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Venue for Winter Camping and BC Skiing

karlo

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The topic of backcountry skiing, to get away from resorts during the COVID-19 pandemic has come up in various threads. In a recent post, the use of a snowmobile came up, to get further into the backcountry. Well what about using it to carry all the gear for perhaps a week long winter camping experience? No doubt many of those in the know will want to keep it close to the vest, but is anyone willing to share some small jewels, venues for springtime winter camping, surrounded by great lines? The only one I know of, and only because it was suggested to me by a guide who was trying to set it up, is Juneau Ice-field. That would require flying in to set up camp.
 

Slim

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I do not know about snowmobile acces, but the Sierras are wellknown as a spring skiing and snow camping destination
 

Rod9301

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For winter camping, with 7 days of food, you can get the pack to 42 lbs
 
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karlo

karlo

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For winter camping, with 7 days of food, you can get the pack to 42 lbs
The best thing is that it’s not necessary to carry water or treat what’s drawn from a stream
 

Slim

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The best thing is that it’s not necessary to carry water or treat what’s drawn from a stream
Not true. You still need to treat your stream/lake water.
If you are referring to melting snow, first of all, especially old, spring snow, I wouldn’t be so sure of it’s cleanlines. I usually try and boil it a bit to be safe.
But even if you don’t boil the snowmelt water, fuel and time to melt snow are far more than treating liquid water with chemicals or UV.
Add in the larger pot needed for snow melting, and you are actually increasing pack weight, especially for a longer trip like 7 days.
 

Bad Bob

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Highway 20 in Washington. West end is the North Cascade Highway (closed to cars and trucks in winter months). Then you get to the Methow Valley, Mazama is the central 'town' through there (was once planed for a large ski area but too remote).
Oh hell, just throw a dart at Northern 1/2 of Washington North of I-90. Base it off of Highway 20. Too many spots to list.
 
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karlo

karlo

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Not true. You still need to treat your stream/lake water.
If you are referring to melting snow, first of all, especially old, spring snow, I wouldn’t be so sure of it’s cleanlines. I usually try and boil it a bit to be safe.
But even if you don’t boil the snowmelt water, fuel and time to melt snow are far more than treating liquid water with chemicals or UV.
Add in the larger pot needed for snow melting, and you are actually increasing pack weight, especially for a longer trip like 7 days.
Learned a nice trick from a guide. When there’s perhaps an 1/8 left in the bottle, add snow and shake well. Melts quickly.
I think, in the BC, clean snow will be easy enough to find. I suppose it depends on where and how trafficked.
 

Slim

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The only time I find clean snow is when it has just snowed. After a few days the snow is always dirty, and that has nothing to do with human traffic. Itks just the wind that blows dust, pine needles and bits of leaves onto the snow. But getting rid of that is more a matter of letting it settle and straining through a Piece of fabric .
 

Rod9301

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Learned a nice trick from a guide. When there’s perhaps an 1/8 left in the bottle, add snow and shake well. Melts quickly.
I think, in the BC, clean snow will be easy enough to find. I suppose it depends on where and how trafficked.
Actually, fill it with sure as soon as you drink, don't wait till it's almost empty.
This way you drink 1.7l for every litter that you start with
 

Pequenita

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I did my AIARE 1 in Mazama and loved the vibe of the area. But my feet have never been as cold as when I was riding the sled on closed 20. Holy. Moly.

I haven’t camped in the snow, but I’ve done winter hut trips. There, the stoves have been equipped with gadgets that sit alongside the stove and can be filled to melt snow for drinking water. Clean snow doesn’t need to be purified, but unless there’s an outhouse, you need to designate a pee spot. And also be mindful of which direction the wind is blowing, otherwise your water could taste like soot (from your own stove fire).
 
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