As hearty people residing in Colorado, we don’t let a little snow stop us. Well over a foot of Snow in Denver does tend to slow us down a bit. It is important to remember that a little bit of snow and cold is what Winter Camping in Colorado is all about.
The best way to become accustom to the tried and true methods is to cold weather camp in a group. The Denver Area Council’s Winter District campouts are ideal. There is a lot of experience in these well weathered Scoutmasters that they are happy to share. Beside what is better than camping with a couple of hundred friends.
There are ways to keep warm that you might not have thought about and some may seem counter intuitive. Be well hydrated. This keeps your systems functioning well. Avoid a lot of caffeine. Not only can it be dehydrating in itself, but you really do not need another cause of a headache while camping at altitude. Coffee and tea can cause your body to lose heat. It is a good idea to place your water bottle in your sleeping bag overnight as it is difficult to drink frozen water. By consuming a lot of liquid you will also need to relieve yourself and as hard as it is to climb out of a warm sleeping bag it is still important to stay hydrated all day and night.
Be sure that the camping menu is full of high nutrient high calorie foods. It takes a lot of calories to keep your body warm. It is a good idea to have fruit (fresh or dried), nuts, and granola or energy bars around for between meal snacking. Soups, stews, and chili are great meals that can be created inexpensively and are warm to consume. One pot meals are faster to clean up as well.
Having the right clothing on can make for a great experience for yourself and your scout. Dress in layers. The heavy ski jacket and pants may be great to start the day, but lots of strenuous activity can leave you sweaty and overheated. Several removable layers including a wick-away type t-shirt can help keep you warm and comfortable. Cotton does not dry very fast. Wool will continue to keep you warm even when wet. Pack lots of socks. All scouts need boots. There is always the boy that knows his ‘Air Jordans’ will get him through anything. The boys often fail to believe that there might be snow at the mountain camp site or that the leather of boots will keep their feet warmer and dryer than sneakers. Hats need to be required gear all day and night. Baseball caps should be replaced with good winter headgear. Several pairs of gloves or mittens are needed. Sleepwear should be separate from daywear. Redressing from the skin up at night will assure that the sweaty undershirt does not end up being a cold second skin at night. A hat, mittens and soft warm socks are extra comforting on winter campouts.
It is a very good idea to have a gear check at a troop meeting prior to the event. This will give the scouts time to acquire the necessary missing equipment.
If your troop missed your district’s Klondike or Winter Camporee look into some hosted by other districts. Arapahoe District’s is at Peaceful Valley February 10-12, registration closes Monday the 6th. Frontier District will host theirs at Camp Tahosa February 17-19. Gateway District’s is February 10-12 at Golden Gate Canyon State Park, registration closes Wednesday the 8th. Timberline District’s will also be at Golden Gate Canyon State Park but on February 24-26. If your district is not mentioned they have already had their campout.
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