Welcome to the Snowcamping Training Series!
As we like to say, there is no camping like snowcamping! Camping in winter is a unique and enjoyable experience when properly prepared. It presents a new set of opportunities and challenges for outdoor enthusiasts. The Sierra Club Snowcamping Training Series provides experienced backpackers, cross country skiers, snowshoers, and backcountry snowboarders with the information, training, and support needed to ensure safe and enjoyable winter adventures!
A detailed description of the training series is available on the training details page. You can check the dates for the different groups, and sign up for groups with openings, on the training application page.
Snowcamping at Crocker Point, Yosemite
Why Snowcamping?
- Want to extend your summer backpacking season?
- Ever wonder how that lawyer survived being trapped in the Sierra snow for three days?
- Ever worried that you’re not prepared when you go cross country skiing or backcountry snowboarding?
- Learn winter survival from a team that has taken over 4,200 individuals snow camping for over the last 43 years!
Basic Training Series Description
The San Francisco Bay Chapter of the Sierra Club offers a comprehensive training course in snowcamping. Each year a select group of individuals and families participate in this opportunity to experience the wonders of the Sierra Nevada backcountry in the winter. Our program includes:
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- A full-day in-classroom training program.
- Two weekend trips (one two-day, one three-day) to experience snow camping first hand.
These trips aren’t for wimps! We ask that all applicants be in good physical shape and have some backcountry experience.
The objective of the series is to provide experienced backpackers, cross country skiers, snowshoers, and backcountry snowboarders with the information, training, and support needed to ensure safe and enjoyable winter adventures!
Our trips are highly participatory; learning is achieved through group involvement, the sharing of personal experiences and skills, and practical experience in the field. Participants will be divided into groups with one to two very experienced leaders and several trained assistant leaders.
What you will learn
- Winter survival techniques
- Proper clothing and gear for all seasons
- How to recognize and treat hypothermia
- How to build a snow cave.
- Basic map and compass skills
- Winter backcountry cooking techniques (snow kitchen)
What you will get
- One day of classroom training
- Five days and three nights of hands-on snow camping experience
- Snowcamping Training Manual
- A Snowcamping T-shirt, mug, or souvenir to remember the experience
- An opportunity to make a lot of great friends and see some beautiful winter scenery