By Jennifer Flattery
Have you always wanted to keep backpacking even after the warm weather ends? Does eating hot berry cobbler in a comfy snow kitchen while watching the sun set over the snow-covered mountains sound tempting? True wilderness comes with winter, when snow creates a unique stillness and beauty and enlarges the backcountry to areas inaccessible during the other three seasons.
You can learn how to camp in the snow with confidence and comfort by taking the Sierra Club Snowcamping Section’s annual training series, offered for the 49th year. The section has taught generations of people the skills for winter navigation, shelter construction, how to stay warm, how to cook, and other winter tips and tricks. The training series teaches groups of adults, families, or youth during a full-day classroom session in Emeryville, followed by two weekend trips (one two-day, one three-day) in the Sierra to practice what we’ve learned. Each group has leaders with years of experience and multiple assistant leaders to guarantee a small student to leader ratio.
Kids and snow are a natural match for big fun, so families with children eight and older have a special group that focuses on the unique challenges and joys of taking kids into the winter backcountry. There are also many alumni trips for graduates of the training series, since people bitten by the snowcamping bug can’t seem to stop. Youth groups like scouts may also be accommodated as space and staffing allow.
This training is not for the complete backcountry rookie; all students must apply and we ask that all applicants be in good physical shape and have backpacking experience. The early-bird application deadline is 11/30/17, and the final deadline is 12/16/17. The full-day classroom training is 1/20/18 and is mandatory. Trip dates vary by group. Sign up soon to select dates that work for you and get the early-bird discount. A limited number of scholarships are also available.
For more information and to sign up, visit our website: www.snowcamping.org. There’s no camping like snowcamping!
Photo by Walter Hsiao