Winter Camping Troop Program Feature for Scouts BSA

BSA has created updated versions of the Troop Program features for Scouts BSA. The Winter Camping program feature is available in digital format on the BSA website or can be purchased as a publication from you local Scout Shop.

The Winter Camping feature teaches Scouts to prepare for a fun and safe campout in cold weather. With the right skills, Scouts can be comfortable.. The program feature includes some general information and some more specific ideas for meetings:

• How to stay warm
• Understanding wind chill
• How to make a snow shelter such as a snow cave

Suggested troop meeting ideas are grouped by essential, challenging, or advanced. Here are a few you can see in the guide.

• Learn about the principles of wick, wind, and warmth (essential)
• Discuss different materials for clothing (challenging)
• Discuss overheating and perspiration (advanced)
• Learn how to prepare dehydrated foods (essential)
• Prepare some high calorie, simple foods (challenging)
• Prepare some Dutch oven foods (advanced)
• Learn how to make a trench shelter (essential)
• Learn how to make a snow cave (challenging)
• Learn how to make an igloo (advanced)
• Review how to treat hypothermia (essential)
• Discuss ice rescue techniques (challenging)
• Discuss avalanches (advanced)

There are also several games suggested to keep things interesting at your troop meetings

• Dress for Cold Relay
• Frozen Kitchen Taste Test
• Pitch Your Tent Challenge

The plan even provides Scoutmaster’s minutes and ceremonies for meetings.

Then there is the “Main Event”. Once again, there are suggestions for essential, challenging, or advanced. Details and planning aids can be found in the online guide.

• Have a day activity in the snow, practice building snow shelters (essential)
• Go overnight camping in winter conditions (challenging)
• Build a snow cave or igloo and spend the night in it (advanced)

Find some related helps and achievements for the Winter Camping Troop Program Feature below.

Avoiding Hypothermia During Cold Weather Activities

Avoiding hypothermia is key to a successful outdoor activity in cold weather, be it camping, hiking, skiing, ice skating, or snowman building.

Dutch Oven Cooking

Dutch oven cooking is one of my favorite ways to make meals and desserts at camp. Put the ingredients in, put some charcoal on the top and bottom, come back later, and voila! you have a delicious dish. Do you have a Dutch oven recipe you'd like to share? Contact me and I'll share it.

Scouts BSA Tenderfoot Camping and Outdoor Ethics Requirements Helps and Documents

Tenderfoot requirement 1 is related to camping and the outdoors. New Scouts learn to prepare for a campout and find out what should be on their packing lists. They use these skills when they camp overnight. They also learn how to be responsible citizens in the outdoors.

Scouts BSA Second Class Camping and Outdoor Ethics Requirements Helps and Documents

Second Class requirement 1 is related to camping and being outdoors. Scouts learn to select a campsite and how to have good manners in the outdoors. They put these skills to use by going on outdoor activities.

Scouts BSA First Class Camping and Outdoor Ethics Requirements Helps and Documents

First Class requirement 1 is related to camping and being outdoors. Scouts learn how to have good manners in the outdoors. They put these skills to use by going on outdoor activities.

Winter Sports Ranger Elective Helps and Documents

To complete the Winter Sports elective for the Venturing Ranger award, Venturers must learn all about Alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, or ice skating.

The Outdoor Code

Every Scout who is spending time outdoors should be familiar with the Outdoor Code. It is especially important for Webelos, Scouts BSA, and Venturers who are out camping regularly.