*** Cancelled *** OKPIK

Trip cancelled due to lack of snow in Maine

The plan is drive to Camp Hinds on Friday night and stay in their bunkhouse.  There will be a presentation on cold-weather camping.  On Saturday morning, we will snowshoe out to a campsite with our guides and construct “Quinzee” snow shelters – snow permitting of course.  After some hiking, we will complete the structures and sleep in them.

A few things to keep in mind:

  • Scouts and parents should read this overview – it is very important that you pack adequately.
  • You can find a link to just the packing list here.
  • Please make every effort to borrow a backpack for this trip.  On Saturday, we will need to snowshoe out to the campsite with all of our gear (including sleeping bags and your bag of food, which is also provided).  It is really hard (really really hard) to snowshoe while carrying a duffel bag.  Call around – enough scouts are not going on this trip so that there should be backpacks available.
  • I was in touch with the camp in Maine.  If you do not have a zero degree sleeping bag, they have enough to lend.  You still need to bring a bag for Friday night, and a liner if you have one.
  • You will need to bring gear to sleep over on Friday night and then change into on Saturday morning.   You should also have some clean clothes to change into on Sunday morning.
  • You will not want to carry all of that stuff out into the field on Saturday.  Bring along an extra bag to put the gear that you will not need during the day and night on Saturday to leave in the cars.  On Saturday, you will need to carry your sleeping bag and pad, some extra clothes, mess kit, Nalgene, extra Nalgene and your bag of food that the camp will provide.  Anything other than that is dead weight.