Our next camp will be Military Intel Polar Bear Camp, scheduled for February 16-17. It is a 24 hour, one-night, outdoor winter camping experience, where scouts build shelters as a patrol, and spend the night in them. Each scout is also responsible for bringing their own food and water/drinks for the weekend. The cost to attend the camp is $10.
The PLC has planned out a lot of awesome activities to keep everyone busy and having fun during the day on Saturday. Don’t let the uniqueness of sleeping in a shelter discourage you from attending camp. Our Instructor crew will be spending time at the next two troop meetings teaching winter camping skills to best prepare everyone to have a successful experience. Additionally, here is some helpful information on gear and clothing:
-Do not forget ground pads.
-Snow boots and winter pants are must – plan on the possibility for snowy, wet, or muddy ground.
-Extra socks, hats, and gloves. Gloves need to be insulated winter gloves.
-Scouts should all be bringing large tarps and rope/twine for shelter building. Please put your name on your tarps.
-Bring extra sleeping bags and/or blankets for additional warmth.
-Bring 3 large garbage bags for any wet or muddy gear.
-Bring at least two quarts of water. Please make sure your water bottles are filled. Staying hydrated in the Winter is just as important.
-If you want hot chocolate or other hot beverages, be sure to bring it and a cup. The troop provides hot water only.
For Clothing, in addition to showing up to camp wearing a coat and warm winter clothing, you should bring a complete extra set of clothing. Scouts should expect to have an active day of field games and being outside. While the camp is just 24 hours, all Scouts need to be prepared. This means specifically things like:
-extra change of socks, hat, gloves, underwear, shirt, and pants.
-a full set of clean sleeping clothes that are not to be worn during the day – warm pajamas, clean dry socks, knitted or fleece sleeping hat.
-Insulated snow boots – no tennis shoes. Bring a second pair of hiking boots or sturdy shoes for the ride home and as a backup.
Food:
Each scout is responsible for bringing his own food for the weekend. Food will be needed for one lunch, one dinner, and one breakfast, along with some snack food. Hot water will be available for every meal, along with a cooking fire for dinner. With this being a cold-weather camp, it is a good idea to incorporate some sort of hot food or drink with each meal. Here are some examples of food that will work well for this camp:
Lunch:
-Dehydrated “Cup” Soups (Ramen, etc.)
-Dehydrated Meal (Mountain House, Backpacker’s Pantry; available at Dick’s Sporting Goods, Walmart).
-Sandwich (deli meat, PB&J, etc.)
-Beef Stick or Sliced Salami, Sliced Cheese, and Crackers
-Fruit (apple, banana, etc.)
-Hot Chocolate and/or Hot Cider
Dinner:
-Dehydrated Meal
-Foil Dinner: typically meat (hamburger, kielbasa), potatoes, and other vegetables (carrots, onions) combined in a folded up foil packet. The foil packet is placed on the coals of a fire, for usually 10-15 minutes per side. It helps to pre-cook the meat, and the vegetables should be pre-sliced. There are great resources available online that show how to best prepare and fold a foil dinner.
-Hot Dogs (can be cooked over the fire)
-Hot Chocolate and/or Hot Cider
Breakfast:
-Oatmeal
-Dehydrated Meals
-Granola Bar or Energy Bar (i.e. CLIF Bar)
-Pop Tarts
-Hot Chocolate and/or Hot Cider
Snacks (to be eaten on their own, or with a meal):
-Trail Mix: When making your trail mix, put in food that you like, but make sure to not go too crazy on the sugary stuff. Include some nuts, seeds, and grains, along with the chocolate/candy. Dried cereal (like cheerios or chex) is good too, as are things like pretzel sticks and granola. Be creative!
-Beef Jerky
-Chips/Crackers
-Fruit Snacks
-Granola or Energy/Protein Bars
Please try to limit the amount of candy/sweets, as they won’t provide the nutritional value needed for a cold-weather camp. However, something like a candy bar or cookies is a good snack to eat before bed, as it will give your body something to digest during sleep (helping to keep your body warm). Beef Jerky is a good pre-bed snack as well.
The food should be packed in ziploc bags, arranged by meal. In addition to the food, each scout will need to bring the necessary utensils, bowl, and cup. These should also be brought in a ziploc bag, so that there is some place to store them while not in use, while also providing something to bring them home in (so they won’t get your other gear dirty). And please make sure they are labeled with your name.
If you have any questions about camp, please don’t hesitate to reach out to one of the adult leaders. Thanks!
