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In December 1999, my wife and I decided to get away from the crowds and chaos of all the turn-of-the-century New Year’s Eve festivities. As we received party initiations, we politely declined and invited anyone willing to join us on our New Year’s Eve winter camping extravaganza near Moab, Utah. The overwhelming response was hearty laughter, but a few friends were willing to bundle up for a couple nights in the desert in the dead of winter. After recruiting four friends, including Josh a former Backcountry.com Gearhead, we packed up and headed out to escape the hoopla of the city, the New Year’s Eve parties, and the Y2K fiasco.

We stopped for a greasy-spoon last supper at the Moab Diner before looking for the perfect Y2K campsite. Who knew, maybe the Y2K prophecies would come true? Machines might come to life—like in that movie Maximum Overdrive (Remember? The one with the AC/DC soundtrack that made Who Made Who popular—you know you remember, you’re probably singing it to yourself right now). Bank accounts were supposed to get screwed up; rich people would be poor and poor people rich. Total chaos. You never know, it could happen—whatever would ensue, we stayed clear of computers and electronic gadgets that might try to take over and ruin our New Year.

We found a site with a spectacular view of redrock cliffs and the expansive desert. Perfect, if the apocalypse came, we would have a view of the glow on the distant horizon as Salt Lake City and all the cities around us burned. We set up camp and hunkered down to party like it was—well, 1999. Before we knew it, the twelve ’o clock hour came and went and we were none-the-wiser. Around one AM someone noticed that the world was still intact. Wow, we made it. I sure hoped those poor suckers back in Salt Lake were doing alright.

We spent the next couple hours enjoying the solitude of the lonesome winter desert night. It was cold but we didn’t mind, we were well prepared. Before we hit the sack, a few light snowflakes started trickling down from some wispy clouds that moved in. We watched in awe as we witnessed, for the first time, snow falling on the desert floor. There was something magical about it.

We crawled into our tents, snuggled into our cozy sleeping bags, and went to sleep knowing we survived Y2K. We woke to five inches of fresh snow blanketing the desert floor. The contrast against the vermillion cliffs was stunning. We ate breakfast, drank coffee, and headed out to play in the snow.

Since that trip, my wife and I have made an annual New Year’s camping trip. We pick a different location each year; we’ve hit high elevations and low, we’ve been in the mountains and the desert. We’ve had pleasant weather, and we have had to hide out in the tent, riding out the storm. We’ve encountered rain, snow, sleet, wind, and ice, but our gear has literally weathered the storm making inclement weather bearable, and in some cases, down-right comfortable. Good gear will make or break a winter camping trip.

Over the years, we’ve learned a thing or two about winter camping. Here are some tips and ideas to inspire you to create your own winter camping adventure.

Where to go:

Just about anywhere. I prefer shorter trips to a base-camp-like set up. From here you can take day excursions.

How far to go:

There is no good rule of thumb on judging how far you can go in a day when you’re camping in the winter—it depends on the weather and the terrain. If you’re skiing across a frozen lake, you can cover miles. If you’re snowshoeing on a trail with multiple inclines and declines, it could take all day to go just a few miles. If you’re unsure about how far you think you can go, plan on shorter rather than longer.

What to wear:

Layers,, and lots of them. Proper layering is going to make the difference between a pleasant trip and a miserably cold trip. You get wet when you’re camping in the snow so keep some dry layers on hand to sleep in—trust me, you’ll be glad you did. Do not wear cotton—once cotton gets wet, you’re done. Synthetic materials dry quickly and wick moisture away from your body. If you choose to wear natural fibers, wear wool. Wool keeps you warm when wet, but it’s still not very comfortable to wear a sopping wet wool sweater.

What to eat:

Go ahead and scarf down all the chocolate bars and fatty food you want. You need more calories than you would on a summer trip and don’t forget to drink plenty of water. Your body requires much more water than you’d think in the cold, so drink up and drink often. Don’t forget to use the facilities before tucking in for the night. Holding it will make your body work harder to keep warm and getting out of your cozy sleeping bag in the middle of the night when it’s freezing is no fun. Camping Food

What to pack:

A bomber four-season tent. Don’t skimp on the tent, it’s essential. If you buy a well-made tent it’ll last for years. I am still using a ten-year-old Sierra Designs tent. It’s held up to everything—snow, ice, wind, sleet, and rain—I’m totally sold. If you don’t have a footprint for your tent, get one. It is amazing how much that extra layer underneath helps keep the moisture down. 4-Season Tents

Don’t skimp on the sleeping bag. Sleeping bags are tricky. Take the temperature ratings with a grain of salt. What is comfortable for me may not work for you and vice versa. If you are always cold, make sure you get a bag that’s rated well below the temps you plan to encounter. To keep toasty warm, buy a right and a left-hand zip bag that zip together—in the winter it’s a Godsend. You essentially create one big bag with the body heat of two people. Sleeping Bags

A sleeping pad is equally essential. Your summer ¾-length ultralight backpacking mattress won’t cut it. You need a thick, full-length pad that allows ample airflow between you and the frozen ground beneath. If you don’t have an adequate mattress, you’ll know it really fast—and you’ll be in for a long, cold night. Sleeping Pads

A good stove is a must. Buy a stove that puts out a lot of heat really fast. Backpacking stoves like the MSR WhisperLite work great because they are easy to use and they’re field-maintainable. Stoves

Definitely pack a first aid kit—just in case. First Aid Kits

Those are the essentials. There’s a multitude of cooksets, headlamps, heat packs, candle lanterns, flasks, etc., that you can purchase. Not everyone needs everything—different strokes for different folks. Browse the site and see what you think will make your winter adventure more enjoyable. Camping Accessories

General Winter Camping tips:

Always check local weather conditions before you head out into the wilderness or backcountry, and always tell someone where you’re going. You generally spend more time in your tent when you’re winter camping, so plan accordingly. Bring a book, a deck of cards, or whatever else you think will help pass the time.

What are you waiting for? It’s February—there’s plenty of time to get out and enjoy the winter wonderland—so get packin’!