Please, do not spend a lot of money on clothing and equipment. Many of the items can be purchased at thrift or second hand stores. Functionality is more important than fashion and brand name .
Troop 33 Winter Camping Information – Like a mission to Mars?
Camping in the winter provides a time in the woods with new challenges and experiences. The crisp mountain air, the redefined landscape by the white covering, and winter sun casting its sharp shadows provides an experience like none other.
Winter camping does require better planning, preparation, and prevention. Following these steps, the experience will be fun and rewarding. Skipping any of these steps, the experience could be poor if not very dangerous. So, what gear do you need? Well, it depends upon where and when the troop is going camping?
January Outdoors Winter Camping
January campout requires detailed planning and preparation. This is a competition and a winter campout. Scouts will be scored on their winter gear, shelter they create, and the food the troop cooks. Points will be taken away for adults assisting in the cooking. There are other items the Scouts will be judged on.
Other events include:
- Scenario #1 – Winter Rescue Scenario. Includes fire building (tool safety)/cold weather first aid/emergency communications/signal for life flight/ability to locate coordinates on a map for rescue
- Scenario #2 – Avalanche Rescue Scenario Includes transponder use/ cold weather first aid (trauma)/and transport of injured person
- Animal Tracks and Tracking/Plant and Tree ID
- Log Raising Knot Challenge
- Scout Knowledge/Flag Etiquette
- Map & Compass Work
Layered winter clothing should include boots, boot liners, gloves and/or mittens, stocking cap (x2), heavy coat, wool sweater, ski pants and/ or overalls, winter socks and winter underwear. Other items include compass, pencil, paper, signaling mirror or whistle, water bottle, Scout handbook, snack food, and a change of clothes for three days (especially winter socks and winter underwear). The only cotton clothing allowed is the Class A Scout uniform. Please contact me if you only have cotton winter clothing. January campouts need a winter rated sleeping bag or two sleeping bags loosely tucked together (both need room to fluff out), a mess kit, a thick pad, plastic ground cloth, Personal first aid kit, and a candle. We will be sleeping one night in the lodge and two nights in a snow cave.
Simple Equipment List For Your First Winter Campout
February Family Camp Sawtooth Camping
When the troops spends the weekend at Camp Sawtooth, the equipment list is not as extensive as other winter campouts. The Scouts stay in a heated lodge with a large area to dry clothing .Family members stay in a well heated lodge. The food is cooked in the camps kitchen using the camp dishes.
So, less gear is needed. A warm sleeping bag, layered winter clothing for 3 days, water bottles, Scout Handbook, and a little quantity of simple snacks is a simple list. A full list can be downloaded [here].
Camp Sawtooth February Camping List
Yurt Winter Camping
This campout is a mixture of a survival winter campout and the annual February campout so equipment is a blend of the two. The Yurt provides a little area for drying clothing as well as semi heated shelter for the night. Food is cooked in a small kitchen area. The hardest part of yurt camping is hauling in the gear and food. The gear needs to serve two purposes which will allow you to enjoy the experience and adjust to the varying environmental conditions.
So, you have the correct gear? Now, training is the next step to winter camping. Do not try to go camping in the winter without training and experienced leadership. The troop provides both classes and guided experiences to help develop your skills and knowledge.
See Camp Activity Page for the latest camping information and updates. Contact Brian Anderson for more information.
