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Boundary Waters Quetico Forum

Winter Camping and Activities

Luxuries while camping

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Date/Time: 10/31/2024 06:03PM

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Luxuries while camping

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Previous Messages:
Author	Message Text
Telco	02/27/2023 02:35PM This is my first winter with an UCO candle lantern and I just love having a little warm light while turning in for the evening. Unnecessary, ineffective, absolute luxury.
Sparkeh	01/28/2023 08:29AM Helinox chair zero with mesh ground sheet so it can sit on sand and snow and so the wind doesn't blow it away. Bottle of liquor.
Togolance	01/25/2023 01:31PM When I used to pull my own gear in on a sled my luxury was a cot , getting off the ground in the winter is a big help. I have taken winter luxury to the next level and it would surprise you what fits in a 12' dog sled. I keep a 14 dog team just for myself because I love winter in the bwca that much . I'm just home today to book permits ,camped close to my house fishing.
TuscaroraBorealis	12/17/2022 07:16PM Interesting topic for me. I understand the original question and am not attempting to be coy or evasive nor, belittle any of the excellent suggestions already put forth. However, in taking this thread in a somewhat different direction; for me, winter provides a special opportunity; especially when alone, for 'truer' solitude. In a nutshell, I really savor the relative harshness, stillness, silence & to an extent the early darkness that winter can provide. The conducive energies that naturally flow from this setting allow my mind to also more easily enter into a quiet, truer solitude while contemplating deep, spiritual matters is a luxury that; in my experience, is more difficult to attain during the other 3 seasons.
DRob1992	01/30/2022 05:22PM Soledad: "Farkle is a lot of fun while winter camping. My Exped is the first thing that comes to mind. The chair kit is pure luxury. I got a Black Diamond Remoji light for Christmas that I really like. It will replace Luminoodle light strands which get in the way of hanging gloves and boots from the ridgeline. I may purchase another one. My battery pack has two usb ports which would keep the lights on for as long as I would need them on a trip. A little whiskey A frisbee is a lot of fun too if it isn't real cold. oh and my Boom 3 will go with for music. We like music/audio books in the evening. " I just learned Farkle last year and that game is fun anywhere at anytime. I love a frisbee on any sort of outdoor adventure and it doesn't take up much space. Whiskey or any type of liquor honestly (preferably good stuff over cheap stuff but I'll drink whatever is brought). Cards and books are always a staple. A little greenery. Live bait is my fishing-related luxury.
Minnesotian	01/28/2022 03:44PM Soledad: "Minnesotian: " These are all great suggestions. Thanks much. I like that frisbee idea. Might have to utilize that one. " The ones with lights are good when the days are short. " Yep! Bought a lighted one yesterday. It'll be coming on the trip.
Chair	01/28/2022 03:34PM I’ve discovered that a good quality folding lawn chair is the ultimate ice fishing/winter camping chair. They are comfortable, provide good back support, are easy to get in and out of, and are fairly light. You also get several color options.
Soledad	01/28/2022 02:26PM Minnesotian: " These are all great suggestions. Thanks much. I like that frisbee idea. Might have to utilize that one. " The ones with lights are good when the days are short.
Kawishiwashy	01/24/2022 10:12AM Wonder Monkey, what is your camp chair of choice?
WonderMonkey	01/23/2022 01:45PM A camp chair that is one size larger than I would on a normal backpacking trip. I'm taller so the one I take on a canoe trip has higher legs and makes it easier to get in and out multiple times. The below is divided up between my outdoors buddy and me. Draft beverage. I take this in a plastic foldable container like a Platypus. This adds plenty of weight but when you go hard to get into lesser populated areas, sitting there with your buddy having some beverage is awesome. After the first night or two, this is gone and we just rinse and roll up the containers. Actually, ONE of these containers turns into an extra thing of filtered water if we feel we need it in camp. Larger water filtration. A larger system means we get to camp and filter once and it lasts until we leave the next morning to include water to start the day's paddle. We take a Sirius/XM radio and a small external speaker. No, you can't hear it across the water, nor even across the campsite, but in the evenings when we are sitting there telling lies, we both like to enjoy music. With this setup comes taking an external battery and a solar panel. I take the battery and panel anyway to keep my InReach charged up (though it never needs it), so I take those two things anyway. A camp tarp. Some will feel this is not a luxury, and they may be right, but that's how I see it. I COULD just sit under the tarp over my hammock.
TreeBear	01/19/2022 10:13AM Winter lets me bring ice cream along on the trips, so there's that. The cot feels like a luxury to me because it adds a fair bit of weight, but, as others have said, with the toboggan you don't feel it so bad and I have found that I sleep awesome with it for the winter trips. It also maximizes the space in the hot tent since I can store gear under it.
Jaywalker	01/18/2022 05:02PM And I have to also add, I am really not sure why people most people would consider whiskey to be a luxury on any given winter trip.
Minnesotian	01/18/2022 04:14PM These are all great suggestions. Thanks much. I like that frisbee idea. Might have to utilize that one.
Jaywalker	01/18/2022 03:12PM Oh, thought of another.... A lot of people say to bring a second pair of liners for boots. I took that to the next level and bought a second pair of Steger Mukluks, and bring both on trips. The mukluk without the liner weighs very little and takes up little space so isn't much more than carrying a second liner. This way I always have a second pair of dry boots ready for my feet. Dry boots are warm boots.
bobbernumber3	01/18/2022 03:01PM I have winter camped a few times without ice fishing gear. I found it difficult to fill the day. I like cooking on the stove top and always take a cast iron skillet and enamel coffee pot. I have a thin sheet of plywood to use as a lap table and spend some time playing solitaire before bed. Last year with low snow conditions, I was able to drive my truck right to my camp site in the Hiawatha NF. Wow, talk about luxury items!!
Soledad	01/18/2022 02:35PM Farkle is a lot of fun while winter camping. My Exped is the first thing that comes to mind. The chair kit is pure luxury. I got a Black Diamond Remoji light for Christmas that I really like. It will replace Luminoodle light strands which get in the way of hanging gloves and boots from the ridgeline. I may purchase another one. My battery pack has two usb ports which would keep the lights on for as long as I would need them on a trip. A little whiskey A frisbee is a lot of fun too if it isn't real cold. oh and my Boom 3 will go with for music. We like music/audio books in the evening.
Jaywalker	01/17/2022 11:16PM I’m sort of struggling to figure our what is a luxury, given that I can haul more on my toboggan than I can on a double portage. If I were to try to go much more than several miles, a few things I might leave out might be: - led light strand. I like the ambiance it gives when strung by my ridge pole, and love that I can turn it out by remote. - I bring several home made candle lanterns. I could get by with me headlamp, but the candle light is so much nicer. - In addition to my main travel sweater, I typically bring a heavy turtleneck fisherman’s sweater that I pull on first thing in the morning. This, with my mukluks and a cap allow me to get out of bed and get the fire going. - I bring a small cooler that allows me to bring some comfort foods, like smoked salmon, herring, a variety of cheeses, half and half, eggs, and a few other things that would otherwise freeze. The cooler is also my main seat in the tent.
Minnesotian	01/15/2022 11:06AM Hey all, just wanted to pick everyone's brain on what sort of luxuries you bring while winter camping. Whether it be a special food, or game, or drink, I am curious. I have seen posts where people bring cast iron dutch ovens and make some amazing looking cobbler and such. For me, I always bring a flask of scotch, but that is for almost every camping trip no matter the season. I do bring a good battery pack and a string of warm-white LED lights that really light the inside of the tent really nice. Thanks, just trying to get some ideas for trips.