Anyone in WI staying through winter?

[JuliaAnne2018]

I know that there are people from Wisconsin on this forum. However, I decided to find out if anyone from this state or nearby will be here for the winter. I'm preparing for that because I don't expect to have the transportation or funds to travel to a warmer place. If you have already lived here "outside" in a vehicle, shack, tent, or other dwelling in the past here, you are the ones I might need tips from right now and/or eventually would want to meet. I do have sources of heat and power and most of what I need and hope to add (i.e. maybe a small gas generstor) to that before it gets too cold. But I'm nervous about it. It can sometimes be almost as cold as Alaska here. In the meantime, I have researched how people camp in Alaska, and that has helped somewhat.

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[lenny flank]

Please be careful with this and get yourself to shelter if you need it. There's a good reason why people don't go backpacking in Wisconsin in winter. Temps like that KILL PEOPLE, and being "dead" lasts for a long time.

 

[QinReno]

When my sister lived in Wisconsin a few years ago, it was down to -20 degF at night. No one can live outside or in a car in those temperatures. Best to make other plans, no matter what it takes.

 

[JuliaAnne2018]

You do realize people in Alaska endure a lot colder temps than here in WI don't you? I was hoping for some helpful tips please and thank you. I'm from here and kept warm for four hours in 40-below temps but was walking on a door-to-door canvassing job just not sure about sleeping at night. But I bought R30 insulation and got heat supplies. I hope to hear from people in WI who have successfully done winter camping. I'm not going to be boodocking though. Will have heat and power. If it's too cold, there might be nights I'll stay indoors. But just curious if anyone has anything helpful to add please.

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[John61CT]

Anything is possible, even easy with knowledge + money.

Big enough living space so 3-4" of well-installed insulation is not a problem, maybe get away with 2" on the floor if not using aircon summers.

Webasto-style heater burning same fuel as your vehicle, ideally hydronic style integrates with engine coolant and HWS.

Or Propex HS2211 and big propane supply, Mr Buddy Jr as backup.

If off-grid, lots of solar + reliable generator, powerful alternator setup for backup.

Fridge-freezer and little kitchen so self-sufficient, up to a month at a time.

Suitable toilet system, sink & shower, clothes washing.

Finally, emergency notification gear via satellite to get rescued if out in the bush.

Water supply not a problem, fit enough to shovel your way out?

 

[B and C]

Insulating the shack is a good start. Try to seal up any cracks or places that air might infiltrate. A Good sleeping bag with insulation below you would help a lot. Between this and a good electric heater you may do ok. If you get your envelope (shack) too air tight, a carbon monoxide detector would be a good investment.

My $0.02 worth.

 

[lenny flank]

No need for hostility, JuliaAnne. We are just trying to make sure you stay safe.

 

[JuliaAnne2018]

No need for hostility, JuliaAnne. We are just trying to make sure you stay safe.

Lenny, just please PM me to resolve any issue you have with me, thanks. As for the rest of you, thank you. When I think of a problem I want to solve, I'm usually going to seek advice from people who want to help me think of what I "can" do not "can't" do to solve that problem.

I will make it clear that I was born and raised in WI. Went to a Packer playoff game when it was only 11 degrees outside and had an outside canvassing job during which I worked in as cold as -40 weather.

The only thing I haven't done is slept in my vehicle, shack or other shelter in less than maybe 24 degrees out. This Thurs eve will be a good test. I just heard it's going to be in the low 20s. If I can manage to keep the shelter I have warm enough, that will be a start.

it'll be full-on gear plus at least 1 of 2 heaters I have. The shack may not have all the insulation yet because it is for my "future home" but am thinking of lining my pre-built, insulated sections meant for my "tiny home" not finished yet around the shack and weighing it down as best as I can.

I got exactly 24 hrs to finish this b4 temp drops 20-30 degrees colder. LOL

Good thing it finally stopped raining. gotta haul A b4 dark now.

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[John61CT]

Wow if shore power is available then many of my suggestions above are overkill, intended for off grid.

But then again if a power outage is going to become life-threatening. . .

 

[JuliaAnne2018]

John, not sure. I forgot to mention the shack is already insulated w/some of my old clothes. And now that I found out it might be only in the low 20s tomorrow night…oh my gotta get on this. I knew I had to get this done soon but not this soon. lol it does also have holes in it I left for heating ventilation.

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[John61CT]

I don't know how to express my reaction to "insulating with my old clothes" without likely upsetting you.

Hope this doesn't, not my intention.

If you're that skint, do whatever you need to survive, help from family or get to a big city with generous social services.

Apologies for not recalling your situation if you've posted your story already.

 

[mpruet]

There are several YouTube videos of folks who live in their vans/RVs in very cold climates.  The main one that seemed to be successful was in Dawson City, Yukon.  He got a bunch of hay bales and covered his van 100% two layers deep.  

I’d be seeking aid in getting into a shelter.  It’s currently predicted that we’re going to have a rather harsh winter this year.  When I was returning from Alaska this year, I had several days in British Columbia where the highs were in the low 20s - and this was in early September.  So if that is any indication then we are on track for the predictions to be accurate.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Aint no cheesehead but I grew up in Duluth, MN and have winter camped in the BWCA, mountaineered in Alaska, and hunted in Montana and Idaho, sleeping out in tents and such in temps down to -50ºF.  +20º temps are very manageable.  It gets harder below 0º.

First, you need to get your sleeping situation settled.  I could endure some absolutely rotten conditions during the day when I knew I had a warm bed to crawl into at night.  You will need as much insulation under you as on top.  If you have a single 15A house circuit, I would recommend an electric mattress pad to heat you from underneath.  A 15A heater isn't going to give you enough heat at below 0º temps.  There are a couple of threads on here about keeping warm sleeping.

Second, you need to make your dwelling wind tight.  Insulation will not do much good if the wind can get through and strip away the heat from inside.  You should be familiar with wind-chill.

I could answer some more specific questions; this post would get too long if I answer questions you probably already have answers to.

There is also a young lady on here wintering in Northern Minnesota in an ice house.  She could probably give you some ideas also.

 

[JuliaAnne2018]

Thanks, Spaceman. I am feeling overwhelmed because of all that is going wrong today. But I'll PM you. I thought I'd have more time to prepare. Not sure where in WI it is supposed to be in the 20s. It says near me in 30s for tomorrow night.

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[user 22017]

I stumbled on a video a couple days ago about a couple in Canada who full-time in a van with no insulation. Might want to check them out for tips (maybe they have a website):

 

[JuliaAnne2018]

Thanks, Carla.

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[Spaceman Spiff]

AMGS3 living in an ice house in Northern Minnesota:

https://vanlivingforum.com/showthread.php?tid=29812&highlight=ice+house

 

[theNomadicHacker]

Hi JuliaAnne,

I'm currently in wisconsin now, but plan to head south next week. In early 2017, however, I was in a similar situation. Luckily, I found an understanding storage unit owner and stayed in a storage unit from the end of feburary through may. There were some nights in feb and march where the temp dropped down around zero. I had no heater and no insulation (it was nothing more than an outside metal box). Although that seems ludicrous to me now, and if i ever did it again I'd at least have my mr. buddy running near me, I did it then. I survived those nights by wearing several wool and fleece pj layers and snuggling up in a fully down sleeping bag. The bag was only rated to 20 deg., though, so I also used several layers of blankets over the sleeping bag. I was also lucky enough to be able to setup my bed in the unit, so I also had a mattress underneath me for insulation. This set up kept me nice and toasty throughout the night (although my face would sometimes get a bit cold). Getting up and ready for work in the morning was a particular form of torture, however. I wish you the best, be safe!

 

[mrsNomadicHacker]

JuliaAnne2018,

We are here for now in WI, but planning on leaving next weekend as yes, it got awful cold awful fast. (Dropped from 70's high/40's low, 2 days later 40's high, 20's low!)

Our son's great grandmother is having a bit of separation anxiety with the thought of us traveling out of state this winter, so we are here visiting the grandparents before heading to NM. We have stayed in the RV since it was so cold we didn't want to have any pipe-freezing issues, kept a space heater on and have been comfortable (actually too hot, I'm born and raised in WI northwoods and had to get up in the middle of the night to turn space heater down from 60 to 55). We also bought mini electric heaters for the wet bays, had them on Thursday night and no freezing problems.

As safety precautions, we bought new smoke detectors and will not leave the RV if the heaters are on. If you are in a vehicle, the issue is keeping yourself warm through the night, it sucks to have to wake up and run your vehicle because you're so cold you can't sleep.

As far as a shack, we spent last winter living in an *unfinished* (1 wall was totally not there, used old mattresses for insulation) log cabin in the northwoods of WI near Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. It had one wood burning stove which was not located in our bedroom. We all slept together in the 1 bedroom, moved our son's bed in to keep the room warmer. The fire would be dead by morning, freezing in the cabin to where you could see your breath, but with layers and layers of heavy sleeping bags, wool! blankets, wearing 2 pairs of thermal pants, long sleeves and a wool sweater, and wool socks, I can honestly say some nights I was too hot xD. Wear a hat, wear mittens if you have to.

All the best to you, PM me with any questions I'm here

 

[glasschick66]

if it was me I would find plastic...even cheap drop cloth style in rolls....put up a layer of that on the bare walls and ceiling and door to stop the drafts....then use as many layers of cardboard as I could drag home and cover the walls and ceiling and also the same for the floor. bales of straw or bags of leaves around the outside. you will need a little bit of fresh air coming in to keep condensation at bay. add wool blankets, tarps, whatever you can find to cover the door on the inside when you are in there as well. Straw for bedding seating is also very warm. Good luck!