A good place to start with winter camping is our Deep Freeze packing list.  This one has been updated to reflect an important observation from the January 2009 campout — it’s important to bring matches in a waterproof case, not lighters.  The importance of being able to start a fire in cold weather should be obvious, but sometimes we forget.  The problem with lighters in cold weather might not be so obvious — butane doesn’t vaporize below freezing!  If all you have is a lighter you can try to keep it warm (in an inside pocket, for example) but if it’s cold enough it won’t work at all.  Bring plenty of matches, and keep them dry.

Also, here’s a handout that Troop 119 has produced.  It also includes a good checklist for winter camping. When you read through these handouts, be aware that winter camping may take a little more thought about conditions and activities than you might need for trips in milder weather.  Notice also that the Troop 119 handout also recommends bringing matches in a waterproof container, rather than lighters — great minds think alike.

Flintlock District put together a CD of winter camping material in 2005. Here we’ve got links to the sources of the material on the CD. It’s pretty useful for winter camping in general, and equipment in particular.

Winter Camping Manual from Scouting in Canada

Princeton Outdoor Action’s page on Winter Activities

Winter Camping

Snow Shelters (including Quinzees)

Hypothermia and Cold Weather Injuries

Another link on How to Build a Quinzee

Vapor Barriers — Why?, from Stephenson’s Warmlite

Gwasa-Okpik Winter Camping Training Course

MassWildlife’s Ice Strength Table

Some additional information is available in books available from National. The Troop also has copies of these books — check with Hank Manz or Barry Griffiths:

Troop Program Features, vol. 3

Woods Wisdom (if you can find a copy — it seems to be out of print)

Finally, an inspirational and/or cautionary tale: Jack London’s “To Build a Fire”