Waldorf Academy Toronto Publishes ‘The Beauty of Winter Camping’

The Waldorf Academy, based in Toronto, recently published a blog post regarding ‘The Beauty of Winter Camping’. The article discusses the benefits and drawbacks of camping during winter in Toronto.

“At Waldorf Academy, a Toronto grade 7 alternative school, we believe that camping is important in helping develop young minds at this critical age, and this is why we include camping in our curriculum for this age group,” says Waldorf Academy. "Most people choose to go camping in summer, spring, or even autumn but hardly ever in winter, especially with the snowy conditions that Ontario’s winter offers."

The cold temperatures and whether or not they are prepared enough serves as a major deterrent to potential winter campers. “However,” Waldorf Academy asserts, “being outside in nature, without the crowds (and bugs) that you’ll find the rest of the year can be a magical experience. Watching the snow fall, away from bright city lights, sipping hot chocolate under the stars, and bonding over a shared experience can shift your perspective away from a fear-based mentality.”

“It’s not as hard as you think,” assures Waldorf. While winter camping may take more preparation than camping during the rest of the year, the experience can be memorable and enjoyable given adequate preparation. Winter camping requires an investment in proper winter gear, learning how to start and maintain a fire when the ground is cold or covered in snow, and preparing an emergency plan in case things do not go as expected.

Waldorf Academy’s article provides a list of ways in which winter campers can prepare for the experience. “Pack the right clothes,” advises the academy, for instance. Winter is a situation where being excessively prepared is always appropriate. Campers are further encouraged to make a checklist to avoid the possibility of leaving important items behind.

The article also encourages people to bring several layers of warm clothing along with additional dry clothes to sleep in, in addition to footwear—waterproof boots being the academy’s recommendation. “Synthetic fibres are ideal over cotton, and Merino wool will keep you warm and trap heat,” says the academy. A winter sleeping bag is a necessity, with sleeping bag liners and hot water bottles adding a little more warmth to the camping experience.

“Proper nutrition and staying hydrated are very important for winter camping,” maintains Waldorf Academy. The cold of winter causes the body to burn more energy trying to keep warm than in summer. Campers are encouraged to bring extra fuel for their camp stove as they will likely find themselves melting snow for water in addition to what they’d normally need to cook food. “Keep your meals simple,” campers are advised, as cooking outdoors in winter presents a number of difficulties. Keeping meals simple and easy to prepare allows campers to circumvent this issue.

Starting and maintaining a fire in the snow takes more preparation and effort that in the warmer, drier months of the year. It may be difficult to purchase firewood in winter, and so campers are advised to bring their own firewood or make plans to purchase some well in advance. Fire starters, wood, paper, and an extra lighter or two are all necessary to make a winter camping trip enjoyable and worthwhile.

In addition to clothing, food, and fire supplies, winter campers should carry a small shovel to help with clearing snow from their camping site, a four-seasons tent along with a tarp in case of rain or snow, and multiple sources of lighting. Assuming they have prepared everything else, campers should be ready to enjoy a winter camping trip with no issues at all. However, an emergency plan in the unlikely event that things go wrong is absolutely necessary.

Winter camping can be a beautiful experience, sometimes even better than summer camping. The lack of people, scarcity of insects, the solitude and peace all contribute to make it a beautiful experience.

Waldorf Academy Toronto is a grade seven alternative school. The school, in addition to the recently published article, has a YouTube channel that hosts content related to the school’s many activities. Those interested may also contact Jennifer Deathe of Waldorf Academy to learn more.