Emilie Burditt
I wake up to a sheet of frost pushing itself into the corners of my neck warmer, hat and layers of clothing. I barely open my eyes to stare at the snow I’m sleeping on. I try to summon enough motivation to creep out of my warm sleeping bag and into subzero weather.
I chose this. I’m winter camping in Rainbow Lake Wilderness in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest with my dad, Scott. It’s what we call fun.
“Oatmeal?” my dad asks. The wood stove had gone cold about eight hours earlier, but my dad braved the frosty morning temps to restart it. I sprinkle some now-frozen figs and dried fruit over my breakfast.
My dad and I have explored Quetico Provincial Park, among other Canadian provincial parks, since I was three years old, and we’ve been canoeing through them since I was 12. We started blogging about it recently, mostly reflecting on what the wilderness can do for your mind and for family relationships. Before we head off into the woods, people give us more looks of “you’re crazy” than “have fun.” But fun is exactly what it is for us. We embrace challenges like this.
And I’m not joking when I say we are winter camping. There is no cabin, no hotel. Our camping site is a two-mile walk from the parking lot. With a sled dog named Smoke, we haul in a floorless canvas tent, wood stove, freeze-dried food, fishing gear and a lot of warm layers, across a frozen lake and wilderness trails.
When we arrive at our destination, we have to dig snow out of a 10-by-12-foot area for our tent; cut down dead trees, saw them into logs, drag them across the lake and chop them up for firewood; and drill holes in the ice for drinking water with a manual ice auger. No motors allowed here.
We are up against the elements. On the walk in, my snowshoes kick snow onto the back of my pant legs, soaking my lower calves and feet. By the time I take my socks and pants off, I can’t feel my feet. “Let’s cut wood for the stove,” I say to my dad. “I don’t want to get frostbite.”
Even so, later that night, my feet feel like they are burning as they thaw from yellow to bright red in my sleeping bag, giving me pins and needles. Yikes.
But we’re having a lot of fun. We cross-country ski, fish for crappies, take night walks on the lake, relax in a hammock (yep), make hot chocolate and play with Smoke.
The most important part of winter camping is to be prepared, both mentally and by bringing the right gear. That can make or break a trip.
Using a floorless, canvas tent can also make a huge difference. Without a floor, there’s no canvas to get dirty or burned by embers since our stove is inside the tent. We wash our dishes and dump the dirty water on the ground. And we cover the ground with pine boughs, creating a wonderfully scented carpet.
If you ever go winter camping, know that you can stay warm all day with good boots, mittens, headgear and layers of clothing. It’s not going to feel like the even, consistent warmth of a radiator or forced-air furnace, but a stoked wood burner can turn your tent into a dry sauna. If you want, you can take it one step further by cold camping, meaning you’re camping with nothing but your clothes and your campfire for heat.
It’s all a small price to pay for the experience of a dad-daughter trip. This is one of the only times I talk openly with my dad about what’s happening in my life, and what’s happening in his. By the time the sun has set and we’re comfortably sitting in our sleeping bags with a cup of hot cocoa, we’re talking about school, relationships, the future. It’s a true bonding experience.
The wilderness eliminates distraction and clears the mind, especially when you’re out of cell range, unable to text or post on social channels. Our devices may cause more distraction than you think.
So get out into the woods to a place where you won’t run into anyone else. Solitude is another winter camping bonus.
Daughters, convince your dads. Or dads, convince your daughters. The woods are good for you.
Area to explore in Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest: 1.5 million acres
Favorite dehydrated food: Backpacker’s Pantry’s Kathmandu Curry
Extra essentials: bungee cords, plastic bags
Lowest nighttime temperature: -6 degrees Fahrenheit
Number of exclusive dad-daughter trips so far: 7
