Cold Weather Snow Caves and Staying Warm Outside

Be Smart About Cold Weather

Cold weather can be dangerous. But not if you are smart about it. I grew up in North Dakota and Montana, so I’m no stranger to the cold. And fortunately, my father did too, so he taught me lessons he learned from growing up in Montana, hunting, fishing, and then time in the military regarding cold weather survival. Cold weather isn’t something to fear if you are prepared and smart about it.

My wife was sometimes curious because I always insisted on having blankets or sleeping bags in the vehicle, extra water, protein bars and snacks, extra warm clothes, a small shovel, and a bag that contained various gear including knives, matches, lighters, cans of Sterno, small saw, mirror, and other items that could be useful in an emergency. Sadly, the story of the Kim family in Oregon in 2006 really made her realize why I insisted on having such items in our vehicle if we left town.

I walk to school every morning, including days where it was below zero and the windchill factor was in the negative double digits. We’ve been fine. There is no way I ever want anything bad to happen to my daughter, so I make sure she is wearing appropriate clothing for the weather, and I monitor her to ensure she is okay when we are out in the cold. I also pay attention to my own body when I am out in the heat or cold, and I know how I am doing. I’ve never had a cold weather or heat injury during my years in the Army or times in extreme climates. So here are a couple of the most important things you should know.

Shelter Is Vital

In a winter survival situation, you must find or build shelter to protect you from the cold, wind and wet. These are the things that will steal your body heat, leading to hypothermia which can kill you. (If your core temperature drops to 92 degrees F (33 degrees C) or less, you won’t be able to help yourself any more.)  A snow cave is one kind of shelter.

If you are out hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, or other recreational outdoor activities, it would be good to know how to make various shelters in case you end up staying out in the woods longer than you plan. However, for many people, like the Kim family, staying with a vehicle is the smartest choice for shelter. Stay with the vehicle until help comes or weather clears to make your way to safety. But never leave like Mr. Kim did without proper clothing and gear. That is why he died.

Proper Clothing Is Your First Line Of Defense

To stay warm, we want to trap the heat from our body using insulation or dead air space by the clothing we wear. We add or subtract layers as the conditions warrant. There are three categories for clothing when we talk about layering: base layers, insulation layers, and environmental layers.

Base layers are used against the skin. They trap air close to the body, and should be made from a fabric that insulates while transporting (wicking) water vapor away from the body. You also want this base layer to be nonirritating and nonconstricting. Good choices include dark-colored, moisture-wicking, nonirritating, formfitting yet nonrestricting wool, silk or polypropelene material. Avoid cotton for a base layer.

Insulation layers are added or subtracted between the base and environmental layers as needed depending on the temperature. Choices for insulation layers include light or dark colored, nonrestricting, easy-on-and-off, ventable, easy-packing, resistant-to moisture-accumulation wool or synthetic material.

Environmental layers protect you against outdoor elements such as wind, rain, snow, sun and brush. These will vary depending on the elements you need protection from. Good choices for your environmental layer include bright or dark colored, light weight, loose fitting, ventable, wind and water resistant, abrasion resistant, synthetic material shells.

Good brightly colored, insulating, wind and water resistant gloves, hats, socks and boots will complete your wardrobe. Wool or synthetic socks are best. Avoid cotton. Well-fitted, broken in, water resistant and insulated boots are what you want over those wool or synthetic socks. There are many choices depending on the environment you will be in and the activities you will be doing. I really like having a balaclava handy to protect the face in the cold and wind as well as a good hat. (Both my daughter and I wear then on those coldest walks to school.)

Your clothing decisions will be based upon a variety of factors, which will include: cost, weight, bulk, fit, material properties, environmental temperatures, and for many, fashion. (While I’m always looking at the practicality and function of clothing, my wife is often more concerned with how something looks.) Fortunately, there are some fashionable clothing lines that make excellent cold weather clothing, albeit sometimes it gets a bit expensive.

Regardless of the clothes you end up purchasing and wearing, keep this tried and true acronym for winter wear in mind:

C = keep yourself and clothes CLEAN

O = avoid OVERHEATING

L = wear clothes LOOSE and in LAYERS

D = keep DRY

One of the simplest ways to stay warm in the winter, whether you are traveling and break down beside the road, or head out for winter recreation, is to make sure you are fully equipped with adequate clothing.

More information on snow caves, clothing and winter survival is available to members; I want to help you stay safe, defend if needed, and survive!

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