Winter Camping Checklist

Evenin' Folks,

  For the first time in a while I didn't do any fishing this weekend (haven't been doing much catching lately, anyway!).  Instead, I've been working on getting organized and getting my lists made for my trip to North Carolina this coming weekend.  I'm going to be attending The Fly Fishing Show in Winston-Salem and I'm very excited!  I'll have a full post up after the show with tons of pictures and my experiences at the show.  Make sure you're following me on Facebook and Instagram because I'll be live posting photos there all weekend.
  There was a special rate offered at the local hotels for show attendees, but a hotel room is way outside my budget.  I've never been a big fan of sleeping in a bed slept in by a few hundred strangers before me either! So, I'm camping!  I'm packing up the tent, sleeping bag and chuck box and enjoying a weekend of sleeping in the great outdoors.  I've found a nice little campground about 25 minutes from the convention center and, fingers crossed, the weather should be fairly cooperative for the weekend, according to current outlooks.  Being that this is the beginning of February, North Carolina does get pretty cold.  The night of my arrival the meteorologists are predicting snow flurries and weekend lows in the low 20s.  Since I'm car camping, I don't have much concern for the weight of my gear, but I want to make sure that I am well prepared for whatever the weather might throw at me.  In doing my research, Googling "camping checklist" seems to assume warm weather camping and searching "winter camping" assumes back country snowshoeing or cross country skiing trips.  None of the lists I found seem to be tailored to winter camping in the southeastern US where it could rain, it could snow or it could be 70 degrees all in the same weekend!  So, I've put together my own list and I thought I would share it here with you.

Tent
	Tent
	Groundcloth
	Tent stakes
	Rainfly
	Floor pad
	Kitchen shelter
	Door mat
	Wisk broom
	Tent light
	Cell phone charger
	Extension cord
	Power strip
Cold Sleeping
	Sleeping bag
	Sleeping pad
	Sleeping bag liner
	Extra quilts/blankets
	Pillow
Specialty Clothing
	Long johns
	Heavy socks
	Knit cap
	Henley shirt
	Coat
	Gloves knit & leather Rain gear
Kitchen
	Stove
	Fuel
	Lantern
	Pot
	Skillet
	Plastic utensils
	Plastic cooking utensils (spatula, spoon, tongs)
	Matches/lighter (plus extra)
	Plastic cup/mug
	Paper plates/bowls
	Paper towel
	Plastic pot scraper
	Scrub pad
	Dish detergent
	Dish cloth
	Wash basin
	Kitchen knife
	Cutting board
	Cooler
	Ice
	Hot dog forks
	Small trash bags (used grocery bags)
	Nalgene style water bottles
	Aluminum foil
	Kettle
	French press
	Can/bottle opener
	Kitchen towel/pot holder
	Measuring cup/spoons
	Zip top bags
	Salt/pepper/sugar/spices
	Cooking oil/spray
Light
	Lantern
	Spare mantles
	Fuel
	Flashlight
	Spare Batteries
	Headlamp
Tools
	Multi tool
	Hatchet
	Hammer
	Knife
	Rope/cord
	Duct tape
Campfire
	Matches/lighter
	Fire starter (homemade or store bought)
	Firewood (extra)
	Newsprint
	Folding table
	Camp chair
	Fire poker
Toiletries
	Soap w/box or zip top bag
	Wash cloth
	Towel
	Shower shoes
	Shampoo
	Toothpaste
	Toothbrush
	Deodorant
	Glasses
	Eyeglass repair kit
	Contact case
	Contact solution
	First aid kit
	Lip balm
	Personal medications
	Laundry bag
	Throat lozenges
	Antacid tablets

  My Winter Camping Checklist isn't a whole lot different from my regular checklist, except that I've added a few "extra" and "spare" designations that may not be as important in warmer conditions, and the "Specialty Clothing" and "Cold Sleeping" categories have been added.  I've left out categories for clothing and food because those are very individualized for each person and each trip.  I'm going to keep this as a "live list", as my camping experience grows and different pieces of kit are tested and tried, things will be added and deleted.  I'll also continue with the Seasonal and Specialty categories to tailor each list to each individual trip.  I'll keep the list updated on the blog, so make sure you keep checking back and let me know if you think I need to add anything, I'm always open to suggestions!
  I hope you're all doing well.
     Happy Camping!
         -Nick