I don't camp in winter any more (the thought of spending 14 hours of darkness cooped up in a tent is enough to turn me off), but I have done so in the past. While I also live in the Mt. Hood area, I haven't tried to camp up there in winte. My experience was in the central Washington Cascades, generally in the White Pass (US 12) area. I have, however, been caught in early fall (and even summer) snowstorms in the high Rockies that would dump up to a foot.

Obviously, in the Pacific NW mountains, you need a tent that will hold up under heavy snows. (You will still have to knock snow off the tent a time or two during the night.) It would be helpful to note whether you'll also be near or above timberline where high winds are also a factor.

I suggest you look at the offerings at tarptent.com. They make high quality tents, and several of their offerings are 4-season, particularly the Scarp.

Andrew Skurka hiked through the Yukon and Alaska in winter using a pyramid-shaped single wall tent (their Duomid) from Mountain Laurel Designs, another quality firm you may want to check out.

Either of these options will cost less than a 4-season Hilleberg. However, if you're going to be exposed to both high winds and heavy snow, I'd postpone camping in those conditions for a few years more and save up for the Hilleberg.

Please don't get a cheap tent; the one you found on amazon sounds suspiciously like a cheap knockoff. (The name's being so close to Hilleberg is, IMHO, a pretty sure clue.) It will undoubtedly fail you when you need it the most!

Since you are a newbie to winter camping, I'd like to caution you to learn everything you possibly can about avalanches before you go (take a class if you can; check with the Mazamas). Even in areas with no avalanche danger, there is the problem of heavy snow accumulations suddenly dropping off trees. No tent will hold up to those!


Edited by OregonMouse (12/22/16 10:21 AM)
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May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view--E. Abbey