Preparedness for when

RAS

Frugalsod wrote: »

I am planning a camping holiday to Tromso in Northern Norway for a few weeks in the winter in a couple of years. It can get down to -60C near there so I am planning what to take. Keeping warm plans are pretty advanced as are the cooking plans. I will be taking lots of dehydrated meals, which I plan to prepare myself so not too expensive. Only need to work out solutions to recharge the camera batteries and keep the camera from freezing.

It is the toilet situation that is going to be tough. What do bears do in the woods? In winter?

I've been in T and further north in February and in Bodo in November.

Just before we went to Tromso it was -50 at Alta but thankfully warmed up a fair bit the previous week.

The little island I visited was heavily snow covered and my host told me he was glad I was leaving. I was a bit surprised until he added, "because if we do not get you off the island today, we will not get you away for days".

Been just south in summer as well, although the weather was not great (even by local estimation).

I really would try and check out the Norwegian Mountain Club huts if I were you; much better then a tent.

For food (tip from my friend who sledged in Greenland) take lots of margarine or butter; you will be able to eat slabs of it quite happily. Aim for 6000 calories a day if you are carrying or pulling gear.

craigywv

a big thank -u to whoever it was posted about the astonish mould remover from the land of pound, we had asmall patch on bathroom ceiling due to cold rife husband not opening windows after bathing and I got some astonish on Saturday, works a treat oh put it on and followed instructions not a bit of mould to be seen . well worth a quid!massive big spray bottle.

Frugalsod

RAS wrote: »

I've been in T and further north in February and in Bodo in November.

Just before we went to Tromso it was -50 at Alta but thankfully warmed up a fair bit the previous week.

The little island I visited was heavily snow covered and my host told me he was glad I was leaving. I was a bit surprised until he added, "because if we do not get you off the island today, we will not get you away for days".

Been just south in summer as well, although the weather was not great (even by local estimation).

I really would try and check out the Norwegian Mountain Club huts if I were you; much better then a tent.

For food (tip from my friend who sledged in Greenland) take lots of margarine or butter; you will be able to eat slabs of it quite happily. Aim for 6000 calories a day if you are carrying or pulling gear.

I am not planning to move that far. My idea is to walk to the nearest forest and set up a hammock and watch the Northern Lights. The idea of being near a hut does solve the toilet problem.

RAS

Frugalsod wrote: »

I am not planning to move that far. My idea is to walk to the nearest forest and set up a hammock and watch the Northern Lights. The idea of being near a hut does solve the toilet problem.

Check out here http://english.turistforeningen.no/location.php?lo_id=NO_troms&fo_id=3980 although I am struggling to get the map to work.

Frugalsod

RAS wrote: »

Check out here http://english.turistforeningen.no/location.php?lo_id=NO_troms&fo_id=3980 although I am struggling to get the map to work.

It appears that there may be a hut on an island nearby. In which case I might take a foldable kayak and kayak to the island. It will be nice and isolated, so probably good for watching auroras.

Taking everything in dry bags is already planned, along with a couple of tarps. A clear one for watching the sky and a full winter one for hiding out of any storms. I was planning dehydrating all my meals in advance and might make extra survival rations. I will be spending a week at home on survival rations to get some experience of them. I might do that during a cold spell soon. There are many things for me to prepare for so I think I will be fine.

[Deleted User]

MrsCD wrote: »

Just quickly de-lurking to add that we have a couple of these as our house is electric-only.

My home isn't entirely electric, but pretty damn close.

I have a gas boiler (which won't work without electricity) and a gas fire (which will work without electricity), but as far as lighting and cooking is concerned, it's entirely electric.

[Deleted User]

Frugalsod wrote: »

Only need to work out solutions to recharge the camera batteries and keep the camera from freezing.

You also need to work out how you will keep the stove(s) working.

Cottage_Economy

I'm so jealous with all this wonderful talk of Norway. I asked my husband one day to surprise me with a trip to Norway and make sure the Lights and a dog sled experience are in there somewhere.

On a completely different topic, I was cleaning out the freezer this evening after it had a close encounter with split bag of peas and sweetcorn, and it occurred to me just how much I have in there. For a short-ish power cut ( 2-3 days) the freezer would be fine, but for something more long-term it would all perish so I need something that will keep it going.

I've ruled out anything petrol-based such as a generator in case fuel is ever in short supply, plus I can't store a lot on the property due to (I think) legal restrictions. I also don't want it belching out fumes and creating a racket outside the back.

I don't have the desire to do anything like solar panels at the moment, as this is not our forever house and we may be gone in a few years. The next house though definitely.

Then I came across power inverters and wondered if I could hook leisure batteries up to an inverter so I could plug in the fridge or freezer. My knowledge of this kind of thing is miniscule though - most of the inverters I've seen list small appliances as appropriate to plug into them, not bigger appliances like a small chest freezer and fridge freezer. And I have no idea how long the average leisure battery would last with something that size plugged in?

Does anyone have any ideas on this? Is it even feasible?

I must get a textbook about this sort of thing...my knowledge is very poor.

mardatha

I asked this on preppers forums and got told a f/f is too big and would need a huge bank of batteries. I decided just to keep less meat in the f/f.

Cottage_Economy

mardatha wrote: »

I asked this on preppers forums and got told a f/f is too big and would need a huge bank of batteries. I decided just to keep less meat in the f/f.

Thanks mardatha. Back to the drawing board.

I wonder if a camping freezer would be an alternative to bring into use in such situations. They're 12v and run straight off a leisure battery.

Having a debate with hubby about this at the moment. It's quite clear neither of us understand power :rotfl:

The nearest equivalent we can get to the situation is how someone who is caravanning and wants to run all the usual appliances on 12v does so without using an electrical hook up or running the car? Some people have off grid caravan holidays and park up for days at a time. How do they charge their leisure batteries?

Solar panel?