It's time to sign up for the Snowcamping Training Series

Saturday, January 20 - classroom day in Oakland; for trip dates, see application form.
Sunday, December 31 - application deadline.

Birds, mammals, plants, and even bacteria that regularly live in the snow have evolved special adaptations to survive and even thrive - like the red algae you sometimes see in high-altitude Sierra snowfields that only become active when the snow starts to melt each year. But for humans, staying warm and comfortable can be challenging, at best, and life-threatening if you aren't prepared and don't know what to do. That's why the annual Snowcamping Training Series offered by the Chapter's Snowcamping Section is so popular. Now is the time to apply to try it out this winter.

Every winter about 80 backpackers sign up for this hands-on, participatory course based on sharing personal experiences and skills in a warm (personalities, not temperature), cooperative environment. It includes one full-day orientation session and two weekend trips (the first for two days, the second for three). For those who really love it, there's the opportunity to return year after year as section leaders and assistants, or on "Alumni Trips" offered to course graduates (see article below).

This winter the mandatory day of classroom training will be Sat., Jan. 20. The morning will begin with slides from previous trips (they give you a good sense of what you're getting into) and end with the film "By Nature's Rules". The gear's out of date, but the message remains the same in this classic 1974 film about hypothermia.

The remainder of the day will be spent with your group. The section has four groups for adults and one for families with children aged 7 and above, and they all have different trip dates. Some of the groups fill up quickly; get your application in right away to get your first pick.

Leaders and assistants will bring their equipment and put on a "show and tell" so that you can see firsthand what works and what doesn't in clothing, shelters, food, cooking, and most importantly, sleeping. In case you're curious, here are a few tips.

Don't bring any cotton! Wet cotton absorbs your body heat and makes you colder.
Do bring two insulating mats. In winter you need extra insulation from the cold ground when you sleep.
Make or buy a small platform for your stove so that it won't sink into the snow when it gets hot (we'll show you some good homemade examples).
Never set a pot filled with snow directly over a hot flame, or it will scorch. Instead put in a little liquid water first. If you don't have any, carefully melt a little snow over the flame before you fill it up.
For extra warmth, take a Nalgene bottle filled with hot water to bed with you. It will help keep you warm for much of the night.

The afternoon session also includes an introduction to using a map and compass and planning for the first trip. Carpools are arranged, as well as smaller groups for sharing dinners, cooking equipment, and tents. Even though many people chose to build snow shelters, we take enough tents to have a space for everyone in case they're needed.

On the morning of your first trip, everyone will meet at the assigned time at the trailhead. Many of the groups go up the night before and share hotel rooms or cabins and meet for breakfast beforehand. Once all group equipment has been distributed, everyone will orient their maps and practice taking compass bearings. The goal is to reach the day's destination by early afternoon with a few navigational stops along the way. Once there, snowshelters will be built, tents set up, and kitchens dug out of the snow. After changing into dry clothing, you'll stoke stoves and gather for the evening meal.

In the morning we take a tour of shelters to find out what did and did not work the night before, and if there's time, groups go on a short snowshoe hike and practice more navigation before leaving. The second trip is similar to the first, with a full day of snowshoeing and/or navigation practice on the second day.

To sign up for the Series, you must complete an application form and submit it with your payment by Sun., Dec. 31 (Sierra Club members - $98; non-members - $103; each accompanied child - $20). If you apply by the early-bird deadline of Fri., Dec. 1, you will receive a $10 discount off the regular adult fee.

The application form includes all trip dates, and you select your preferred dates. But remember, some groups fill up quickly; get your application in ASAP to ensure your selection.

You can apply on-line or download an application from www.snowcamping.org or request one by email from snowcamping -at- snowcamping.org or call (415) 487-5465. You can also get more information and receive an application at one of our Snowcamping Clinics at the following locations.

Wed., Nov. 15, at Marmot Mountain Works, Berkeley, at 6:30 pm;
Thu., Nov. 16, at Sports Basement, Presidio, San Francisco at 6:30 pm;
Wed., Nov. 29, at REI Mountain View at 7 pm;
Thu., Nov. 30, at REI Corte Madera at 7 pm;
Tue., Dec. 5, at REI Concord at 7 pm;
Tue. Dec. 5, at REI Fremont at 7 pm;
Thu., Dec. 7, at REI Santa Rosa at 7 pm.

Marilyn Hope Smulyan