Storm Camping

22 January 2021

What an experience, and what an adrenaline rush!! Safely back home after picking a fight and winning against the storm “Frank” in a tent on the hillside from Thursday to Friday.

Decided it was time to test skills, equipment and stubbornness by heading to the hills with a good friend and a tent to test the gear out in heavy winds and snow.

Hiked Bislingen, roughly 650 meters above sea level, found a spot in safe distance from any potentially falling trees, dug a ditch deep enough for the tents, and built a snow wall to block the wind. With over 10 m/s (22mph) steady wind and 23 m/s (50mph) gusts, that turned out to be a rather good idea.

In addition to the heavy winds, it snowed over a meter overnight which had gathered nicely around and nearly buried our tents. We had to dig ourselves out in the morning, and also had to dig out the tents and pegs for a few hours while breaking camp.

Returning to the car, all traces from our arrival were naturally wiped clean, so we navigated by compass back to, and found it with great ease. One of the security precautions we took was camping not too far from the car, so in case of a real emergency, we could abandon camp and hike with compass back to the car for safety. Moving it would still not have been an option, but at least a car is sturdier and warmer than a tent during a storm.