now THIS is 'Winter camping".....

[ScouterMom]

This article and video show our scout troop, and feature one of our older scouts, Arek - who is a close friend of my boys, Jon and  Will.    

This is from our local paper.....

the Northwest Herald had an article entitled "Camping in a Winter Wonderland" about BSA Troop 159's Winter Survival Campout.  You can search for it on their website, or use the link:

http://nwherald.com/articles/2007/12/29/news/local/doc47772a582d402280439425.txt

There's also a video featured on the NW Herald website,

http://www.nwherald.com/multimedia/videoplayer.php?id=20071229wintercamp

Brent Johnson (Troop Scoutmaster) and Arek Lucich (Eagle Scout & Troop guide) are interviewed, and various Scouts are seen sledding.  Don't miss Arek explaining how he is "going tarpless" in his four-tree shelter.


Winter camping IS fun - as long as you go well prepared!

Arek is one of our more inventive scouts - a couple of year's back he did some research before the winter campout and created a hammock with roof out of the materials he was given for the campout.  It was really neat!

Jon and I were both recovering from a really bad case of bronchitis, so neither of us went on the annual winter survival campout this year, but we have gone on them in past years. It is magical to wake up in a snow-covered shelter and hear the world so quiet, that you can hear the snowflakes fall!

 The boys in our troop are wonderful kids.  I always feel honored to know them and be even a small part of their lives ....

Laura

[beacher]

That is fantastic!  When I was a scout in the late 70's to 80's our troop did winter snow, and summer desert wilderness survival camping, kinda like that.  But ours was a little more restricted as our leaders were ex Viet Nam Green Berets, and my dad who also assisted an ex WWII 82nd airborne Recon guy.  This is what we could take with us for three to five nights:

10 home-made waterproofed matches
1 pocketknife
topo map
compass
whistle
good boots
good jacket
good gloves
good hat

All water, food, and shelter was provided by the environment.  Fun Stuff!!

[Dee4j]

sounds like a trip for boothebunch..hey there's no dirt...hee hee

[robpoe]

We went on a "Winter Survival" campout when I was helping a friend with their troop  -- I can't think of a night I was ever so uncomfortable in my life!!!

I took a blanket and a sleeping bag and a foam mat.  Fine for most campouts, but this one the adults all chipped in and built a mega-shelter .. lined our bags up in a row.  The problem was, the wind blew acrosswise into our shelter .. and Mr. Me had a less-than-ideal sleeping bag .. I hunkered down into it, put my coat over the top to keep out some of the cold, and shivered all night..  Dont think I slept much..

In the morning - all I wanted to do was leave..

I guess if I had to survive on my own .. I'd be screwed..

[eldasilma]

ic an rember camping here in wny in the winter where i had to dig dow to pitch my tent and to light my fire and honestly that was the best time i had backpacking it i ever had