Anyway, I went winter camping this past January, and I realized I love camping; it was my first time camping in the cold, cold climes of winter, in northern Michigan. After talking to my neighbor, the gung-ho former Marine, he has gotten me totally interested in backpack camping, however, as far as equipment goes, I fall far short.
Three years ago, I joined a social group, which included camping, hiking and just about everything outdoors. Considering that, I have been camping for over 25 or more years, including camping as a cub scout. However, with this group I have gone camping 10 times since 2015.
Throughout those many years, I have only gone car camping, which help me carry all the equipment I could load into my car, enough to last an entire weekend, or more if I wanted to stay longer. In addition, all have included either a 20 or so mile bike ride or a hike.
As far as backpacking equipment, all I have now is a Day Pack, it, in its self, is large enough to hold all of the things I need to go on a 15 mile hike, my longest so far. I can carry my water, extra clothes, food, well, some nuts, bananas, apples and stuff like that, and my walking stick. But, that’s where Day backpacking hikes end and weekend backpack starts.
This past November I got the opportunity to camp at Sleeping Bear campsite near the shores of Lake Michigan, an entire weekend. However, it was kind of car camping because, my car was a little more than 15 feet away from me. However, I really enjoyed that weekend and now I like camping in cooler weather.
I do have a four season tent, (the advertisement states that it is a four season teat and the manufacture states that it is only a three season tent. I’m guessing for legal reasons...), which I bought earlier last year, and a sleeping bag, rated to 30 degrees. My only problem, I cannot fit all of that equipment into any of the backpacks I own.
On the other hand, considering, the temperature, that weekend, got down to 27 degrees both of those nights and the wind was gusting to 35 miles or more all night long, but I was toasty and warm all night long. For whatever reason, though, I cannot sleep, soundly, in a tent anyway.
Before I joined those outdoor groups, I usually camped with another group, but they camped once a year. And those weekend were on the shores of Lake Eire. For whatever reason, and the fact that the water was beating onto the shore, the noise kept me away all night long and that started my never being able to sleep in a tent. I guess I am more comfortable in my own bed."
To me honest, I have no gear that I could use to go backpack
camping, yet. I might be able to squeeze my tent and the rainfly a large enough
backpack, though. As it is now, I am saving to purchase a 60 liter Plus 10
Backpack. I should have enough money by the middle of August.
In the meantime, I am putting together a list of things to
purchase, light enough to go backpack camping this coming fall and winter. Then
I will be ready for a new adventure. I just hope I don’t freeze to death on one
of those marches to the campsite. That kind of happened, my feet freezing
solid, this past January when I forgot my second pair of wool socks.
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