We left Manitouwadge High at 9 in the morning on February 21st to go to Gaug Lake for our Outdoor Ed class. We spent the night at Gaug Lake and came back the following day. We hiked out on snowshoes which took us about a hour and half to complete. We took Lake A, Redwing trail and ski hill road to get to our destination. As soon as we arrived we got all our gear organized, so we would not be tripping over anything when getting the fire prepared. After we started a fire we piled snow for our quinzees and let them sit for 2-3 hours so they would settle and be hard enough to dig in.
What I learned in my Winter Camp expeience is that I am capable of doing anything if I really concentrate and work my hardest at it. I learned that I have great endurance while snowshoeing and that I can spend the night out in the cold. I learned to, that you have to have the right clothing because of the conditions outside. Learning all of this will help me in the furutre because if I ever get lost in the woods or my snowmobile breaks down, I know how to shelter myself and keep warm until help arrives. I also learned to bring extra food because you end up getting hungry late at night when you have nothing else to do.
What enjoyed the most about this trip was digging out the quinzee. I just enjoy creating things and constructing it in the inside because it gives me the great feeling of accomplishment. I also enjoyed making and eating the food. I love cooking so when I was asked to cook, I was really happy to do so. I also enjoyed sitting by the fire talking to everyone. Hearing funny stories and getting to know one another alot better. The only thing I did not enjoy on the entire trip was when I went to bed. I was warm, but I was very uncomfortable.
What I would do differently is I would diffently bring more food just to have snacks for later on in the day. I would keep myself hydrated better when walking and at camp. Bring extra boots becasue my boots were cold in the morning becasue they were wet. Also I would adjust my pack and my snowshoes if they started to get uncomfortable instead of just leaving it. The last thing I would do differently is let the snow for the quinzee sit longer just because the way the snow was that day. It was not very stable when we started digging at first so it was really scary in the beginning.
Yes I would do this again a 100 times over. specially with family and friends. Its a good way to get everyone together and enjoy themselves if they dress properly. Enjoy the great outdoors, the beautiful night sky and the laughter that brings everyone together. I cannot wait for other great experices that I will have in this class.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
On February 21st our Outdoor Ed class went on a winter camp and returned the next day. We snowshoed from the high school all the way out to Gaug Lake, which took us about 2 hours. When we arrived at our destination we split into groups and piled snow for our quinzees. We let them sit for about 2 hours then we dug out the inside while we waited for our supper.
During the over night trip I learned many different skills. I learned that I am capable of doing more than I thought, such as the 2 hour walk going out there and back with all my gear on my back. I also realized that you have to pack different kinds of clothing even for one night. Another skill that I learned was how to build a quinzee, before we left for this trip we practiced building them outside of the high school. You should also pack some extra food and drinks, such as granola bars and water.
There were a lot of things on our trip that I enjoyed but the thing that I enjoyed the most was digging out the quinzee. I enjoyed this the most because I like to build all kinds of things and building a quinzee was new to me so I thought it was very interesting, especially how warm they stayed at night time even though it was pretty cold. The food that we had out there was another thing that I enjoyed a lot.
There wasn't very many parts of the trip that I didn't enjoy. One part was when I went to sleep because I had to sleep on a hard lump of snow but it was still really comfortable for sleeping outside in the winter time. Another part that I didn't enjoy was the walk out there because we had to carry big backpacks with all our gear in it.
There are some things that I would do differently if I ever went again. I would pack a lot more extra food just to snack on while I'm sitting around the fire and also more drinks such as water or gatorade. I would also let the pile of snow for the quinzee sit for maybe 3-4 hours depending on the weather before I start to dig out the snow. This would be a good idea because it would make the quinzee a lot more stable and the snow on the inside would be harder for your bed area instead of sinking down into the snow.
I would defiantly do this trip again even if it wasn't for marks. It would be a fun trip to do with my family or a group of friends. Now that I am familiar with the conditions it would probably be a lot easier to do certain things such as building the quinzee.
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 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.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Wintercamp Reflection - Sierra Martin
February 23, 2011
After much planning, and postponing, our winter camping trip finally came through. The PAD30/40 class left for the outing yesterday morning and headed towards Gaug Lake, where we planned to camp. Although I was filled with excitement, I wasn't exactly thrilled about the long walk but once we got moving we split the walk into parts, which allowed us to take about five minute breaks every once and awhile. Along with the breaks, walking with friends and classmates and seeing the beautiful surroundings helped the walk go by alot faster.
Throughout the trip I learnt that I do have the willpower to overcome a challenge with great confidence in myself. Although I have been on trips such as this one with my family, its very different when I dont have my family to do everything for me. I found that having a small group of girls also helped, because as one of us was found struggling there was always another one of us to help out. I learnt that temperatures can change very quickly when your spending more than just an afternoon outdoors, and its very important to have the proper gear to adjust with the weather conditions. It is also very important to keep your body well hydrated during a winter outing such as this because, not only are you sweating but you also loose water from your body everytime you breath so it may not seem as though your getting dehydrated, but you are. One last important aspect of the trip that I learnt is that, it is very important to keep your body filled with fats and carbs for energy and warmth.
I really enjoyed spending time with my classmates and sitting around the campfire, it was very relaxing and fun. Later on in the evening, the stars were amazing. Being away from town, and all the street lights allowed the stars to be even brighter than usual, there was also a great sunset before we had to break out our flash lights.
The distance did feel long but it prepared us for the other outings we have planned for this semester. I also wish that we could have actually had the experience of sleeping in a quinzhee, although our shelter turned out to be warm and compfortable. That was definately not what i expected when we started to build it.
I would go on another outing such as this, even if it wasn't for marks. I would do it with family or friends, but there are a few things I would change. I would let the quinzhee sit for a little longer so that it wouldn't collapse like ours did, I would bring a extra clothes, and I would star more hydrated. Overall I had a great time on this trip, I am glad I have the opportunity to take this class.
After much planning, and postponing, our winter camping trip finally came through. The PAD30/40 class left for the outing yesterday morning and headed towards Gaug Lake, where we planned to camp. Although I was filled with excitement, I wasn't exactly thrilled about the long walk but once we got moving we split the walk into parts, which allowed us to take about five minute breaks every once and awhile. Along with the breaks, walking with friends and classmates and seeing the beautiful surroundings helped the walk go by alot faster.
Throughout the trip I learnt that I do have the willpower to overcome a challenge with great confidence in myself. Although I have been on trips such as this one with my family, its very different when I dont have my family to do everything for me. I found that having a small group of girls also helped, because as one of us was found struggling there was always another one of us to help out. I learnt that temperatures can change very quickly when your spending more than just an afternoon outdoors, and its very important to have the proper gear to adjust with the weather conditions. It is also very important to keep your body well hydrated during a winter outing such as this because, not only are you sweating but you also loose water from your body everytime you breath so it may not seem as though your getting dehydrated, but you are. One last important aspect of the trip that I learnt is that, it is very important to keep your body filled with fats and carbs for energy and warmth.
I really enjoyed spending time with my classmates and sitting around the campfire, it was very relaxing and fun. Later on in the evening, the stars were amazing. Being away from town, and all the street lights allowed the stars to be even brighter than usual, there was also a great sunset before we had to break out our flash lights.
The distance did feel long but it prepared us for the other outings we have planned for this semester. I also wish that we could have actually had the experience of sleeping in a quinzhee, although our shelter turned out to be warm and compfortable. That was definately not what i expected when we started to build it.
I would go on another outing such as this, even if it wasn't for marks. I would do it with family or friends, but there are a few things I would change. I would let the quinzhee sit for a little longer so that it wouldn't collapse like ours did, I would bring a extra clothes, and I would star more hydrated. Overall I had a great time on this trip, I am glad I have the opportunity to take this class.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Winter Camp This Week
This coming February 17-18th, the northern studies students will be participating in a winter camp at Gaug Lake. This overnight excursion is occurring to support our introductory unit on staying safe and comfortable in the outdoors.
The outing will provide the opportunity for the students to test their skills in a winter environment. The students will be sleeping in quinzee snow shelters. A heated wall tent and snowmobile will be on site in case of any problems during the trip.
The students will be travelling by snowshoe from Manitouwadge High, carrying light packs, and returning the following afternoon. Food preparations will be done in class by the grade 12 students in consultation with me.
To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience, the students must have the gear indicated on the accompanying clothing list. In addition, the trip will be postponed if the air temperature will be below -20 during the day.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Staying Safe and Comfortable Outdoors
Next week we will be working outside. All students are expected to have the proper outdoor clothing. See the gear list in the course outline. Also download the WISE clothing system document.
WHMIS Training this Friday
WHMIS (Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System) training is a mandatory certificate for all SHSM-Environment students. Online training will occur this Friday. Anyone missing this training date will need to complete the certification on their own time, before Friday, 11th.
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