2018 4WDrive Overland SE - June

As propane freezes
at -20°C, a multi-fuel
stove running white
gas was used for
Arctic regions.
Going in search of the unknown
is what makes the overlanding
lifestyle such an attractive one for
so many. It produces adventure, puts you in
front of spectacular views and challenges
your senses and problem solving abilities.
When overlanding deep into the wilds of
Canada, it is important to be well prepared
for whatever issue might arise. However,
if you plan to take on winter or even the
Arctic, the game changes big time.
When planning the Titan Arctic
Challenge completed back in March,
to say I had steep learning curve is an
understatement. It was near vertical.
However, I learned a great many things
on that expedition, things to help you
whether you’re just going out for a spot of
winter camping, or planning a full Arctic
adventure of your own. Here is just some of
the valuable information I took away from
that expedition.
Educate Yourself
If there is one thing I can suggest to
someone looking to challenge themselves
as we did, it is to be as best prepared as
one can. Do not fool yourself, the Arctic
is a seriously dangerous place if you’re not
prepared, it will happily put you in a life or
death situation.
The best thing I did in my preparations
was to talk to people who have done this
sort of thing before. Take the time to do
your research and find people who already
have experience. They will likely be very
excited for you, and more than happy to
feed you all the information they’ve already
learned. They will be able to recommend
books to read, routes to take, campsites to
utilize and local contacts. Most importantly,
they will help you think of equipment and
techniques that you haven’t thought of
yet. A good resource for finding the right
people, and even getting training, is to visit
an overland rally or expo.
Specialized Equipment
As a camping and off-road enthusiast, my
camping kit is rather extensive and of good
quality. That being said, I was amazed how
little of it I could actually use when dealing
with temperatures below -20°C.
Let’s start with clothing. Obviously,
layering up is essential. When living in
-40°C, make sure you have Merino wool
long underwear with several changes. We
made sure we had a dedicated set just for
sleeping in, you don’t want to go to sleep in
freezing condition in materials that have
been subjected to sweat. Good fleece midlayers
are your best friend, try to have many
www.youtube.com/c/4WDMagazine Special Edition 1 19