Winter Camp - Lower Lake, Kananaskis

Thursday - Friday, 13 February 2014.

We teamed together with the other troops in the Stake. Cranston, Sundance and Parkland.   Weather worked our really well, with light dustings of snow and mild temps. Our group was putting on the Hockey game for Thursday afternoon. Then for Friday we were putting on some cross-country skiing along with some tubing. The ski trails were all around us, so it was real easy to hit the groomed trails. We had to hunt around for a good tobogganing hill. There was one quite close on a cut line, but the trek in and up was brutal. We ventured out a bit further and came across one at William Watson lodge. Even had road access to pick up tubes and passengers and drive them to the top again. 

The other groups put on lots of great activities as well. Quinzee builds was first on the list when you got to the site. Had some significant engineering variations. From trough style to full blown igloos. We brought tents for backup, but there was a ton of snow there, so no problem with getting enough construction materials. Got a session on wildlife identification, a Great Escape event for the first evening, and some snow shoeing. 

Location

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park - Group Use

Team Members

Karl Burndorfer, Nigel Kennett, Glen Buchanan, Jason Smith, David Crane, Ryan Gilchrist  - Scout Leaders
Ethan Conrad. RJ Laigo, Seth Ek, Taysen Saravia, Austin Smith, Andrew Lund, Joshua Thompson, Duke Buchanan   - Scouts
Sam Lloyd - Venturer, Assistant
 

Photo Library 

Setting up camp and Quinzees
DSCN3295.JPG (4352304 bytes) Great spot for a camp eh boys. Not too cold either. DSCN3296.JPG (4924918 bytes) Guess the leaders don't want to get snow in their boots walking to their tent.  DSCN3297.JPG (4694245 bytes) This looks like a great spot for our shelter. Snows so deep I can't feel the other side. DSCN3298.JPG (4112983 bytes) Hobbit Shire doors are very intricate doors. You need special tools to make them. 
DSCN3299.JPG (3969897 bytes) Precision cutting is a must.  DSCN3301.JPG (3692489 bytes) Hotdogs never tasted so good.  DSCN3302.JPG (3826433 bytes) Done, lets get back to work! DSCN3303.JPG (4076095 bytes) Now for the door frame and hinge assemble.  
DSCN3304.JPG (3693885 bytes) I think the trough is deep enough now Ethan.  DSCN3305.JPG (3570477 bytes) OK, lets start hollowing out the side bunks.
Hockey Olympics
DSCN3306.JPG (4235573 bytes) Just because we used picnic tables for our goals doesn't mean you need to sit on them.  DSCN3307.JPG (4343411 bytes) Try and check him into the boards. We made them out of snow.  DSCN3308.JPG (4159623 bytes) A ref needs to make some tough and unpopular calls at time. DSCN3327.JPG (3580113 bytes) It's a break away, he's coming in fast. 
 DSCN3326.JPG (3812969 bytes) Where's my defense?
Finding a Toboggan hill
DSCN3309.JPG (4333667 bytes) OK. I heard of limited traction but these skis could slide out on a flat plane. DSCN3310.JPG (4198730 bytes) What's your problem. The skis and snow temp are just right! DSCN3311.JPG (4246357 bytes) Check out the stick and glide on mine. DSCN3312.JPG (2036483 bytes) We are now in a white out and behind me is a possible toboggan hill. 
Home Inspections
DSCN3314.JPG (2030306 bytes) Check out this quinzee door DSCN3315.JPG (2208119 bytes) Nice door knob, hand carved.  DSCN3329.JPG (3566028 bytes) Great weather seal from the inside. DSCN3330.JPG (3661738 bytes) Roomy 2 level split inside. 
DSCN3331.JPG (3528817 bytes) And no leaks. DSCN3316.JPG (3855531 bytes) After an 8-9 hour team effort we have a fully constructed igloo. DSCN3317.JPG (3269150 bytes) Great interior lighting.
DSCN3319.JPG (1867628 bytes) Nice entrance closet for snowshoe. DSCN3320.JPG (3387001 bytes) Here we have the K-Tel snow block maker. DSCN3321.JPG (3512920 bytes) Great when you don't have drifted snow.  Just pack the snow into the box  and move forward 1 block at a time.  DSCN3322.JPG (4153193 bytes) Does get a bit picky on the type of snow you feed it.
Fire Making Contest
DSCN3323.JPG (4240504 bytes) Our boys pull off 1st prize. DSCN3324.JPG (4368205 bytes) Not too close to the fire, chocolate melts! DSCN3325.JPG (4276072 bytes) I'm sure if they knew you won 1kg bag of mini eggs, the other boys would have sacrificed their dry socks for tinder.
Bed Time
IMG_2497.JPG (3208575 bytes) After a thunderous round of singing, the activity flips to a marshmallow eating contest.   IMG_2501.JPG (1881525 bytes) Got to swallow them all to win. IMG_2498.JPG (1770343 bytes) Is it OK to sleep on a full stomach of marshmallows?
Morning 
IMG_2502.JPG (2257223 bytes) These hobbit houses are quite sturdy. Just get myself onto the roof.  IMG_2503.JPG (2426576 bytes) Impressive, no creaking or collapsing sounds. IMG_2504.JPG (2423695 bytes) Maybe if I jump a bit.
Cross country skiing
IMG_2508.JPG (2702480 bytes) Not bad for my 1st time on skis. IMG_2510.JPG (2408782 bytes) So now you want us to go down this big hill?
Snow Shoeing
IMG_2507.JPG (2521138 bytes) Nice traction on these. Kind of like ice claws.   P2140120.JPG (704689 bytes) Snowshoeing is all about distributing you weight. Oh, that's while your walking.  P2140125.JPG (235924 bytes) I've seen those frogs with these tongs to snatch bugs right out of the air. We can do it with these snow flakes.  IMG_00001426.jpg (1004890 bytes) On fresh snow my weight sinks my in 6 inches with these babies. 
IMG_00001433.jpg (1259834 bytes)
Mountain Tubing
IMG_2511.JPG (2247699 bytes) Worst case scenario is you bounce out of the tube at high speed, land in the soft snow and than I run you over.  IMG_2512.JPG (2126102 bytes) OK, sound worth risking. IMG_2513.JPG (2095402 bytes) Whoa, that was crazy steep.   IMG_2514.JPG (2320117 bytes) Look we almost hit the tree. 
IMG_2515.jpg (381239 bytes) Always say your prayers before going down a mountain slope in a tube. (video)
Breaking Camp
IMG_00001416.jpg (1198984 bytes) Now that's a fire! IMG_2516.JPG (2518258 bytes) The aggressive birds move in for lunch. IMG_2517.JPG (2420778 bytes) There was a bit too much bun for me anyways.  IMG_2518.JPG (2447112 bytes) We are impervious to snow.  
IMG_2519.JPG (2507771 bytes) or we just don't mind wet cloths. IMG_2520.JPG (2633454 bytes) Groups shot 1 IMG_2521.JPG (2617900 bytes) Group shot 2 IMG_2522.JPG (2723279 bytes) Group shot 3
IMG_2523.JPG (2661899 bytes) Group shot 4 IMG_2524.JPG (2619078 bytes) Group shot 5, and not a single good shot of me. Awesome camp everyone. Thanks