Camping In The Cool : Winter Excursions Offer a Chilling but Thrilling Experience With Nature

First, a word about skunks.

There are few pleasures in life keener than snuggling into a warm down sleeping bag, out under the stars on a chilly winter night in the mountains, with just the tip of your nose exposed to the brisk, clean air.

By the same token, there are few experiences more unnerving than waking from a sound slumber in the same situation to find a skunk under your cot. It is the sort of thing that makes some outdoor excursions vivid and memorable.

Actually, it wasn’t just one skunk: it was mommy and two rambunctious offsprings. For the sake of warmth, comfort and access to a well-appointed barbecue grill, my camping companion and I had broken with long tradition and decided to spend an evening at one of the appointed campgrounds in the mountains of the Angeles National Forest.

Bad move.

The skunks had this area staked out. And the smell of grilled sirloin drew them like blood draws sharks.

Besides the fact that striped skunks do not properly hibernate during cold weather, as so many other self-respecting critters do, they are bold, fearless, curious and seemingly always hungry; and they know what campgrounds are for, especially if there are picnic tables in the area. It’s there that the cold-weather camper is most likely to run into them, which is one reason why I rarely sleep in established campgrounds, if it is legal to camp elsewhere in the park.

So I just thought I’d mention them first, lest I be accused of being remiss in omitting vital cold-weather camping information.

Cold-weather camping, which in Southern California generally means camping in the mountains above 3,000 feet between the end of October and early April, offers unusual rewards to free spirits and outdoors types.

There are several areas just a day’s drive or less from the metropolitan areas: San Bernardino National Forest (areas like Big Bear, about 7,600 feet) and Lake Arrowhead (about 6,000 feet), Mt. Baldy (about 10,000 feet) in the Cucamonga region--or in the Angeles National Forest (Alamo Mountain, about 7,000 feet)--or in Los Padres (Frazier Mountain, about 8,000 feet). Whatever the chosen area, the autumn landscape offers an austere beauty that rivals or surpasses anything the warmer months have to offer.

It’s during the autumn and winter that the dense purple-gray clouds seem to lean wearily on the shoulders of the mountain peaks or, caught by sudden high gusts of wind, shred spectacularly on the jagged tors. At times the clouds resemble carded wool on the spiky, deep-green conifers or tumble slowly down the mountain sides. High in the subalpine regions, when the first snows lay brilliantly on the tallest peaks, a solitary hawk or eagle soaring on the chilly airs looks wilder and more remote than ever.

While most of the nastier beasties such as rattlesnakes and hornets have retired for the year, beware of mosquitoes. Take along plenty of repellent such as Cutter’s or Deep Woods Off! Cold weather means nothing to these pests.

Cold-weather camping has its particular hazards.

First and foremost among the dangers is hypothermia. It is probably responsible for more deaths among camping enthusiasts than any other factor. It is also one of the most preventable, if precautions are taken before setting off on a trip.

First of all, a properly insulated down or synthetic material-filled sleeping bag, designed specifically for cold weather, is an absolute must. These are usually marked as such, and can be purchased at virtually any camping goods store and some department or mail-order stores.

Second, a good cold-weather tent--those marked Hillary or North Face are generally pretty reliable. But there are many brand names that will fill the bill. A small tent with two people in it makes for pretty cozy sleeping, especially if the temperature drops below 32 degrees.

Third, a gas stove of some sort (I prefer any of the Coleman’s stoves; they’re reliable and sturdy). For fast cooking and heat, a good portable gas stove is indispensable.

Last, though it may not be obvious in cold weather, bring lots of water--and drink it. Just as in extremely hot weather, water is a necessity during cold weather, especially when the hiker is exerting a lot of energy in windy conditions. While the proverbial nip of brandy can be effective to ward off the evening chill before retiring, don’t overdo it. Alcohol only accelerates dehydration.

Another danger facing the cold-weather camper is frostbite--although I do not advise you to undertake a trip in weather bitter enough to cause this. And after the first of November, it’s possible to become suddenly snowbound, even within a 200-mile radius of Los Angeles.

You can check with the L.A. office of the National Weather Service (213) 209-7211 about likely weather conditions above 4,000 feet at any given time, but it is sometimes impossible to accurately predict the snowfall very far in advance. (Another weather information service is Sport Chalet’s snow report for skiers (818) 790-0344.)

So, to be on the safe side, if you plan a cold-weather camping trip, do it within the next few weeks, before mid-November if possible, and always check current weather conditions first. Last year, though it was a pretty poor year for precipitation generally, there was a freak snowstorm in early September that closed several mountain passes hereabouts above 3,000 feet--so you can never be too cautious.

On my last trip, I tackled Frazier Mountain just west of Gorman, accompanied by my habitual camping companion, Adrian, a stout Briton given to preparing sumptuous epicurean delights and photographing sunsets.

At 8,018 feet, Frazier is one of the highest peaks in the Los Padres National Forest. From its lookout station, one can see the seemingly endless peaks of the Los Padres and Tehachapi mountains, Antelope Valley in the eastern distance and, nearer at hand, Castaic, Pyramid and Quail lakes, each a blue glow in the clear distance.

Though attractive as a camping area because of its nearness to Los Angeles (about 1 1/2 hours from downtown) and its easy accessibility from Interstate 5, the Frazier Park area has its drawbacks. You see, Frazier Mountain and the enticingly pretty region that encompasses nearby Alamo Mountain, Arrastra Flat, Long Dave Valley and the lovely Piru Creek area of Lockwood Flat, are all immediately adjacent to the popular off-road-vehicle recreation area of Hungry Valley.

What this means is that you can never be sure just when your wilderness reverie will be shattered by someone on a dirt bike--even in cold weather.

There can be other disturbances as well. One recent evening, Adrian and I camped on a beautiful, craggy ridge on Alamo Mountain, away from the popular camp and shooting ground of Kings Campground. We were about 7,000 feet and, to the west, we had a glorious sunset view of the wooded hills. But for the fact that someone was blasting away at the woodlands with a semiautomatic rifle for a time during the early evening, it was an idyllic evening.

I got little sleep that night, however, mostly due to my own stupidity and lack of foresight. For any prospective cold-weather camper’s edification, here is a perfect lesson in how not to camp in cold weather:

We were, as I mentioned, encamped on a high ridge facing west. Now, westerly and northerly exposed ridges in the mountains frequently incur quite a bit of wind. We had thought to “rough it” this trip, and were not anticipating very cold weather in early September, so we slept outside without a tent.

The brisk wind was enjoyable, and I was, I thought, quite warmly situated in my cot, which is about a foot off the ground. At this time of year in the mountains, it becomes very cold immediately after sunset.

What I didn’t think of at the time, however, was the winter bridge principle.

Underdraft Factor

Let me explain. Though we rarely, if ever, have the problem in Los Angeles, bridges in the wintertime must be negotiated cautiously because of the underdraft factor. That is, the wind passing under them causes them remain colder and freeze faster than other street surfaces.

Well, in cold-weather camping, the same principles apply in what I shall call the “cot on a windy cliff” problem. This, basically, is the rule that the wind passing under the cot tends to freeze the person attempting to sleep on top of it--from the bottom up. It wasn’t long before I awoke from dreams that I was John Mills playing “Scott of the Antarctic,” freezing to death while scrawling a last, heroic note to my wife, shaking like a pneumatic drill, my teeth clattering so loudly that several coyotes who had come to investigate our campsite were rolling around on the ground with their paws over their ears--well, to be honest, it was awfully dark that night, so I can’t be absolutely sure of this.

Needless to say, I got very little sleep that night. Though I finally took refuge in the relative warmth of the cramped Jeep, I had no sooner made myself as comfortable as possible than Adrian began to roust the woodlands with his stentorian snoring and a great horned owl decided to serenade his mate. I emerged at dawn feeling like a pressed chip-board partition, red-eyed and numb to the bone. But think of the knowledge I gained in the process.

Napping at Noon

The following day, I decided to take a noontime nap. It was difficult at first, because we had unknowingly chosen an area popular with acorn woodpeckers. These handsome, boldly colored black, white and red birds are gregarious and extremely vocal, possessed of a conversational call that sounds for all the world like incessant maniacal laughter. In time, though, weariness overcame me, and I fell asleep.

But not for long.

Now, as far as I knew (and I’ve subsequently checked to see that I was correct), we were at this point many miles away from any established, Forestry Service sanctioned off-road-vehicle trails. But that, of course, never stopped an off-road fanatic. No sooner had I drifted off than I was jolted out of bed by the shattering, machine-gun roar of unmuffled engines, the two riders ripping up a pretty madrono bush and running down ground squirrels.

Accessible Scenery

The scenery is gorgeous and invitingly accessible in many nearby areas of the Angeles and Los Padres national forests. But in many of these areas dirt bikers are a problem and, though they have as much right to be there, if keeping to the marked off-road-vehicle trails, as hikers and campers, you may not want to put up with the noise.

Generally, except at the height of the ski season, which varies year to year according to snowfall, the higher regions of the Cucamonga Wilderness, including the San Gabriel Mountains, and San Bernardino National Forest are pretty free of noisy humans.

There are large and small towns in these areas, which offer the added benefit of chalet and cabin accommodations, should the weather suddenly turn too dangerous for roughing it. These are often quite cheap in the off season and during the week. My wife and I recently stayed in a spacious, four-room chalet for two nights for less than $80.

Lake Arrowhead, easily reached in a couple hours, is another great area for hiking and camping. Take Interstate 10 to Interstate 215 North. Exit at Mountain Resorts and continue to Waterman Avenue exit. At Waterman Avenue, turn north on California 18.

At this time of year, migrating ducks are just beginning to come in: rafts of American widgeon, red-heads, canvasbacks, pintails, teal and mergansers dot Lake Arrowhead and, on occasion, a migrating osprey can be seen diving for fish.

Lake Isabella Area

Should you wish to go farther afield, you might try the Sequoia National Forest around the Lake Isabella area in Kern County. It’s a lovely region, but being in the tip of the Sierra range, be sure to check and double-check weather conditions before setting out.

Some of the groves of giant sequoias there, like the giants of Packsaddle Grove, are truly spectacular. But you won’t get to see them if snow prevents you from negotiating some of the rutted four-wheel-drive trails. Many of the well-maintained blacktop roads in this park become blocked, so call the region’s park rangers before planning a cold-weather excursion.

Even farther away--a good day’s drive--is the Big Sur area on the Pacific Coast Highway. This area is very popular at all times of the year, and you’re likely to have a tough time finding a place not already crawling with campers.

Lastly, before setting off on an invigorating hike in any of these places in autumn or winter, be sure to find out where the hunting areas are, lest you inadvertently become a bipedal trophy for some zealous pop-gunner.

Happy trails.