On a night so cold that most people didn’t even want to step outside, about 40 hardy souls trekked to the REI store at SouthSide Works to learn how to hike, eat and sleep out — for fun.

The third-floor stockroom was full for Tuesday night’s free class: “Fall/Winter Backpacking Basics.” Outdoor school instructor Jennifer Braun led the discussion about surviving and savoring her favorite season but welcomed everyone to share their insights. It proved to be the most bracing part of an informative class that could make even winter wimps want to try it. 

As in any season, she stressed, the key is the classic “Be prepared,” with even more emphasis on “Safety first,” without eschewing “Take nothing but photos. Leave little more than footprints.”  

But those footprints might be on icy or snowy trails, left by boots attached to snowshoes or skis or something called “crampons.” Tents may need to be anchored atop, as well as under, deep snow using extra guy lines, and extra-long zipper pulls can help mitten-wearing campers unzip their packs.

An outdoorsperson’s gear isn’t the only thing to change in winter. Consider these tips:

It gets dark way earlier. Even in daylight, snow can close roads and obliterate trails, and if it gets deep or wind-driven enough, blazes disappear, too. That makes it more important to have old-school map and compass skills and/or newfangled tools such as PLBs — personal locator beacons. At the very least, Ms. Braun noted from experience, “Everything takes twice as long in the snow.”  

And fewer other people will be out and about in cold conditions, so, “You may be relying on yourself.” All the more reason to take along someone else, even if you don’t plan to zip together your sleeping bags for warmth. 

There’s plenty of other gear to take. Some on the comprehensive checklist she went over — www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/winter-snow-camping-checklist.html — seem like common sense, such as the at least three layers of clothing for insulation. But sun protection? Yep. You can get sunburn as well as hypothermia and frostbite. 

She suggested taking extra batteries, and extra-extra batteries, as their power can drop with the temperature. Store your water bottles upside down so they don’t freeze at their openings. Have backups in case your water filter or stove fuel freeze, too. 

On the positive side, “You’ll want to bring an extra day’s food,” she said, “because you’ll be burning a lot more calories, especially in the snow.” 

Stores such as REI offer a range of winter-specific gear and help in properly picking and using it. Veteran instructor Joe Triebsch shared many of his hard-earned tricks, including ways to minimize condensation — formed from the moisture in your warm breath hitting the cold tent surfaces. Liberally and tightly guy your fly, he said, and don’t breathe inside your bag.

“Practice with all your gear before you go,” he said. “I always tell folks to get knowledgeable enough that you can set it up in the dark.” 

He even was willing to share his “little secret place” in the Laurel Highlands, which is a great winter backpacking destination, especially if you reserve one of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail shelters that are fronted by big stone fireplaces REI helped restore. There also are shelters on the Baker and North Country trails and Raccoon Creek State Park. Set up your tent inside one for extra warmth.

Expert advice like that (more at www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/winter-camping.html) can keep you from going into camping cold. You will not warm up by just getting into your sleeping bag; you’ll need to eat something first or do some exercise. Maybe also tuck in, along with your clothes and boot liners, a bottle of warmed liquid, but avoid drinking caffeine and alcohol, which will have the opposite effect. 

Others in the class shared great ideas, too. A good sleeping bag liner? “That’s the best investment I ever made,” said one guy. But another said a liner just makes him feel more confined, so he’d rather just invest in a warmer-rated mummy.

And so it went, with participants continuing to swap tips and tales afterward as they checked out the store.

As one longtime backpacker who has slept in snow caves and trenches noted, you may have to lug more stuff into the winter woods, but you also can take fewer expectations about how many miles you must cover and how fast.

As Mr. Triebsch reiterated, just take pains in the planning. “Then you can enjoy the trip.”   

Bob Batz Jr.: bbatz@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1930 and on Twitter @bobbatzjr.

First Published: January 7, 2017, 5:00 a.m.