Being one of the best troops around, your troop camps rain or shine, hot or cold. Depending on where you are, the 'cold' might be 40 degrees or -40 degrees. Here in Minnesota, our council has a Zero Hero award for scouts that camp out in below 0F temps, but many councils have an award for camping below freezing. Lots of councils call it their Polar Bear award which sounds kind of funny up north here.

Whatever the temperature, cold weather camping requires additional training and equipment from the more comfortable summer campouts. It also might be a challenge to make a cold winter campout much fun since the cold can be uncomfortable. Some winter camping ideas are the usual skiing, sledding, or snowshoeing but those can get 'old hat' after awhile. A great solution is to hold a Klondike Derby for your own troop, other troops in the community, or your entire district. You don't really need snow to hold a Klondike - just modify some of the activities.

To prepare for and enjoy a simple weekend winter campout, here are a few ideas:

• Ice Rescue - troop meeting activity to prepare
• Winter Camping Tips - tips for your instructors to teach the newbies.
• Snow Snakes - patrols make and race their wooden snakes.
• Fox Hunt - tracking activity in the snow.
• Shaggy Dog, How Bear Lost His Tail, Turtle Races Bear, Origin of Summer and Winter, How Coyote Stole Fire - winter stories
• Hawk and Waterfall - a scoutmaster minute
• Ice Fishing - a funny skit

Scout On
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