We have a small group thinking about an overnight camping trip on New Year’s weekend – probably Saturday night. We will launch at Bradford Landing in the afternoon, paddle down to the Burlingame Canoe campsites for the night, and paddle back in the morning after breakfast. At this point the forecast looks clear with relatively warm temperatures (day in the 30’s/40’s, night in the 20’s-30’s). Trip is open to all who are prepared for camping in cold weather – here are some things you’ll need:

Tent - a three-season tent will probably work fine for this trip since we are not expecting snow or wind, but a four-season tent is even better.

Sleeping Bag – to ensure comfort overnight, it’s a good idea to use a bag that's rated at least 10° colder than the temperature we will be out in.

Sleeping Pads - in cold weather its best to use two sleeping pads to keep from losing heat to the ground - a closed-cell foam pad on the tent floor, and an inflatable pad on top of that. Pads designed for winter use usually have an R-value of about 4.0 or higher.

Cloths – as always, dress in layers to match the conditions – a base layer next to the skin, then insulating layers to provide warmth, and finally outer layers to protect again rain and wind. Don’t forget a hat, gloves and appropriate footwear.

Food – we’ll do group meals for dinner and breakfast, and I’m sure we’ll have lots of snacks. We’ll probably cook on the fire.

Of course, everything is subject to change as we see the forecast closer to New Year’s, but if you are interested in joining please contact Erik Eckilson at eckilson@cox.net.