see also:

• comparison of full fabric 2P and 3P tents for colder nights
• keeping warm when camping or hiking
• tips for better sleeping when camping
• snow in Victoria
• Youtube tips by Surviving Ringworm

• camping in the snow in good weather can be a fantastic experience if you are prepared, and you can minimise risks by camping near your car

• a warm sleeping bag or quilt rated for at least 5-10degC BELOW the coldest temperatures you are expecting
• an insulated sleeping pad / mattress (NOT an air bed!) with an R value above 6 (or as a minimum, above R4.0)
• a shelter such as :
  • 3 season double wall tent if weather is great - has less condensation than most 4 season tents
  • 4 season double wall tent if you want more protection
  • you can even just do tarp camping under the stars
  • NB. swags are not fun in the snow - get a double wall tent that is very easy to put up in snow conditions
• clothing to suit the conditions and use layers to avoid getting sweaty
  • boots should have removable inners so you can dry them out and they don't freeze overnight
  • beanies of different thicknesses
  • gloves of different thicknesses
• a stove to boil water and bring extra fuel than what you think you will need
• water (you can use snow but it will use up a LOT of gas to get it to melt and boil! - doing this may need 2-3x more gas than usual)
• snow shoes if you will have thick snow and you plan to do some walking
• a wide shovel to shovel snow to create a tent site or sleeping site, etc
  • if no shovel, stomp down the snow where you are going to pitch the tent
• a Nalgene bottle which you can fill with hot water to help keep you warm at night or use it to dry out wet socks placed on top of it
• the usual personal beacons etc in case things go wrong
• consider a stool - it's not fun sitting on freezing rocks or ground!
• some may consider trying out a hot tent but this is not really necessary, although if the weight is not an issue, it is a gamechanger in winter!
  • taking a wood stove for a hot tent, you may need a sled to get it to the site!

• first trample down all the snow that your tent will be on (including the vestibules)
• smooth the surface with skis or snowshoes as any lumps left will freeze and become obstacles inside the tent.
• use snowpegs and peg out
• guy/peg out one end if it is not free-standing
• push your poles through the sleeves
• pull up your tent but never let go as the wind will take it away and guy/peg the other end
• immediately put your pack (or if sharing, you fellow camper inside it)
• finish guying out and pegging by stamping a hole and putting the snow peg into it (if placed straight into uncompressed snow, it will simply pull out)

• if you are thinking of going through Victoria's alps in snow time on 4WD tracks ensure your 4WD can handle it with alpine diesel, diff lockers, lifted, mud terrain tyres, winches, etc, you have lots of 4WD experience, CB radios, second vehicle, and take your warm boots, clothing, chainsaws, snow chains, firewood, fire starters, snow shelter such as a tent (you never know when you get stuck and alpine hiking tents are nicer than swags in the snow!), minus 10degC sleeping bag, stretcher, etc and ensure there is not ice on the snow which would make it dangerous (traversing snow with wheels turns it to slippery ice as well). Not only thick snow hiding tracks but snow laden branches falling across the track can make visibility of the track very difficult!
  • see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oseM_oOZyfY Basalt North Track - Blue Rag Range summit between Dargo and Mt Hotham overnight
  • see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls_0VaqrXIc Basalt South Track - Mt Sarah in falling snow

• ALL vehicles will fail to ascend snow or icy tracks at some degree of ascent and risk becomes high at over 10 degrees climb
  • the angle of ascent they will fail will depend upon:
    • how slippery the track is - ice on snow or wheel compressed snow make it very slippery
    • weight over the tyres - the more weight over the traction tyres the better although this is offset by total vehicle weight making it slip back down the hill
    • how many wheels are able to share the driving load - a 2WD is not going to go well!
    • frictional characteristics of the tyre
      • tread pattern
      • tyre temperature
      • mud tyres vs snow chains vs studded tyres, etc
      • degree of tread - worn tyres will not be helpful
      • deflation of tyres to 18-20psi to allow more surface area for traction
    • amount of snow plowing and compacting of snow in front of the wheels

• losing control on descent is dangerous as not only you may hit something, but you may go over the edge of a steep hill and roll down the mountain sideways - not likely to be conducive with a long life
• the more slippery the surface (eg. ice on snow) the harder it will be to maintain traction and control
• the heavier the vehicle, the more force pushing it down hill - dependent also upon the angle of descent - if its steep you probably wont have much control or braking power!
  • this is partly offset by increased traction of wheels in snow as per the above equation
• the faster you are descending, the more likely you will lose control - becoming a vicious cycle
• plowing through very thick snow may suffice to brake the vehicle