Winter or Summer Exploration?

[Tommys]

It has been a conversation piece around many campfires. Which do you prefer, winter or summer exploration?
For this Texan, there are only two seasons, and I prefer summer. So, I know things are COLD but don't fret, spring is coming.
W TX exploration

 

[DintDobbs]

@Tommys I'll jump in and say summer as well. Weather gets bad at times in both seasons, but I'll take heat over cold any day. And scraping ice isn't fun when you can hardly reach the wind shield.

 

[Tommys]

True, and you speak with experience!
Trail lightly,

 

[trail_runn4r]

It has been a conversation piece around many campfires. Which do you prefer, winter or summer exploration?
For this Texan, there are only two seasons, and I prefer summer. So, I know things are COLD but don't fret, spring is coming.
W TX exploration

Why not both! As long as you are prepared for it, both are super fun imho.

 

[tjZ06]

"Yes".

-TJ

 

[Bama_Kiwi]

I like getting out in all the seasons but struggle to sleep well at night when the temperatures dip low. I'm really sensitive to the cold at night for whatever reason. That takes some of the enjoyment out of the Winter months for me, but, I still get out on the tracks when I can.

 

[Tommys]

I like getting out in all the seasons but struggle to sleep well at night when the temperatures dip low. I'm really sensitive to the cold at night for whatever reason. That takes some of the enjoyment out of the Winter months for me, but, I still get out on the tracks when I can.

Winter is tough at times, especially ICE

 

[DintDobbs]

A good sleeping bag goes a long way, but the inconvenience of numb appendages, stiff joints, cracking skin, and scraping ice with all of said, gets old really fast.

Here, I don't have to worry about overheating engines, so the only real inconvenience of summer wheeling is the sweat. Just bring extra water, and I'm good to go!

 

[Tommys]

A good sleeping bag goes a long way, but the inconvenience of numb appendages, stiff joints, cracking skin, and scraping ice with all of said, gets old really fast.

Here, I don't have to worry about overheating engines, so the only real inconvenience of summer wheeling is the sweat. Just bring extra water, and I'm good to go!

Well said! It's hard getting out of a warm sleeping bag

 

[AggieOE]

Between summer and winter, I have to say winter. You can always grab another blanket and you can always put on another coat BUT you can't easily stop sweating. I drove over to Big Bend last May from Houston. I left Houston around noon at 85-deg and arrived at camp, along the river (ele. 1900'), at 11PM where it was 100-deg with no wind. RTT with no sheets, no sleeping bag, and eventually no pillow because it was soaked with sweat. Two fans on me and I could barely sleep. We woke up to a 90-deg low. The following night we luckily got a campsite up in Chisos basin (ele. 7825') where it was already 70-deg by 6PM. It was an amazing night!

I think this question is SUPER geography specific. Summer camping is ONLY for the mountains or where air conditioning is possible.

 

[MazeVX]

I'd like to say summer, we have no problems with heat or say up to 100° F.
But we do have a variety of climate zones to choose from...
Winter just doesn't work to well for us, you can't sit around and chill and everything is much harder when cold, when I'm past a certain point I can't get warm again and the lady has a disease where her hands stop working and need to be actively warmed to recover and lots of other inconvenient stuff. When it's warm you just sweat and drink more ;-)

 

[OTH Overland]

We enjoy 4 season exploring, and generally enjoy the winter trips the most. The only two things that we find a downside to winter travel is the number of trails available (at least at northern locations) is greatly reduced, and the short daylight hours where it is dark at 4pm. Otherwise less is more: Less bugs, less people, less dust, less heat. Campfires and a favorite hot beverage have a greater appreciation factor, and on a clear night the stars just seem more clear. Ok, now I just want to go on a trip...lol

 

[smritte]

^^^^^^^^^^ This^^^^^^^^^^

Desert, fall to spring then mountains until it gets cold again. Any day camping is better than staying home.

 

[Akicita]

We enjoy all the seasons and try to get out as much as possible and away from the challenges of modern society. . . after all. . . comfort is an illusion. . .

 

[Red_Leaf_Overland]

I enjoy all seasons but mainly stick to spring/summer/fall because winter Wheeling breaks things faster than I can fix them usually.

 

[Smileyshaun]

I actually don’t travel much in the summer im a fall -spring explorer love the rain and the snow .

 

[MOAK]

Early spring and middle fall is what we enjoy the most. Temps are perfect and with it freezing at night their are no mosquitoes. We sometimes camp/travel in the Summer but it is just too hot & sticky. This year will be very different for us. After a couple weeks in April beach camping we’ll be headed way north the 1st of July.

 

[TCorona]

Well...
Here in California we can usually enjoy all seasons
Coastal and high mountain camping in the summers to keep cool
Winters we can enjoy camping the desert areas; Mojave Preserve, Joshua Tree and along the Colorado River... again there is always the coast and for a real adventure, some snow camping in the mountains.
But, to venture out of the area, like to; Colorado, Oregon, Wyoming, etc. then mid to late Fall are the best.

 

[Alanymarce]

In reflecting on the question, it occurred to me that three of our longer trips were of a length that we travelled in both summer and winter on the same trip.