| 06:00 AM - 14:00 PM |
Operation Winter Snow
The Young Marines will be participating again in the annual Snow Trip this year! This is the 8th consecutive year Mr. Pobi has taken the Young Marines up to the snow for an adventure-filled week-end.
Please mark January 16-17, 2010 on your calendars as Operation Winter Snow week-end.
The C.O., X.O., and Mr. Pobi have stipulated that only YMs aged 12+ (any YM turning 12 prior to March 31, 2010) can attend the Snow Trip. There have been several problems in past years with the younger YMs not being properly prepared or emotionally mature enough to handle the cold weather and the elements associated with it.
The gear list is attached to this posting. Please download it, print it out, and begin taking a look at it. It's a fairly comprehensive gear list and might take some time to gather all the needed supplies. Please don't wait until the last minute to begin to pull these items together. Don't plan on purchasing all this equipment either. Be creative -- borrow from friends/family/neighbors what you don't have.
Snow shoes will be required for this trip. Cost will run $10-$12 per set of snow shoes. Please send your YM with the money to cover this cost. The unit will be stopping in Sandy, Oregon on the way up the mountain and will get all the snow shoes from the Winter Fox.
Each YM will be bringing their own food for all the meals. Saturday's dinner will be whatever grilled meat you bring for yourself (adult staff will be doing the grilling). Please bring enough food for Saturday breakfast, Saturday lunch, Saturday dinner, Sunday breakfast, Sunday lunch, and several snacks. [My son has gone on this trip the past 6 times and in the past I have sent: instant oatmeal, poptarts, fruit, granola bars, individual cereal bowls with school-sized milk for breakfast foods; sandwiches w/chips, cup of noodles, Korean noodle bowls, easy mac, soup for lunch; hamburger patties or chicken for the grilled meat on Saturday w/small can of baked beans, veggie assortment, and chips for dinner. All the foods need to be packed in by the YM in their packs and any pots/pans you need to cook it with. I always send paper plates/bowls/utensils so they can be disposed of, but all trash does need to be packed out at the end of the week-end.]
Please mark the following dates on your calendar:
Wednesday, January 6 "Preliminary Gear Check and Snow Camp Brief" -- Emil room 1900 (bring all the gear you plan on bringing)
Wednesday, January 13 "Final Gear Check" -- Emil room 1900 (bring all the gear you plan on bringing)
All YMs must attend BOTH gear checks or they will NOT be allowed to attend the Snow Trip (unless prior arrangements have been made with Mr. Pobi - and only Mr. Pobi). We treat our YMs' safety with the highest regard and want our YMs to be bringing the proper gear for the week-end.
All YMs must also attend the Cold Weather Camping class that will be given at drill on Saturday 1/9/10 (unless prior arrangements have been made with Mr. Pobi - and only Mr. Pobi).
If you have any questions or concerns about the Snow Trip, please do not hesitate to contact with Mr. Pobi {at} 360-574-0881 or Mr. Hildebrant {at} 503-328-9136.
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Backpacking Checklist for Winter Camping
GEAR
• tent (if you have a backpacking tent, bring it; otherwise unit tents will be used)
• sleeping Bag (minimum 15 degree rating)
• sleeping pad (Thermarest or ensolite pad)
• backpack (remember to find one for your size)
• snowshoes ($10-$12 rental fee - unit will collect on day of trip)
• ski poles (included)
• flashlight and spare batteries
• whistle (on a string around your neck)
• sunglasses or goggles
• chapstick
• sunblock
• Identification
• medications
• fork and spoon
• pocket knife
• small bowl
• small cook set
• 50 feet of parachute cord
• matches
• emergency blanket
• small notebook
• pen
• compass
• first aid basics (Ace bandage, band-aids, antiseptic ointment, etc.)
CLOTHES
• 4 pairs wool or fleece socks (low abrasion against blisters and warm if wet)
• 1 wool or fleece cap
• 2 pairs of gloves
• 2 changes of skivvies
Skin Layer (1st layer)
2 sets long johns (upper and lower)
(NO TEE SHIRTS OR 100% cotton. MUST BE 50/50 mix with wool or polypropylene.)
Second Layer
1 set fleece or wool shirt (or sweater) and pants (thickly lined sweats work good too – also may wear cammies on top of thin sweats instead)
1 extra set of lowers
Third Layer
Insulated jacket (see below for note) and pants (wool pants or thick fleece)
Wind Layer
Water proof parka and pants (Waterproof insulated jacket is okay – rain pants or ski pants are a must)
SNOW BOOTS ARE A MUST HAVE- insulated liners, waterproof, and sealed shell. NO COMBAT BOOTS. (Recommended brands are Hodgeman, Sorel, and a myriad of others.)
*******ABSOLUTELY NO BLUE JEANS OR CORDUROYS ALLOWED!!!!!! *******
COLD SOAKED DENIM AND THE SUBSEQUENT FREEZE UP OF SAID FABRIC IS A DIRECT PATH TO HYPOTHERMIA.
FOOD
• Provide your own menu.
• ADULTS and designated YM NCOs WILL BE USING THE STOVES ONLY.
• Recommend High carbs - soup packets, power bars, energy snacks, nuts, hardboiled eggs, sandwich meats, snack packs (ham, turkey etc.), granola bars, oatmeal, dehydrated food.
• Dinner on Saturday night will be a barbeque - so bring something to cook over a fire -but DO NOT OVERPACK on food. Avoid canned food if possible.
AGE LIMIT ON ATTENDEES
Per the UC - you must be 12 years old or older by 3/31/2010.
SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY.
Tips from Mr. Pobi:
Be Advised: Mr. Pobi is a qualified USMC Mountain, Jungle and Desert warrior. He has operated a mountain guide service and has also led youth and adult groups backpacking and snow camping for over 20 years. Other members of the staff are also experienced field leaders and have been on these trips as well.
FOLLOW YOUR CHAIN OF COMMMAND.
It will be cold. Be prepared for the drastic change in your living conditions for one day and one night.
If you get cold at night, wear a wool cap and make sure you are actually sleeping on your pad and not on the cold tent floor. Also if you catch a chill, keep a power bar or granola bar handy in your tent and eat it. You will warm up quickly.
ANY INJURIES OR ILLNESS, NO MATTER HOW MINOR, MUST BE REPORTED!!!
If it becomes unbearable for you at night, get dressed and go to the warming fire and warm up. The firewatch will determine if an adult needs to be woken up or not (it better be bad).
There will be an all night fire being tended after the barbeque and taps.
There will be a “Chosin Experience” for all of you on Saturday night. This will be a drill in which you get a taste of how it was for those Marines back in 1950 in Korea during one of our legendary battles against the Chinese.
Firewatch – STAY AWAKE. Falling asleep on duty is a serious offense and will be dealt with harshly.
If your hands or feet are wet, IMMEDIATELY change your socks and/or gloves. If you wet all your spare socks and gloves by being irresponsible, you will be restricted to your tent for the duration of the trip. No running around in the snow without boots tied up and trousers/rain pants squared away.
YMs – NO fires or stoves in tents at any time.
Buddy rule is very much in effect on this trip.
No departures from camp without proper authorization by an adult.
Check your books for POs and EOs you can get signed off. Make copies of those pages and bring the copies.
We will be teaching some land navigation and orienteering, shelter set up, fire starting, and other activities.
Mostly we will be working as a team to have fun, stay warm and safe, and find out what we can handle in the way of wilderness experience.
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