Just so everyone knows, it is a hotel Saturday evening. Please pack in as smal…
Just so everyone knows, it is a hotel Saturday evening. Please pack in as small of a duffel bag or backpack as possible. We will have limited car space. Meet at AELC at 7am. If the Friday overnight snow delays our departure, everyone will be notified. Bring your $90 to pay for trip, and then some extra funds for 3 meals out. Also pack your lunch for Sunday's ice climbing, and don't forget water bottle. Please review packing list in prior post, and remember to have warm clothes out for Saturday's activity.In case anyone is wondering what we will be doing for our Saturday activity on the way up to New York, watch this... If it's open on Saturday, we are so there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14VR5Z4u9OE
Eagles Mere Toboggan Slide 2014
2/8/2014 Eagles Mere Toboggan Slide My girlfriend and I with her family going down the Toboggan slide in Eagles Mere, PA You can go to the website below for ...
Attention Ice Climber: Make sure to have warm clothes (boots, gloves, layered ou…
Attention Ice Climber:Make sure to have warm clothes (boots, gloves, layered outfit) for a fun outdoor activity on Saturday. We are in for some pre-adventure fun, but you will need to be dressed warm, so have said clothes readily available on the trip up! More info to come. Get pumped, we are going ICE CLIMBING!
Gear List for Ice Climbing from EMS: Meet at church at 7:00am Saturday. Bring…
Gear List for Ice Climbing from EMS: Meet at church at 7:00am Saturday. Bring $90 total, and some money for dinner Saturday and Sunday. Pack a lunch for Sunday, and bring some money for simple lunch Saturday, or pack your own for the ride.GEAR LIST
Ice Climbing & Mountaineering
Clothing is as important as your boots and ice axe. Being properly dressed is essential to enjoying your outdoor adventures. Cotton has no place in your winter layering system: it keeps you cold if you sweat and it takes a long time to dry out. Synthetic fabrics or wool keep you warmer when they become wet with sweat and certain synthetic base layers are designed to wick the sweat away from your skin to keep you drier and warmer. In order to make your experience more enjoyable, please do not wear any cotton as layering pieces. Also, remember, you have to carry all your clothing with you, so packing efficiently is important. If you can’t wear it all at once, you don’t need to bring it. We expect that you will be dressed and ready to go upon arrival to the School.
The items below are REQUIRED unless otherwise specified. If you have questions about what to bring please call the Climbing School at 800-310-4504.
Clothing
Base Layer (top & bottom)
There’s no way around it. You sweat. Wear fabrics that wick moisture away from your skin. Unlike 100% cotton that gets wet and stays wet, wicking fabrics help you regulate your core temperature and avoid overheating or chilling. Great examples of winter base layers include EMS® Techwick® T1 and T2 polyester which wicks, packs, wears, and washes like nothing else. Top and Bottom. Light to mid-weight synthetics, snug fit and close to skin.
Over-Base Layer (top only)
Mid-layers add mild insulation to help retain heat that your body creates, and are worn between the base layer and insulation if needed. Examples of over base layers are EMS® Techwick® T2 or T3 or any lightweight wool shirt. Top only. Light-weight fleece or heavy-weight EMS® Techwick®. Power-Stretch and micro-fleece are ideal materials for this layer.
Insulation Layer (top only)
Mid-layers add insulation to help retain heat that your body creates, and are worn between the base layer and outer jacket. Examples of insulating mid-layers include a fleece jacket or a synthetic jacket made of Prima Loft® or Thermore®. Jacket only. 200 to 300 weight fleece, heavy weight soft shell or light weight Prima-Loft sweater.
Uninsulated Waterproof/ Windproof Shell (jacket & pants) (Tim - VERY important, since water runs off the ice. For the bottoms, wear an old pair, or Frogg Toggs or something since it is likely they will get torn.)
Forget about bulky coats. Wear an outer shell (over your base and insulation layer) to shed water and snow. Layering will give you more versatility, depending on the weather and your activity. Outerwear that is waterproof with increased breath ability will be more adaptable and can help transfer moisture away from your body to keep you dry and protected from the elements. Jackets and pants. EMS System III, Gortex®, or similar waterproof/breathable material. Jacket MUST have an integrated hood. Flimsy “stow-away” nylon hoods are not adequate. Full side zip on pants are very helpful.
*Soft shell pants and jacket can be very appropriate on days when we are not expecting heavy snow or wet weather. They provide wind and water protection while still allowing you to breath. Fabrics that fall into the category are PolarTec Powershield and Scholler.
“Over-it-All” Hooded Down or Prima-Loft Jacket
This crucial layer is often added when you stop for a break. It helps to maintain your body temperature while you are resting and is essential for keeping you warm on those cold descents and during inconvenient breaks above treeline in high winds. This layer is generally worn over your outermost layers–yes, even over your Gore-Tex® or System Three® jacket.
Gloves or Mittens, and Glove Liners
We recommend having 3 pair of gloves/mittens with you. Glove liners are very useful for the more aerobic approach to your climb. Insulated gloves (like ski gloves) with a windproof/waterproof shell are a must for higher elevations and more technical climbing. Mittens with a windproof/waterproof shell are essential for those colder temperatures at higher elevations (tip: you will not be dexterous in mittens, so if you couple a pair of liner gloves inside your mittens, you can have both!)
Fleece Hat
You’ve probably heard that most of your body heat escapes from your head. When you’re feeling cold the first piece to add to your clothing system is a hat. This hat should cover your ears and can be made of fleece or wool. Remember to fit the hat so you can wear it under a helmet.
Wool or Synthetic Socks
How many times have your feet been way too cold? Wool or wool blend socks are great natural insulators, even when wet. For most cold-weather sports, wear wicking liner socks and mid weight wool or synthetic socks. Make sure you fit footwear with heavier socks for more warmth. No matter how thick your socks are, if your footwear constricts your toes, your blood flow will slow down and cause your feet to be cold–fit your shoes accordingly.
Footwear
EMS will provide all climbers with appropriate plastic winter mountaineering boots. Boot sizes range from men’s 6-13. If you have a larger or smaller foot please let us know before you arrive.
Accessories
Backpack (Tim - we won't have much in ours, so a mid-size pack is ok)
2,000-3,000 cubic inches or 30-40 liters is recommended, max 20lb load. A properly fitted pack will make your day 100 times better! It is essential to have a pack which has a comfortable hip belt to help support the bulk of the weight. Use a pack large enough to stow all of your gear on the inside without having to strap any of your personal gear on the outside where it is exposed to the elements. Also, make sure your pack has ice axe loops you can use to carry your mountaineering axe when you are not using it and side compression straps to cinch the load close to you. Tip: Pack your pack with your gear before you arrive and make sure you still have enough room to stow your puffy jacket, gortex jacket, and extra warm layers for the initial hike in. This will save an enormous amount of time in the morning!
Winter Gaiters ( Tim - these are great for mountaineering, but not necessary for ice climbing unless you have them. They can help prevent a tear in your pants)
Gaiters cover the top of the boot to keep out rain, snow, and ice. They should cover your entire calf and be able to fit over a plastic ice climbing boot. They also cover your Gore-Tex® pants and provide a clean surface around your legs. This way, you are less likely to trip on loose pant legs and damage them while walking and climbing in your crampons.
Meals
Food
Fuel your body. In the mountains, lunch starts when breakfast ends and ends when dinner starts. In other words, we eat all day. A typical climber or skier will consume about 3,500 calories during the course of a day. Pack foods that don’t freeze hard, cover all the food groups and are easy to eat. Pre-make peanut butter sandwiches, or bring last night’s pizza, and those oh-so delicious candy bars. Carry your bars inside your jacket to keep them warm and gooey.
Water
Wide-mouth water bottles are recommended for winter. 2+ liters is a minimum to keep us hydrated during the day. Please, do not use hydration systems, metal water bottles, or thin plastic, Poland Springs, narrow-mouthed bottles. All of these systems freeze easily making the water unavailable to you. Before coming to the school, please consume ¾ to a liter of water. This will ensure you are starting your day well hydrated.
Optional Items
Camera
Light-weight thermos
Water bottle insulator
Hand/ foot warmers
Trekking poles
EMS Climbing School Provides
Plastic mountaineering boots, crampons, ice axes, harness, helmet, climbing hardware, ropes.
And now we are canceled. Roads getting slick. Look for ice climbing info ASAP…
And now we are canceled. Roads getting slick. Look for ice climbing info ASAP on-line. We will meet at church at 7:00am on Saturday heading to New Paltz, New York with a surprise stop on the way!Crew Meeting tonight at 5pm At Allegheny Lutheran Church!! Final plans for ice…
Crew Meeting tonight at 5pm At Allegheny Lutheran Church!! Final plans for ice climbing this coming weekend. Also decision time for Summer Adventure.Hey Everyone! Heads up, you can be expecting a phone call today,1/21 or tomorrow…
Hey Everyone! Heads up, you can be expecting a phone call today,1/21 or tomorrow,1/22 about the Ice Climbing trip in February. Please think about whether or not you will be able to commit. We need numbers by Wednesday, 1/22.Reminder – Meeting Sunday at 5pm at church. We will make it a quick planning m…
Reminder - Meeting Sunday at 5pm at church. We will make it a quick planning meeting. Key items:1. Who's going ice climbing in February?
2. Summer Adventure reboot -- Potential Acadia National Park in Maine. Hiking, Biking the Carriage Trails, Lobster Bake, Lobster Ice Cream in Bar Harbor (yes, it exists).
We have been accepted to the West Point Scoutmaster's Camporee the weekend of Ma…
We have been accepted to the West Point Scoutmaster's Camporee the weekend of May 2nd!!! This is an amazing event I had the honor of attending once before. It is very hard to get into this event. It is run by mostly Eagle Scouts (and equivalent from Girl Scouts and Venturing) who are cadets at West Point. This year more than 550 troops representing 10,500 scouts TRIED to get in, and we were accepted! We are a "Lightfighter" group, meaning we will backpack in and out for the event.We will need commitments ASAP.
There are fantastic events, including (you attend which you like):
a. Camouflage - At this site Scouts will learn how to properly apply US Army camouflage.
b. Litter/First Aid - At this site Scouts will fashion a litter and perform first aid techniques.
c. Knot Tying - Scouts will be taught how to tie various knots.
d. Leadership Reaction Course - At this site Scouts will be given a specific problem to solve using given materials.
e. Drill - The Scouts will learn the US Army drill and ceremonies techniques that they will use for the closing review.
f. Fire Building - At this site the Scouts will have to build a fire to burn a string that is at a given height.
g. Wilderness Survival: Scouts will be given a designated amount of time to look for materials to build a shelter and then given additional time to create the shelter. Once the shelter is graded on its' usefulness, the scouts will be required to take down the shelter
and attempt to make the site look as though it was unoccupied.
h. Ranger Challenge - A combination of physical events Scouts must complete (climbing ranger wall, carrying water jugs, etc.). Event requires Scouts to work together as a team to best accomplish the challenge.
i. Swiss Seat/One-Rope Bridge - Scouts will be taught how to tie a US Army rappel seat and will be graded on their ability to re-tie the seat in 90 seconds. They will then have the opportunity to cross a One-Rope Bridge using their seat.
j. Kim’s Game - Scouts will be given a certain situation to analyze to identify and remember the variety of items within the situation. After a certain period of time, the Scouts will be asked to turn around while certain aspects of the situation previously
analyzed are altered. The Scouts will attempt to identify any changes that were made to the original site.
k. Commander’s Challenge - This event will not be announced until the Camporee. It will be both physically and mentally tough and designed with a military background.
l. Zodiac Challenge - The RB-15, also known as a Zodiac, is a US Army raft. If these are not available due to supply issues, we will use canoes. The Scouts will have to negotiate a course on the lake. The fastest patrol will win this site.
m. Fitness Challenge - Fitness is a critical aspect of military life. The Scouts will be graded on the relative fitness of their patrol through participation in physical activities such as push-ups and sit-ups.
n. Weapons – Scouts will be briefed on a variety of US military weapons, their capabilities, and also their uses. Scout will be graded on how well they retained each weapons‟ characteristics.
o. Knowledge Baseball - Scouts will play „baseball‟ by answering questions about rank requirements, common scout skills, scouting heritage and some basic West Point knowledge. The more questions answered correctly, the more points the Scouts can
score.
p. TAC Challenge - Scouts will carry dummy rifles and bound through woodland terrain to rescue a hostage at the end of the lane. They will face physical obstacles and be required
to react to enemy contact along the lane.
2. Non-Graded Events:
a. Static Display: The contents of the static display will be United States Military weapons and accessories.
b. Demonstrations – There will be a variety of cadet club demonstrations for the scouts
throughout the weekend.
52nd Annual West Point Camporee