Deep in the midst of fall, people across the U.S. are experiencing all variety of weather, with some veering more on the side of winter by this point. In California, September was every bit as much July, and even October produced many days of heat over 100 degrees. When embarking on a road trip from California, across the deserts of Nevada and Utah, looping through the Rocky Mountains, we little expected just what was in store for that first week of September.
In my experience as an environmental educator, it helps one be prepared for anything. This training saved me during our trip through the Rockies of Colorado and Wyoming. Sure, it was September and over 115 degrees in my hometown, but I had nothing to lose by throwing additional layers of question in to the back of my truck last minute. Puffy jacket, beanie, extra fleece, thick sweatpants, more socks: the essential additions that, if debating items to bring and you have the space, toss them in. Much better to pack and not use something, than wish you had it.
Image by Madison Heller
So how do two Californians accidentally get caught in a Wyoming winter snowstorm while camping? Driving from Steamboat Springs, Colorado up north toward Yellowstone National Park, we began to notice signs on the freeway cautioning winter conditions. Upon research, we came across the following information: rain, snow, thunder, wind likely. Oh boy. If you are in it for the adventure, let me clue you in to the woes and triumphs that came from my own unexpected voyage into the snow.
First of all, try to get off the road when you see those semi-dark, billowing clouds in the near distance. It seems that snow often makes its break in the early evening, or during the night. For us, at 5 p.m. that meant pulling off in time to pitch our tent under a tree that could protect us from wind and snow, set up our sleeping pads and bags, layer up, and fix some food before the first winter storm of the season rolled in. Could we have kept driving for another hour and a half? Probably, yes, but when we saw Kozy Campground on the side of the road, we figured this would be the best stop, as the storm seemed far enough off that we could get settled before it made an impact.
Image by Madison Heller
This was fortuitous timing, thankfully, because setting up camp in inclement weather may lead to wet, cold items, and a soggy sleeping bag and drippy tent are certainly not in the recipe for a solid night of sleep. We were in the tent by sundown, attempting to get some shut-eye in the midst of howling winds, passing thunder, and fleeing cars that were desperate to get off the nearby highway in search of camp. Luckily for us, we established ourselves in the little campground early and were already zipped up in our sleeping bags with hoods over our heads. The sooner your body heat is in the tent, the sooner it can begin to have that greenhouse effect of retaining heat.
The following morning, we awoke to a collapsed tent pole (fortunately, Marmot tents come with equipment to fix a broken pole), and feared that the snow pile up had been extreme. This was only the front end of our trip; after that night, we had three nights planned in Yellowstone, where weather forecasts had predicted that despite the sun, temperatures were not to exceed freezing, and expected to fall to the teens at night. Upon exiting the tent, we discovered just how cold it was outside, but the ground had merely iced over. Not much to be worried about, we packed up quick, cranked up the car’s heat, and set out for Yellowstone.
Image by Madison Heller
For this Yellowstone expedition, which had been a last-minute adventure decided with a coin flip on the side of the freeway, no reservations had been made. The only option we had was to walk-in. We edged closer to the park and were surrounded by evergreens piled with snow, and our outlook was cold. Arrival at the first campsite at the park gave way to incredulous laughter at the situation; we stumbled into eight inches of snow on the campsites, and the necessity of four-wheel drive to maneuver the area.
Perhaps it was wishful thinking that spurred us on to another campground: that if it had snowed this much, and roads in the park were closed, then it was likely that many parties vacated their stays early, and we could slide right in. This proved to be an accurate assertion, and we secured a campsite for the night at a less snowy campground.
Image by Madison Heller
Another tip for camping in the snow: take advantage of the sun wherever you can get it. For this particular story, the sun was not a hot commodity at the assigned campsite. Instead, it was shrouded by dense evergreens and dusted with ice and snow. The fire ring was even covered in what appeared to be a thick layer of ice. With the sun not present at all campsites, make the most of your time away on hikes and midday snack times and sit in the sun, if at all possible.
After a day of adventuring in the park, we returned to our site with our mission being to warm up. Firewood, a small propane stove, a water kettle, and layers were how we embarked on Operation Avoid Freezing. By now, you may be tired of the word layers, but it is a critical component of staying warm, and the sooner you put them on, the sooner the clothes themselves will warm up, and your body will retain more of its heat. Multiple pairs of pants and sweats, many sweatshirts, you cannot go wrong. If you really do not want to wear them all, at least throw extra items inside your sleeping bag so you can access them in your sleep or have them around your feet at the base of your sleeping bag for additional warmth.
A common practice is to heat up water, fill a water bottle, and put it inside a sleeping bag for warmth. Personally, I did not participate in this endeavor (in fact I made the mistake of keeping my water bottle right by me as I slept, which is like sleeping next to an ice cube). Instead, I was trying to drink extra water to stay hydrated, which is still highly important even when it’s chilly. The boiling water here was used to make instant pho, which was then combined with instant mashed potatoes (ramen will also do the trick). Some refer to these as “ram-bombs,” and as my first experience with one, it was hearty, filling, warm, and left me extremely satisfied.
On this particular evening, the fire was extremely hard to keep going. Despite fanning attempts, and giant gusts of breath from two sets of lungs, the sad little campfire had a hard time staying alive due to the iced, saturated ground. While the flames themselves may not have been overly fruitful, the amount of energy that went into keeping it going actually served to warm us up nicely. It is easy to sit around when you’re cold, but staying moving as much as you can help circulate warmth.
With this night expected to drop to about 17 degrees, it was best to retire to the tent on the earlier side. My sleeping bag is best down to 20 degrees, so during the night I really felt the cold biting at my toes, but sleeping pads in these situations are just as critical as they buffer you from the icy earth. There are also sleeping bags and quilts that will keep you warm down to 0 degrees. It was most definitely a learning experience: with my beanie consistently falling off, I discovered that wrapping an extra sweatshirt around my head provided extra heat retention. And, after hiding my face in my sleeping bag, it started to warm up more with my breath.
Image by Madison Heller
After that night, the days stayed sunny and steadily warmed up. Just as fast as the snow came, it melted away and faring through those two cold, icy nights paved the way for a pristine few days of exploring Yellowstone National Park. By the last day, we could even wear shorts and a t-shirt on our hike. It may be tough, but if you have the necessary items to bundle yourself, warm food to whip up, and a thirst for a unique adventure, you too can make it through camping in the snow.
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