Camping in the BSA Klondike Snowstorm of 2012

OK - ready for this?  I went camping in a tent this weekend during the great snowstorm of 2012.

In the early morning hours it started to snow.  We woke up to about 2-3 inches of snow, and it continued to snow all day until accumulation reached 6-8 inches.  We spent the entire day outdoors for our District Klondike Derby and had great fun!

There was a sled race... but also just funning around on sleds.

We ran the ice rescue station (not on a real lake!) - the roped off area was the thin ice and the blue tarp was where the boys fell through the ice and had to be rescued.  Here's our Troop making a human chain to rescue THREE boys (because the first two ran out onto the thin ice to rescue their buddy and fell in themselves!)

There was a really fun two-man saw competition - here are some of my adult friends taking a turn at this competition during a break.

Then there was a homemade snowshoe relay race - and two of our Scouts made the most awesome homemade snowshoes!  Unfortunately, we didn't know it was a relay race and the attachment mechanisms were really secure... too secure to switch in and out of for a relay race.  But they did a fabulous job creating snow shoes!

Finally, we used two of the burners of the six-burner stove in the warming house to heat up our chili for lunch.  One of our dads and his Scout made the chili before the trip and we only had to warm it up.  Guess what?  Dad is a gourmet chef.  This was the BEST chili ever!

It was a fabulous campout and I was so worn out I slept for 13 hours last night when I got home.  Ahhh - it really only takes a cold winter campout to make you really, truly appreciate your own warm comfortable bed.

Comments

[Lynn]

Ok you are made of stronger stuff than me!!!! I would SO be looking for the local Holiday Inn once that first flake dropped!!!!

[Beth]

I continue to be amazed at your dedication! Brr!

[Dee]

Cold it may have been, but MAN, that looked like a FUN campout.

I like the idea of the two helpful boys also falling in. It really brings home the safety of helping others --- you can't help THEM if you take yourself out in the process. It's a good lesson to learn in the "safety zone".

[Ellen]

Conor wants to know if you earned your Polar Bear Badge!!!