Winter camping holds a certain charm. It means no crowds, adds a special intimacy to campfires, and nothing can beat seeing snow on actual evergreens. Also, there is that it generally costs less to visit campgrounds in the off-season, adding a special appeal to cash-strapped families. However, this also means that they must sometimes go winter camping with Baby, and that can provide its own challenges, especially as stores surrounding the campground are closed down for the season and emergency services will take longer to respond, making it a little more challenging as well. Nonetheless, the snow and added intimacy make it worthwhile for families to at least debate.
The Major Problems
While winter camping can create its own wonder, the closed down stores and emergency services problem needs to be allowed for during preparation. Stores close down during the off-season due to lack of customers, making it harder for those at the campgrounds to obtain food and other supplies easily. This just means that you need to stock up on food, water, and other supplies, such as diapers, before heading into the woods. You should also make sure that you have taken certified medical training and stocked up on first aid supplies before heading out. This is one case where over-preparation should be seen as a good thing.
Why You Should Do It
While it will be harder to stay warm, that is exactly why you should do it; hot chocolate and campfires are actually more fun. There is also an increased intimacy; fewer people around means that you can focus on the family. This also means that skiing and tubing will be more limited to the family, and you may be able to observe animals that are shy around groups of people. This also means that fishing will be better as well. From a strictly health-related aspect, the cold will help make for tougher individuals as will dealing with all of that snow. Of course, you will also be able to see evergreens decked out in natural snow.
All of this makes winter camping with Baby more challenging than summer camping, but also more worth it. At the very least, seeing animals that you may not normally see and fresh snows should add to the wonder. Make sure that you are properly stocked and that you have allowed for the lack of stores and slow emergency response, and the camping experience can easily be worth the time and trouble.