mostly for your general amusement, I suppose, but wouldn't mind some advice.

"spring" camping on Blackhead Mountain in the Catskills last weekend, I knew I would have to melt snow as my only water source -- a first for me -- since I have always been able to find flowing water before. With three feet of snow and zero degree temps the logistics almost did me in. First problem: all advice is to put your stove on some raft-like surface. well, hard to find one in that much snow, so I did manage to use some bark and aluminum foil... but my wood-burning stove just ate through that real fast. I can't remember how many last minute melt-shifts dumped my hard-melted water supply into the snow. After some successful snow melting for drinking water, I moved on to boiling water for a lusted-for drink of hot chocolate and cooking water. I thought I'd try to just use a camp fire -- so I put down a base of rotten logs I managed to break off above snow level, and built a small fire. Again, after several shifting log/snow drop generated almost boiling water spills, I managed to get some boiling water. Punch line: elapsed time: roughly four hours. ...mostly, feelings of amusement/entertainment/educational experience most of the time. So, for serious winter camping (read snow melting in cold temps) the preferred stove is: ??? and should I really have brought a snow shovel??? what is the UL solution here??? and laugh away, my friends.