PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND INSURE THAT YOU HAVE A GREAT TIME!!!

CLOTHING

Layer your clothing. Wear several layers of lighter clothing instead of one heavy layer. This way you can better regulate the amount of insulation. If you get warm you can take layers off and add some more clothing layers if you get cold.

Keep yourself dry, both from the weather and perspiration.

Wear loose fitting clothing, to optimize insulation.

Remember when buying clothes for cold weather that wool retains most of its insulation properties when wet, while cotton loose most of its.

There are also excellent manmade fibers and insulation's that retain their insulation properties as good as or better than wool. Other benefits include light weight, wide design options & wind-blocking.

Pull trouser legs over top of shoes to keep out snow. You may want to use nylon gaiters (leggings), or tie or tape them to make sure of the seal.

Wear mittens instead of fingered gloves when you do not need independent use of your fingers. This will allow the fingers to help keep each other warm.

Wear a stocking cap or other warm hat. One that covers the ears and neck area is particularly effective. Remember, most heat loss is through the head. Wearing a warm hat warms the rest of your body, too. Wear a scarf to reduce heat loss around the neck. Use a "ski mask" or scarf over your face for protection from the cold and wind.

If you get cold, let the adult leadership know so action can be taken before injury from cold weather health problems occur. It's better to be kidded about forgetting your gloves than risking hypothermia.

Drink 2 quarts of fluids per day besides what you drink at meals.

Learn to recognize and treat cold weather health problems. These include frostbite, hypothermia, dehydration, chilblains, trench foot, snow blindness and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Use the buddy system to check each other for cold weather health problems. Notify the adult leadership if symptoms do occur.

Eating ice or snow can reduce your body temperature and it is not pure. Don't eat it.

Take and wear dark sunglasses if snow is in the forecast. The glare of the sun off the snow could lead to snow blindness. The sunglasses will reduce the glare.

The following list represents the recommended clothing for a two day winter camping trip:

Underwear: Perspiration can prove to be a serious side effect of intense winter activity. To avoid this, it is important that the first layer of clothing be able to wick moisture away. Polypropylene long underwear is the solution. Commonly referred to as "Wicker’s", poly’s wick moisture away from the body allowing your body heat to evaporate your sweat and ultimately reduce any chilling.

Breathability. Waterproof materials do a superb job in keeping us dry, however, they hold one important drawback. They lack breathability. What this means is that they counteract the effects of Poly’s by trapping the moisture that the thermal underwear attempts to wick away. Ultimately, when this occurs, it is important to change layers throughout the day to avoid excessive moisture build-up that brings down the body temperature.

Keep dry by avoiding cotton clothes that absorbs moisture. REMEMBER: COTTON IS ROTTEN! Always brush away snow that is on your clothes before you enter a heated area. Keep the clothing around your neck loosened so that body heat and moisture can escape instead of soaking several layers of clothing.

FOOTWEAR As with other clothing, the layer system is also the answer for footwear. Start with a pair of silk, nylon, or thin wool socks next to your skin. Then layer on several pairs of heavier wool socks. When and if your feet become damp, change into another dry pair of socks at the first opportunity. The proper clothing on your feet is important to enjoying a cold weather weekend. Poly liners should be worn under wool or wool synthetic socks in order to wick away moisture. Wool socks help combat cold feet in the event that your socks get wet. Wool, unlike other fabrics, will still keep you relatively warm if wet. Be sure that your socks are not too tight, as this can reduce blood circulation and lead to cold feet. In the event your feet to get wet, be sure to change into a dry, clean pair of socks as soon as possible!

MITTENS AND GLOVES - Mittens allow your fingers to be in direct contact with each other, they will keep your hands warmer than regular gloves that cover each finger. Select mittens that are filled with foam insulation, or pull on wool gloves and cover them with a nylon overmitt. Long cuffs will keep wind and snow from getting in.

HEADGEAR - The stocking hat is the warmest thing you can cover your head with in cold weather. Get one that is large enough to pull down over your ears. Also ski masks are great in the winter and can help in keeping your neck and face warm as well. Noses and ears can be very easily frostbitten, so a scarf can be an invaluable item to have.

PARKA AND/OR OVERCOAT - Your coat or parka is the most important piece of your winter clothing. It needs to be large enough to fit over extra clothing without cutting off blood flow, and allowing ventilation to keep moisture away from your body. A large permanently attached hood will prevent heat loss around your head and neck. The hood also keeps snow out of your neck.

C = Clean Since insulation is only effective when heat is trapped by dead air spaces, keep your insulating layers clean and fluffy. Dirt, grime and perspiration can mat down those air spaces and reduce the warmth of a garment.

O = Overheating Avoid overheating by adjusting the layers of your clothing to meet the outside temperature and the exertions of your activities. Excessive sweating can dampen your garments and cause chilling later on.L = Loose Layers A steady flow of warm blood is essential to keep all parts of your body heated. Wear several loosely fitting layers of clothing and footgear that will allow maximum insulation without impeding your circulation.

D = Dry Damp clothing and skin can cause your body to cool quickly, possibly leading to frostbite and hypothermia.


Placing ground pepper in your socks prior to a day in cold weather increases the circulation to your feet and reduces that chance of cold, wet feet. Avoid eating snow. The coldness requires to much energy to convert to water and could result in a decrease in boy temperature. Using deodorant on your feet before a day in cold weather reduces the chance of sweating which can cause a chill in your feet. Use the buddy system to check each other for signs of cold weather health problems. Notify the adult leadership if any symptoms occur.


Hypothermia: Lowering of the inner core body temperature. Can and usually does happen in temperatures above freezing. The victim may not recognize the symptoms and may not be able to think clearly enough to react. Injury or death may result. Prevention includes good nutrition, consumption of high-energy foods, proper clothing, and increased activity. Treatment includes providing shelter and warmth for the victim from the elements, hot drinks followed by candy or other high sugar foods to jump start the metabolism, and increasing body heat through huddling. If hypothermia is suspected medical attention should be sought as quickly as possible.