Thursday, December 3, 2009

Back to Work!

From Antarctica


I was a little busy at work yesterday, so I didn't get a chance to post about how Snow School (Happy Camper) went. I had a great time, and the instructors were great. They were very patient and knowledgeable. I think I learned a lot. It was my first experience camping in any cold environment. The basic principles are surprisingly similar to hot weather camping. Staying hydrated is important, and not getting injured is critical. Finding or making shelter is the next most important concern. Obviously, the snow trench and quinzy are for emergency uses. I regret that I didn't sleep outside; I slept in one of the mountaineering tents. The weather was extremely mild (~34F), so I should have. However, I kept overheating when digging, and I didn't want to be wet when I went to bed. I should have just shed layers and kept with it. Oh well...