cotton clothing against your skin. Even when it is cold out the lightest excursion can cause perspiration. Cotton is much harder to dry which can lead to your body temperature dropping. A good synthetic or wool first layer is recommended.
Billie Dunn, a Backwoods Sales Associate says “as far as clothing goes it really is specific to the person. A hot natured person isn’t wanting to have the same layers on as a cold natured person. With that being said, an appropriate base layer is recommended such Capilene or Icebreaker.”
When getting around fire issues stoves come in quite handy. Dunn said, “the Snowpeak Gigapower or the Jetboil system, both are ultra light and compact. Ideal for backpacking, hiking or short weekend trips with 1-2 people. For 2-8 the Dragonfly or Whisperlight by MSR. With these you are not restricted to just using the ISO butane / propane fuel, and both of these are great for international traveling.”
It all really boils down to listening to your body. If you feel it’s to cold, it probably is and wait to warmer days.
Girl vs. WIld,
Jacquelyn Farris
CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR MORE PHOTOS FROM MY ADVENTURES
February 20th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Actually, there is a way around a cold camp.
You can get yourself a propane powered campfire
Unlike a regular campfire…a propane campfire
IS LEGAL - during a Burn Ban
In ALL..National Parks, BLM Land, etc.
Here are some links to show you what I am talking about
http://www.campfiresandfirepits.com/
http://www.port-a-fire.ca/
FYI - Sportsman’s Warehouse (in OKC)
has them starting at $79.95
Granted it is not the same thing as a wood campfire
But, it sure beats..Nothing !!!!
Bill
February 20th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Wonder how much stuff you have to haul in with that.
On my last few backpacking trips, I’ve used MSR’s Pocket Rocket. 3.5 ounces (not including the fuel tank). Very light, compact, and it cooks very well. A single fuel tank last several uses. Only bad thing — not as stable as many other stoves (easily toppled), plus you can pretty much just use one fuel type that comes in tanks that can’t be refilled. (I wish MSR had a way to recycle these things)
I thought about going light on cookware, but I’ve found the aluminum and titanium cookware just doesn’t work as well as stainless steel. I’ll sacrifice some weight for evenly cooked food.
For the cold, I like Underarmour as my first layer, then synthetic fleeces over that, and then a waterproof breathable shell. No cotton, unless you want to sleep in sweats inside your tent (meaning, the stuff has to stay dry). But cotton clothing is heavier, too. Is it worth the extra weight? Up to you.
And always bring that Thermarest. Nothing sucks worse than sleeping on bare, cold ground.
Man, this is giving me the bug.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I agree with you. I have MSR Pocket Rocket and love it. Sure I have to be careful, but the size is great.
I would never leave home without my Thermarest unless, I am looking to be miserable, hahaa. I am not a fan of freezing.
Cotton in my book is never a good idea!
February 21st, 2008 at 11:36 am
I totally agree. I’ve heard that cotton can hold enough moisture to triple its own weight. Not good in the cold. Not bad when it’s really hot, though.
Also a tought, for those who tent camp/backpack: use tents with aluminum poles only. Graphite poles are quite heavy in comparison.