I am going to be taking my wife and 3 adult daughters day trip skiing into the BWCA in January as a precursor to overnight trips in the future. On another thread JWartman has got me wondering what is an appropriate amount of gear to take along. Taking enough for emergency overnight camping seems excessive. Any and all thoughts appreciated.
Jon

Here's what I would take:

1. Variety of fire making/starting materials including several lighters and material spread amongst the members.
2. An emergency blanket or bivy sack for each member or both.
3. A small pot to boil water.
4. Metal cup of some kind to store warm water (I use an insulated mug with a top). You should be bringing water along with you so you can stay hydrated.
5. Spare clothing that easily goes over the clothing you will be wearing like larger wool or fleece tops.
6. Wind layer (you should have this anyways)
7. My down sleeping bag from Marmot though not rated for winter isn't very heavy so if it were me I might take that along.
8. If you have a Spot locator then why not bring it?
9. Chemical hand warmers or body type.
10. First aid kit with the basics.
11. Head lamp or flashlight.

I'll let other people add to the list as I can't think of more but I'm sure there would be some additional things. Since pulling a sled usually isn't that hard then why not pull one? Unless you are planning on a fast ski. Otherwise everyone should have a minimum kit of fire starting material and an emergency blanket/sack of some kind.

I'd be sure to leave word with someone you trust of your plan, the route you are going and the time you should be out by along with the emergnecy number to the county sheriff for the area you are in. Just in case.

quote Primitiveman: "I am going to be taking my wife and 3 adult daughters day trip skiing into the BWCA in January as a precursor to overnight trips in the future. On another thread JWartman has got me wondering what is an appropriate amount of gear to take along. Taking enough for emergency overnight camping seems excessive. Any and all thoughts appreciated.
Jon "

It would really depend on how far in you were planning on going. Food and water for the day along with a way to get more water would be a minimum I would start with as you will need that no matter what happens.

As for the long list of overnight gear, I wouldn't bother. I would say a day trip around 2 miles in, most adversities could be overcome by walking out. Either all of you or two just to go for help.

If you bring a multi-tool and are at all handy, all these things can be constructed if absolutely needed. A pop can stove and a yellow bottle of HEAT would make a lot of water out of snow. Of course you would need a pot to put it in.

back country skiing in the bwca is something that requires a bit of planning. if you are breaking trail on lakes and portages many things can happen to slow your progress to a crawl. lake slush can and will stop you in your tracks. you will need a scraper for this, also waterproof gloves and spare gloves. portages were designed for portaging, skiing these trails can be treacherous. this is a time when you may have to take off your skis and hike. i always carry a day pack that is designed to carry skis and fill it with essentials. you want to keep the weight down. a heavy pack really screws up your balance. for sure essentials are matches, spare gloves, a warm jacket and more matches. if you carry water it may freeze, an insulated water holder is nice. a pot to melt snow is also a good idea. keep an eye on the weather, skiing in a white out blizzard may be exciting but it can really mess with your orientation, i always bring a map and compass. if it is a beautiful sunny day forget all of this and just go have fun. for a special treat i carry a spare chihuahua.

It may seem excessive, but you should always prepare for the worst case scenario whilst winter day tripping. If someone gets hurt, you may be stuck over night. Plan accordingly.

In addition, always plan for the possibility of getting wet. Have extra clothing and a variety of fire making devices.

Better safe then sorry.

A compass and map are a great idea. A map, besides helping with navigation will give you a better sense of what you can count on to see while out.

For getting stuck overnight I was thinking a shovel to make an snow cave/igloo. But won't sleeping in the snow in any type of bivy sack or emergency blanket require a pad too? I can see my wife becoming alarmed with this level of preparedness, but the thoughts are all great and we should be able to carry it all in 5 small daypacks. Keep the suggestions coming! TIA
Jon

you got to draw the line somewhere. if you are planning an overnight, bring your stuff, but skiing will not be very enjoyable. thousands of people day ski into the bwca with no problems, with a little caution you should be fine. now if the temps are in way below zeros, it happens often, you probably won't be skiing very far anyways. today in minneapolis it felt cold even though it is only in the zeros.

quote jwartman59: " i always bring a map and compass. if it is a beautiful sunny day forget all of this and just go have fun. for a special treat i carry a spare chihuahua.



"

***LIKE***

I guess that I have traveled lite all these years.
A multi tool, Thermos with scalding hot water(you can always add snow to cool in a cup), Snacks,
A down jacket, and extra layer of hat, mitten liners,wind clothes and long underwear, matches and Vaseline soaked cotton balls. The day pack must have a foam back panel in case of someone needing to sit for an extended time. A small tarp or space blanket. Mukluks in case you need to walk out.
Space in the pack is a must for layering off what clothes you start with.
Knowing your Skill set is the most important thing I believe. Knowing your equipment well and it's limitations as well as those with you.

Thanks for the great help here. I am really getting a clear idea of the gear we will bring. But since there are 5 of us we can go a little heavier. And I am thinking 1 chihuahua for the group instead of 1 each. My wife has always been against me getting a dog, maybe this will fly as it won't be coming back after the trip. I can't wait to see the look on her face when she gets a Chihuahua for Xmas. Thanks again for the great suggestions!
Jon

quote DanCooke: "I guess that I have traveled lite all these years.
A multi tool, Thermos with scalding hot water(you can always add snow to cool in a cup), Snacks,
A down jacket, and extra layer of hat, mitten liners,wind clothes and long underwear, matches and Vaseline soaked cotton balls. The day pack must have a foam back panel in case of someone needing to sit for an extended time. A small tarp or space blanket. Mukluks in case you need to walk out.
Space in the pack is a must for layering off what clothes you start with.
Knowing your Skill set is the most important thing I believe. Knowing your equipment well and it's limitations as well as those with you. "

***LIKE***

Hot chocolate, enough cups, and a way to boil some water.