Winter Shelter
You built a quinzee, but the roof looks uneven and snow is drifting toward the entrance. Heavy branches hang above. It’s dark and moving locations isn’t practical. How do you make the shelter as safe as possible, and what should you prioritize first?
Reinforce the roof where it’s thin, make a small entrance windbreak, carefully remove dangerous snow from branches, balancing effort and safety.
Your gloves, hat, and boots are wet from snow. You have hours of activity left and no dry replacements. How can you protect warmth and function until you reach a safer place?
Rotate extremities inside clothing, use layering creatively, maintain circulation by movement, and minimize exposure to wind while completing tasks.
A Scout complains of tingling fingers and toes but insists they are fine and wants to keep hiking. You notice paleness and slower movements. You must handle this to prevent injury while allowing patrol progress.
Stop briefly to assess severity, gently warm extremities using layers, monitor circulation and sensation, and make a conservative decision on whether to continue, slow pace, or seek shelter.
The trail ahead is covered by fresh snow, visibility is limited, and some Scouts are exhausted. You need to navigate the group safely while continuing forward progress.
Compare route options using landmarks or map/compass, keep the group close together, move cautiously, and make conservative terrain choices.
Your patrol is caught in a sudden snowstorm mid-hike. Visibility drops, deep snow slows progress, and several Scouts are showing early signs of cold stress. One Scout has wet gloves and boots, another has a minor frostbite warning on their fingers, and your planned shelter site is exposed with loose snow overhead. You have limited fuel, partially frozen water, and some high-energy snacks, but night is approaching. Your patrol must reach safety and maintain warmth until you can set up shelter.
Prioritize safety and warmth: Move to the most sheltered site feasible, even if it’s less ideal, or create temporary windbreaks.
Cold injury management: Warm the Scout with frostbite warning first, rotate wet clothing to maintain circulation, and monitor extremities.
Resource management: Use fuel efficiently to prepare quick hot drinks/food, insulate partially frozen water, and ration snacks.
Group cohesion: Keep patrol together, adjust pace to weakest members, assign responsibilities for shelter, fire, and safety monitoring.
Trade-offs and decisions: Balance immediate shelter needs with ongoing movement; focus on reducing risk of hypothermia, frostbite, and exhaustion, rather than speed or comfort.
You have a tent pitched, but strong wind is blowing across the campsite. Nearby snowdrifts are forming against the tent. What strategies could you use to protect the tent and maintain comfort during the night?
Use nearby snow or gear to create windbreaks, reposition the narrow end into the wind if possible, and secure all lines while monitoring snow buildup.
A Scout is overheating while hiking in deep snow. Removing layers isn’t straightforward because the wind is cold and wet snow is falling. How do you balance warmth and moisture control in this situation?
Loosen layers selectively to prevent sweat buildup, use breaks in sheltered areas to adjust clothing, maintain pace to control heat production, and monitor Scouts for signs of overheating or chilling.
A Scout stops shivering and seems unusually drowsy at camp, while the rest of the patrol is busy setting up shelter. You need to respond without leaving the group unsupported.
Prioritize the Scout’s safety first, move them to temporary warmth, assign buddy coverage, and delegate remaining tasks safely to maintain patrol function.
A slope looks manageable, but there may be hidden obstacles under the snow. Some Scouts are struggling physically. You need to decide how to cross safely while keeping the patrol together.
Probe the snow carefully, evaluate footing, consider alternate paths, assist weaker members, and maintain group communication.
There are two potential quinzee locations: one is flatter but more exposed, the other is slightly sloped but shielded by trees. How would you decide which site to use, and what precautions would you take?
Weigh wind exposure, tree hazards, and snow stability. If choosing the exposed site, reinforce walls and windbreaks; if the sloped site, dig a level platform and assess avalanche risk.
Boots are soaked halfway through a long hike, and socks are damp. There is no place to dry them properly, and you still have some distance to cover. You need to minimize the risk of cold-related injury until you reach camp.
Move steadily to maintain circulation, use spare clothing (like gaiters or liners) if available, rotate foot exposure to warmth when possible, and monitor for numbness or discomfort.
Frost has formed inside gloves, and no dry replacements are available. The patrol still needs to perform essential tasks. You must balance task completion with cold safety.
Rotate glove use, protect hands inside warm layers when idle, assign cold-sensitive tasks carefully, and monitor for worsening symptoms.
One Scout is overheating during uphill hiking, while another shows early cold signs on exposed skin. You must adjust clothing and pacing for the whole patrol.
Adjust layers selectively for each Scout, rotate breaks in sheltered areas, monitor for early signs of cold or heat stress, and maintain a manageable pace for the group.
After building a snow shelter, you notice that condensation is forming inside and snow is accumulating at the entrance. How could you address both issues to keep the shelter functional overnight?
Vent slightly to reduce moisture, use gear or snow to block drifting snow, rotate clearing responsibilities, and position sleeping areas away from condensation.
One Scout’s gloves froze shut while still needing to use trekking poles. You cannot stop for long, but the task cannot be delayed. You must make the gloves usable without causing frostbite or damaging them.
Warm hands inside layers, gently manipulate frozen gloves, assign alternative tasks temporarily if possible, and monitor fingers for early cold injury.
A Scout’s ears and nose are stiff and pale after exposure. They insist on removing coverings for comfort. You must prevent injury while considering morale and patrol needs.
Re-cover critical areas with spare clothing, explain risk, adjust activity to generate safe warmth, and monitor for color and sensation changes.
The patrol must cross a small stream hidden under snow. Visibility is dropping, and fatigue is increasing. You need to ensure everyone crosses safely or decide on an alternate route.
Test footing, consider alternate routes, assign safe crossing roles, maintain communication, and move slowly to reduce risk.
A snowstorm is coming, and you have limited time. Some parts of your quinzee walls are soft, and you’re unsure if it will hold. How do you decide whether to stay in the shelter or move, and what steps maximize safety?
Evaluate wall stability, reinforce if possible, prioritize critical safety improvements (roof, entrance), and consider a backup tent or alternate shelter if risk seems too high.
Deep snow and fatigue are slowing the patrol, and energy is dropping. Some gear is less effective in these conditions, and progress is necessary to reach camp before dark. You must maintain warmth, energy, and safety for everyone.
Adjust pace, rotate breaks strategically, follow packed tracks if safe, use poles or improvised supports, and balance workload among patrol members to reduce strain.
A minor cut occurs while building a shelter in freezing conditions. You cannot leave the environment and need to treat the wound safely while continuing necessary tasks.
Quickly clean and cover the cut, insulate it from cold, monitor for worsening, and continue essential tasks while minimizing exposure.
Deep snow and exhaustion are slowing progress, and food and water must be managed carefully. You must keep morale, energy, and safety while making decisions about pace and resource use.
Rotate tasks, provide small energy snacks, adjust pace conservatively, communicate constantly, and monitor for early cold-related issues.