Teaching Scout about the COLD

We are in the Cold Season and its time to dust off the snow shoes and pull out the poly pro underwear… get out there and go camping.
There is nothing more exhilarating than challenging yourself in a harsh environment. Crisp clean vistas, the chilly breeze, being prepared and having a memorable time in the winter camping.
But when we get ready to go, we need to go PREPARED and that starts with teaching our Scouts skills that will ensure their success in the winter environment.

A great place to start is by introducing your Scouts to COLD.

COLD is a tool that makes learning about cold weather camping lasting. It is an easy tool that the boys can remember and it is simple enough to retain.

C- Clean. You need to stay clean in a cold weather environment Dirt on clothing acts like a wick for wet and cold. Keeping your clothing clean will keep you dry and warm.
Keeping your body clean is a great way to stay warm also.
Oily skins gets your sleeping bag dirty. As you sweat in your sleeping bag you can start to break down the warming qualities of your bag. Opening the pours of your bag.
You need to maintain a clean body. A simple wipe down before heading into the bag for the night will keep you snug and warm.

O- Overheating. KEEP from overheating. Control your temperature by watching what you do and what you wear. As activities increase, loose clothing. Use zippers and hats to regulate heat/cold. If your get cold, put more on, as you warm up, unzip arm pits and take off the hat.
Reduce the amount of sweat sitting on your skin. Sweat freezes and as it evaporates it takes away your body heat. A real fast way to loose heat and lower your core temp is to sweat. Keep from sweating.

L- Loose in Layers. Dress for Success.. Loose and in layers.
Loose creates air pockets. Those air pockets heat you up as they fill with the body heat. Keeping the heat in those layers will keep you warm. Layers are key. Start with your base layer, the clothing on your skin. Sweat wicking and NO COTTON. Then throw on your mid layers. The clothing that keeps you warm. Outer layers that keep you away from the elements. And all of this layered. Remove or add layers as needed.

D- Dry. Staying Dry is the key to warmth. Weather that is dry from wet conditions or sweat. Staying dry with keep you warm. Staying warm will ensure a great time in the winter camping.

Use gaiters, water proof layers, and of course stay out of wet elements when you can not effectively stop it from getting you wet.

These four simple letters remind us how we can stay warm… by knowing COLD.

Have great winter camping experiences..
And Have a Great Scouting Day!

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