1. Recommended Gear
• Lightweight shovels, long and short handles
• Sticks or a ski pole
• Door cover (backpack, etc.)
• Large tarp to cover the floor
• Wear waterproof layers
• Appropriate camping gear
Protection
Sunscreen
Chapstick
Rain jacket
Warm jacket
Sunglasses
Hat
First Aid Kit
Necessities
Pocket knife
Hand sanitizer
Toilet paper
Woman necessities
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Floss
Comforts
Pillow
Camera
Extra batteries
Money
Reading material
Food Preparation
Stove
Fuel

2. Pots and pans
Cooking utensils
Eating utensils s
Dish soap, sponge
Water
Water bottles
Water jug to refill water bottles
Clothing
Clothes
Hiking shoes
Hat
Fire
Matches
Starter / Kindling
Wood
Overnight
Tent
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Change of clothes
Flashlight
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CAMPING — If you will be camping in your snow cave overnight, there are a many things you
can do to make it more comfortable.
After you finish digging it out, leave a few inches of snow on the floor to help insulate you
from the frozen ground. Also, the floor should be slightly higher than the door so the coldest
air can naturally flow out of the snow cave.
Though not necessary, it is best to cover your snow floor with a plastic or waterproof tarp to
protect all of your gear from getting wet.
Leave the holes you poked when measuring depth to provide proper ventilation or carve out
a 2 inch ventilation hole near the top. You can also leave the door uncovered a crack.

3. Balance between having enough fresh air and keeping the air inside warm enough to be
comfortable (32-40 degrees Fahrenheit).
Next put a layer of sleeping pads 2-3 times thicker that you would normally use for summer
camping. If you are using a 3 season sleeping bag, we recommend wrapping it in one or 2
blankets because the inside temperature will be around freezing.
Your head and feet may get cold so consider wearing a hat to bed along with socks.
For light and warmth you can carve a small shelf and place a candle in your snow cave. Only
one is necessary in normal snow caves and they can raise the temperature up to around 50
degrees.
For some reason, cold and snow seem to accelerate ones biological needs so have
everyone go before you close the door and make it easy to uncover so you can sneak out at
night.
Finally, if a collapse is going to occur, it will usually happend while you are digging the snow
cave out or if it is above 34 degrees. Keep at least two shovels inside and store them by the
wall in case you have to dig your way out.
SIMPLE EQUIPMENT LIST FOR YOUR FIRST WINTER
TENT CAMPOUT
____ BACKPACK (and/or large Sports Equipment Bag, and/or Duffel Bag). Line
it with a Lawn Bag first, to keep contents dry.
____ WARM JACKET & SCARF.
____ SNOW PANTS (available at thrift stores for $3-$5).
____ 2 EXTRA PAIRS OF PANTS
____ 2 WOOL SWEATERS, or POLAR FLEECE SWEATSHIRTS (about $3 at
Thrift Stores).
____ 2 LONG SLEEVE SHIRTS (Wool or synthetic fiber for good insulating
quality & quick drying - $3 at thrift stores).
____ 2 SETS of LONG UNDERWEAR (if buying new, look for 100% synthetic
fabric, NOT "waffle pattern" cotton blend).
____ 2 extra sets of UNDERWEAR
____ 2 extra pair HEAVY NON-COTTON HIKING SOCKS & Liners (Make sure
your boots are NOT TIGHT!).

4. ____ STURDY, INSULATED WINTER BOOTS (Rubber is much better than
leather. Leather will freeze at night).
____ PLASTIC BAGS (newspaper or bread wrappers, or plastic grocery bags to
go under socks in case of wet leather boots).
____ WINTER GLOVES or MITTENS (As many as you own and can borrow!)
____ 2 WARM HATS (One for Sleeping ONLY-Sleeping hat should be designed
to stay on at night).
____ WINTER SLEEPING BAG (or 2 regular Sleeping Bags stuffed one inside
the other; or a regular Bag AND 2-3 Blankets)
____ ADDITIONAL SWEAT PANTS & SWEAT SHIRT (for sleeping only!
Change ALL of your clothes, including your long underwear, inside your sleeping
bag when you go to bed).
____ TWO (2) CLOSED-CELL FOAM SLEEPING PADS (or about 2-3" of
newspapers under your sleeping bag).
____ "BLUE" 5'X7' TARP or other Plastic Ground Sheet.
____ GOOD QUALITY WHISTLE on neck chain.
____ 2 ONE-QUART WATER BOTTLES, filled ("Nalgene" Bottles can be filled
with hot water for inside sleeping bag).
____ FLASHLIGHT & EXTRA BATTERIES.
____ SMALL FIRST AID KIT (You can make your own: BSA Handbook, Page
289).
____ PEN, PENCIL, SMALL NOTEBOOK, BSA HANDBOOK (No, you can't
borrow ours).
____ COMPASS with a BASEPLATE, in a Zip-Lock bag (with map, if you have
one).
____ MATCHES in a Zip-Lock bag.
____ CLEAN-UP KIT (Small Hand Soap, Small Toothpaste, Toothbrush, Comb,
Floss, Fast-Drying Camp Towel).
____ TOILET PAPER (Half a roll in a Zip-Lock bag).
____ SLIPPERS or MOCCASINS (To wear inside cabin)
Equipment
Backpack (Internal frame recommended as it's warmer)
Forty Below bag

5. Flannel sleepingbag liner
camp stove
Cook set (pot with lid, saucepan with lid, frying pan)
Tin cup and spoon (one per camper)
Pocket knife
Axe (!!!)
Water proof matches (If you plan on going more than once we recommend
investing in a flint kit)
Tent with fly (Optional) - Snow houses are easy to make and with a hole in the
center of the roof it allows you the option of building a fire INSIDE
Snowshoes (Optional) - dependant upon weather of course
Cross country skies (Optional)
Ice axe. climbing gear, crampons (Optional)
Clothing
2 pr. silk long underware (it brethes well and dries quickly)
3 pr. woll sock liners (silk will also work nicely)
3 pr. heavy woll socks
2 pr. woll pants or nickers (NEVER BRING BLUE JEANS!!! You'll be soaked to the
waist by first break and they'll never dry!)
Waterproof shell pants (Powder pants are heavy! Gortex is our favorite choice but
it's costly)
Polertec jacket
Heavy Wool sweater (Only one!)
Waterproof hat with attached face mask(There are great ones available with a
gortex covering and PolarTec inside!)
Waterproof, warm mittens (NOT GLOVES!! They are not warm enough when the
temperature gets much below zero)
Pocket warmers (Better to be safe than sorry!)
Food
Waterproof bag with 20ft. rope
Crackers
maccaroni
Peanutbutter
Honey
Salt, pepper, garlic salt
Gorp (Make sure it's heavy on carob or chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, and oats)
Powdered sauce/soup mix
Bisquick (great for pan breads and pancakes)
Chocolate (semi-sweet) and Candelmint cake

6. Powdered cheese
beef stix or beef jerkey
tuna
tinned meat (liverworst, deviled ham, etc.)
Tang, coffee, tea (All are great warm or cold!)
1. Hand Sanitizer – Dirt is dirty. Soap is always right there by the sink, but when you are
camping you probably won’t be bringing it. Keep yourself germ free by packing along a small
bottle of hand sanitizer which you can find at almost every store.
If you end up in a place where it is difficult to clean up, this is a great way to stay clean. Baby
wipes are a great substitute and will also help wipe the dirt off.
2. Toilet Paper – Away from home, we have to rely on the kindness of strangers when it
comes to this area. Make sure you bring a little of your own in case the area you visit is a
little low.
3. Girl Necessities – I won’t shock you by mentioning them by name, but don’t forget them.
Not having them handy will end a trip faster than an angry bear.
5. Oral Care – Toothpaste and your toothbrush will store easily in a zip lock bag and do
wonders for helping you feel civilized no matter where you are. If you don’t have a sink,
learning to swish and spit with just a water bottle can be fun if you keep your sense of humor.
Don’t forget the floss, even if you don’t feel like using it, floss is very versatile and will come
in handy when you need to tie something back on to the car.
CAMPING GEAR — You probably won’t need to take with you all of the gear on this camping
checklist, but it is a helpful reference to make sure you won’t forget any of the essentials.
Remember the smaller and lighter each item is, the more likely it is that you will keep your
gear close by so you can use it when you need it. Click on the links for additional information.
FOOD & WATER
Making Fire in Snow - must have Camp skills honor
Food -Cook food ahead of time
Place in plastic bags – zip lock bags, or seal-a-meal
When time to warm up food -Boil water or melted snow in
large pot
Note: 10” of snow make 1” of H2O(water)
Have water going to melt snow at all times – this means a
pathfinder will be in charge keeping the fire going to melt the

7. snow.
Place plastic bag with the food in it into the pot of water and boil until
warm - Good idea because kids can eat what they like and just warm it
up
Sample Menu
Day 3 Breakfast
Day 1 Breakfast Day 2 Breakfast
Pre-cooked oatmeal/grits Pop tarts Combination of
syrup/butter Cereal Leftovers from
sausage Day 1 & 2
hot chocolate
hot chocolate hot chocolate
hot tea hot tea hot tea
water Water water
gatorade Gatorade gatorade
Day 3 snacks
Day 1 Snacks Day 2 Snacks
same as day 1
capri sun juice Same as day 1
tea
hot chocolate Same as Same as
granola bars Day 1 Day 1
Peanut butter & jelly
Day 3 Lunch
Day 1 Lunch Day 2 Lunch
Chicket Soup
Chilli Veggie soup
Rolls Rolls Crackers
cornbread
chips Fruit cups
Day 3 Dinner
Day 1 Dinner Day 2 Dinner

8. Sandwiches
Beef Soup Cauliflower Soup
Crackers Crackers Chips
water/tea
water, tea water/tea
hot hot hot
cocoa cocoa cocoa
Cooking
a. Look for small stove – Walmart, Army/Navy store, Base/Post
Exchange, Target, Bass Pro, etc
b. Boil water and snow constantly – KP Duty
Supplies needed:
Kettle – do not invest in something new or high tech just a basic
kettle or sealable pot
Grate (wire rack from refrigerator) note: wire racks sold in the store
will not stand up to the constant heat from the fire.
Sterilizing Snow - Boil for 10 minutes
To avoid water from being flat after boiling
Put water into plastic bottle and that adds O2 (oxygen)
Adding marbles adds even more O2
Add peach tea/flavorings to H20 gives it a good taste as well
Very important to drink lots of water (H20)