catskills campgrounds
Phonecia Blackbear Campground charged me $12 for a tent site. I like it so I can walk into town for a beer and pizza. Or a coffee. But Ryder Hollow (1/4 mi.) and Diamond Notch (3/4 mi.) are close and work out well for skiing.
Bears
There are bears in the area but they shouldnt be too active this time of year. Some designated sites have a bear box to store food, another uses a bar with hooks on it. You use a pole to lift your food bag to the hooks. The AT thru NJ is realy nice hike bears or not.
Catskills campgrounds
I just contacted Phoenicia Black Bear Campground. They are open all year for tents and maybe RVs. Located just off Rt. 28 in town. The web site is [email protected]
winter sleeping bags
Yes, space and weight are also an issue when backpacking. I pack my 0 degree Tundra into a large nylon laundry bag and then into the lower compartment of my backpack. It just fits. Extra fuel, food, and clothing do take up more space so I include an add on dry bag to the...
I get a little more warmth out of my 0 degree Tundra by putting a layer of all spare clothes between the bag and my sleep pad. I zip up my parka and pull it over the lower half of the sleeping bag to add an extra layer around my legs and feet. If I still need more I'll pull my down jacket inside...