Backpacker Magazine – November 2009

The Manual: Deluxe Winter Camping

Don't let frigid temps keep you inside. Here are five tips for deluxe winter camping.

by: Jenn Fields, Illustrations by Supercorn

Tags:
• Winter Camping
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• Camping
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• Skills
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• Survival
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• Tents
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Bake With a Reflector Oven
Don't just warm your hands around the campfire–use the heat to whip up fresh treats. "You can bake cookies, cornbread, pizza, coffeecake–and it only weighs a couple of pounds," says Keller.

Made of lightweight aluminum with collapsible panels, these old-school, box-shaped ovens reflect campfire heat toward the baking tray using two slanted interior surfaces. (Try Svante Freden's line, available at rutabaga.com.) Here's how to do it right:

1. First, build a high, hot fire (don't let it burn down to coals). Keep plenty of dry wood stacked nearby so you can feed the flames, maintaining a constant temperature while your food bakes.
2. Put your dough on a baking sheet or piece of foil on top of the oven tray. Place the oven about a foot away from the fire to start. Check your dish periodically and move the oven closer or farther (using thick gloves!) if it's baking too slowly or burning.
3. The treats in the front of the oven will cook faster than those in the back: Rotate the baking tray as needed so your food cooks evenly.

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