05.01.2026-05.03.2026

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Agenda

Arrival at Camp

Due to the three-hour drive from Brooklyn to Ten Mile River Scout Camp, located in upstate New York, the troop did not meet at the St. Anselm Parking Lot.  Instead, all rides were arranged to leave from houses before arriving at the campsite.  Since the water main burst at Camp Aquehonga, the Campmaster moved us to Camp Keowa.  Despite the last minute change, the troop was still successful in pitching tents and setting up camp.  By the time the rain began, all Scouts were inside their tents.  Seven scouts and six adults arrived on Saturday morning.

Breakfast

• Avoid food that is not pre-cooked.  The Patriotic Penguins and Knight Owls cooked eggs and bacon, which took about a half hour to forty-five minutes to cook on the camp stove.
• The Exploding Kittens had enough bacon and eggs.  Like the Patriotic Penguins, their bacon was not pre-cooked and it was a struggle to cook the bacon at camp.
• The scouts who arrived on Saturday morning ate breakfast during the trip up to camp.

Shooting Sports 

• After breakfast, Scouts traveled to different range locations throughout Aquehonga and Keowa depending on the locations of their morning sessions.
• The shooting sports offered included rifle (ages 12+), shotgun (13+), muzzleloading (15+), cowboy action (14+), BB gun (7+) and archery (6+).
• Although tomahawk throwing (10+) has been offered in previous years, no camp staff members were available to conduct tomahawks this weekend.

Lunch

• At about noon, Scouts met at the campsite for lunch.
• The Patriotic Penguins and Knight Owls cooked hot dogs and had no major issues.
• The Fire/Mega Ducks enjoyed burgers cooked by their expert chef patrol leader. 
• Like the Penguins, the Exploding Kittens had enough hot dogs for their patrols and had no major issues with cooking.

Continued Shooting Sports

• More shooting sessions continued in the afternoon.

Dinner and Awards Ceremony

• After all shooting sessions finished, the troop met at the campsite for patrol dinner. 
• The Patriotic Penguins and Knight Owls made pasta with sauce, but it took a long time to cook at the campsite.
• The Ducks enjoyed taco meat and rice, but the portions were small for a four-Scout patrol.  Always ensure that enough portions exist for each Scout.
• The Exploding Kittens brought spaghetti for dinner, but they forgot to bring meat sauce, which made their meal lack in size and protein. 
• After dinner, Scouts headed to the Awards Ceremony at Keowa for the Shooting Sports weekend.  Congratulations to one of our Scouts who received Class C, third place, in rifle shooting!  In addition, three of our younger Scouts won top places in Class A BB gun!

Lights Out

• After the awards ceremony, the troop arrived safely back at the campsite, where Scouts made sure that the area was clean for the night before entering their tents at about 10:00 p.m.
• As advised by one of the patrol leaders, try to keep the inside of the tent zipped as much as possible, since bugs could potentially enter.  Luckily, no one had issues with bugs in their tents.

Departure

• At about 6:00 a.m., the troop packed up all supplies and prepared to leave. 
•  Always plan to eat a small snack on the Sunday of departure, such as a cup of cereal or a granola bar (something that doesn’t need to be cooked!).  The Ducks did not plan for any food for Sunday, but were lucky to stop on the road before arriving back in Brooklyn.

Looking Forward

The troop is proud to produce four shooting sports award recipients this year.  Perhaps we will coordinate trips to shooting ranges to impress the range instructors next year.  Troop 13 anticipates showcasing its sense of patriotism at the upcoming Memorial Day Parade!

Saturday, 03.28.2026

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The Trip

Due to the below freezing temperatures and the lack of access to a cabin, the typical experience of “New Scout Camping” was changed to a day trip.   At approximately 6:30 a.m., Troop 13 departed from the St. Anselm Parking Lot.  Upon arriving at Camp Pouch in Staten Island, it was discovered that the ranger was not yet on duty, requiring us to transport all of our equipment—including our patrol boxes—manually to our lean-to site.  Two of the three new Scouts who joined after the Arrow of Light ceremony joined us, receiving the experiences of patrol cooking and meeting the rest of our troop.  In addition to patrol cooking, the troop took two short hikes around different parts of the camp and worked on important skills such as fire building and knot practice.  After all patrols cooked dinner, the troop departed the camp before arriving together at the St. Anselm Parking Lot to load the troop gear back into the trailer.

Notes

• Transportation of patrol boxes requires a great deal of physical activity due to the weight of the patrol cooking equipment.  Each patrol box was transported by two Scouts—one for each side—and was handled with proper coordination and movements.  We did not immediately rush to arrive at the campsite.
• Patrol cooking is one of the most important skills for future camping trips.  With assistance from senior scouts and adult leaders, two new Scouts learned the basics of patrol cooking, which is essential for future camping trips.
• Since we only had three patrol boxes and five patrols (including adult leaders), more teamwork was required.  The adult leaders used their own box, while the Scout patrols took turns sharing equipment, ensuring that all patrols had the opportunity to cook their meals.
• The troop looks forward to returning to Camp Pouch for their next Scout Skills activity on Saturday, April 11th.

01.23.2026-01.24.2026

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Agenda

Unpack and set up camp

1. Since the drive to Camp Wakpominee took more than four hours, all Scouts left directly from their homes, rather than meeting at the St. Anselm’s Parking Lot.  Due to the capacity of the cabins, our troop was spread out across two cabins.  After setting up our cots, the adult leaders began to prepare breakfast, since we needed to wake up at 6:00 a.m. to prepare for the following day’s competition.

Breakfast

2. Breakfast consisted of pancakes, eggs and sausages, which were mainly prepared by the adult leaders due to the time constraints.  Unfortunately, the cabin was crowded, making it difficult for all Scouts to sit together simultaneously.

Clothing Check

Both teams from Troop 13, the Klondike Kings and the Snow Wolves, successfully introduced themselves at the clothing check and were able to continue the sledge race.

Notes

• Always know where all of your supplies are located as you are packing.  Since all of us were searching for our gear on Saturday morning in a cramped cabin, it was overwhelming to pack quickly for the race.

Orienteering

The first part of the orienteering station focused on using a rope to navigate a path in white-out conditions, while using a compass to determine distance and direction.  Then, the teams were tasked to plot an orienteering course using a map, indicating compass bearings and distance.

Notes

• The Klondike Kings completed the course, demonstrating proper angle calculations and other essential orienteering skills!
• Always set the compass declination to determine the angular difference between true north and magnetic north.  Manual calculation is more likely to lead to human error.
• Make sure that multiple Scouts measure the map in case of disagreement.  While the Snow Wolves received a perfect score for the path, their map distances were ten times larger due to a simple decimal point error.  As the Mayor explained, small errors in calculations can sometimes “snowball” the team.  Were this to have been applied in the field, the Snow Wolves would have been stranded!  Ultimately, their score was 15.5 out of21.

Shelter Building

At the shelter building station, the teams were tasked with constructing a shelter using rope, a tarp and two trees. 

Notes

• Make an advanced plan for shelter building prior to the competition.  During the original planning stages, a brief argument broke out among the Snow Wolves about whether to copy the model used at Clear Lake, or the structure that was practiced at Owl’s Head Park prior to this trip.  Ultimately, the younger scouts decided they were more familiar with the Clear Lake shelter, which did not work out as planned.  The shelter was held up by a stick in the middle, leading the judge to ask which one of them would want the job of stabilizing the stick during the night.
• Congratulations to the Klondike Kings for following all of the instructions and receiving a perfect score in this station!
• Always place the sleeping bag in the shelter after it is constructed.  This will show the judges that the teams would be prepared to remain in the shelter for a prolonged amount of time.

Trail Lunch

At noon, our teams were required to remain at the “city” in which they were located to make a lunch of Cup O’ Noodles.  Fires were built to boil a pot of water for the ramen.

Notes

• For both teams, the greatest struggle was building a fire.  Due to the snowy environment and subzero temperature, the environment lacked the necessary heat to start a fire, causing a delayed lunch.

First Aid

At the first aid city, the teams were presented with a scenario where one of their fellow Scouts was chosen as a victim.  This year, the victim had a crushed leg that was impacted by a heavy object.

Notes

• Designate a patrol safety leader to ensure that no other team members are cold during the process.  Although the victim is the main priority, it is also essential to look out for the rest of the team.
• Emphasize first aid knowledge during practice.  As the Snow Wolves were handling the victim, the victim was improperly lifted onto the sledge for transportation.  He ended up with three broken bones and a concussion!
• After treating the victim, send at least two Scouts for help if emergency services cannot be called.  While it was verbalized that there was no cellular service in the area, no Scouts were sent for help, causing the Snow Wolves to lose points.
• The Klondike Kings effectively demonstrated the necessary cooperation and handling of the victim for this station.

Ice Water Rescue

The ice water rescue station, which had been constantly prepared for by Troop 13, involved rescuing a victim who had fallen into frozen water.  After the judge randomly chose a victim, the team was tasked with rescuing and warming him.

Notes

• Get the victim out of the water as fast as possible!  For the Snow Wolves, who struggled to throw the rope toward the victim, it took approximately eight minutes to bring the victim to the shoreline.  Their victim had been “killed” three times before he was actually rescued!
• Be careful with all ice rescue equipment.  The Klondike Kings accidentally tossed the bag into the water area, causing them to lose points.

Sledge Race

For the sledge race, each sledge was emptied of Patrol gear and loaded with a 35-pound weight.  Each Scout had to cross the finish line while racing with the sledge.

Notes

• Prepare for the sledge race with sprinting or jogging before the Klondike Derby.  If one Scout is not physically fit for the race, he could directly cost the team points.
• The Snow Wolves crossed the finish line with a time of 3:54, experiencing exhaustion while running in subzero temperatures.
• The Klondike Kings demonstrated great teamwork as they worked to cross the finish line.  However, the Kings were penalized due to the fact that some of the younger Scouts fell behind and/or were walking during the race.

Fire Building

The teams were tasked with building a fire, with matches provided by the judges.  Using the fire, Scouts were required to boil a pot of water.  Once the judge decided that the pot was “boiling”, the team had completed the station.

Notes

• The Klondike Kings were unable to build a fire because of the subzero temperature.  They were ultimately awarded six points for their efforts.
• Since the Snow Wolves did not have enough time to complete the fire building course before the race ended, they were only awarded four points for safe arrival and patrol spirit.

Crossing the Finish Line

After the teams had completed every station, they had to race to the finish line to end the competition.

Notes

• Always keep track of equipment and check the sledge first if anything appears to be lost.  At one point during the Snow Wolves’ race, the scorecard was misplaced, leading both team leaders to anxiously search for it.  Both the team leader and his assistant assumed that it had fallen off the sled somewhere between the sledge race and the first aid station.  However, it had fallen between the equipment bins and the sledge’s edge.  If the scorecard had been found sooner, the Snow Wolves may have been able to complete the fire building station.
• The Klondike Kings finished with twenty minutes to spare!
• The Snow Wolves crossed the finish line at 4:27 p.m.—three minutes before the race closed!
• This has been the second year that both teams from Troop 13 crossed the finish line!

Departure

In accordance with the major snowstorm forecast, the team left on Saturday after the Derby was completed.  All Scouts arrived home safely before the snowstorm.

Looking forward

Congratulations to Troop 13’s Klondike Kings and Snow Wolves for completing the coldest Klondike Derby in the history of Camp Wakpominee.  Hopefully, the mishaps that occurred during the trip will allow us to improve on our previous mistakes and prepare duly for the next Klondike Derby.  The troop looks forward to their next trip to Camp Pouch in March!Klondike Derby

01.23.2026-01.24.2026

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Agenda

Unpack and set up camp

1. Since the drive to Camp Wakpominee took more than four hours, all Scouts left directly from their homes, rather than meeting at the St. Anselm’s Parking Lot.  Due to the capacity of the cabins, our troop was spread out across two cabins.  After setting up our cots, the adult leaders began to prepare breakfast, since we needed to wake up at 6:00 a.m. to prepare for the following day’s competition.

Breakfast

2. Breakfast consisted of pancakes, eggs and sausages, which were mainly prepared by the adult leaders due to the time constraints.  Unfortunately, the cabin was crowded, making it difficult for all Scouts to sit together simultaneously.

Clothing Check

Both teams from Troop 13, the Klondike Kings and the Snow Wolves, successfully introduced themselves at the clothing check and were able to continue the sledge race.

Notes

• Always know where all of your supplies are located as you are packing.  Since all of us were searching for our gear on Saturday morning in a cramped cabin, it was overwhelming to pack quickly for the race.

Orienteering

The first part of the orienteering station focused on using a rope to navigate a path in white-out conditions, while using a compass to determine distance and direction.  Then, the teams were tasked to plot an orienteering course using a map, indicating compass bearings and distance.

Notes

• The Klondike Kings completed the course, demonstrating proper angle calculations and other essential orienteering skills!
• Always set the compass declination to determine the angular difference between true north and magnetic north.  Manual calculation is more likely to lead to human error.
• Make sure that multiple Scouts measure the map in case of disagreement.  While the Snow Wolves received a perfect score for the path, their map distances were ten times larger due to a simple decimal point error.  As the Mayor explained, small errors in calculations can sometimes “snowball” the team.  Were this to have been applied in the field, the Snow Wolves would have been stranded!  Ultimately, their score was 15.5 out of21.

Shelter Building

At the shelter building station, the teams were tasked with constructing a shelter using rope, a tarp and two trees. 

Notes

• Make an advanced plan for shelter building prior to the competition.  During the original planning stages, a brief argument broke out among the Snow Wolves about whether to copy the model used at Clear Lake, or the structure that was practiced at Owl’s Head Park prior to this trip.  Ultimately, the younger scouts decided they were more familiar with the Clear Lake shelter, which did not work out as planned.  The shelter was held up by a stick in the middle, leading the judge to ask which one of them would want the job of stabilizing the stick during the night.
• Congratulations to the Klondike Kings for following all of the instructions and receiving a perfect score in this station!
• Always place the sleeping bag in the shelter after it is constructed.  This will show the judges that the teams would be prepared to remain in the shelter for a prolonged amount of time.

Trail Lunch

At noon, our teams were required to remain at the “city” in which they were located to make a lunch of Cup O’ Noodles.  Fires were built to boil a pot of water for the ramen.

Notes

• For both teams, the greatest struggle was building a fire.  Due to the snowy environment and subzero temperature, the environment lacked the necessary heat to start a fire, causing a delayed lunch.

First Aid

At the first aid city, the teams were presented with a scenario where one of their fellow Scouts was chosen as a victim.  This year, the victim had a crushed leg that was impacted by a heavy object.

Notes

• Designate a patrol safety leader to ensure that no other team members are cold during the process.  Although the victim is the main priority, it is also essential to look out for the rest of the team.
• Emphasize first aid knowledge during practice.  As the Snow Wolves were handling the victim, the victim was improperly lifted onto the sledge for transportation.  He ended up with three broken bones and a concussion!
• After treating the victim, send at least two Scouts for help if emergency services cannot be called.  While it was verbalized that there was no cellular service in the area, no Scouts were sent for help, causing the Snow Wolves to lose points.
• The Klondike Kings effectively demonstrated the necessary cooperation and handling of the victim for this station.

Ice Water Rescue

The ice water rescue station, which had been constantly prepared for by Troop 13, involved rescuing a victim who had fallen into frozen water.  After the judge randomly chose a victim, the team was tasked with rescuing and warming him.

Notes

• Get the victim out of the water as fast as possible!  For the Snow Wolves, who struggled to throw the rope toward the victim, it took approximately eight minutes to bring the victim to the shoreline.  Their victim had been “killed” three times before he was actually rescued!
• Be careful with all ice rescue equipment.  The Klondike Kings accidentally tossed the bag into the water area, causing them to lose points.

Sledge Race

For the sledge race, each sledge was emptied of Patrol gear and loaded with a 35-pound weight.  Each Scout had to cross the finish line while racing with the sledge.

Notes

• Prepare for the sledge race with sprinting or jogging before the Klondike Derby.  If one Scout is not physically fit for the race, he could directly cost the team points.
• The Snow Wolves crossed the finish line with a time of 3:54, experiencing exhaustion while running in subzero temperatures.
• The Klondike Kings demonstrated great teamwork as they worked to cross the finish line.  However, the Kings were penalized due to the fact that some of the younger Scouts fell behind and/or were walking during the race.

Fire Building

The teams were tasked with building a fire, with matches provided by the judges.  Using the fire, Scouts were required to boil a pot of water.  Once the judge decided that the pot was “boiling”, the team had completed the station.

Notes

• The Klondike Kings were unable to build a fire because of the subzero temperature.  They were ultimately awarded six points for their efforts.
• Since the Snow Wolves did not have enough time to complete the fire building course before the race ended, they were only awarded four points for safe arrival and patrol spirit.

Crossing the Finish Line

After the teams had completed every station, they had to race to the finish line to end the competition.

Notes

• Always keep track of equipment and check the sledge first if anything appears to be lost.  At one point during the Snow Wolves’ race, the scorecard was misplaced, leading both team leaders to anxiously search for it.  Both the team leader and his assistant assumed that it had fallen off the sled somewhere between the sledge race and the first aid station.  However, it had fallen between the equipment bins and the sledge’s edge.  If the scorecard had been found sooner, the Snow Wolves may have been able to complete the fire building station.
• The Klondike Kings finished with twenty minutes to spare!
• The Snow Wolves crossed the finish line at 4:27 p.m.—three minutes before the race closed!
• This has been the second year that both teams from Troop 13 crossed the finish line!

Departure

In accordance with the major snowstorm forecast, the team left on Saturday after the Derby was completed.  All Scouts arrived home safely before the snowstorm.

Looking forward

Congratulations to Troop 13’s Klondike Kings and Snow Wolves for completing the coldest Klondike Derby in the history of Camp Wakpominee.  Hopefully, the mishaps that occurred during the trip will allow us to improve on our previous mistakes and prepare duly for the next Klondike Derby.  The troop looks forward to their next trip to Camp Pouch in March!

10.3.2025-10.4.2025

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Attendees

PLC 

Agenda

Arrival and unpack

When we got there, we unpacked quite quickly and were basically killing time until it was time for bed.  A Mega Duck instructor brought a portable VR system so we could play.  Thankfully nobody vomited. 

Breakfast was bagels

The breakfast served by the adults was bagels.  They were delicious.  There was also oatmeal.

ILST (actual document)

https://filestore.scouting.org/filestore/training/pdf/ILST_IntroSyllabus_9_11.pdf This is the link to the introduction to leadership training for troops.

Lunch

Lunch was pizza.  It took a long time to get there because there was a lot of pizza ordered.

Pack up 

We packed up our stuff and left right after the end of the training.

Summary

Everything went smoothly because it was not on any actual scout skills, like orienteering or fire building. 

11.7.2025–11.9.2025

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Agenda

Flashback to Last Year

Last year’s experience camping at Clear Lake was totally in tents!  Get it?  Well, no joke, we had a major mishap when a strong gust of wind blew a tent into the lake before the stakes were located.  Luckily, one of our adult leaders hiked all the way back to his car to retrieve our spare tent.  On Sunday, we all watched in excitement as our Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster fished it out in a boat.  All who were present received a one-of-a-kind “Underwater Camping” patch.

Hike to Campsite and Unpack

After all of us arrived at the pavilion, we set out for what should have been a brisk, fifteen-minute hike to the site.  However, we were all in such a rush that we zoomed right past a trail marker, which we didn’t realize until we were halfway up the hill.  As it would have taken much more energy, we stopped to find another way to the campsite and we didn’t arrive until hours (in the rain) after we gathered at the pavilion.  It was approximately 11:00 p.m. when we pitched our tents.

Notes

• Make sure to bring proper rain gear on backpack camping trips.  Never pack more than what you need.  An overpacked backpack would be burdensome upon hiking for hours.
• Fill up your water bottles before arrival when backpacking.  At Clear Lake, the water isn‘t always on and it is a quarter-mile hike to the spigot.
• Always be careful to look at the ground when deciding where to pitch a tent.  The two members of the Fire Ducks patrol who were present pitched their tent in an area where there was a low spot.  Unbeknownst to them, the water pooled in that area at night and they woke up to a flooded tent.  All of their stuff was soaked and had to be dried by the fire.  Talk about underwater camping!

Breakfast, Day 2

Breakfast did not come with any major blunders.  However, all of us were tired after the events of the previous night.

Notes

• Do most of the backpack cooking at home.  Ex: The Mega Ducks cooked pancakes at home; therefore, they only needed to heat them up at camp.  

Cub Scouts

After breakfast, we dedicated our time to teaching basic skills to Cub Scouts.  Senior scouts were in charge of working in one of four rotating stations: backpack cooking, shelter building, knots and woodwork.  Each age group (Lions, Tigers, Wolves, Bears, Webelos, Arrow of Light) began with a specific station and moved in a specific order around the site during rotations.  The Cubs were enthusiastic about camping and we hope to eventually welcome them into Troop 13!

Lunch, Day 2

Like breakfast, lunch did not come with any major issues.  However, we missed out on the opportunity for a short hike, due to the fact that we were disorganized.  Since only a few Scouts helped to clean up the site, we couldn’t leave the site abandoned.

Notes

• Leaving a dirty campsite abandoned is dangerous, since food and other trash can often attract critters such as coyotes and raccoons.  
• Always measure water carefully when cooking meals involving boiling water.  Due to errors upon measuring water, the rice used by the Fire Ducks became soggy.

Dinner, Day 2

No notable problems here.

Notes

• Try to use brands made for backpacking or with simple ingredients.  A member of the Mega Ducks patrol suggests using Knorr’s products, which allow for directly adding hot water to the bag.
• The simpler the meal, the less maintenance will be required.  Using hot water or eating from the same cooking pot can prevent the need for packing another mess kit.

Visiting the Cubs

After dinner, we hiked to the Cub Scouts’ cabin, where we were presented with lemonade, hot cocoa and s’mores.  Through our visit, we had a fun time playing games, laughing and sharing jokes after the mayhem of our Saturday.  Thank you to Pack 313 for your hospitality!        

Breakfast, Day 3

Sunday breakfast was the quickest meal, since our plan was to vacate the campsite as early as possible.

• Again, be careful when measuring amounts of water.  The two Scouts present from the Fire Ducks patrol mistakenly added too much hot water to their oatmeal, which made it thinner.
• Always plan to pack your garbage (which should be limited) with you while backpacking.  At Clear Lake, there are no garbage bags on site.  After we had compiled everyone’s garbage into one large bag, we were stuck taking the large bag with us.  If the bag had ripped, we wouldn’t have had another bag to put it inside.  Pack out what you pack in!

Looking forward

Congratulations to one Scout for satisfying all of the trail cooking requirements for his Cooking merit badge!  Hopefully, we can learn from the mishaps during this trip and set standards for future backpack camping trips.  Troop 13 is psyched for the upcoming Urban Hike in December!

10.11.2025

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The Parade

Troop 13 arrived on the corner of 61st Street at 18th Avenue, where the parade was going to start.  After all attendees arrived, we arranged ourselves into two lines—one with a Scout in the front holding the American flag and another with a Scout holding our troop flag.  Cub Scout Pack 313 was also marching close to us.  We processed towards the reviewing stand at FIAO “Il Centro” Community Center (8711 18th Avenue).  Our own Committee Member Harry D’Onofrio was Grand Marshall.  The marching lasted from 12:30 p.m. to approximately 2:00 p.m.

Notes

• Although the troop appeared presentable in Class A uniforms, it was often difficult to keep the Scouts in two perfectly parallel lines, especially since it was more exhausting towards the end of the parade.
• Both of our flagbearers braved it after marching from 61st Street to 8711 18th Avenue while carrying the heavy flags in a stand around their necks.
• Troop 13 clearly displayed its sense of patriotism, honoring Columbus’ arrival in the New World.

05.25.2026

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Agenda

Flag Change Ceremony

The troop met at Old Glory Lookout on Shore Road, between 80th and 82nd Streets.  At 9:30 a.m., the ceremony started.  Many state and local politicians emphasized the importance of the holiday through their speeches.  Two scouts read poems that were fitting for the occasion of remembering the men and women who died for our country while standing for our values of freedom and equality.

Parade

At 11:00 a.m., the troop walked over to the Parade route.  Scouts assembled on 76th Street, between 3rd and 4th Avenues.  The troop walked in two lines–one led by the American flag bearer, the other by the troop flag bearer–marching up to 3rd Avenue, across Marine Avenue to 4th Avenue and to John Paul Jones Park (a.k.a. Cannonball Park).  Upon arrival at the park, the troop was dismissed.

Notes

• Prior to the parade, rain showers had been forecasted.  Luckily, the rain let up during the time that the troop was marching!
• Troop 13’s appearance in the parade was an important portrayal of the patriotic ideals instilled by Scouting, as the occasion was dedicated to all American soldiers who sacrificed their lives in wars. Let freedom ring!

I’m working on a map that I’ll eventually publish here for reference with locations of the peaks, but that won’t be ready in time for this trip. What everyone should be doing, is checking the weather:

https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/phoenicia/12464/weather-forecast/2128411

Dress and pack appropriately!

 

I’ve been searching for a while on ideas to be a bit more creating in first aid. We have, of course, done drills with Halloween supplies including fake blood. In the Wilderness First Aid classes, the instructors have stage makeup to simulate cuts, scrapes, and bruising, and that was what I started out searching for. Enter the joys of internet searching….

It took only a few minutes to come up with several sites that have good information on low-budget mock injuries and I learned a new word: moulage.

Brian Potter provides a few tips, the most useful (to me) is the idea for fake blood. The problem with most fake blood is that it leaves stains. That’s probably possible for his suggestion, too, since it involves food coloring, but the base liquid is dish soap. Yep, dish soap. It has the right consistency and it is intrinsically washable.

Clark Green has a nice article with a couple of additional links on ideas and props you can build. Additionally, there a step-by-step instructions on simulating shock and heat exhaustion/stroke with just a bit of makeup, well worth reading through.

Last, and I love this one by “First Aid Dude” because there are detailed instructions for making reusable prosthetics. They may not be quite so realistic as something built directly on the “victim’s” skin, but the ability to remove them and put them on someone quickly for a drill is worth while to me. Time for a quick trip to the local hardware store to pick up some flexible caulk.