CAMPING WITH TROOP 183

Our camping schedule for 2008-2009:

Staring in November, we will be getting into cold weather . It is important that everyone dress and pack appropriately. The following checklist is a good guideline for what to take to "Be Prepared" for these next few trips as well as the Outdoor Action Guide to Hypothermia And Cold Weather Injuries.

Winter Camping Checklist

RESOURCES

• Layering for warmth - pages 42 & 43 of Fieldbook, Boy Scouts of America
• Winter Camping - pages 331 to 355 of the Fieldbook, Boy Scouts of America
• Sleeping System - "Sleeping Out in Winter" Scouting magazine, Nov. 1993
• Winter Camping - Okpik: Cold Weather Camping, Boy Scouts of America




Clothing:





Remember: COTTON KILLS!




Head & Hands: - Wool or fleece hats (2) one for the daytime & a dry one to sleep in (if we are in tents). A balaclava or some other type of knit hat that covers the ears is essential. - Wool or fleece scarf (optional) - Warm gloves or mittens (2-pr minimum). Again, at least one dry pair to sleep in.




Footwear:

Warm dry boots. A second pair is mandatory, as boots tend to get wet when camping in snow!. Boots should be warm & waterproof. Pac type boots with felt liners are a good choice. Any other boots that will keep feet warm & dry are fine.
SNEAKERS ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR OUT OF DOORS !!!!!!!!!!!
- SNEAKERS ARE NOT ALLOWED ON CAMPOUTS FROM NOVEMBER TO APRIL (except for lounging around in the cabin when we are in a one). - Wool socks (several pair). No substitutes.. Nothing else will keep your feet warm like wool socks. Polypropylene works well, too. - Two dry pairs to sleep in (2 nights), and 1 pair to wear during the day. Cotton socks must be avoided. Wet cotton provides no insulation at all. It does, however, draw heat away from the body. Warm, dry feet are happy feet. - Polypro or similar sock liners - this mateerial wicks the moisture away from the body dramatically reducing heat loss from evaporation. The net result is the body feels far warmer with these than with any other material.


Pants:


1st choice wool or fleece, for the same reasons mentioned above. A breathable pair of shell pants would be advisable. - Equally good are ski type pants - also warm & dry. Jeans should NOT be worn outside on cold weather camping trips as they absorb and hold onto water very readily, increasing the chances for hypothermia and are very poor protection against the cold. Please note - jeans and sneakers may be worn for travel only to and from campouts or for inside the cabin (again, when we are in one). - Long underwear - tops and bottoms - polyprropylene, thermax, capilene are great. Please avoid cotton waffle underwear, cotton sweats and cotton flannel for the reasons stated above. Bear in mind that you will need to wear a clean, dry pair to bed each night.


Tops:

Wool or fleece top(s). Remember, two nights of sleeping in these, if we are in tents. If we're in a cabin, this is less important for sleeping. - Wool sweater (optional, or as a shirt subsstitute)


Coat, Parka or Shell

A light shell may be worn over several insulating layers. Make sure it is big enough to accommodate the insulating layers. A layer can always be removed if the weather is milder than expected.
- A parka should also be large enough to acccommodate the extra layers of clothing needed to keep warm in the winter environment. It should also be large enough to allow the circulation of air to help move moisture away the body (ditto for a light shell). A permanently attached hood will prevent loss of heat at the head and neck..
- Raingear - VERY IMPORTANT

Camping Gear:

- Tents - the troop will supply these. - Sleeping bags - a winter weight (zero°) slleeping bag or improvised substitute is needed for all tent winter camping. ¹ - Closed cell foam insulating sleeping pad -- no substitutions !!!

Scouts need to bring their own:
• - Pillow
• - Blankets - see below
• - Backpack - soon to be required
• - Individual water bottles to carry in your pack for hiking. Wide mouth bottles are best.
• - Flashlight & extra batteries and bulb.
• - Individual mess kit - nothing fancy- a knife, fork, spoon, plastic plate and cup are fine.
• - Stove, fuel, cook set and food if doing individual cooking.
• - Garbage bags for dirty laundry.
• - Toilet paper - small amount - don't depend on someone else to provide it.
• - Personal kit - toothbrush, toothpaste, face cloth, soap, towel and any medicines needed.
• - Scout Handbook

Other Requirements:

Zip lock freezer bags make great stuff sacks. The gallon or 2 gallon ones are perfect for packing clothing. Socks in one, 2 shirts in another etc. Another way of packing using Ziplock bags is to put a full set of underwear, socks and t-shirt for each day in one bag as is done for Yawgoog. The bags help provide some organization, and more importantly, keep everything DRY. Dry is of the utmost importance in keeping warm. All Scouts MUST have their gear dry packed in this manner.

Misc. information

Sleeping bags used at Yawgoog are usually rated at about 40º. These are no good for winter camping . The Scouts will need one rated to at least zeroº or pin one or two wool blankets inside their sleeping bag for added warmth. This is not an all-inclusive list---use common sense in dressing for winter camping.


Check out some pictures of us camping

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