Winter Backpacking and Tarp Camping in the Loess Hills — Mistakes, Frozen Eggs, and Perfect Solitude

This winter backpacking trip in the Loess Hills of Iowa started in one of my favorite small towns — Onawa. I took a slow drive down Main Street, shared the local character and architecture, and stopped at a small grocery store to pick up ingredients for a backcountry dinner: pasta carbonara and a good bottle of Australian wine. From there, I backpacked into an isolated area of the Loess Hills and set up a tarp shelter for a quiet winter camp. I processed firewood, settled in, and cooked one of the best trail meals I’ve made in a long time. Overnight, a thin layer of fresh snow arrived — but so did a string of small mistakes. I left my water bottles and eggs outside, and by morning they were frozen solid. The ground was too frozen to dig a proper fire pit, so I couldn’t safely build a morning fire. One of my cameras also failed. That meant an early pack-up. But this trip is proof that even when winter backpacking doesn’t go perfectly, it can still give you exactly what you came for: peace, solitude, and perspective. If you enjoy real-world backpacking, winter tarp camping, simple trail cooking, and honest outdoor experiences — this one’s for you. #Backpacking #OutdoorCooking #loesshills #WinterCamping #TarpShelter