We had a great time at the Polar Bear camp out on 2/11-12/2012. The vehicles were packed and we arrived at Camp Butler only to find that Old Man Winter finally decided to hit us with near white-out conditions. Just perfect for a Polar Bear event! The scouts and scouters secured their backpacks and headed out on a 3/4 mile hike to our camp site at Lake Point Adirondacks. We wasted no time building a camp fire that would not be extinguished until lights-out at 10:30 pm that night. After the scouts packed away their gear they started to set up the whisper lite camp stoves to heat water for hot chocolate and caned soup. They also grilled hot dogs over the fire to make a hot lunch. After lunch clean-up the scouts and adults took a one hour hike around the lake. Mr. Duran volunteered to stay back and man the campfire. Following the marked trail was difficult because of the deep snow but with the help of a compass we were able to find our way around the lake and enter the camp road then back to our campsite. After returning to camp and finding Mr. Duran huddled around the fire wrapped in a blanket the scouts spent the scheduled free time warming up by the fire and building a block snow wall in front of the Raptors Adirondack. Dinner consisted of bowls of hot chili and hot dogs and hot beverages. The rest of the day was spent enjoying each others company around the fire and continuing the snow wall project. We all were in the comfort of our sleeping bags by 10:30 that evening and well rested by the 6:00 am reveille. We quickly packed up our camp and headed back to the Old Church to end Troop 810 first Polar Bear in many years. All that participated in this event has earned a Polar Bear certificate and patch to be awarded at our next troop meeting.

Camp Butler, Polar Bear Photo Album