Polar Bear - Oil Creek State Park

Our trip to Oil Creek turned into quite an adventure. The ride over was uneventful until a wrong turn took us down an unmaintained road where two of our vehicles became stuck. At that point we were close enough to the Wolfkiel Run Shelters to backpack in. Two adults stayed with the cars while the rest of us made our way about 2 3/4 miles uphill. The weather was pleasant, bright and sunny with very little wind. Once at the site we got ourselves situated and cooked up a quick lunch. The adirondacks were very comfortable, with room for 4 people each and a fireplace to use for warmth. After several hours the adults were able to get the cars back to the camp parking lot. They had the help of a tow truck and our new friend Steve with his 4 wheel drive truck. In camp, the fires were going in all three shelters and some wood was collected before it became dark. The cooks made an excellent meal of Chicken Jambalaya, brownies and hot chocolate/tea for supper. The temperature really began to drop after the sun went down and around 8pm everyone settled into their adirondacks. During the night people slept on and off while keeping their fires going. At around 5am the temperature was at -7°F and our firewood was dwindling. The decision was made to pack the gear, hike back to the cars, and head home. On the way home the cars needed fuel and we had a chance for breakfast at Subway. Even with all the adversity during this trip, we had a good time and gained valuable experience. The six scouts and four adults that attended will receive their polar bear award and a Troop 810 sub-zero camper patch. Those braving the winter were David K., Dylan, Kyle, Nick, Peter, Richard, Mr. Deran, Mr. Drown, Mr. Kelly, and Mr. Makowski.
Driving Through Oil City, PA	A Frozen Hillside on the Way, Brrr...
Chaining Up for Traction	Going This Way is a Bad Idea
Car Trouble, BooHoo	Hiking Uphill to Wolfkiel Run Shelters and Campsite
Awesome Views	"Be Prepared" - Split Wood and Stay Warm
Kicking Back in the Adirondack	Warming Up the Stove
Time to Start Cooking	Jambalaya Man
Doesn't That Look Toasty	Let's Unfreeze This Water
Good Morning Sub-Zero Campers	An Early Morning Group Photo Just Before Departure
More Pictures from Oil Creek...

Date and Time of Departure: Saturday, February 15th, 7:30am - Old Church

Camp Coordinator: Mr. Makowski

Purpose: To learn how to camp in the winter. We will earn our Polar Bear Award. The troop will be using Adirondacks for sleeping quarters. Adirondacks are small shelters with bunks. These shelters have fireplaces, but to earn your polar bear there must be no interior heating of any kind. It will be cold so plan accordingly. Scouts crossing over in 2014 will not be permitted to attend this event.

Activities:

Saturday	7:30am	Meet at Old Church, Load up gear and depart as soon as ready.
	10:00am	Expected Arrival at Oil Creek, Check-in.
		Park at Wolfkiel Run Shelter Parking Area, and backpack into Wolfkiel Run Shelters.
	11:00am	Setup camp, collect firewood.
	12:00pm	Lunch
	1:00pm	Lunch and Cleanup complete
	1:00pm	Plan and Hike a section of the Park.
	4:00pm	Return from Hike
		Work on Advancement and Freetime
	5:00pm	Begin supper preparation, serve when ready
	6:30pm	Supper and Cleanup complete
		Freetime, Campfire, Mill about Smartly
	10:00pm	Turn-in
	10:30pm	Quiet time
Sunday	7:00am	Reveille
		Pack up camp and quick breakfast
	8:00am	Hike back to Cars
	9:00am	Return to Cars and Depart for Home
	11:30am-12:00pm	Expected return time at Old Church (depends on hike back, weather, etc. Scouts will phone parents as we get closer to home).

Location: Oil Creek State Park - Wolfkiel Run Shelter Site (see Park Map), Park Phone Number - 814-676-5915.

Cost: $25.00 per scout and permission slip due at troop meeting on January 21st

Estimated Time of Return: Sunday, February 16th, 11:30am-12:00pm

Items to Bring:

Be Prepared for Winter Camping (covered at troop meetings)
Scout Outdoor Essentials (see handbook)
Camping Gear and Extra Clothing (see handbook)