Snow-camping at Sawyer Pond!
- Leaders
- Benjamin Bokser (coB), Grace Evans (B), Thomas Body (B)
- Program
- Winter School
- Type
- Hiking
- Terrain level
- B
- Trip date
- Saturday, January 31st
- Difficulty rating
- 2 moderate hikes + 1 chilly night
- Prerequisites
- Previous experience with 3-season camping and 4-season hiking is required
Key details
Date: Jan 31st – Feb 1st (you must be available for both days)
Stats: 5.5 miles hike-in, 1,115 ft elevation gain for Saturday, 5.5 miles hike-out downhill Sunday.
Requirements: prior 3-season camping and 4-season hiking experience
What's the plan
We're heading to Sawyer Pond campsite for a classic White Mountains snow-camping expedition!
This trip will be a great way to discover the wonder and the challenges of camping in the winter. The approach follows the (closed) Sawyer River Road, which is perfect for hauling gear with pulk sleds and either snowshoes or XC skis (your choice). We’ll make camp at Sawyer Pond campground, enjoy a shared hot dinner (probably soup and bread), toast marshmallows on a campfire and then camp the night.
Expect temperatures around 20F in the day and an overnight low of between 0-5F. As well as having the temperature drop overnight, you'll also not be making as much heat as when you're exercising, so we'll be bringing the super-nice MITOC tents and sleeping bags to stay warm.
Requirements
Participants need previous 3 season camping experience and 4 season hiking experience. Since winter camping is a risky activity, leaders will vet everyone who signs up. There will also be a mandatory pretrip meeting and gear check on Thursday.
More details
For more details request access to the planning document or reach out to the leaders
Gear
You can rent the following from MITOC
- tents
- stoves
- sleeping bags
- sleeping pads
- insulated hiking boots
- snowshoes
- microspikes
- XC skiis and boots
- backpack
You will need to have (or borrow) winter clothes, water bottles, your own snacks, lunches and breakfast, and something to eat dinner with. Warm gloves and liner gloves are especially important. Please reach out to the leaders if you think you'll need to borrow gear not provided by MITOC.
Signup
- Algorithm
- lottery
- Maximum participants
- 6
- Signups opened at
- Jan. 27, 2026, 6:53 p.m.
- Signups close at
- Jan. 28, 2026, 9 a.m.
- Notes
- Have you been camping in the last few years? If so, give details about when, where, and what your experience was like (if you've been on lots of trips, pick something recent and/or epic)
- Have you been winter hiking this year? Give details of a recent and/or epic winter trip.
- What temperatures have you hiked in? What do you do to stay warm?
- Do you have any dietary restrictions? What would you like for a shared camp dinner?
- Do you have a car and would you be willing to drive?