misnshoe

Others have offered excellent advice. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Weather is the obvious difference between summer camping and winter camping. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Staying warm is the primary object. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> You can take two summer bags and put one inside the other. Try to use at least an inch of insulation under your bag. I like a closed cell pad under a down airmattress myself. If you live in Mich, you already own the clothes and know the drill. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> A shelter doesn't need to be anything special as long as its not a screen tent and you pick a non-storm time for this trip. You will need a stove that will work in cold and wind and you will probably want a good white gas stove and windscreen and a 7" diameter pot for melting snow. Maybe try your stove on a nasty day at home to get the hang of lighting it in a blizzard.

Do be aware of your surroundings, I came close to meeting the end a couple of times almost within sight of my truck. Do not pitch your tent where half a ton of snow can fall off a tree and hit you and don't go too far on the first trip.

Oh yeh - don't worry too much about weight or volume on your first trip.
Have fun <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />