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Friday, October 21, 2011

Occupy Tips for Winter Camping, from the Mountaineers

Posted by Eli Sanders on Fri, Oct 21, 2011 at 6:00 AM

Occupy forecast: cold and getting colder.

Oleksii Sagitov / Shutterstock
Occupy forecast: cold and getting colder.

The Mountaineers will not be taking a formal position on the urban camping that’s going on at Occupy Seattle.

However, Martinique Grigg, the group’s executive director, was happy to offer some general tips on staying warm in a tent during a cold Puget Sound fall and winter.

“You definitely want to put insulation between yourself and the ground,” Grigg said. “Just a foam camping pad would work. Also, I would put a tarp beneath the tent, which will keep the tent from absorbing water from the ground if the ground gets wet... The smaller the tent, the better, because it allows you to trap heat." (“Or,” she added, “pack more people in the tent and snuggle up, because body heat will help.”)

As for clothes: “Lots of layers, no cotton.” Musts include: A warm hat, gloves, wool or nylon pants, polypropylene or wool long underwear, a fleece jacket, and a waterproof shell jacket.

Also, Grigg said, “warm fluids." Think: a Thermos full of chicken soup or hot chocolate.

What about just a flask full of Whiskey? That work?

“I believe that’s kind of a myth,” Grigg said. “It makes you feel warm but it requires a lot of energy to process the alcohol, so it’s actually counterproductive.”

Sigh. Well, anyway: EAT. “You burn more calories trying to keep warm,” Grigg said. So: Peanutbutter, cheese, meat sticks, McDonald’s French fries.

And, uh, where does one go to the bathroom while winter camping?

“Some climbers at really extreme altitudes will have pee bottles,” Grigg said. “We practice leave-no-trace, and when it comes to pooping, they call it blue-bagging.”

Which is exactly what it sounds like: You poop in a little blue bag, kind of like the ones used for picking up after dogs. “Carry in, carry out, that’s something we always practice,” Grigg said.

Say you're winter camping around a lot of people, and you’re feeling shy—can you blue bag inside your tent?

“You don’t want to poop where you sleep,” Grigg said. “That’s an official Mountaineers opinion."

Comments (8) RSS

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I was homeless and lived in an unheated truck canopy and learned a couple of things about staying warm. If you can find an empty two liter bottle, fill it with as hot tap water as you can find and make sure you screw the cap back on tightly. Wrap it in any cloth and put it by your feet. Also, stay dry. Moister wicks away heat.

Posted by Vince on October 21, 2011 at 6:38 AM

Vince, you never cease to amaze. Glad you have a warm place to sleep and a computer now.

Posted by TVDinner

on October 21, 2011 at 7:06 AM

Hmmm, no shorts over polypro? I thought that was an official Mountaineers requirement.

Posted by Action Slacks on October 21, 2011 at 7:11 AM

@2 Thanks TV. So am I. So am I.

Posted by Vince on October 21, 2011 at 7:28 AM

@3, Yes this is an official requirement, but if the weather is nice you can wear shorts with gaiters.

Posted by Reg on October 21, 2011 at 7:46 AM

Eli,

I just checked out this article by you from the Tablet:

http://www.tabletmag.com/life-and-religi…

I didn't know you wrote for the Tablet? I read that review of the new Trotsky bio.

Posted by lark on October 21, 2011 at 10:23 AM

Planning a camping trip in Alaska next year, We live in Miami FL. , and really never seen winter before.

Posted by www.south-florida-home-inspectionscom on October 21, 2011 at 5:22 PM

I have lived in a camper with no heat, and if you fill a big coffee can with rocks and put a candle inside of it, it will heat the rock and act as a pretty good source of heat in a small space. You have to be cautious with the candle, and the little ones like tea lights work well.

Posted by julieann on October 22, 2011 at 6:06 PM