It is not particularly difficult to winter camp in subzero temps for a few days without a fire and I have often done so, however, you need to know what you are doing and also have the type of personality that is capable of dealing with the circumstances you will encounter when out alone in severe conditions.

I have or have had the stoves, cabins, wall tents, Kifaru tipis and so forth and we always used toboggans and snowshoes to travel, however, I have snowshoed into areas some 10-15 miles in the Kootenay mountains alone and not built a fire for 3-5 days.

I always wore merino wool base layers, usually a Ventile jacket and down insulation, either Meindl mountain boots or Acton pacs with woolen liners and heavy wool socks. In really severe cold, we wore woolen carpet slippers with foam soles inside rubber buckle galoshes and this is VERY warm down to -40, but, I cannot find these slippers anymore.

When considering fire, you really NEED to consider whether you will actually use up more energy keeping it going than you would by huddling in your bag and shelter and this is an important consideration. When actually living/working alone in northern BC and other cold places, I have always made certain that I carried with me an emergency camp that would keep me warm and dry without fire, if, I needed it.

That being said, a candle stove and firestarters are light and I usually have these with me, but, since I am often solo, I do not depend on them as with an ankle fracture, I will not be gathering wood. Most winter camping is much like coping with bears or other wilderness issues, it requires common sense, calmness, caution and learning to do what is practical. After almost 53 years at this, all over western and some of northern Canada, I am STILL learning and expect to until I cannot do it anymore.