Annual Snow Camping Adventure

Seven courageous Scouts braved wind and sub-freezing weather on the weekend of March 9^th for the annual Troops 64/4064 snow camping trip. As we did last year, our destination was off Highway 88 near Silver Lake (close to Kirkwood Ski Resort). The Scouts hiked in about two miles with snowshoes and gear in a “pulk” (a plastic sled attached to the skier with pvc pipes, paracord, bungies and carabiners). They dug snow caves, cooked a warm dinner, then went to bed early because it was so cold. Conditions were perfect for digging a cave because snow and high winds the prior weekend made a vertical drift of consolidated crystals. But the winds were strong enough that erecting tents was a challenge for those who opted for those instead of sleeping in the  caves. The Scouts learned that putting their packs inside anchored them enough so that they could assemble and insert their tent poles. Also, it was cold enough that the iso-butane stoves didn’t work – important lesson learned there. You could boil one pot of snow and after that the fuel cartridge didn’t have enough pressure to keep running. All-in-all, a great experience and one of those that makes you appreciate a warm bed when you get home.