Snow Ops: Lessons Learned from The Chief at Mountain Home

I participated a recent snow operation with the Cimmerians last month at
"Operation Mountain Home."  It was a glorious day of MilSim OPs, and
a terrific camping experience as well.  I wanted to share some of the
lessons I leaned about operating in snow, in the hopes it will be useful
to my fellow operators in these conditions.

The AO (area of operations), SALSA, was at the 3500 foot elevation.  In the previous op, not a drop of snow was to be seen.  But what a difference a month can make!  The entire state was rocked by a series of large, sustained storm systems which dropped large amounts of snow in the Sierra.  We arrived to find the AO blanketed in 12-16 inches of relatively fresh, dry snow. 

I will segment my comments to address each aspect of the op.

Vehicle-
I figured my 4x4 Chevy Blazer CUCV, equipped with big mud tires, would
work on an un-cleared snow-covered dirt road.  Wrong!  As it turns out,
I should have had snow chains for all four tires.  Cables would not be
sufficient.  Lesson learned:  my vehicle requires chains on all four
tires to be fully utilized.   Each vehicle should have a good,
full-sized shovel, an ice scraper for the windows, and of course, be
mechanically sound for cold weather operating.  The shovel comes in
useful for many camping needs, so each person should bring one of their
own.

Weapons-
I experienced no difficulties or malfunctions with my weapon.  I did
take the precaution of making sure I had three freshly charged batteries
prior to departure to the AO.  I have heard that cold temperatures have
a tendency to shorten battery life, however, I did not have to change
batteries all day.  Special care did have to taken to keep the gun from
becoming immersed in snow, and I did towel the weapon off at lunch, and
occasionally in the field.  A clean, small cotton or terrycloth rag is a
good idea to carry for this purpose.

Camping-

We expected nighttime temperatures to drop into the mid-twenties, but
luckily, the lowest temperature was a mere 31 degrees- not enough to
even threaten to freeze drinking water.  I doubt we will be that lucky
at Op: Moscow Blue! 

The key to a pleasant snow camping experience is to have the right
equipment, and as it turned out, most of what I brought worked
sufficiently.  I thought I'd be in a heated tent, but Uncle Murphy made
a snafu of that, so I would have to do without.  No problem, though.  If
you have a couple of tent-mates, a few warm bodies in a tent will help
warm it up.   But for a comfortable night's sleep, I used a cot in order
to stay off the frozen ground, and I used an insulation pad under my
sleeping bag as well to insulate my underside against the pocket of cold
air that sits under your cot.  My sleeping bag is not a super-cold
weather bag, so I use a heavy, oversized insulated quilt blanket that
covers the entire sleeping bag. It's plenty big to pull right over my
face and head so that I am completely covered up, but still covers the
"feet" end of the sleeping bag, too.  I also dress for bed in
polypropylene long underwear, socks, and balaclava that covers my neck,
head and face.

A small ground cloth or poncho is a good idea for standing on while
changing clothes inside the tent, so as not to get your feet or socks
wet, as snow does get tracked inside the tent floor very easily.

The most essential thing for night time (prior to bedding down) is a
roaring campfire, so besides a folding camp chair, there must be plenty
of firewood.  4-6 boxes of firewood at a minimum are needed.  The best
food and drink are simply the things that go well in cold weather:
soups, hot toddies, stews and such are all welcome repasts.  Hot
buttered rums seemed to go over well!  The cooking grill will be in use,
so as always, bring your favorite items to barbeque.  Needless to say,
but everyone should bring a warm drink mug or cup with their mess kit.

Clothing -

I have to say that the entire time I was at the op, I did not once feel
chilled, wet or uncomfortable.  In observing some of my colleagues, I
suspect they would not say that.  I will credit a few different things
that contributed to my happy state.

Footwear:  I noticed that most operators made due wearing their combat
boots.  While their feet may or may not have stayed dry and warm, I
believe more appropriate footwear would have specialty snow boots, such
as these http://www.supercasuals.com/category.cfm/134  to be the way to
go.  They feature all rubber bottoms that has a super-wide sole
footprint, which is more stable, sinks less with each step, and dryer
for walking in the snow.  They also have an insulated inner bladder made
of super-warm polypro.  I then wore waterproof nylon gaiters (from Any
Mountain) over the snow boots that reached up to my knees.  With my
Goretex outer pants snapped securely over my gaiters and snow boots, no
matter how deeply I sank into the snow, not a single snowflake got
inside of me- I was dry and toasty warm- even while sitting still in the
snow for long periods of time.  A few pairs of thick polypropylene socks
are essential!

Goretex:  simply stated, Goretex is the most essential item there is.  I
bought a set of German flecktarn Goretex jacket and pants from Sportsman
Guide for $40.  They consist of bibbed pants with suspenders and a
hooded parka.  These worked superbly!   They were the key to operating
dryly and comfortably the entire day.  Every operator without Goretex
clothing became completely soaked in fairly short order, and at that
point, misery becomes your playmate.  Guys were changing clothes
frantically at the lunch break to get warm and dry again.  Those with
Goretex concentrated on making lunch!  See
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=59197

Wool pants:  Our favorite vendors, such as Sportsman's Guide and Cheaper
Than Dirt, offer Swedish and German surplus wool military pants (see
http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=59181)  for unbelievably
cheap prices less than $20).  These are bargains.  The pants themselves
are made with unbelievable quality, and are toasty warm.  Long underwear
does not have to be worn with these when operating; and when used with
the Goretex overalls on the outside, they are perfect.  Suspender
buttons are already sewn on the trousers, and are recommended in lieu of
a belt.

Gloves:  Thin insulated gloves are recommended for gaming, and a thicker
pair for camping.

Polypropylene hat, pullovers and neck gaiter: These are needed for
warmth and insulation, both while operating and in camp.  This miracle
material is the best for warmth, even if you get damp or wet.

Snowshoes:    I've saved perhaps the most crucial piece of gear for last.  Snowshoes, in effect, are the primary means which provide the ability to stage combat simulation ops successfully in the snow.  The newer style, aluminum framed devices are lightweight, easy to wear and use, are inexpensive (as low as $65, see http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=156471) , and allow the operator to enjoy as much as 75-80% of his normal walking mobility- even in the deepest, freshest snow. 

On slopes and mixed terrain it's no problem- they provide excellent traction and stability.  Snowshoes really are remarkable, and allowed me to move about the snowy, forested terrain with complete ease.  Ducking for cover, even shooting from a crouching or prone position is done without giving a thought to your feet.  The advantage guys with snowshoes have over those without them is the difference between night and day- the fairness is taken right out of the fight.  The airsoft operator who chooses to eschew this essential piece of equipment for snow ops is setting himself up to be floundering, slow-moving, self-actuated shooting target.

With a modest investment in the above-described equipment and clothing, operators can enjoy many years of comfortable operating in the snow.