My Winter Camp Reflection

Our PAD30/PAD40 class had the chance to undergo an experience that was not only very fun but educational as well. Our winter camp snowshoed off on February 22nd at around 9:00 a.m and then came to an end February 23rd at roughly 1:00p.m. The expedition consisted of many different activities that were both challenging and enjoyable.

The day started off snowshoeing from our High School to Gaug Lake an approximate two-hour walk, which seemed shorter than it is because it really does help to have your friends with you. Almost as soon as we got there we started piling up snow for our quinzhees, which I found, was not as bad as you would think. During the two hours of letting the snow settle, the second year students started cooking up supper for the whole class. It was nice to feed everyone because I know everyone was hungry from the work we’ve done so far. After supper we decided to finally dig out our quinzhees, although it didn’t seem to take our group very long it was a very delicate and very fun procedure. At last our quinzhees were done, we took a break around the campfire to warm up and socialize with one another. I decided to set my sleeping bags and mattresses up after that. The day went so quickly by the time we knew it, it was time to get some sleep. The sleep was very interesting, having to sleep in a very dark place in the winter which was kind of creepy but exciting nonetheless.

The next day started off at around 8-9a.m. it was a little slow moving but everyone started packing up their gear. After everyone was finished packing we began to eat breakfast which felt really good in our stomachs. Later on after a look around of trash or anything left behind we headed off once again leaving our campsite and back to our school.

From the experience I’ve learned that working with all of your friends can make achieving anything much easier and much more enjoyable. I’ve also learned how to dress properly for sleeping and working in the outdoors during the winter conditions. I also know that food and water play a huge roll for working in the winter, you do not want to be dehydrated or starved while working all your muscles consistently. The parts I enjoyed the most about our winter camp would be the reward of getting to our destination; the feeling of pushing yourself to make it to the end is very rewarding and seems like a great self-esteem booster. On the down side though getting wet was not very comfortable at all, although I did bring extra pairs of almost everything, getting wet does not feel comfortable in the cold.

I would definitely do this great outdoor experience again; it was great to be around people you love to be around, working hard, helping each other when in need of assistance, and getting along with one another. When you are out with a group of people on a trip like this one you need to take care of one another and I’m glad to be a part of this very considerate and pleasant group. The only thing I would change about this winter camp is the time we spent out there; it would be really great to spend another day.