Why Why WHY am I posting a picture of my tent in snow when it's 105 degrees outside?  Because it's 105 degrees outside!!!  DUH!



There are many good things about Oklahoma, but summer isn't one of them. I had my first attempt at serious winter camping over New Year's this year.  Serious means it was 7 degrees.  SEVEN.  That's a single digit!!!



There was snow. Three feet of it.  Not a little dusting. Real snow. I've always considered myself a little bit of a weather weenie when it came to winter camping- but I've decided I'm more of a summer sucker.  I have good cold weather gear, and you can only shed so much in the heat of summer.  Makes sense to go when it's cold!



My super cool camping buddy dug out and trampled the tent spot.

Digression -there ARE criteria for good hiking/camping buddies:

• can they carry your pack if you collapse?  Bonus points if they can carry you AND your pack! 
• can they navigate?
• can they hang a bear bag?
• are they large enough to sustain you for several days if you are the sole survivor in a snow packed mountain pass?

These are important things to know. I conduct interviews and trial runs before I commit to serious camping with anyone! Except for the sole survivor part...

Back to the winter camping--- my buddy got the tent spot ready, we set up in the dark (we like the challenge) and threw in the Western Mountaineering bags, water bottles and puffy jackets. Kudos to #WesternMountaineering, #Hydroflask and #Patagonia!  We also buried a 2-gallon water container in the snow.

Wonder of wonders- I didn't freeze and neither did our water.  We had breakfast in a crisp, cool, clean, bright and totally unoccupied except for ourselves campground.  Heaven.

I am now a superfan of winter camping,  Summer heat, be gone!

Happy Trails!