Winter Activities a la Book of Woodcraft

[AnneinMpls]

So, I was reading through an old copy of Seton's Book of Woodcraft that I found at Halfprice Books, and he has a listing of suggested wintertime activities.

 

I was wondering what updated ideas folks had that were still sortof in that same vein? I think this will be the year we learn to build quinzees - we've got a large grassy spot at our meeting place, and it's looking like it will be a very snowy winter up here. I'd like to see a patrol competition for these. Our meetings are a bit short for fully completing, so I'm thinking the first week we'll get snow mounded up nicely, then do the digging out, etc. on subsequent weeks.

 

Seton calls November the month of short hikes. I think I might try an "undiscovered country" theme - to uncover the natural areas that are in our urban neighborhood. Seton also suggests studying evergreens during the winter - yup. Easy.

 

Our city park rents cross-country skis for pretty cheap, and we'll probably volunteer at the Loppet again this year.

 

Any more ideas? I'm feeling a tad guilty that I havn't done a better job of passing on my love of the outdoors, and since winter looks like it will be a long one this year, I'm thinking I better not waste these months!

 

Ok, I think we'll also pick up knitting and crochet again.

 

Anne in Mpls

[moxieman]

Some of the popular winter activities here in the Maine "Wilderness" include ice fishing and model rocketry. Why Model Rocketry? Less likely to set the launch field on fire. I know many a scout unit who will camp out at our local summer camp--cabin for the newbie scouts and outdoor shelters for the rest, provided there's enough snow as we've had a few screwy winters lately.

 

During the day they ice fish and while waiting to catch something with the fishing traps, they launch model rockets out on the lake.

 

I know several of our units also winter hike with snowshoes.

 

The next council west of here offers technical ice wall climbing (older scout activity).

 

And best of all...NO BUGS!

[Kudu]

110 winter activities can be found at The Inquiry Net:

 

http://inquiry.net/outdoor/winter/activities/index.htm

 

If you can rent one, the "Ice Box" Igloo-Making kit is more practical than quinzees if you decide to make them on a campout (the Ice Box requires less snow and wet clothes):

 

http://inquiry.net/outdoor/winter/shelter/igloo_kit.htm

 

For those who are not familiar with Seton's Book of Woodcraft, it evolved into his Birch Bark Roll. The entire text can be found at:

 

http://inquiry.net/traditional/seton/birch/index.htm

 

Kudu

 

[fleetfootedfox]

Great thread. Good to hear of other people interested in Seton. I have that book, although it's currently lent out to a fellow scouter.

 

Last week we went swimming at an indoor pool. Fun for all ages, but especially for boys who are a little shy of the water, good to get them swimming before summer camps.

 

We are actually thinking of planning winter tent camping this year, something our troop has not done in years if ever. You definitely need to be prepared with a good sleeping bag etc.

 

Last year we had a cabin camp, and we're going to do that this winter again. Kinda fun if your cabin has electricity you can have a movie night or let the kids play video games for some portion of the weekend (not something I like them to spend a whole weekend doing, of course, but within reasonable limits it can be okay).

[IM_Kathy]

our troop made a quinzee last winter on a campout. Thankfully it was a cabin campout so the boys had somewhere warm and dry to come into when it got too much for them. They did the piling the night we got there and then did the digging out the next day. It was a lot of fun to sit back and watch.

 

we also had a tent outting where the next day they went skiing, snowboarding, or tubing... they enjoyed it so much they decided to do it again this year. Although after 3 injuries of snowboarders we are restricting snowboarding to those that are profecient in it.

 

we also have a cabin outting where the new scouts get to work on their fire chit and totem chip.

[shortridge]

Winter nature hikes are great - I like the "undiscovered country" theme.

 

Try outdoor photography, as well. There are bound to be some great wintertime scenes waiting to be captured.