A Solo Camping Saga: A Test of Warmth and Will

A first-time solo expedition through Mount Diablo in which I overcome the cold weather and start fires with a dead lighter.

Before the weather got too frigid, I decided to go on a short two-day day camping trip at the end of November 2023. I was seeking some solitude before the holiday season and thankfully we had been experiencing a pretty dry autumn here in the Bay Area so I landed on staying at Mount Diablo.

After booking my campsite, it dawned on me to try and get a more accurate reading of the weather. While I already spent time looking at the general weather in the area, I soon realized that the weather at the mountain will vary depending on my elevation. Using Mountain Forecasts, I learned that nights were set to get down to 32°F with the potential of 24mph wind gusts.

She a beaut. I could see the Golden Gate Bridge from up here.

Immediately, my doubts went racing: I’d only camped in the summer, was this a mistake? Should I cancel my camping trip? What am I gonna eat? How am I supposed to stay warm? I can barely tolerate feeling cold inside my apartment. Granted, 32 °F is mild compared to what the rest of the country experiences in the dead of winter. But as a Los Angeles-born-and-raised girly, we were breaking out winter coats when the weather got below 60°F. To help me make a decision, I went where all Internet people go for advice: Reddit.

I learned about checking the R-value of my sleeping gear, the importance of wearing layers of varying looseness, peeing and changing your socks before heading to sleep, sleeping tomorrow’s clothes at the bottom of your sleeping bag, and the power of boiling hot water in a Nalgene water bottle. With this new knowledge and encouragement from my partner who helped me list out all the things I had to keep me warm—campfire, electric hand warmers, hot water, two sleeping bags, and two extra blankets—I eased into the last days I had on my cozy mattress.

I left on a Tuesday morning, car packed with all my gear, two cubic feet of firewood, and a cooler full of lentil soup I cooked the day prior. Within an hour, I was at the park entrance speaking with the security attendant who gave me a brief lay of the land. He sent me off to find my campsite reminding me to go slow and enjoy the views Mt. Diablo had to offer me while on my way up. I turned my music off and stopped at every vista point I could find.

I loved being by myself for two days. I hiked up and down the mountain looking for new birds (I found two!), drank cups of hot tea, watched the sunset, colored with my crayons, and meditated. I collected pretty leaves and sturdy-looking rocks. I sat by my campfire and stared at the stars. I was even bullied by sneaky raccoons who tried stealing my food but only got my bag of kindling.

It began to rain around 11 pm on my first-night camping. I was awoken by the violent pattering of rain against my rainfly at 1 am and kept imagining that my tent was flooding. Soon, the consistent thrum of the rain lulled me back to sleep and I dreamt of swimming in a pot full of fragrant Earl Grey tea. I woke up to the smell of wet Coulter pine trees and witnessed the sun shining across dew-ridden grass. My breath was visible in the air. I was warm and toasty. I had no idea where my phone was. This is what it feels like to wake up alive.

It me!! In my lil tent! <3

I’ll state the obvious: I stayed warm enough during my trip to tell the tale! Here are several insights from the trip.

1. Trying to stay warm in the cold is no joke. Even with all my layers, I ended up losing 4-6 pounds in two days as my body used my fat reserves to stay warm at night.

2. Starting a fire when my lighter stopped working taught me persistence and focus. It also reminded me that I 1) always need to check my fire equipment before leaving, and 2) need to keep extras handy.

3. E-readers are better for camping than bringing around physical print, particularly when it gets dark early.

4. Plan ahead and get free firewood for free off Craigslist! Dry it outdoors during off season.

5. Protein-heavy meals are key to staying warm in the cold. Think steaks for dinner and hunks of cheese as a snack.

6. I don’t always feel hungry when I go out camping; eating feels hard for some reason.

7. Pre-cooked meals are always the way to go for camping! A friend gifted me Cook It Wild by Chris Nuttall-Smith for my birthday last year and I am very excited to try out new camping recipes.

Hoping for more trips away from the city this year.

Thanks for being here.

Until next time,
Marj ✨