YOU MUST HAVE
If any of these sound unfamiliar the reasons are at Snow or rain camp must-haves
__waterproof boots __ waterproof rain jacket with a hood and rain pants
____ warm jacket or parka
At least two changes of clothes:
____ wool or fleece pants ____ gloves or mittens
____ long underwear / base layers (top and bottom)
____ many different warm inner layers like sweaters, a wool workshirt, or a vest
____changes of shirt.
____synthetic or wool socks (as many pairs as you can find; NOT COTTON)
______ even more synthetic or wool socks NOT COTTON
_____ hat ____ personal toiletries kit, towel
_____High-SPF sunscreen ____ dry skin lotion
_____ Chapstick (with sunscreen)
____ not-cheap sunglasses ___ whistle
____ very good sleeping bag
____sheet or blanket to cover your bag
____ insulating sleeping pad, (or two) Maybe an additional air mattress, chaise lounge pad or futon
____ freestanding tent suitable for snow camping
___ your sense of humor ____tire chains
____ one or two large screw-top water bottles that never had anything but water in them
____ personal small first aid kit
____ cash/credit card for your share of the park entrance fee, gas, chain rental
____ real flashlight (electric torch), not one of the types you squeeze to make it work, or a tiny key chain model, (or a headlamp).
____ some food that requires no cooking, for lunch and snacks on a hike, or in case the weather prevents or hampers cooking and a power outage closes the restaurants
___ enough money to eat out,
but in case the restaurants are closed: _____ food that is precooked and only needs to be rewarmed or that is very simple to cook Maybe some fancy food that does require fancy cooking
If you cook out:
____ personal dishes, silverware, pans, cooking utensils
____ dish soap, scrubbie, paper towels, etc.
____ stove, fuel ____ potholder
____ if you use charcoal you need charcoal lighter fluid
____ good wood matches, preferably some waterproof, not paper “book” matches
___ no raw chicken!!!
_____ think through the whole process of whatever you will cook and remember to bring a small container ( the minimum you need) of each ‘ingredient,’ like mustard, mayo, cooking oil, grated cheese, butter, eggs, milk, green onions, pickles, barbecue sauce, pepper, salad dressing, sugar, or……. and can opener, paring knife, foil, sandwich bags, ….
YOU WILL WISH YOU HAD
____ high-carbohydrate/high-fat snacks for just before bedtime to help keep you warm while you sleep (cashews or peanuts, for example)
____ marshmallows, chocolate bars and graham crackers
___ polypropylene glove and sock liners __ headband
__knit scarf ___ gaiters
____more towels; they may not dry between showers
___head phone cassette player ____ thermos
_____ pair of shorts in case we get a brief spell of early spring weather
____ red cellophane for over your flashlight on a night hike to protect your night vision
____ mini-alarm clock
____second flashlight or ‘snake light’ or headlamp, extra batteries, bulb
____ homework, laptop
___insulated drinking mug and a second one for the main course
___ more firewood (but we can’t bring any from home, we need to buy it in the park, or use Presto-type “logs” or collect it in the park outside of Yosemite Valley)
___ compact umbrella
______ backpack rather than a tiny daypack for hikes
___ real sled or tube if you want to slide snowbanks
_____chemical hand warmers ____ guitar, music
____ candles, preferably in a candle lantern
_____ set of decent clothes/shoes so you can eat out at one of the restaurants
_____ rollerblades (and pads, helmet)
_____more gloves _____ booties or fleece socks
___ hot water bottle for bedtime
___ favorite pillow ____ extra blanket(s)
_____ folding or pop-up chair ____ snow shovel
____ dining canopy ____ swimsuit and cap
____ long handled cooking utensils and a pot gripper
____ more small pans ____ journal, pen
____ “Wash’n Dri” or other antibacterial towelettes
_____ extra money for postcards, t-shirts, etc.
____ extra empty, clean gallon bleach, milk or juice bottles to bring water to the campsite from the faucets
____ can (maybe a few cans) of spray de-icer for your car windshield and possibly door locks
____a real windshield ice scraper
_____ solvent in your windshield washer reservoir
____ something to kneel on while you put on the tire chains
_____cat litter or sand
____ spare door and/or ignition key
___ an extra tarp to cover the car or at least the windshield
____ something to wrap the stove propane canister in before you store it at night to keep it from freezing
____ extra large leaf size plastic bags
___ small hiking plastic litter bag ____ deck of cards
____ gallon sized bags to wrap around your socks as you put your feet into boots that turned out to not be waterproof
____ quarters and dimes for the dryers at the laundromat
___ lantern / extra fuel / spare propane
____ camera and more film than you thought you could use, lenses, filters, tripod
_____small, deep plastic trash can(s) or other plastic box(es) close to, but no more than, 17 inches tall
____ A credit card
_____ charger for your cell phone/camera
No one going out on a day hike expects really bad things to happen, but any wise traveler should be prepared to be able to even stay overnight on the trail and survive. For a day hike in the winter you need to pack some of the “must have” gear from the preceding list:
rain gear, hat for sun and a warm hat, two or three lunches per person, flashlight or headlamp, water bottle(s), layers of warm clothes, gloves, sunglasses, high SPF sunscreen (put a layer on in the morning so you won’t forget to use it, and bring some extra), chapstick, hand lotion, personal first aid kit, whistle
and add: ___jackknife
___toilet paper, trowel and knowledge of how to use them
____Personal I.D.s such as driver’s license, medical insurance card, credit card, power of attorney for health care card, auto assn. card, spare car keys
____ litter bag.
____compass
____ map
____waterproof matches (or matches in a waterproof container)
____ firestarter
____ water purifier pump (plus chemical means should the pump die, but be sure the chemical method you choose will work against cryptosporidium and giardia and note how long (four hours??) the water must be treated for the treatment to be effective)
Nice for a hike, but not always necessary:
____croakies to hold your sunglasses on while you peer over the top of a view point
____ spare socks
____spare prescription glasses or contacts and fluid
____ moleskin (if you know you need it, put it on before the hike)
____Spenco 2nd Skin
____camera, _____more film than you think you’ll need
____lenses ___ tripod
____small notepad and pencil ____minibinoculars
____ duct tape wrapped around one person’s water bottle to repair various things
____a couple of large plastic leaf bags for various emergency uses or just to make a rain poncho for another hiker
___ a chemical handwarmer packet.
(If you bring a cell phone don’t leave your brains behind and take extra risks).
You won’t be able to fit all this in a tiny day pack. A real, ____full-sized backpack would be much wiser
AND then you can fit____ enough water (even 2 or 3 liters each)
for that long hike. Hiking dehydrated is a miserable experience.
Do not bring:
boomboxes, drums, generators, noisy equipment to fill air mattresses, etc. (noise is the first thing other campers complain about to the rangers)
firearms or drones
alcoholic beverages or mind-altering drugs on college sponsored events
clothes that have been rinsed or dried with mosquito-attracting scented softeners (dryer sheets can make a greasy stain on clothes if they get stuck to them, and the softeners can decrease the lofting and wicking of garments)
organic French lavender hand sanitizer spray, since it will attract bears into your car, and attract mosquitoes to you.
salt tablets–but do bring salty soups and snacks and maybe a tiny salt shaker
a snake bite kit with razor blades or a suture kit–take a real first aid class and learn how to handle emergencies properly
No baseball, frisbee, kite flying, soccer, biking or other trampling of meadows! .
Many parks ban volleyball/badminton, etc. in campsites or on beaches, but you might find a place you can play.
Again, if any of these sound unfamiliar the reasons are at Snow or rain camp must-haves. This webpage list is not as comprehensive.
see also: Have more fun camping