Wintercamp Reflection By: Elaine Milks

Our winter camp experience began on February 22nd at 9:00 A.M. and was completed on the next day, February, 23rd, at approximately 1:00 P.M. We headed out, as a group, on snowshoes to Gaug Lake where we set up camp to spend the night. After a challenging hike to our destination, we built quinzee's to sleep in overnight. Since things don't always go as planned, our group created a trench with a tarp as the roof that kept us just as warm.

The winter camping experience was unlike anything I have ever done. It was both challenging and enjoyable. Personally, I learned that I am capable of completing a physically demanding task with the proper gear and motivation. My clothing system worked perfectly for me and I felt that I was well prepared. The most enjoyable part of the trip was the overall experience because it was rewarding and a great chance to spend time with our classmates who we will be spending a lot of time with for the remainder of the semester. I also enjoyed the meals provided; it was great to have such appetizing food while camping. I think that if I had more water to keep me hydrated during the hike it would have been more enjoyable for me. However, that is something I can do differently next time along with more snacks for myself between meals.

The trip turned out to be fun and extremely rewarding because it was a great accomplishment. If I was given the opportunity to partake in this trip again I would definitely do so. There was always something to do, whether it was helping with the fire, building a shelter, or just sitting around the campfire. It was always exciting and a fun experience.