Winter Camping part 2 of 6: Prepare for the Worst

[ghillisniper300]

There are so many great references in this video. Workin' it, workin' it.  And that's a nice sword as well! Take care.

[conleytgn]

@ghillisniper300 Lol it is sort of a sword isn't it. Thanks! and thanks for watching!

[Anatollyo]

nice video! your knife is just awesome!

[conleytgn]

@Anatollyo Hey thanks. Big knives are one useful tool when you're out in the wild. We're hoping to winter camp again this year. Thanks for watching!

[daviecr8on1]

An enjoyable video guys! I wanted to point out one thing though, the Sawvivor is built in Canada, not Sweden. I dunno if maybe Tom has a Swedish replacement blade in it? But as far as I know that saw comes with a stainless steal blade also made in Canada.

[conleytgn]

@daviecr8on1 Hey you might be right with the current models of the sawvivor. He's had that saw for probably a good 12 years with the original Swedish steel blade. He hasn't replaced the blade yet although we've been noticing how it's lost much of its cutting speed. The Sven saws are faster at this point but they are newer and a little heavier too. Thanks for watching!

[tigrionthemic]

I was wondering if you guys in the video thought of the fact that the covering of your shelter is far from anything you should use near a fire... it isn't fireproof or flame-retardant by itself.... did you spray it or overlooked it?

[conleytgn]

@tigrionthemic Hey thanks for watching! Yea, tarps aren't designed as flame retardant, but in 5 degree weather the odds of our tarp catching fire were next to nothing. The tarp all the way around and as far up as you can reach stays cold. Not just cool, but cold and wet (with condensation). I could see being wary of building your fire to a raging inferno, but with a small fire inside, I felt perfectly safe. The biggest worry is breathing in too much smoke.

[unopsec]

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A COMPREHENSIVE VIDEO WHAT GEAR YOU WOULD BRING ON A WINTER CAMPING TRIP.

1. TENT

2. FOOD AND COOK GEAR

3. CLOTHING, GLOVES AND HEAD GEAR

4. BOOTS, SOCKS ETC.

5. SLEEP GEAR

6. PACK, TOOLS AND EVERYTHING NOT COVERED IN 1 THRU 5

[conleytgn]

@unopsec Hey somehow your comment got flagged as spam and I didn't see it. I don't have that video in the plans at this point but since winter is about to really kick off here in Michigan, if we do decide to go camping this year maybe I'll do this as a video when I'm getting ready for the trip.

[Blackwater200]

WHAT no woman around to complain????

[conleytgn]

@Blackwater200 Ha ha. No, they have no interest in "Playing in the snow."

[ACIMpsychology]

manly men. engaged in manly deeds. manly.

[conleytgn]

@ACIMpsychology Aye! Manly Indeed!

[canesser1]

Always nice to cache a bunch for the winter trips. Did you by any chances try piling snow around the periphery of the teepee to create a better chimney effect? Can see what you're saying about a 2 man tent but more hands make the work go fast. You guys are a riot, enjoying your channel. Like a bunch of river otters having fun in the snow.

[conleytgn]

@canesser1 Yea the 3 sides without the door were sealed up well. The space under the door needs to stay open for fresh air to feed the fire and for us to breathe. It's pretty impressive how much air gets sucked in because of the warm air rising out the top. If you seal it up too tight you can see the walls suck in. Thanks for the complement, It makes me feel good to know people enjoy these videos. I just started posting vids from my Isle Royale trip. 1 is up and there are about 5 to go.

[canesser1]

Thanks for that, like the design. A friend was talking about this design for a cheap fly in moose hunt last year and wasn't so sure. Need to keep the firewood wood so small in those temps to keep a hotter fire. Wonder if adding rocks undernearth and around would have made a bigger difference in terms of combustion temperatures and less smoke?

[conleytgn]

@canesser1 Yea that might have helped. It is a little tricky to find rocks under the snow though. Once we had a good coal base going it wasn't too hard to keep it hot. Also we found the breeze drawn in under the door because of the draft tends to blow the sparks and embers toward that back wall where Jason was set up. It actually works better as a 2 man shelter. Don't even think about sitting on chairs or stools though, the higher you go the more smoke there is. You choke quick up there.

[canesser1]

Great trip. Starting to yearn for some wnter adventures up here in Canada just to the west of you and this was a great primer. What size tarp did you use by the way? That Cold Steel knife is sweet for batoning wood. Like to carry the ESEE Junglas for a camp knife, it processes an amazing amount of wood quickly with its 10" high carbon steel blade.

[conleytgn]

@canesser1 Hey thanks! It was a 12' by 24' tarp. It gives you roughly a 8' by 10' foot floor space. My one complaint about the design is it's pretty dang smokey and you have to really keep the fire hot if you want the smoke to clear. Other than that I love this structure.

[5dognight1]

Great set of videos guys. I really enjoyed watching them. I Iook forward to seeing more camping vids from you guys. You make a good team and it looks like you enjoyed yourselves. Hope you took that Cold Steel Trailmaster / sword off while sledding(you could lose a limb). I've got the CS Recon Scout myself. Well, greetings from Texas where we don't get that kinda snow...Hell, we're lucky to get WATER! Anyway, good job.

[conleytgn]

@5dognight1 Thanks a lot! We really enjoyed this trip, and the next videos about camping will be up in a few weeks. We did a fantastic week on Isle Royale backpacking. I've been eying that CS Recon Scout, I think with the coating on the blade and the shorter length it would be a really great option! Thanks again!

[brown55061]

Looks like you guys had a blast. Was this in the UP? I'm planning on trying to camp in the winter somewhere on the west coast of MI. Very nice areas up there for camping.

[conleytgn]

@brown55061 Hey brown I must have missed this comment. No this wasn't in the UP, it was actually not that far outside the Metro Detroit area. I can't remember exactly where we went because it was a new place, but I want to say it was in or near the Island Lake Recreation area.

[pennachescrive]

which is the name of the saw at 02:21? web shop where buy it, please?

[conleytgn]

@pennachescrive Hey Penna, that would be the Sven saw. It comes in 15 inch, or 21 inch blades. Mine is the 15 inch. A Google search pulls up numerous shopping results where it can be purchased. The other saw we used in this series of videos was the Sawvivor saw, which is also a great choice. Thanks for watching friend!

[georgewhedge]

Cold Steel Trailmaster is a beast, got one of those on my shopping list.!

[conleytgn]

@georgewhedge When you get it you won't be disappointed my friend.

[tofuComputer]

Several trees took several years to grow and then die just so you could make a YouTube video of a structure you used for only one or two nights. What a shame. Mother Earth deserves to be treated with more care and respect.

[conleytgn]

@tofuComputer, Thanks Tofu, for your concern, I'll paste the comment from earlier. Actually we were doing the forest a favor. You see all those trees we cut were ash trees decimated by the invasive species the Emerald Ash Borer, by cutting and burning them in winter we help to prevent the spread of the out of control Asian beetle. If we had cut live trees yes it would have been wasteful and even illegal. Thanks for your comment hope you enjoyed the videos.

[SansAuthoritas]

@tofuComputer

Nature was created for man. Not vice versa.

[conleytgn]

@SansAuthoritas Hey Sans, thanks for the comment. I agree with you, but I think included in that we do have a responsibility to protect and be good stewards of the nature we have been given. Our numbers are so great that if we willingly abuse nature there might not be much left at all to enjoy. So I do see both of your points. Although I still stand by our decision to cut and use the standing dead ash wood. I consider helping to prevent the spread of invasive species good stewardship of nature.

[SansAuthoritas]

@conleytgn

I'm all about being a good steward. The fact is, few people camp anymore. Especially if you're on private land, you've got every right to hack some dead wood down. Whenever I hack a tree, I try to cut it close to the base as possible, so it is not as noticeable. Lightning (and meteorites) have destroyed more forested land than man ever has or will. (Until they drop the nukes.) Logging is good for healthy forests. Logging companies maintain forests better than anyone else.

[conleytgn]

@SansAuthoritas Good point. Cutting it close to the dirt definitely makes it less noticeable for the next campers. Lets hope we don't have to worry about those nukes any time soon.

[SansAuthoritas]

@conleytgn

Amen to that. Really enjoyed your video series.

[conleytgn]

@SansAuthoritas Thanks! and thanks for watching!

[equalhappiness]

@SansAuthoritas I don't believe nor not believe that nature was created for man. I studied ecology a bit in college, and from my studies and from all else I've seen and heard I tend to think the planet is overpopulated with people.

[SansAuthoritas]

@equalhappiness

Tell me: what is the scientific definition of "overpopulation?" And what is the precise number of people that should exist? I want a number.

[2bidfilmsguy]

cool I haven't gone winter camping for a while, I camp up in Fremont Michigan so we get allot of lake effect, and the abandoned gravel pit I stay in gets pretty much inaccessible in the winter months.

[conleytgn]

@2bidfilmsguy Cool man. Yea winter camping was new for me that year. We went again this year, but i didn't shoot any video this time. This summer though we're planning on doing Isle Royal. I can't wait for this epic adventure!

[2bidfilmsguy]

@conleytgn I have a couple of friends that go up there every couple of years and they love the place, they said its a great place to go backpacking if you don't want to see anyone else most of the time your there, if your backpacking your very isolated.

[mukatsukuful]

Are there any bears around that camp site? Looks like a great place to do some summer camping as well. Nice video man.

[conleytgn]

@mukatsukuful Hey Thanks! In lower peninsula Michigan technically there are black bears, but they are very rare in this part of the state. The farther north you go the more likely you are to encounter one. Yea I bet summer camping there would be great with the lake and all. I'll have to swing by and check out this campsite again when it gets warm.

[32CyrusthevirusAggie]

I'll stick with shock cord :)

[bung121]

my girlfriend and i love winter camping. we made a small tipi like that but a lot smaller! wood burning stove heating us up with lots of snuggling too!

[conleytgn]

@bung121 Cool man, sounds like a great time! We didn't do any snuggling, regardless of any wise-cracks I might have made during the video. I like your wood stove Idea, bet that would work great.

[bung121]

@conleytgn we have long winters here in canada. so winter camping is easily available. i use the great northern camp stove. it's a bit heavy, about 30lbs. but it gives great heat. by the time we're set up and the fire going i only slept in a sweater, snow pants, socks, and a hat. i'm going to use an arctic tent from a surplus store. it should be warmer. where do you guys camp? that place looks awesome!

[conleytgn]

@bung121 Well this was just in one of the local state parks in southeast Michigan. We were right on the shores of a frozen lake not that far from civilization. We figured with the low foretasted temperatures we didn't want to be too far out in case something happened and we needed to bail. This winter I think we are going to try to go a little farther away maybe to the national forest or something like that. We're hoping one of the last weekends in January or maybe the beginning of February.

[mossydemon1984]

Way to cut down half the forest. What if every group of hikers did that? 

[conleytgn]

@mossydemon1984 Thanks for your concern demon, but actually we were doing the forest a favor. You see all those trees we cut were ash trees decimated by the invasive species the Emerald Ash Borer, by cutting and burning them in winter we help to prevent the spread of the out of control Asian beetle. If we had cut live trees yes it would have been wasteful and even illegal. Thanks for your comment hope you enjoyed the videos.

[Daytonaman675]

@conleytgn ah the ownage is strong in that post....well done ;)

[EmCeeDoubleC801]

@conleytgn haha burrrrrrrrnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!

[alexgoyettemobile]

i looked for more durable tarp . And did not make sure the poles wher slick , dint use stakes on this rocky ground surface . But over all i built a pretty big fire in there

[conleytgn]

@alexgoyettemobile Yea that tipi looked pretty big too. Also I like your adjustable pot holder you made, very cool!

[CdnLifeguard71]

Nice set up guys. Simple to make and looks like it kept you reasonably warm through the night.

[conleytgn]

@CdnLifeguard71 Hey thanks! It did, we just stacked wood by all of our heads so when we woke up with a low fire we could pile more wood on.

[GrinderMagee]

Excellent. Trail Master hell yea!

[conleytgn]

@GrinderMagee this is my very favorite knife.

[fappometer14]

Ha tube steak

[conleytgn]

@fappometer14 Mmmm Delicious fire roasted tube steaks wile camping, nothing like it in the whole world.

[klintonlee0711]

"swedish steel baby"

[conleytgn]

@klintonlee0711 swedish steel rocks with it's 5 degrees outside.

[medicjimr]

Really nice job with T Pee what size tarp did you guys use. 5/5

[conleytgn]

The Tarp is a 12' x 24' This size gives you a floor space roughly 8' x 10' ish. Any size can be used but it's much easier if it is a perfect 2 to 1 rectangular shape.