Intrepid Scouts: Camping in zero degree weather

On the weekend of February 25-26, 2011, nine teenagers in Lake Forest Park Boy Scout Troop 317, accompanied by five adults, went on their annual camp-out to the North Lakes District "Klondike Derby" at Ensign Ranch in the mountains outside Cle Elum.

Because of the extreme weather conditions, the trip didn't quite go as planned. Scout Master Bruce Pyper tells the tale.

What is a Klondike Derby? The derby is a chance to practice winter camping and to compete in various events. The participating troops vie for first place in events such as:

• The "Snow Blind" obstacle course - all the scouts, but one, have been "blinded" by the snow and must complete an obstacle course guided by the one scout who can see.
• A fire-building competition - ever try to build a fire in the middle of a field covered in 2 feet of snow?
• "Knots a Problem" - a knot-tying competition
• First Aid
• Winter shelter building

Unfortunately, the boys were unable to compete in the events and show how much they had learned. Several of the young men in the troop simply did not have enough body mass to keep their core temperature up -- so the troop opted to come home early.

We did spend the night in an unheated cabin with only three solid - well, mostly solid - walls. Tarps were stretched over the open side, but it was still very cold...

How cold was it? It was SOOOOO COLD....

• Water and Kool-Aid were freezing in their containers - ever try drinking solid water?? We ended up either putting the water bottles in our sleeping bags to keep them from freezing or pouring the water into kettles. The kettles froze solid overnight, but warmed up nicely when placed on the morning campfire.

• We had to put the food IN a cooler to keep it "warm". There was no room for the bananas so they turned into "banana-sicles."

• The propane fuel bottles would only work if they were held - propane does not work too well below freezing.

• Batteries lost their charge quickly. There were several dead flashlights and cameras.

And.... perhaps, strangest of all.... Teenage boys were NOT interested in food and staying up all night. Everyone was curled up in their doubled-up sleeping bags by 9:30 pm.

In reality, we found out that, as of 11 pm Friday night, the air temperature was zero degrees Fahrenheit. And it continued getting colder through the night.

Despite not competing in the Derby, I don't think the boys will forget this trip for a very long time. They went WAY beyond their comfort zone and lived to tell the tale. Not too many boys their age, or adults either, are willing to even consider attempting such a thing.

Moreover, they survived a brutally cold night without cellphones, I-pods, X-Boxes, much less heat or electricity. They learned how to work through problems and pain - ever try to get fingers and toes "un-numbed" in sub-freezing weather? They pulled together as a group and, believe it or not, they are ready for next year - as long as they get to sleep in a heated cabin!. This was a truly "character building" trip.

The next camp-out will be in March so stay tuned for more...