Trevorum 24 Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 This last weekend our troop had our annual Survival Campout. The theme was no pots, no pans, no matches and the boys had a blast! I've never seen so many innovative ways to cook over a campfire. Eggs in orange peel, eggs on spits, biscuits on hot rocks, shrimp on spits, boiling water in paper cups, even cobbler without the dutch oven! Who needs stoves? Six guys earned the Wilderness Survival MB, including 2 brand new cross-overs. I highly recommend this idea to other troops! Link to post Share on other sites
SemperParatus 1 Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 Right on!!!! A variation on minimalism we have done that was lots of fun was a "Shoebox Campout". You can bring whatever (food, shelter, etc.) you can fit in a single shoebox. Link to post Share on other sites
scoutingagain 20 Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 Sounds like a neat idea. I'm curious about the shoebox thing though. Do you have to use a box from your own shoe size, or could I like find a box that was for a size 14? Or do the adults get a different arrangement altogether? I'm rather certain this would limit the participation of some of the adults in the unit I serve, which frankly wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, as long as we could come up with at least two, and I think we could. SA Link to post Share on other sites
SemperParatus 1 Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 SA, We just said a shoe box (no boot boxes though). One of our scouts wears a size 16 and offered his boxes to the highest bidder. Most people just used their own boxes lying in the closet. Same deal for the adults - scouts can't have all the fun.(This message has been edited by SemperParatus) Link to post Share on other sites
EagleInKY 14 Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 Haven't heard of the shoebox idea. I've heard of packing it in with a daypack, or having a weight limit. I guess I'm pretty attached to my tent and sleeping bag. I would assume hammocks are the sleeping accomodations of choice? I was amazed at how many leaders at Woodbadge couldn't pack their stuff in a single backpack - for a weekend. Admittedly, I did bring a lantern and a couple of extra items, since the parking lot was only a couple of hundred yards away. But, still, I was amazed at the people that brought boxes and boxes of stuff. Link to post Share on other sites
SemperParatus 1 Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 A hammock would never fit, unless you are okay with fasting. The hot sleep set-up was the ground...there were a lot of those silver emergency blankets that fold down to 3"x3"x1/2" used for ground cover. And the shoebox itself makes a decent pillow, by the second night. Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 Semper, what part of the country are you located ? Link to post Share on other sites
AK-Eagle 19 Posted January 11, 2005 Share Posted January 11, 2005 At the cold weather survival training I attended with the Coast Guard we were allowed to bring only what we could fit into a 1 quart ziploc bag. Shoe box eh? well if we adult types scheme, no no, plot, hmm not right either, teamwork, yeah thats it we could work it like; Tom fills his box with food, Mike with shelter building materials, Me with space blankets, etc. We could do rather well on that campout. AK-Eagle aka Phillip Martin Scoutmaster Troop 21 Juneau Alaska Link to post Share on other sites
SemperParatus 1 Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 OGE, it was a summer trip so no risk of frostbite in our area. I remember the nighttime temperatures were low 80s. Just about perfect. A zip-lock bag!?!...in the winter!?!...now that's hardcore! Link to post Share on other sites
Trevorum 24 Posted January 12, 2005 Author Share Posted January 12, 2005 Semper, What a great idea!!!! I just ran this by my 15 year old son and he was all over it! He is already planning our "Shoebox Campout" and says we'll want to restrict it to Scouts 1st Class and above who have the Wilderness Survival MB. Thanks for the idea! Link to post Share on other sites
OldGreyEagle 5 Posted January 12, 2005 Share Posted January 12, 2005 Why restrict? Why not have the guys with the Wildderness Survival merit badge teach the others how to do it? Link to post Share on other sites
Trevorum 24 Posted January 12, 2005 Author Share Posted January 12, 2005 OGE, Excellent question, which at the time I didn't ask him. Maybe he was worried about the new Tenderfoots (Tenderfeet?) surviving!. It will be up to the PLC anyway. Link to post Share on other sites
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