Winter camping brings with it a series of challenges, dealing with snow, keeping warm and which stove to use. Yes as simple as it sounds, taking the proper stove for backcountry winter camping is not as clear cut as one may think. Things like how cold is it going to get, what kind of fuel does the stove use and where is it going to be used all enter into the equation.
There are two types of fuel commonly used for light weight camping stoves, white gas (Coleman Fuel) and canisters containing a blend of butane and other gases. Where the problem arises is how cold affects the performance of a stove. If it is cold enough, some will not function at all.
Liquid Camping Stove Fuel
White gas (Coleman Fuel) has a flash point of about -40 degrees F., which makes it perfect for winter camping. What this means is that at any point above this temperature it will burn when a spark is put to it. So no problem, just turn on the stove and light it up, right? Well not exactly.
The way the vaporization process works with liquid fueled backpacking and large camp stoves is by using the burner to heat the portion of the fuel line called the generator. When it is hot, it “generates” vapor from the liquid fuel which is then fed to the burner.
Many light weight backpacking stoves have a preheating phase during startup but there are stoves that do not use this system.
Even though the manufactures will say the stoves light in all conditions, and they work fine in warmer weather, many winter campers have found that preheating the generator will ensure they fire up in the cold. Stoves such as the Coleman Peak One liquid fueled stove fall into this category as do the larger camp stoves.
To preheat the generator a fire paste will be needed, such as Fire Ribbon or other similar products. All of them squeeze out like toothpaste and generate a lot of heat when burned.
First make sure the stove is off and then with a Coleman style stove, squeeze out a piece of preheating paste directly next to the generator where it crosses over the burner. When the paste is lit, it will heat the generator tube enabling the stove to start much more efficiently. When the paste is about to go out, turn on the stove and if there is a small flame still burning it will fire up. If not use a match or lighter in the normal way to get things going. When starting any stove, do this in a safe area away from anything flammable.
With backpacking stoves which must be preheated prior to starting in all conditions, a small amount of fuel or alcohol is placed in a cup under the fuel line. When it is ignited it provides the needed heat for the fuel to vaporize.
Another concern when surrounded by snow is where the stove will be placed; it cannot be placed directly on the snow. A way around this is to use a base made of either aluminum or even a small thin piece of plywood cut to size to set the stove on. Either way the base will help keep things level but be prepared that it will get scorched over time.
Canister Camping Stoves
The second fuel commonly used in lightweight camping stoves is canister fuel containing a blend of butane and propane. These stoves are great as they are easy to use and very reliable, but the problem comes in during cold weather. Butane alone will not freely vaporize in temperatures below 32 F. This is why nearly all canister fuel sold is a mix of two or three gasses to give better performance. But even this has limitations.
The current blends are:
- Isobutane and propane
- Butane and propane
- Isobutane, propane and butane
The reasoning behind these blends is that the isobutane and propane vaporize at temperatures much lower than pure butane. But in cold temperatures, the propane and isobutane vaporize out and all that is left is butane. So the stove may start up, but very quickly the flame will begin to die and eventually go out. Add to this that as the gas in the canister vaporizes, it causes the fuel inside to cool further.
In extreme cold, only the propane will burn and the stove ends up with a meager small blue flame. One way around this is to keep the canister inside the sleeping bag at night. It then starts out warmer and hopefully runs longer. Also placing the stove on a small piece of insulating foam will help keep it from drawing cold from the snow.
According to Ryan Perry of Brunton Products in Riverton, Wyoming which manufactures a variety of canister stoves, the property of the propane burning first, can be used to get things started up.
“One tip is to first thing, heat a shallow pan of water, not too hot but on the warm side,” Perry said. “Then you can set the canister into the warm water and this will help keep things going.”
After that the radiated heat from the burner will also help keep the canister warm. But, Perry added, this will only work until temperatures drop further than the fuel is intended to be used in.
“A lot of companies will say their fuel burns at such and such a temperature,” Perry said. “But we really don’t have a bottom number. There are so many variables that can enter into it that it is almost impossible to state this (in the real world terms).”
So the bottom line on all of this is just how cold it will be when the stove is used. If it will be 20 degrees F, or above a canister stove should work fine, but in extreme conditions a liquid fueled stove is the only way to go.
Tips on pitching a tent in the snow.
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