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- The Get-Outside Guide to Winter Activities
A recent surge in people’s reconnecting with nature has resulted in numerous reference books for outdoor program leaders, but—until now—there has been a dearth of books aimed at wintertime pursuits.
The Get-Outside Guide to Winter Activities unlocks the door to a wealth of fun and adventure in the snow. Activities have been compiled by keepers of the trail, experienced winter trekker leaders who know how to lead people in outdoor winter activities that are safe and fun and help people experience the joy of being active outdoors during the cold months of the year.
This guide offers activities and games that have the following features:
• Appropriate for multiple age groups
• Easily modifiable to adapt to varying skillsets
• Designed for a variety of locales, such as schoolyards, community trails, urban and remote parks, and wilderness settings
The guide offers activities that are suitable for groups of varying skill levels and experience. Most activities are simple and quick and require little preparation and few props. Those interested in doing more can explore snowshoeing or Nordic skiing activities and even exploratory outings and winter day trips from a base camp to overnight or extended camping excursions. The book includes tactical snow games and activities and even has icebreakers for games.
In addition, solo winter trekkers can use the activities and lessons as a launching point to prepare them in leading groups in winter outings. Leaders are shown how to build in activities that call on typical age-level skills of participants. The essential-skills progression built into the activities helps leaders offer instructional strategies that allow all participants to take part within their ability, and leaders are provided with ideas to modify all approaches and activities to ensure inclusion for all in their group.
In addition to the game and activity modifications, the book offers winter facts that enhance participants’ knowledge about the science of snow and winter as well as charts and graphs that focus on safety in winter.
The Get-Outside Guide to Winter Activities offers a planning framework that balances winter fun with skills and safety and prepares leaders to guide others in enjoying activities in the snow. You will learn about activities that require little or no props, adaptive snow games, tips based on actual winter excursions, gear requirements, and leadership suggestions shared by winter experts:
• How to stay warm and dry while winter camping
• What and how to eat, drink, and cook in the winter
• What gear you need for a snow expedition
• What games and activities are great for campsites
• How to teach basic snowshoeing and Nordic skiing skills
• The keys to managing groups outside in winter
You’ll also learn how to make the most of winter opportunities through tried-and-true ideas, skill progressions and games, and activities that open up an entire season’s worth of enjoyment, learning, and adventure.
“People shy away from outdoor winter activities for three reasons,” says Andrew Foran, one of the book’s authors. “There’s an overemphasis on the skkills that are thought to be required for participation. Granted, in some cases skills are essential, but it’s how you approach the teaching and practicing of those skills that makes the difference.
“Then there’s a belief that the wintertime outdoors is to be feared rather than embraced. And finally, people are lacking a bank of ideas, of things to do, to keep them engaged and having fun outdoors in the winter.”
The Get-Outside Guide to Winter Activities addresses all three misconceptions—and in the process shows you, as a leader, how to help your participants have fun in the snow, build skills, and create lasting memories that will keep them looking forward to the next big snowfall.
Part I Preparing for Winter Fun and Adventure
Chapter 1: Getting Ready to GO
Setting
Five Gs
Planning and Preparation
Nutrition
Hydration
Managing Groups Outside in Winter
Chapter 2: Safety and Risk Management
Assessing Environmental Conditions
Wind Chill
Dehydration and Hypothermia
Risk Management
Phase 1: Before the Activity
Phase 2: During the Activity
Phase 3: Debriefing
Chapter 3: Winter Gear and Clothing
Basic Gear
Wintertime Essentials for the Leader Pack
Winter Travel Gear
Summary
Part II: Fun in the Snow: Games and Activities
Chapter 4: Icebreakers
Five Gs of Activity Planning
Activities
Chapter 5: Play-Based and First Nations Activities
Play-Based Activities
Native (Inuit) and Northern Games
Part III: Trekking
Chapter 6: Snowshoeing
Getting Started
Snowshoeing Equipment
Day Packs and Leader Packs
Snowshoeing Skills
Basic Snowshoeing Games and Activities
Skills for Hills
Advanced Snowshoeing Games and Activities
Running in Snowshoes
Chapter 7: Nordic Skiing
Evolution of Nordic Skiing Technique and Equipment
Dressing for Skiing
Day Packs and Leader Packs
Shelter
Getting Started
Nordic Skiing Skills
Nordic Skiing Games and Activities
Part IV: Extending the Trekking Experience
Chapter 8: Winter Camping
Staying Warm and Dry
Eating, Drinking, and Cooking Building a Shelter
Sleeping Warm and Dry
Summary
Chapter 9: Winter Trekking: The Snow Expedition
Winter Trekking Equipment
Group Gear
Leader Gear
Personal Gear
Packing a Toboggan
Thermoregulation: Dressing for Winter Hauling
Leader Tips
Setting Up Camp
Games and Activities to Do in Camp
The Next Day
Andrew Foran, PhD, began his teaching career as a geography teacher and outdoor educator with the Halifax Regional School Board in Nova Scotia. He is an associate professor at St. Francis Xavier University, Faculty of Education, Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The focus of his teacher education practice is service learning, experiential applications in public school programs, and curriculum development in outdoor education at the secondary level. Andrew’s research examines teachers and students engaged in experiential courses and instruction outside of school settings. Andrew has developed numerous teacher education programs, workshops, and courses and has published nationally and internationally. He is leading a certificate program in outdoor education for physical education teachers and a master’s in education with a specialization in outdoor education through St. Francis Xavier University. Andrew’s collaboration includes teachers in P-12 education, the Nova Scotia Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, provincial school boards, the Student Insurance Program of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Teachers’ Union, Department of Health and Wellness, and Sport Nova Scotia. In his leisure time, Foran enjoys canoe tripping and paddling, geocaching and navigation, and leading backpacking expeditions.
Kevin Redmond, PhD, has worked as a lecturer in the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation at Memorial University of Newfoundland at Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, after an extended tenure teaching physical education in the public school system. Kevin has an extensive background in provincial curriculum development and implementation in addition to chairing various national paddling committees that established standards and resources for paddling in Canada. He has written a variety of canoe and kayak guidebooks, pictorial books such as Iceberg Alley: A Journal of Nature's Most Awesome Migration, and educational books including Quality Lesson Plans for Outdoor Education, published by Human Kinetics in 2010. As a freelance writer and award-winning photographer, Kevin has published close to 100 articles, more than 1,000 images, and 75 magazine or book covers. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys salmon fishing, skiing, paddling, hiking, and playing golf. Kevin is currently working and exploring north of the 72nd parallel.
TA Loeffler, PhD, professor of outdoor recreation and chair of teaching and learning in the School of Human Kinetics and Recreation at Memorial University of Newfoundland, is also an adventurer, nature advocate, and professional keynote speaker. She has 25 years of expertise leading people through life-changing experiences. TA is the author of More Than a Mountain: One Woman’s Everest and was one of three coeditors of Theory and Practice of Experiential Education, Third Edition. TA’s work and adventures have taken her to 42 countries and all seven continents, and she has ascended the highest peak on each of the seven continents. In 2015, TA was named to the Canada’s Greatest Explorers 100 Modern-Day Trailblazers list by Canadian Geographic. She has shared her message of “Big dreams, big goals” with more than 90,000 youth in the provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador. TA enjoys paddling, rock climbing, mountaineering, skiing, and hiking.
Planning and Preparation
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders.
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders. There is very little room for half measures when leading people outdoors during the winter. The good news is that when the little things are in place, you can focus on delivering quality experiences.
Winter by nature presents environmental challenges: cold, wet snow, rain, freezing rain, and wind chill. The seasonal impact is magnified by the possibility of cold-related injuries when leaders and participants are not prepared. Being outdoors in winter is fun; you just need to be a bit more on your game. Know your group, know the terrain, and respect the weather.
At this stage of program planning, you want to know the following:
- What is the purpose of the lesson?
- Who are the participants?
- What activity (or activities) do participants want to do?
- Do participants have any special interests based on the terrain or prior knowledge and experiences?
- Will we be on the school or community center site or off-site?
- Will transportation be arranged?
- Will we need park permits and permission to use an existing shelter?
- Are we responsible for food and drinks?
- Who is taking care of what?
In addition to these questions, you will also need to consider the following issues in your planning:
- Risks. Do you have first aid training (emergency, standard, or wilderness and remote first aid) to support the health of your participants? Do you know the medical conditions of your participants and, if required, adult chaperones? What risks are present in the area? School sites - which offer an existing shelter base and easier access for 911 response - require a different kind of risk assessment than parks or camps do.
- Equipment. Do you have the equipment needed for ensuring a positive and comfortable learning experience? To make sure participants are prepared, send home a preparation list that includes the appropriate clothing and footwear (including a change of clothes), drinks, snacks, lunch, and any special considerations.
- Weather. We know you cannot control the weather, but you should have a good idea of what to expect in terms of rain, snow, sun, and so forth.
- Terrain. It's always a good idea to do a site examination of the terrain before the program. Clear away obstructions, and note areas that could lead to injuries (e.g., hollows, stumps, or obstructions that may be covered in snow if you are leading a running game, and even dog waste).
- Behavior and group dynamics. Before the program begins, communicate to the group your expectations for their behavior, and note group dynamics in advance if possible. Note who may need additional support outdoors (from you, your teaching assistants, or chaperones). Also review a few key etiquette practices regarding respect for the environment (e.g., Leave No Trace).
- Shelter. Do you need to bring a shelter to support the lesson (e.g., a portable base camp, a tarp for rain or snowfall), or does the site have an outbuilding?
- Maps and routes. If your program is taking place off-site, do you have maps? Be sure to identify walking routes, and determine an evacuation route in case of emergencies.
- Plan B. Having a backup plan is a must outdoors.
- Itinerary. Leave a trip itinerary with the program administration team, along with your outdoor instructional plans.
- Roles and responsibilities. If your program requires additional adult supervision (e.g., parent helpers), conduct a preprogram meeting to define roles and responsibilities. This puts everyone on the same page and avoids communication issues later on.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Hypothermia
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill.
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill. Conditions that contribute to and often accompany hypothermia are low temperatures, dehydration, improper clothing or equipment, poor food intake, wet or damp clothes or skin, alcohol intake, fatigue, and exhaustion.
The section on hypothermia is adapted, by permission, from K. Redmond, 2003, A guide to sea kayaking Newfoundland & Labrador. By permission of Kevin Redmond.
Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscle and brain functions are impaired. Hypothermia is a leading cause of death related to outdoor activities. Exposure to cold, wind, and snow without adequate clothing can lead to hypothermia. Extreme cold is not a prerequisite to hypothermia; in fact, most hypothermia occurs in cool weather. There is a real risk of hypothermia anytime you spend time outdoors in cool or cold weather. Of note is that hypothermia can occur at any temperature below body temperature - 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Never let yourself or a member of your group reach even the early stages of hypothermia. Always monitor each other.
To minimize the risk of hypothermia and prevent or reduce heat loss, wear warm, dry clothing and wear warm-when-wet clothing such as pile or wool and dress in layers with a wicking layer adjacent to the skin, followed by insulation layers and an outer shell to minimize the effect of wind and keep heat inside. To increase heat production, increase activity or eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrate before and during activity.
You and your participants have an equal role in reducing the risk of hypothermia. Your job is to ensure that participants are aware of cold weather activity protocols that mitigate risk, as well as to create a mood and social culture in which participants feel empowered to address cold-related concerns. Once participants are aware of hazards and how to avoid or minimize risks, they should be personally responsible for themselves and communicate with their peers and leaders when there is a concern beyond their ability or control. You must encourage open communication in addition to constantly monitoring participants' conditions, especially temperature, hydration, energy level, and mood or demeanor. Everyone should also understand the ways we lose heat so you can all take steps to reduce the effect of cold when engaged in outdoor activity.
How Cold Can Cold Get?
The lowest temperature ever recorded was - 89.2 degrees Celsius in 1983 in Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica.
Prevention
Understanding how a person loses heat to the environment is the first step in the prevention of hypothermia. The four ways our bodies lose heat are radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation.
- Radiation. Radiant heat loss occurs only when the surrounding temperature is below 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Factors important in radiant heat loss are the surface area and the temperature difference between you and your environment. Dressing appropriately reduces heat loss through radiation.
- Conduction. Conduction is heat loss through direct contact between objects. Heat travels from a warmer object to a colder one. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air. Generally, conductive heat loss accounts for only about 2 percent of overall loss. However, with wet clothes, the loss is increased five times. Conductive heat loss may be minimized by using a barrier between warm body parts (e.g., insulated boots) and snow or ice.
- Convection. Heat is lost when air or water molecules against the surface are heated, moved away, and replaced by new molecules that are also heated. The rate of convective heat loss depends on the substance (water convection occurs more quickly than air convection) and the speed of the moving substance. Wind chill is an example of the effects of air convection. In modern clothing systems, convection occurs when warm air escapes from the layers (e.g., through vents, cuffs, or collars) and is replaced by cooler air.
- Evaporation. Evaporation results from the conversion of water from a liquid to a gas. Heat loss through evaporation occurs through sweating, which is the body's response to excess heat. The body sweats to maintain a humidity level of 70 percent next to the skin; in a cold, dry environment, you can lose a great deal of moisture this way. During respiration, air is heated as it enters the lungs and is exhaled with an extremely high moisture content. Recognizing the strong connections between fluid levels, fluid loss, and heat loss is important. As body moisture is lost through evaporative processes, the overall circulating volume is reduced, which can lead to dehydration. This decrease in fluid level makes the body more susceptible to hypothermia.
Signs and Symptoms
When monitoring someone (or yourself) for signs and symptoms of hypothermia, watch for the umbles (stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles) that show changes in motor coordination and levels of consciousness. Following are signs and symptoms of various stages of hypothermia:
Mild: Core temperature of 37-35⁰ C (98-95⁰ F)
- Shivering
- Inability to do complex functions but can still walk and talk
Moderate: Core temperature 35-33°C (95-92⁰ F)
- Dazed consciousness
- Loss of fine motor coordination, particularly in hands (e.g., cannot zip up a jacket)
- Slurred speech
- Violent shivering
- Irrational behavior
- "I don't care" attitude
Severe: Core temperature 33-30° C (92-86⁰ F) and below (immediately life threatening)
- Shivering in violent waves followed by pauses
- Pauses get longer until shivering finally ceases
Treatment
The basic principle behind treating someone with hypothermia is to rewarm the person to conserve the heat he has and replace the body fuel he is burning up to generate heat. Reduce heat loss by replacing wet clothing with dry, adding additional layers of clothing, providing shelter, and adding fuel and fluids to help the body generate heat from within. Increased physical activity can help in mild stages. External heat can be from fire or another heat source such as another body.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Yeti Tag and Sherpa Winter Walk
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Yeti Tag
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose two players to be yetis and have them stand between the two boundaries.
- The rest of the players line up along one of the boundaries facing the yetis.
- Play begins when the yetis chant "We're the yetis, if you are ready; if you're wearing . . ." and they choose a color or an item of clothing the players are wearing (e.g., blue, winter hat).
- Any player wearing that item or color must attempt to walk or run across the playing field to get to the opposite boundary without being tagged by a yeti.
- A player who is tagged before reaching the other side becomes a yeti and helps the original yetis tag players in additional rounds.
- Those who make it across without being tagged wait behind that boundary line until the yetis chant again.
- Play continues until everyone is tagged or only two players haven't been tagged.
Safety Considerations
- Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
- Allow participants to run in only one direction at a time.
Yeti Frozen Tag
Yeti tag can be progressed into yeti frozen tag.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose one or two (or more) players to be yetis, depending on the size of the group.
- Yetis begin the game in the middle of the playing area. Players tagged by yetis must freeze on the spot where they were tagged with their arms and legs open (in a jumping jack position).
- Tagged players remain frozen until another participant ducks or crawls under their arms or legs. Let the game continue for as long as it remains exciting and fun.
- Switch the yetis often.
Safety Consideration
Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
The Search for Yeti
Alexander the Great, who in 326 BC set out to conquer the Indus Valley, heard stories of the yeti and demanded to see one for himself. But local people told him they were unable to present one because the creatures could not survive at that low an altitude. Indeed, yetis are thought to roam the Himalaya mountain range at an altitude of 14,000 to 20,000 feet.
Sherpa Winter Walk
Sherpas often guide climbers through rugged terrain in the mountains of Nepal. This icebreaker is a blindfolded winter adventure in which "sherpas" guide the group through and around obstacles found or made in the environment.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
None
Setup
Choose a location that has access to several kinds of obstacles such as snow banks, trees, or park benches.
How to Lead
- Break the participants into groups of 8 to 10, each of which has a sherpa. (If there are 10 or fewer participants, you will be the sherpa.)
- Line up the players in each group, one behind the other, with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
- If players are comfortable, they can close their eyes, wear a blindfold, or drop their hats down over their eyes.
- The sherpa is sighted and guides the group through, around, and over obstacles such as snow banks, snow trenches, and trees. The group follows the sherpa in a line.
- Sherpas can describe the obstacles as part of a winter adventure story such as crevasses, icefalls, glaciers, and the like.
- The group follows along and listens to the sherpa's descriptions for clues about what to expect and what to do (e.g., crawl over something, duck under a branch, roll in the snow).
- The players soon learn that they need to depend on, support, and communicate with each other to negotiate the obstacles.
Safety Considerations
- This activity requires participants to trust each other and work as a team to ensure everyone's safety while traversing the course. Make sure that your group is ready for this responsibility.
- If an obstacle requires players to be off the ground, have adequate sighted spotters at the obstacle to assist.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Ultimate Challenge Course (UCC)
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it’s junk, you don’t have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it's junk, you don't have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
Age or Grade Level
All ages can play, but the design needs to be age appropriate.
Number of Participants
Any number of participants; this can be a large-group or small-group activity
Equipment
- Lots of stuff!
- Pylons
- Plastic flexible tubing 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter
- Hula hoops
- Piles of snow
- Logs 122 cm (4 ft) in length
- Plastic sonotubes for tunnels, 91.4 cm (3 ft) or 122 cm (4 ft) in diameter and whatever length you can get (at least 2 m is good)
- Old tires
Setup
This activity is basically a giant obstacle course to be completed on snowshoes. One sample course layout is shown in figure 6.2, but that's just one of a million possibilities; let your imagination run wild! We like to start the group outside and away from the UCC, preferably in front of a large snowbank, such as those at the edges of parking lots. We make sure the participants move toward the UCC and not toward the parking area - and leave a GO leader to monitor this area.
A suggested layout for an ultimate challenge course.
How to Lead
Following is a suggestion for a bare-bones UCC. Use your imagination to make use of items at your disposal.
- Participants climb the large (parking lot) snowbank without snowshoes, slide down the other side, and run about 15 m to the UCC entrance.
- When they arrive, they are blindfold by a GO leader. They then make their way to the snowshoe pile (a random mix) and strap a pair to their feet (this pile is about 15 m from the entrance).
- They then snowshoe run back to the GO leader, return the blindfold, and run to the up-and-down portion: pylons are cemented into the snow with a plastic tubing stuck in the top to make archways they must go through.
- They jump over the next pile of snow (running jumps are encouraged).
- They then roll into and out of a trench.
- The next challenge is foxholes. Participants start in the first foxhole, lift one leg, twist, and plant it in the next hole; they do the same with the second leg, continuing until all the foxholes are cleared.
- At the tire station, participants roll or carry a medium-size truck tire across the snow and swap it with a large truck tire that they must bring back - either rolling or carrying.
- Next are at least two tunnels to crawl through.
- At the island hop, participants hop from hula hoop to hula hoop until they reach a sled.
- With the sled, participants haul a GO leader back to the entrance of the UCC.
Variations
- Mix and match the obstacles - this is about imagination!
- Participants who are not comfortable wearing a blindfold can spot at locations along the UCC.
Safety Consideration
- Make sure the challenge is age appropriate and matches participants' physical abilities. Remember, this is not boot camp or a preschool for a Navy Seals winter brigade.
Save
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Planning and Preparation
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders.
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders. There is very little room for half measures when leading people outdoors during the winter. The good news is that when the little things are in place, you can focus on delivering quality experiences.
Winter by nature presents environmental challenges: cold, wet snow, rain, freezing rain, and wind chill. The seasonal impact is magnified by the possibility of cold-related injuries when leaders and participants are not prepared. Being outdoors in winter is fun; you just need to be a bit more on your game. Know your group, know the terrain, and respect the weather.
At this stage of program planning, you want to know the following:
- What is the purpose of the lesson?
- Who are the participants?
- What activity (or activities) do participants want to do?
- Do participants have any special interests based on the terrain or prior knowledge and experiences?
- Will we be on the school or community center site or off-site?
- Will transportation be arranged?
- Will we need park permits and permission to use an existing shelter?
- Are we responsible for food and drinks?
- Who is taking care of what?
In addition to these questions, you will also need to consider the following issues in your planning:
- Risks. Do you have first aid training (emergency, standard, or wilderness and remote first aid) to support the health of your participants? Do you know the medical conditions of your participants and, if required, adult chaperones? What risks are present in the area? School sites - which offer an existing shelter base and easier access for 911 response - require a different kind of risk assessment than parks or camps do.
- Equipment. Do you have the equipment needed for ensuring a positive and comfortable learning experience? To make sure participants are prepared, send home a preparation list that includes the appropriate clothing and footwear (including a change of clothes), drinks, snacks, lunch, and any special considerations.
- Weather. We know you cannot control the weather, but you should have a good idea of what to expect in terms of rain, snow, sun, and so forth.
- Terrain. It's always a good idea to do a site examination of the terrain before the program. Clear away obstructions, and note areas that could lead to injuries (e.g., hollows, stumps, or obstructions that may be covered in snow if you are leading a running game, and even dog waste).
- Behavior and group dynamics. Before the program begins, communicate to the group your expectations for their behavior, and note group dynamics in advance if possible. Note who may need additional support outdoors (from you, your teaching assistants, or chaperones). Also review a few key etiquette practices regarding respect for the environment (e.g., Leave No Trace).
- Shelter. Do you need to bring a shelter to support the lesson (e.g., a portable base camp, a tarp for rain or snowfall), or does the site have an outbuilding?
- Maps and routes. If your program is taking place off-site, do you have maps? Be sure to identify walking routes, and determine an evacuation route in case of emergencies.
- Plan B. Having a backup plan is a must outdoors.
- Itinerary. Leave a trip itinerary with the program administration team, along with your outdoor instructional plans.
- Roles and responsibilities. If your program requires additional adult supervision (e.g., parent helpers), conduct a preprogram meeting to define roles and responsibilities. This puts everyone on the same page and avoids communication issues later on.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Hypothermia
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill.
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill. Conditions that contribute to and often accompany hypothermia are low temperatures, dehydration, improper clothing or equipment, poor food intake, wet or damp clothes or skin, alcohol intake, fatigue, and exhaustion.
The section on hypothermia is adapted, by permission, from K. Redmond, 2003, A guide to sea kayaking Newfoundland & Labrador. By permission of Kevin Redmond.
Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscle and brain functions are impaired. Hypothermia is a leading cause of death related to outdoor activities. Exposure to cold, wind, and snow without adequate clothing can lead to hypothermia. Extreme cold is not a prerequisite to hypothermia; in fact, most hypothermia occurs in cool weather. There is a real risk of hypothermia anytime you spend time outdoors in cool or cold weather. Of note is that hypothermia can occur at any temperature below body temperature - 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Never let yourself or a member of your group reach even the early stages of hypothermia. Always monitor each other.
To minimize the risk of hypothermia and prevent or reduce heat loss, wear warm, dry clothing and wear warm-when-wet clothing such as pile or wool and dress in layers with a wicking layer adjacent to the skin, followed by insulation layers and an outer shell to minimize the effect of wind and keep heat inside. To increase heat production, increase activity or eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrate before and during activity.
You and your participants have an equal role in reducing the risk of hypothermia. Your job is to ensure that participants are aware of cold weather activity protocols that mitigate risk, as well as to create a mood and social culture in which participants feel empowered to address cold-related concerns. Once participants are aware of hazards and how to avoid or minimize risks, they should be personally responsible for themselves and communicate with their peers and leaders when there is a concern beyond their ability or control. You must encourage open communication in addition to constantly monitoring participants' conditions, especially temperature, hydration, energy level, and mood or demeanor. Everyone should also understand the ways we lose heat so you can all take steps to reduce the effect of cold when engaged in outdoor activity.
How Cold Can Cold Get?
The lowest temperature ever recorded was - 89.2 degrees Celsius in 1983 in Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica.
Prevention
Understanding how a person loses heat to the environment is the first step in the prevention of hypothermia. The four ways our bodies lose heat are radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation.
- Radiation. Radiant heat loss occurs only when the surrounding temperature is below 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Factors important in radiant heat loss are the surface area and the temperature difference between you and your environment. Dressing appropriately reduces heat loss through radiation.
- Conduction. Conduction is heat loss through direct contact between objects. Heat travels from a warmer object to a colder one. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air. Generally, conductive heat loss accounts for only about 2 percent of overall loss. However, with wet clothes, the loss is increased five times. Conductive heat loss may be minimized by using a barrier between warm body parts (e.g., insulated boots) and snow or ice.
- Convection. Heat is lost when air or water molecules against the surface are heated, moved away, and replaced by new molecules that are also heated. The rate of convective heat loss depends on the substance (water convection occurs more quickly than air convection) and the speed of the moving substance. Wind chill is an example of the effects of air convection. In modern clothing systems, convection occurs when warm air escapes from the layers (e.g., through vents, cuffs, or collars) and is replaced by cooler air.
- Evaporation. Evaporation results from the conversion of water from a liquid to a gas. Heat loss through evaporation occurs through sweating, which is the body's response to excess heat. The body sweats to maintain a humidity level of 70 percent next to the skin; in a cold, dry environment, you can lose a great deal of moisture this way. During respiration, air is heated as it enters the lungs and is exhaled with an extremely high moisture content. Recognizing the strong connections between fluid levels, fluid loss, and heat loss is important. As body moisture is lost through evaporative processes, the overall circulating volume is reduced, which can lead to dehydration. This decrease in fluid level makes the body more susceptible to hypothermia.
Signs and Symptoms
When monitoring someone (or yourself) for signs and symptoms of hypothermia, watch for the umbles (stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles) that show changes in motor coordination and levels of consciousness. Following are signs and symptoms of various stages of hypothermia:
Mild: Core temperature of 37-35⁰ C (98-95⁰ F)
- Shivering
- Inability to do complex functions but can still walk and talk
Moderate: Core temperature 35-33°C (95-92⁰ F)
- Dazed consciousness
- Loss of fine motor coordination, particularly in hands (e.g., cannot zip up a jacket)
- Slurred speech
- Violent shivering
- Irrational behavior
- "I don't care" attitude
Severe: Core temperature 33-30° C (92-86⁰ F) and below (immediately life threatening)
- Shivering in violent waves followed by pauses
- Pauses get longer until shivering finally ceases
Treatment
The basic principle behind treating someone with hypothermia is to rewarm the person to conserve the heat he has and replace the body fuel he is burning up to generate heat. Reduce heat loss by replacing wet clothing with dry, adding additional layers of clothing, providing shelter, and adding fuel and fluids to help the body generate heat from within. Increased physical activity can help in mild stages. External heat can be from fire or another heat source such as another body.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Yeti Tag and Sherpa Winter Walk
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Yeti Tag
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose two players to be yetis and have them stand between the two boundaries.
- The rest of the players line up along one of the boundaries facing the yetis.
- Play begins when the yetis chant "We're the yetis, if you are ready; if you're wearing . . ." and they choose a color or an item of clothing the players are wearing (e.g., blue, winter hat).
- Any player wearing that item or color must attempt to walk or run across the playing field to get to the opposite boundary without being tagged by a yeti.
- A player who is tagged before reaching the other side becomes a yeti and helps the original yetis tag players in additional rounds.
- Those who make it across without being tagged wait behind that boundary line until the yetis chant again.
- Play continues until everyone is tagged or only two players haven't been tagged.
Safety Considerations
- Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
- Allow participants to run in only one direction at a time.
Yeti Frozen Tag
Yeti tag can be progressed into yeti frozen tag.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose one or two (or more) players to be yetis, depending on the size of the group.
- Yetis begin the game in the middle of the playing area. Players tagged by yetis must freeze on the spot where they were tagged with their arms and legs open (in a jumping jack position).
- Tagged players remain frozen until another participant ducks or crawls under their arms or legs. Let the game continue for as long as it remains exciting and fun.
- Switch the yetis often.
Safety Consideration
Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
The Search for Yeti
Alexander the Great, who in 326 BC set out to conquer the Indus Valley, heard stories of the yeti and demanded to see one for himself. But local people told him they were unable to present one because the creatures could not survive at that low an altitude. Indeed, yetis are thought to roam the Himalaya mountain range at an altitude of 14,000 to 20,000 feet.
Sherpa Winter Walk
Sherpas often guide climbers through rugged terrain in the mountains of Nepal. This icebreaker is a blindfolded winter adventure in which "sherpas" guide the group through and around obstacles found or made in the environment.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
None
Setup
Choose a location that has access to several kinds of obstacles such as snow banks, trees, or park benches.
How to Lead
- Break the participants into groups of 8 to 10, each of which has a sherpa. (If there are 10 or fewer participants, you will be the sherpa.)
- Line up the players in each group, one behind the other, with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
- If players are comfortable, they can close their eyes, wear a blindfold, or drop their hats down over their eyes.
- The sherpa is sighted and guides the group through, around, and over obstacles such as snow banks, snow trenches, and trees. The group follows the sherpa in a line.
- Sherpas can describe the obstacles as part of a winter adventure story such as crevasses, icefalls, glaciers, and the like.
- The group follows along and listens to the sherpa's descriptions for clues about what to expect and what to do (e.g., crawl over something, duck under a branch, roll in the snow).
- The players soon learn that they need to depend on, support, and communicate with each other to negotiate the obstacles.
Safety Considerations
- This activity requires participants to trust each other and work as a team to ensure everyone's safety while traversing the course. Make sure that your group is ready for this responsibility.
- If an obstacle requires players to be off the ground, have adequate sighted spotters at the obstacle to assist.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Ultimate Challenge Course (UCC)
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it’s junk, you don’t have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it's junk, you don't have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
Age or Grade Level
All ages can play, but the design needs to be age appropriate.
Number of Participants
Any number of participants; this can be a large-group or small-group activity
Equipment
- Lots of stuff!
- Pylons
- Plastic flexible tubing 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter
- Hula hoops
- Piles of snow
- Logs 122 cm (4 ft) in length
- Plastic sonotubes for tunnels, 91.4 cm (3 ft) or 122 cm (4 ft) in diameter and whatever length you can get (at least 2 m is good)
- Old tires
Setup
This activity is basically a giant obstacle course to be completed on snowshoes. One sample course layout is shown in figure 6.2, but that's just one of a million possibilities; let your imagination run wild! We like to start the group outside and away from the UCC, preferably in front of a large snowbank, such as those at the edges of parking lots. We make sure the participants move toward the UCC and not toward the parking area - and leave a GO leader to monitor this area.
A suggested layout for an ultimate challenge course.
How to Lead
Following is a suggestion for a bare-bones UCC. Use your imagination to make use of items at your disposal.
- Participants climb the large (parking lot) snowbank without snowshoes, slide down the other side, and run about 15 m to the UCC entrance.
- When they arrive, they are blindfold by a GO leader. They then make their way to the snowshoe pile (a random mix) and strap a pair to their feet (this pile is about 15 m from the entrance).
- They then snowshoe run back to the GO leader, return the blindfold, and run to the up-and-down portion: pylons are cemented into the snow with a plastic tubing stuck in the top to make archways they must go through.
- They jump over the next pile of snow (running jumps are encouraged).
- They then roll into and out of a trench.
- The next challenge is foxholes. Participants start in the first foxhole, lift one leg, twist, and plant it in the next hole; they do the same with the second leg, continuing until all the foxholes are cleared.
- At the tire station, participants roll or carry a medium-size truck tire across the snow and swap it with a large truck tire that they must bring back - either rolling or carrying.
- Next are at least two tunnels to crawl through.
- At the island hop, participants hop from hula hoop to hula hoop until they reach a sled.
- With the sled, participants haul a GO leader back to the entrance of the UCC.
Variations
- Mix and match the obstacles - this is about imagination!
- Participants who are not comfortable wearing a blindfold can spot at locations along the UCC.
Safety Consideration
- Make sure the challenge is age appropriate and matches participants' physical abilities. Remember, this is not boot camp or a preschool for a Navy Seals winter brigade.
Save
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Planning and Preparation
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders.
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders. There is very little room for half measures when leading people outdoors during the winter. The good news is that when the little things are in place, you can focus on delivering quality experiences.
Winter by nature presents environmental challenges: cold, wet snow, rain, freezing rain, and wind chill. The seasonal impact is magnified by the possibility of cold-related injuries when leaders and participants are not prepared. Being outdoors in winter is fun; you just need to be a bit more on your game. Know your group, know the terrain, and respect the weather.
At this stage of program planning, you want to know the following:
- What is the purpose of the lesson?
- Who are the participants?
- What activity (or activities) do participants want to do?
- Do participants have any special interests based on the terrain or prior knowledge and experiences?
- Will we be on the school or community center site or off-site?
- Will transportation be arranged?
- Will we need park permits and permission to use an existing shelter?
- Are we responsible for food and drinks?
- Who is taking care of what?
In addition to these questions, you will also need to consider the following issues in your planning:
- Risks. Do you have first aid training (emergency, standard, or wilderness and remote first aid) to support the health of your participants? Do you know the medical conditions of your participants and, if required, adult chaperones? What risks are present in the area? School sites - which offer an existing shelter base and easier access for 911 response - require a different kind of risk assessment than parks or camps do.
- Equipment. Do you have the equipment needed for ensuring a positive and comfortable learning experience? To make sure participants are prepared, send home a preparation list that includes the appropriate clothing and footwear (including a change of clothes), drinks, snacks, lunch, and any special considerations.
- Weather. We know you cannot control the weather, but you should have a good idea of what to expect in terms of rain, snow, sun, and so forth.
- Terrain. It's always a good idea to do a site examination of the terrain before the program. Clear away obstructions, and note areas that could lead to injuries (e.g., hollows, stumps, or obstructions that may be covered in snow if you are leading a running game, and even dog waste).
- Behavior and group dynamics. Before the program begins, communicate to the group your expectations for their behavior, and note group dynamics in advance if possible. Note who may need additional support outdoors (from you, your teaching assistants, or chaperones). Also review a few key etiquette practices regarding respect for the environment (e.g., Leave No Trace).
- Shelter. Do you need to bring a shelter to support the lesson (e.g., a portable base camp, a tarp for rain or snowfall), or does the site have an outbuilding?
- Maps and routes. If your program is taking place off-site, do you have maps? Be sure to identify walking routes, and determine an evacuation route in case of emergencies.
- Plan B. Having a backup plan is a must outdoors.
- Itinerary. Leave a trip itinerary with the program administration team, along with your outdoor instructional plans.
- Roles and responsibilities. If your program requires additional adult supervision (e.g., parent helpers), conduct a preprogram meeting to define roles and responsibilities. This puts everyone on the same page and avoids communication issues later on.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Hypothermia
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill.
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill. Conditions that contribute to and often accompany hypothermia are low temperatures, dehydration, improper clothing or equipment, poor food intake, wet or damp clothes or skin, alcohol intake, fatigue, and exhaustion.
The section on hypothermia is adapted, by permission, from K. Redmond, 2003, A guide to sea kayaking Newfoundland & Labrador. By permission of Kevin Redmond.
Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscle and brain functions are impaired. Hypothermia is a leading cause of death related to outdoor activities. Exposure to cold, wind, and snow without adequate clothing can lead to hypothermia. Extreme cold is not a prerequisite to hypothermia; in fact, most hypothermia occurs in cool weather. There is a real risk of hypothermia anytime you spend time outdoors in cool or cold weather. Of note is that hypothermia can occur at any temperature below body temperature - 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Never let yourself or a member of your group reach even the early stages of hypothermia. Always monitor each other.
To minimize the risk of hypothermia and prevent or reduce heat loss, wear warm, dry clothing and wear warm-when-wet clothing such as pile or wool and dress in layers with a wicking layer adjacent to the skin, followed by insulation layers and an outer shell to minimize the effect of wind and keep heat inside. To increase heat production, increase activity or eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrate before and during activity.
You and your participants have an equal role in reducing the risk of hypothermia. Your job is to ensure that participants are aware of cold weather activity protocols that mitigate risk, as well as to create a mood and social culture in which participants feel empowered to address cold-related concerns. Once participants are aware of hazards and how to avoid or minimize risks, they should be personally responsible for themselves and communicate with their peers and leaders when there is a concern beyond their ability or control. You must encourage open communication in addition to constantly monitoring participants' conditions, especially temperature, hydration, energy level, and mood or demeanor. Everyone should also understand the ways we lose heat so you can all take steps to reduce the effect of cold when engaged in outdoor activity.
How Cold Can Cold Get?
The lowest temperature ever recorded was - 89.2 degrees Celsius in 1983 in Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica.
Prevention
Understanding how a person loses heat to the environment is the first step in the prevention of hypothermia. The four ways our bodies lose heat are radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation.
- Radiation. Radiant heat loss occurs only when the surrounding temperature is below 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Factors important in radiant heat loss are the surface area and the temperature difference between you and your environment. Dressing appropriately reduces heat loss through radiation.
- Conduction. Conduction is heat loss through direct contact between objects. Heat travels from a warmer object to a colder one. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air. Generally, conductive heat loss accounts for only about 2 percent of overall loss. However, with wet clothes, the loss is increased five times. Conductive heat loss may be minimized by using a barrier between warm body parts (e.g., insulated boots) and snow or ice.
- Convection. Heat is lost when air or water molecules against the surface are heated, moved away, and replaced by new molecules that are also heated. The rate of convective heat loss depends on the substance (water convection occurs more quickly than air convection) and the speed of the moving substance. Wind chill is an example of the effects of air convection. In modern clothing systems, convection occurs when warm air escapes from the layers (e.g., through vents, cuffs, or collars) and is replaced by cooler air.
- Evaporation. Evaporation results from the conversion of water from a liquid to a gas. Heat loss through evaporation occurs through sweating, which is the body's response to excess heat. The body sweats to maintain a humidity level of 70 percent next to the skin; in a cold, dry environment, you can lose a great deal of moisture this way. During respiration, air is heated as it enters the lungs and is exhaled with an extremely high moisture content. Recognizing the strong connections between fluid levels, fluid loss, and heat loss is important. As body moisture is lost through evaporative processes, the overall circulating volume is reduced, which can lead to dehydration. This decrease in fluid level makes the body more susceptible to hypothermia.
Signs and Symptoms
When monitoring someone (or yourself) for signs and symptoms of hypothermia, watch for the umbles (stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles) that show changes in motor coordination and levels of consciousness. Following are signs and symptoms of various stages of hypothermia:
Mild: Core temperature of 37-35⁰ C (98-95⁰ F)
- Shivering
- Inability to do complex functions but can still walk and talk
Moderate: Core temperature 35-33°C (95-92⁰ F)
- Dazed consciousness
- Loss of fine motor coordination, particularly in hands (e.g., cannot zip up a jacket)
- Slurred speech
- Violent shivering
- Irrational behavior
- "I don't care" attitude
Severe: Core temperature 33-30° C (92-86⁰ F) and below (immediately life threatening)
- Shivering in violent waves followed by pauses
- Pauses get longer until shivering finally ceases
Treatment
The basic principle behind treating someone with hypothermia is to rewarm the person to conserve the heat he has and replace the body fuel he is burning up to generate heat. Reduce heat loss by replacing wet clothing with dry, adding additional layers of clothing, providing shelter, and adding fuel and fluids to help the body generate heat from within. Increased physical activity can help in mild stages. External heat can be from fire or another heat source such as another body.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Yeti Tag and Sherpa Winter Walk
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Yeti Tag
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose two players to be yetis and have them stand between the two boundaries.
- The rest of the players line up along one of the boundaries facing the yetis.
- Play begins when the yetis chant "We're the yetis, if you are ready; if you're wearing . . ." and they choose a color or an item of clothing the players are wearing (e.g., blue, winter hat).
- Any player wearing that item or color must attempt to walk or run across the playing field to get to the opposite boundary without being tagged by a yeti.
- A player who is tagged before reaching the other side becomes a yeti and helps the original yetis tag players in additional rounds.
- Those who make it across without being tagged wait behind that boundary line until the yetis chant again.
- Play continues until everyone is tagged or only two players haven't been tagged.
Safety Considerations
- Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
- Allow participants to run in only one direction at a time.
Yeti Frozen Tag
Yeti tag can be progressed into yeti frozen tag.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose one or two (or more) players to be yetis, depending on the size of the group.
- Yetis begin the game in the middle of the playing area. Players tagged by yetis must freeze on the spot where they were tagged with their arms and legs open (in a jumping jack position).
- Tagged players remain frozen until another participant ducks or crawls under their arms or legs. Let the game continue for as long as it remains exciting and fun.
- Switch the yetis often.
Safety Consideration
Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
The Search for Yeti
Alexander the Great, who in 326 BC set out to conquer the Indus Valley, heard stories of the yeti and demanded to see one for himself. But local people told him they were unable to present one because the creatures could not survive at that low an altitude. Indeed, yetis are thought to roam the Himalaya mountain range at an altitude of 14,000 to 20,000 feet.
Sherpa Winter Walk
Sherpas often guide climbers through rugged terrain in the mountains of Nepal. This icebreaker is a blindfolded winter adventure in which "sherpas" guide the group through and around obstacles found or made in the environment.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
None
Setup
Choose a location that has access to several kinds of obstacles such as snow banks, trees, or park benches.
How to Lead
- Break the participants into groups of 8 to 10, each of which has a sherpa. (If there are 10 or fewer participants, you will be the sherpa.)
- Line up the players in each group, one behind the other, with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
- If players are comfortable, they can close their eyes, wear a blindfold, or drop their hats down over their eyes.
- The sherpa is sighted and guides the group through, around, and over obstacles such as snow banks, snow trenches, and trees. The group follows the sherpa in a line.
- Sherpas can describe the obstacles as part of a winter adventure story such as crevasses, icefalls, glaciers, and the like.
- The group follows along and listens to the sherpa's descriptions for clues about what to expect and what to do (e.g., crawl over something, duck under a branch, roll in the snow).
- The players soon learn that they need to depend on, support, and communicate with each other to negotiate the obstacles.
Safety Considerations
- This activity requires participants to trust each other and work as a team to ensure everyone's safety while traversing the course. Make sure that your group is ready for this responsibility.
- If an obstacle requires players to be off the ground, have adequate sighted spotters at the obstacle to assist.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Ultimate Challenge Course (UCC)
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it’s junk, you don’t have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it's junk, you don't have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
Age or Grade Level
All ages can play, but the design needs to be age appropriate.
Number of Participants
Any number of participants; this can be a large-group or small-group activity
Equipment
- Lots of stuff!
- Pylons
- Plastic flexible tubing 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter
- Hula hoops
- Piles of snow
- Logs 122 cm (4 ft) in length
- Plastic sonotubes for tunnels, 91.4 cm (3 ft) or 122 cm (4 ft) in diameter and whatever length you can get (at least 2 m is good)
- Old tires
Setup
This activity is basically a giant obstacle course to be completed on snowshoes. One sample course layout is shown in figure 6.2, but that's just one of a million possibilities; let your imagination run wild! We like to start the group outside and away from the UCC, preferably in front of a large snowbank, such as those at the edges of parking lots. We make sure the participants move toward the UCC and not toward the parking area - and leave a GO leader to monitor this area.
A suggested layout for an ultimate challenge course.
How to Lead
Following is a suggestion for a bare-bones UCC. Use your imagination to make use of items at your disposal.
- Participants climb the large (parking lot) snowbank without snowshoes, slide down the other side, and run about 15 m to the UCC entrance.
- When they arrive, they are blindfold by a GO leader. They then make their way to the snowshoe pile (a random mix) and strap a pair to their feet (this pile is about 15 m from the entrance).
- They then snowshoe run back to the GO leader, return the blindfold, and run to the up-and-down portion: pylons are cemented into the snow with a plastic tubing stuck in the top to make archways they must go through.
- They jump over the next pile of snow (running jumps are encouraged).
- They then roll into and out of a trench.
- The next challenge is foxholes. Participants start in the first foxhole, lift one leg, twist, and plant it in the next hole; they do the same with the second leg, continuing until all the foxholes are cleared.
- At the tire station, participants roll or carry a medium-size truck tire across the snow and swap it with a large truck tire that they must bring back - either rolling or carrying.
- Next are at least two tunnels to crawl through.
- At the island hop, participants hop from hula hoop to hula hoop until they reach a sled.
- With the sled, participants haul a GO leader back to the entrance of the UCC.
Variations
- Mix and match the obstacles - this is about imagination!
- Participants who are not comfortable wearing a blindfold can spot at locations along the UCC.
Safety Consideration
- Make sure the challenge is age appropriate and matches participants' physical abilities. Remember, this is not boot camp or a preschool for a Navy Seals winter brigade.
Save
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Planning and Preparation
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders.
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders. There is very little room for half measures when leading people outdoors during the winter. The good news is that when the little things are in place, you can focus on delivering quality experiences.
Winter by nature presents environmental challenges: cold, wet snow, rain, freezing rain, and wind chill. The seasonal impact is magnified by the possibility of cold-related injuries when leaders and participants are not prepared. Being outdoors in winter is fun; you just need to be a bit more on your game. Know your group, know the terrain, and respect the weather.
At this stage of program planning, you want to know the following:
- What is the purpose of the lesson?
- Who are the participants?
- What activity (or activities) do participants want to do?
- Do participants have any special interests based on the terrain or prior knowledge and experiences?
- Will we be on the school or community center site or off-site?
- Will transportation be arranged?
- Will we need park permits and permission to use an existing shelter?
- Are we responsible for food and drinks?
- Who is taking care of what?
In addition to these questions, you will also need to consider the following issues in your planning:
- Risks. Do you have first aid training (emergency, standard, or wilderness and remote first aid) to support the health of your participants? Do you know the medical conditions of your participants and, if required, adult chaperones? What risks are present in the area? School sites - which offer an existing shelter base and easier access for 911 response - require a different kind of risk assessment than parks or camps do.
- Equipment. Do you have the equipment needed for ensuring a positive and comfortable learning experience? To make sure participants are prepared, send home a preparation list that includes the appropriate clothing and footwear (including a change of clothes), drinks, snacks, lunch, and any special considerations.
- Weather. We know you cannot control the weather, but you should have a good idea of what to expect in terms of rain, snow, sun, and so forth.
- Terrain. It's always a good idea to do a site examination of the terrain before the program. Clear away obstructions, and note areas that could lead to injuries (e.g., hollows, stumps, or obstructions that may be covered in snow if you are leading a running game, and even dog waste).
- Behavior and group dynamics. Before the program begins, communicate to the group your expectations for their behavior, and note group dynamics in advance if possible. Note who may need additional support outdoors (from you, your teaching assistants, or chaperones). Also review a few key etiquette practices regarding respect for the environment (e.g., Leave No Trace).
- Shelter. Do you need to bring a shelter to support the lesson (e.g., a portable base camp, a tarp for rain or snowfall), or does the site have an outbuilding?
- Maps and routes. If your program is taking place off-site, do you have maps? Be sure to identify walking routes, and determine an evacuation route in case of emergencies.
- Plan B. Having a backup plan is a must outdoors.
- Itinerary. Leave a trip itinerary with the program administration team, along with your outdoor instructional plans.
- Roles and responsibilities. If your program requires additional adult supervision (e.g., parent helpers), conduct a preprogram meeting to define roles and responsibilities. This puts everyone on the same page and avoids communication issues later on.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Hypothermia
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill.
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill. Conditions that contribute to and often accompany hypothermia are low temperatures, dehydration, improper clothing or equipment, poor food intake, wet or damp clothes or skin, alcohol intake, fatigue, and exhaustion.
The section on hypothermia is adapted, by permission, from K. Redmond, 2003, A guide to sea kayaking Newfoundland & Labrador. By permission of Kevin Redmond.
Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscle and brain functions are impaired. Hypothermia is a leading cause of death related to outdoor activities. Exposure to cold, wind, and snow without adequate clothing can lead to hypothermia. Extreme cold is not a prerequisite to hypothermia; in fact, most hypothermia occurs in cool weather. There is a real risk of hypothermia anytime you spend time outdoors in cool or cold weather. Of note is that hypothermia can occur at any temperature below body temperature - 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Never let yourself or a member of your group reach even the early stages of hypothermia. Always monitor each other.
To minimize the risk of hypothermia and prevent or reduce heat loss, wear warm, dry clothing and wear warm-when-wet clothing such as pile or wool and dress in layers with a wicking layer adjacent to the skin, followed by insulation layers and an outer shell to minimize the effect of wind and keep heat inside. To increase heat production, increase activity or eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrate before and during activity.
You and your participants have an equal role in reducing the risk of hypothermia. Your job is to ensure that participants are aware of cold weather activity protocols that mitigate risk, as well as to create a mood and social culture in which participants feel empowered to address cold-related concerns. Once participants are aware of hazards and how to avoid or minimize risks, they should be personally responsible for themselves and communicate with their peers and leaders when there is a concern beyond their ability or control. You must encourage open communication in addition to constantly monitoring participants' conditions, especially temperature, hydration, energy level, and mood or demeanor. Everyone should also understand the ways we lose heat so you can all take steps to reduce the effect of cold when engaged in outdoor activity.
How Cold Can Cold Get?
The lowest temperature ever recorded was - 89.2 degrees Celsius in 1983 in Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica.
Prevention
Understanding how a person loses heat to the environment is the first step in the prevention of hypothermia. The four ways our bodies lose heat are radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation.
- Radiation. Radiant heat loss occurs only when the surrounding temperature is below 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Factors important in radiant heat loss are the surface area and the temperature difference between you and your environment. Dressing appropriately reduces heat loss through radiation.
- Conduction. Conduction is heat loss through direct contact between objects. Heat travels from a warmer object to a colder one. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air. Generally, conductive heat loss accounts for only about 2 percent of overall loss. However, with wet clothes, the loss is increased five times. Conductive heat loss may be minimized by using a barrier between warm body parts (e.g., insulated boots) and snow or ice.
- Convection. Heat is lost when air or water molecules against the surface are heated, moved away, and replaced by new molecules that are also heated. The rate of convective heat loss depends on the substance (water convection occurs more quickly than air convection) and the speed of the moving substance. Wind chill is an example of the effects of air convection. In modern clothing systems, convection occurs when warm air escapes from the layers (e.g., through vents, cuffs, or collars) and is replaced by cooler air.
- Evaporation. Evaporation results from the conversion of water from a liquid to a gas. Heat loss through evaporation occurs through sweating, which is the body's response to excess heat. The body sweats to maintain a humidity level of 70 percent next to the skin; in a cold, dry environment, you can lose a great deal of moisture this way. During respiration, air is heated as it enters the lungs and is exhaled with an extremely high moisture content. Recognizing the strong connections between fluid levels, fluid loss, and heat loss is important. As body moisture is lost through evaporative processes, the overall circulating volume is reduced, which can lead to dehydration. This decrease in fluid level makes the body more susceptible to hypothermia.
Signs and Symptoms
When monitoring someone (or yourself) for signs and symptoms of hypothermia, watch for the umbles (stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles) that show changes in motor coordination and levels of consciousness. Following are signs and symptoms of various stages of hypothermia:
Mild: Core temperature of 37-35⁰ C (98-95⁰ F)
- Shivering
- Inability to do complex functions but can still walk and talk
Moderate: Core temperature 35-33°C (95-92⁰ F)
- Dazed consciousness
- Loss of fine motor coordination, particularly in hands (e.g., cannot zip up a jacket)
- Slurred speech
- Violent shivering
- Irrational behavior
- "I don't care" attitude
Severe: Core temperature 33-30° C (92-86⁰ F) and below (immediately life threatening)
- Shivering in violent waves followed by pauses
- Pauses get longer until shivering finally ceases
Treatment
The basic principle behind treating someone with hypothermia is to rewarm the person to conserve the heat he has and replace the body fuel he is burning up to generate heat. Reduce heat loss by replacing wet clothing with dry, adding additional layers of clothing, providing shelter, and adding fuel and fluids to help the body generate heat from within. Increased physical activity can help in mild stages. External heat can be from fire or another heat source such as another body.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Yeti Tag and Sherpa Winter Walk
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Yeti Tag
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose two players to be yetis and have them stand between the two boundaries.
- The rest of the players line up along one of the boundaries facing the yetis.
- Play begins when the yetis chant "We're the yetis, if you are ready; if you're wearing . . ." and they choose a color or an item of clothing the players are wearing (e.g., blue, winter hat).
- Any player wearing that item or color must attempt to walk or run across the playing field to get to the opposite boundary without being tagged by a yeti.
- A player who is tagged before reaching the other side becomes a yeti and helps the original yetis tag players in additional rounds.
- Those who make it across without being tagged wait behind that boundary line until the yetis chant again.
- Play continues until everyone is tagged or only two players haven't been tagged.
Safety Considerations
- Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
- Allow participants to run in only one direction at a time.
Yeti Frozen Tag
Yeti tag can be progressed into yeti frozen tag.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose one or two (or more) players to be yetis, depending on the size of the group.
- Yetis begin the game in the middle of the playing area. Players tagged by yetis must freeze on the spot where they were tagged with their arms and legs open (in a jumping jack position).
- Tagged players remain frozen until another participant ducks or crawls under their arms or legs. Let the game continue for as long as it remains exciting and fun.
- Switch the yetis often.
Safety Consideration
Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
The Search for Yeti
Alexander the Great, who in 326 BC set out to conquer the Indus Valley, heard stories of the yeti and demanded to see one for himself. But local people told him they were unable to present one because the creatures could not survive at that low an altitude. Indeed, yetis are thought to roam the Himalaya mountain range at an altitude of 14,000 to 20,000 feet.
Sherpa Winter Walk
Sherpas often guide climbers through rugged terrain in the mountains of Nepal. This icebreaker is a blindfolded winter adventure in which "sherpas" guide the group through and around obstacles found or made in the environment.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
None
Setup
Choose a location that has access to several kinds of obstacles such as snow banks, trees, or park benches.
How to Lead
- Break the participants into groups of 8 to 10, each of which has a sherpa. (If there are 10 or fewer participants, you will be the sherpa.)
- Line up the players in each group, one behind the other, with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
- If players are comfortable, they can close their eyes, wear a blindfold, or drop their hats down over their eyes.
- The sherpa is sighted and guides the group through, around, and over obstacles such as snow banks, snow trenches, and trees. The group follows the sherpa in a line.
- Sherpas can describe the obstacles as part of a winter adventure story such as crevasses, icefalls, glaciers, and the like.
- The group follows along and listens to the sherpa's descriptions for clues about what to expect and what to do (e.g., crawl over something, duck under a branch, roll in the snow).
- The players soon learn that they need to depend on, support, and communicate with each other to negotiate the obstacles.
Safety Considerations
- This activity requires participants to trust each other and work as a team to ensure everyone's safety while traversing the course. Make sure that your group is ready for this responsibility.
- If an obstacle requires players to be off the ground, have adequate sighted spotters at the obstacle to assist.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Ultimate Challenge Course (UCC)
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it’s junk, you don’t have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it's junk, you don't have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
Age or Grade Level
All ages can play, but the design needs to be age appropriate.
Number of Participants
Any number of participants; this can be a large-group or small-group activity
Equipment
- Lots of stuff!
- Pylons
- Plastic flexible tubing 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter
- Hula hoops
- Piles of snow
- Logs 122 cm (4 ft) in length
- Plastic sonotubes for tunnels, 91.4 cm (3 ft) or 122 cm (4 ft) in diameter and whatever length you can get (at least 2 m is good)
- Old tires
Setup
This activity is basically a giant obstacle course to be completed on snowshoes. One sample course layout is shown in figure 6.2, but that's just one of a million possibilities; let your imagination run wild! We like to start the group outside and away from the UCC, preferably in front of a large snowbank, such as those at the edges of parking lots. We make sure the participants move toward the UCC and not toward the parking area - and leave a GO leader to monitor this area.
A suggested layout for an ultimate challenge course.
How to Lead
Following is a suggestion for a bare-bones UCC. Use your imagination to make use of items at your disposal.
- Participants climb the large (parking lot) snowbank without snowshoes, slide down the other side, and run about 15 m to the UCC entrance.
- When they arrive, they are blindfold by a GO leader. They then make their way to the snowshoe pile (a random mix) and strap a pair to their feet (this pile is about 15 m from the entrance).
- They then snowshoe run back to the GO leader, return the blindfold, and run to the up-and-down portion: pylons are cemented into the snow with a plastic tubing stuck in the top to make archways they must go through.
- They jump over the next pile of snow (running jumps are encouraged).
- They then roll into and out of a trench.
- The next challenge is foxholes. Participants start in the first foxhole, lift one leg, twist, and plant it in the next hole; they do the same with the second leg, continuing until all the foxholes are cleared.
- At the tire station, participants roll or carry a medium-size truck tire across the snow and swap it with a large truck tire that they must bring back - either rolling or carrying.
- Next are at least two tunnels to crawl through.
- At the island hop, participants hop from hula hoop to hula hoop until they reach a sled.
- With the sled, participants haul a GO leader back to the entrance of the UCC.
Variations
- Mix and match the obstacles - this is about imagination!
- Participants who are not comfortable wearing a blindfold can spot at locations along the UCC.
Safety Consideration
- Make sure the challenge is age appropriate and matches participants' physical abilities. Remember, this is not boot camp or a preschool for a Navy Seals winter brigade.
Save
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Planning and Preparation
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders.
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders. There is very little room for half measures when leading people outdoors during the winter. The good news is that when the little things are in place, you can focus on delivering quality experiences.
Winter by nature presents environmental challenges: cold, wet snow, rain, freezing rain, and wind chill. The seasonal impact is magnified by the possibility of cold-related injuries when leaders and participants are not prepared. Being outdoors in winter is fun; you just need to be a bit more on your game. Know your group, know the terrain, and respect the weather.
At this stage of program planning, you want to know the following:
- What is the purpose of the lesson?
- Who are the participants?
- What activity (or activities) do participants want to do?
- Do participants have any special interests based on the terrain or prior knowledge and experiences?
- Will we be on the school or community center site or off-site?
- Will transportation be arranged?
- Will we need park permits and permission to use an existing shelter?
- Are we responsible for food and drinks?
- Who is taking care of what?
In addition to these questions, you will also need to consider the following issues in your planning:
- Risks. Do you have first aid training (emergency, standard, or wilderness and remote first aid) to support the health of your participants? Do you know the medical conditions of your participants and, if required, adult chaperones? What risks are present in the area? School sites - which offer an existing shelter base and easier access for 911 response - require a different kind of risk assessment than parks or camps do.
- Equipment. Do you have the equipment needed for ensuring a positive and comfortable learning experience? To make sure participants are prepared, send home a preparation list that includes the appropriate clothing and footwear (including a change of clothes), drinks, snacks, lunch, and any special considerations.
- Weather. We know you cannot control the weather, but you should have a good idea of what to expect in terms of rain, snow, sun, and so forth.
- Terrain. It's always a good idea to do a site examination of the terrain before the program. Clear away obstructions, and note areas that could lead to injuries (e.g., hollows, stumps, or obstructions that may be covered in snow if you are leading a running game, and even dog waste).
- Behavior and group dynamics. Before the program begins, communicate to the group your expectations for their behavior, and note group dynamics in advance if possible. Note who may need additional support outdoors (from you, your teaching assistants, or chaperones). Also review a few key etiquette practices regarding respect for the environment (e.g., Leave No Trace).
- Shelter. Do you need to bring a shelter to support the lesson (e.g., a portable base camp, a tarp for rain or snowfall), or does the site have an outbuilding?
- Maps and routes. If your program is taking place off-site, do you have maps? Be sure to identify walking routes, and determine an evacuation route in case of emergencies.
- Plan B. Having a backup plan is a must outdoors.
- Itinerary. Leave a trip itinerary with the program administration team, along with your outdoor instructional plans.
- Roles and responsibilities. If your program requires additional adult supervision (e.g., parent helpers), conduct a preprogram meeting to define roles and responsibilities. This puts everyone on the same page and avoids communication issues later on.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Hypothermia
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill.
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill. Conditions that contribute to and often accompany hypothermia are low temperatures, dehydration, improper clothing or equipment, poor food intake, wet or damp clothes or skin, alcohol intake, fatigue, and exhaustion.
The section on hypothermia is adapted, by permission, from K. Redmond, 2003, A guide to sea kayaking Newfoundland & Labrador. By permission of Kevin Redmond.
Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscle and brain functions are impaired. Hypothermia is a leading cause of death related to outdoor activities. Exposure to cold, wind, and snow without adequate clothing can lead to hypothermia. Extreme cold is not a prerequisite to hypothermia; in fact, most hypothermia occurs in cool weather. There is a real risk of hypothermia anytime you spend time outdoors in cool or cold weather. Of note is that hypothermia can occur at any temperature below body temperature - 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Never let yourself or a member of your group reach even the early stages of hypothermia. Always monitor each other.
To minimize the risk of hypothermia and prevent or reduce heat loss, wear warm, dry clothing and wear warm-when-wet clothing such as pile or wool and dress in layers with a wicking layer adjacent to the skin, followed by insulation layers and an outer shell to minimize the effect of wind and keep heat inside. To increase heat production, increase activity or eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrate before and during activity.
You and your participants have an equal role in reducing the risk of hypothermia. Your job is to ensure that participants are aware of cold weather activity protocols that mitigate risk, as well as to create a mood and social culture in which participants feel empowered to address cold-related concerns. Once participants are aware of hazards and how to avoid or minimize risks, they should be personally responsible for themselves and communicate with their peers and leaders when there is a concern beyond their ability or control. You must encourage open communication in addition to constantly monitoring participants' conditions, especially temperature, hydration, energy level, and mood or demeanor. Everyone should also understand the ways we lose heat so you can all take steps to reduce the effect of cold when engaged in outdoor activity.
How Cold Can Cold Get?
The lowest temperature ever recorded was - 89.2 degrees Celsius in 1983 in Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica.
Prevention
Understanding how a person loses heat to the environment is the first step in the prevention of hypothermia. The four ways our bodies lose heat are radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation.
- Radiation. Radiant heat loss occurs only when the surrounding temperature is below 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Factors important in radiant heat loss are the surface area and the temperature difference between you and your environment. Dressing appropriately reduces heat loss through radiation.
- Conduction. Conduction is heat loss through direct contact between objects. Heat travels from a warmer object to a colder one. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air. Generally, conductive heat loss accounts for only about 2 percent of overall loss. However, with wet clothes, the loss is increased five times. Conductive heat loss may be minimized by using a barrier between warm body parts (e.g., insulated boots) and snow or ice.
- Convection. Heat is lost when air or water molecules against the surface are heated, moved away, and replaced by new molecules that are also heated. The rate of convective heat loss depends on the substance (water convection occurs more quickly than air convection) and the speed of the moving substance. Wind chill is an example of the effects of air convection. In modern clothing systems, convection occurs when warm air escapes from the layers (e.g., through vents, cuffs, or collars) and is replaced by cooler air.
- Evaporation. Evaporation results from the conversion of water from a liquid to a gas. Heat loss through evaporation occurs through sweating, which is the body's response to excess heat. The body sweats to maintain a humidity level of 70 percent next to the skin; in a cold, dry environment, you can lose a great deal of moisture this way. During respiration, air is heated as it enters the lungs and is exhaled with an extremely high moisture content. Recognizing the strong connections between fluid levels, fluid loss, and heat loss is important. As body moisture is lost through evaporative processes, the overall circulating volume is reduced, which can lead to dehydration. This decrease in fluid level makes the body more susceptible to hypothermia.
Signs and Symptoms
When monitoring someone (or yourself) for signs and symptoms of hypothermia, watch for the umbles (stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles) that show changes in motor coordination and levels of consciousness. Following are signs and symptoms of various stages of hypothermia:
Mild: Core temperature of 37-35⁰ C (98-95⁰ F)
- Shivering
- Inability to do complex functions but can still walk and talk
Moderate: Core temperature 35-33°C (95-92⁰ F)
- Dazed consciousness
- Loss of fine motor coordination, particularly in hands (e.g., cannot zip up a jacket)
- Slurred speech
- Violent shivering
- Irrational behavior
- "I don't care" attitude
Severe: Core temperature 33-30° C (92-86⁰ F) and below (immediately life threatening)
- Shivering in violent waves followed by pauses
- Pauses get longer until shivering finally ceases
Treatment
The basic principle behind treating someone with hypothermia is to rewarm the person to conserve the heat he has and replace the body fuel he is burning up to generate heat. Reduce heat loss by replacing wet clothing with dry, adding additional layers of clothing, providing shelter, and adding fuel and fluids to help the body generate heat from within. Increased physical activity can help in mild stages. External heat can be from fire or another heat source such as another body.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Yeti Tag and Sherpa Winter Walk
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Yeti Tag
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose two players to be yetis and have them stand between the two boundaries.
- The rest of the players line up along one of the boundaries facing the yetis.
- Play begins when the yetis chant "We're the yetis, if you are ready; if you're wearing . . ." and they choose a color or an item of clothing the players are wearing (e.g., blue, winter hat).
- Any player wearing that item or color must attempt to walk or run across the playing field to get to the opposite boundary without being tagged by a yeti.
- A player who is tagged before reaching the other side becomes a yeti and helps the original yetis tag players in additional rounds.
- Those who make it across without being tagged wait behind that boundary line until the yetis chant again.
- Play continues until everyone is tagged or only two players haven't been tagged.
Safety Considerations
- Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
- Allow participants to run in only one direction at a time.
Yeti Frozen Tag
Yeti tag can be progressed into yeti frozen tag.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose one or two (or more) players to be yetis, depending on the size of the group.
- Yetis begin the game in the middle of the playing area. Players tagged by yetis must freeze on the spot where they were tagged with their arms and legs open (in a jumping jack position).
- Tagged players remain frozen until another participant ducks or crawls under their arms or legs. Let the game continue for as long as it remains exciting and fun.
- Switch the yetis often.
Safety Consideration
Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
The Search for Yeti
Alexander the Great, who in 326 BC set out to conquer the Indus Valley, heard stories of the yeti and demanded to see one for himself. But local people told him they were unable to present one because the creatures could not survive at that low an altitude. Indeed, yetis are thought to roam the Himalaya mountain range at an altitude of 14,000 to 20,000 feet.
Sherpa Winter Walk
Sherpas often guide climbers through rugged terrain in the mountains of Nepal. This icebreaker is a blindfolded winter adventure in which "sherpas" guide the group through and around obstacles found or made in the environment.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
None
Setup
Choose a location that has access to several kinds of obstacles such as snow banks, trees, or park benches.
How to Lead
- Break the participants into groups of 8 to 10, each of which has a sherpa. (If there are 10 or fewer participants, you will be the sherpa.)
- Line up the players in each group, one behind the other, with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
- If players are comfortable, they can close their eyes, wear a blindfold, or drop their hats down over their eyes.
- The sherpa is sighted and guides the group through, around, and over obstacles such as snow banks, snow trenches, and trees. The group follows the sherpa in a line.
- Sherpas can describe the obstacles as part of a winter adventure story such as crevasses, icefalls, glaciers, and the like.
- The group follows along and listens to the sherpa's descriptions for clues about what to expect and what to do (e.g., crawl over something, duck under a branch, roll in the snow).
- The players soon learn that they need to depend on, support, and communicate with each other to negotiate the obstacles.
Safety Considerations
- This activity requires participants to trust each other and work as a team to ensure everyone's safety while traversing the course. Make sure that your group is ready for this responsibility.
- If an obstacle requires players to be off the ground, have adequate sighted spotters at the obstacle to assist.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Ultimate Challenge Course (UCC)
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it’s junk, you don’t have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it's junk, you don't have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
Age or Grade Level
All ages can play, but the design needs to be age appropriate.
Number of Participants
Any number of participants; this can be a large-group or small-group activity
Equipment
- Lots of stuff!
- Pylons
- Plastic flexible tubing 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter
- Hula hoops
- Piles of snow
- Logs 122 cm (4 ft) in length
- Plastic sonotubes for tunnels, 91.4 cm (3 ft) or 122 cm (4 ft) in diameter and whatever length you can get (at least 2 m is good)
- Old tires
Setup
This activity is basically a giant obstacle course to be completed on snowshoes. One sample course layout is shown in figure 6.2, but that's just one of a million possibilities; let your imagination run wild! We like to start the group outside and away from the UCC, preferably in front of a large snowbank, such as those at the edges of parking lots. We make sure the participants move toward the UCC and not toward the parking area - and leave a GO leader to monitor this area.
A suggested layout for an ultimate challenge course.
How to Lead
Following is a suggestion for a bare-bones UCC. Use your imagination to make use of items at your disposal.
- Participants climb the large (parking lot) snowbank without snowshoes, slide down the other side, and run about 15 m to the UCC entrance.
- When they arrive, they are blindfold by a GO leader. They then make their way to the snowshoe pile (a random mix) and strap a pair to their feet (this pile is about 15 m from the entrance).
- They then snowshoe run back to the GO leader, return the blindfold, and run to the up-and-down portion: pylons are cemented into the snow with a plastic tubing stuck in the top to make archways they must go through.
- They jump over the next pile of snow (running jumps are encouraged).
- They then roll into and out of a trench.
- The next challenge is foxholes. Participants start in the first foxhole, lift one leg, twist, and plant it in the next hole; they do the same with the second leg, continuing until all the foxholes are cleared.
- At the tire station, participants roll or carry a medium-size truck tire across the snow and swap it with a large truck tire that they must bring back - either rolling or carrying.
- Next are at least two tunnels to crawl through.
- At the island hop, participants hop from hula hoop to hula hoop until they reach a sled.
- With the sled, participants haul a GO leader back to the entrance of the UCC.
Variations
- Mix and match the obstacles - this is about imagination!
- Participants who are not comfortable wearing a blindfold can spot at locations along the UCC.
Safety Consideration
- Make sure the challenge is age appropriate and matches participants' physical abilities. Remember, this is not boot camp or a preschool for a Navy Seals winter brigade.
Save
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Planning and Preparation
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders.
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders. There is very little room for half measures when leading people outdoors during the winter. The good news is that when the little things are in place, you can focus on delivering quality experiences.
Winter by nature presents environmental challenges: cold, wet snow, rain, freezing rain, and wind chill. The seasonal impact is magnified by the possibility of cold-related injuries when leaders and participants are not prepared. Being outdoors in winter is fun; you just need to be a bit more on your game. Know your group, know the terrain, and respect the weather.
At this stage of program planning, you want to know the following:
- What is the purpose of the lesson?
- Who are the participants?
- What activity (or activities) do participants want to do?
- Do participants have any special interests based on the terrain or prior knowledge and experiences?
- Will we be on the school or community center site or off-site?
- Will transportation be arranged?
- Will we need park permits and permission to use an existing shelter?
- Are we responsible for food and drinks?
- Who is taking care of what?
In addition to these questions, you will also need to consider the following issues in your planning:
- Risks. Do you have first aid training (emergency, standard, or wilderness and remote first aid) to support the health of your participants? Do you know the medical conditions of your participants and, if required, adult chaperones? What risks are present in the area? School sites - which offer an existing shelter base and easier access for 911 response - require a different kind of risk assessment than parks or camps do.
- Equipment. Do you have the equipment needed for ensuring a positive and comfortable learning experience? To make sure participants are prepared, send home a preparation list that includes the appropriate clothing and footwear (including a change of clothes), drinks, snacks, lunch, and any special considerations.
- Weather. We know you cannot control the weather, but you should have a good idea of what to expect in terms of rain, snow, sun, and so forth.
- Terrain. It's always a good idea to do a site examination of the terrain before the program. Clear away obstructions, and note areas that could lead to injuries (e.g., hollows, stumps, or obstructions that may be covered in snow if you are leading a running game, and even dog waste).
- Behavior and group dynamics. Before the program begins, communicate to the group your expectations for their behavior, and note group dynamics in advance if possible. Note who may need additional support outdoors (from you, your teaching assistants, or chaperones). Also review a few key etiquette practices regarding respect for the environment (e.g., Leave No Trace).
- Shelter. Do you need to bring a shelter to support the lesson (e.g., a portable base camp, a tarp for rain or snowfall), or does the site have an outbuilding?
- Maps and routes. If your program is taking place off-site, do you have maps? Be sure to identify walking routes, and determine an evacuation route in case of emergencies.
- Plan B. Having a backup plan is a must outdoors.
- Itinerary. Leave a trip itinerary with the program administration team, along with your outdoor instructional plans.
- Roles and responsibilities. If your program requires additional adult supervision (e.g., parent helpers), conduct a preprogram meeting to define roles and responsibilities. This puts everyone on the same page and avoids communication issues later on.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Hypothermia
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill.
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill. Conditions that contribute to and often accompany hypothermia are low temperatures, dehydration, improper clothing or equipment, poor food intake, wet or damp clothes or skin, alcohol intake, fatigue, and exhaustion.
The section on hypothermia is adapted, by permission, from K. Redmond, 2003, A guide to sea kayaking Newfoundland & Labrador. By permission of Kevin Redmond.
Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscle and brain functions are impaired. Hypothermia is a leading cause of death related to outdoor activities. Exposure to cold, wind, and snow without adequate clothing can lead to hypothermia. Extreme cold is not a prerequisite to hypothermia; in fact, most hypothermia occurs in cool weather. There is a real risk of hypothermia anytime you spend time outdoors in cool or cold weather. Of note is that hypothermia can occur at any temperature below body temperature - 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Never let yourself or a member of your group reach even the early stages of hypothermia. Always monitor each other.
To minimize the risk of hypothermia and prevent or reduce heat loss, wear warm, dry clothing and wear warm-when-wet clothing such as pile or wool and dress in layers with a wicking layer adjacent to the skin, followed by insulation layers and an outer shell to minimize the effect of wind and keep heat inside. To increase heat production, increase activity or eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrate before and during activity.
You and your participants have an equal role in reducing the risk of hypothermia. Your job is to ensure that participants are aware of cold weather activity protocols that mitigate risk, as well as to create a mood and social culture in which participants feel empowered to address cold-related concerns. Once participants are aware of hazards and how to avoid or minimize risks, they should be personally responsible for themselves and communicate with their peers and leaders when there is a concern beyond their ability or control. You must encourage open communication in addition to constantly monitoring participants' conditions, especially temperature, hydration, energy level, and mood or demeanor. Everyone should also understand the ways we lose heat so you can all take steps to reduce the effect of cold when engaged in outdoor activity.
How Cold Can Cold Get?
The lowest temperature ever recorded was - 89.2 degrees Celsius in 1983 in Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica.
Prevention
Understanding how a person loses heat to the environment is the first step in the prevention of hypothermia. The four ways our bodies lose heat are radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation.
- Radiation. Radiant heat loss occurs only when the surrounding temperature is below 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Factors important in radiant heat loss are the surface area and the temperature difference between you and your environment. Dressing appropriately reduces heat loss through radiation.
- Conduction. Conduction is heat loss through direct contact between objects. Heat travels from a warmer object to a colder one. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air. Generally, conductive heat loss accounts for only about 2 percent of overall loss. However, with wet clothes, the loss is increased five times. Conductive heat loss may be minimized by using a barrier between warm body parts (e.g., insulated boots) and snow or ice.
- Convection. Heat is lost when air or water molecules against the surface are heated, moved away, and replaced by new molecules that are also heated. The rate of convective heat loss depends on the substance (water convection occurs more quickly than air convection) and the speed of the moving substance. Wind chill is an example of the effects of air convection. In modern clothing systems, convection occurs when warm air escapes from the layers (e.g., through vents, cuffs, or collars) and is replaced by cooler air.
- Evaporation. Evaporation results from the conversion of water from a liquid to a gas. Heat loss through evaporation occurs through sweating, which is the body's response to excess heat. The body sweats to maintain a humidity level of 70 percent next to the skin; in a cold, dry environment, you can lose a great deal of moisture this way. During respiration, air is heated as it enters the lungs and is exhaled with an extremely high moisture content. Recognizing the strong connections between fluid levels, fluid loss, and heat loss is important. As body moisture is lost through evaporative processes, the overall circulating volume is reduced, which can lead to dehydration. This decrease in fluid level makes the body more susceptible to hypothermia.
Signs and Symptoms
When monitoring someone (or yourself) for signs and symptoms of hypothermia, watch for the umbles (stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles) that show changes in motor coordination and levels of consciousness. Following are signs and symptoms of various stages of hypothermia:
Mild: Core temperature of 37-35⁰ C (98-95⁰ F)
- Shivering
- Inability to do complex functions but can still walk and talk
Moderate: Core temperature 35-33°C (95-92⁰ F)
- Dazed consciousness
- Loss of fine motor coordination, particularly in hands (e.g., cannot zip up a jacket)
- Slurred speech
- Violent shivering
- Irrational behavior
- "I don't care" attitude
Severe: Core temperature 33-30° C (92-86⁰ F) and below (immediately life threatening)
- Shivering in violent waves followed by pauses
- Pauses get longer until shivering finally ceases
Treatment
The basic principle behind treating someone with hypothermia is to rewarm the person to conserve the heat he has and replace the body fuel he is burning up to generate heat. Reduce heat loss by replacing wet clothing with dry, adding additional layers of clothing, providing shelter, and adding fuel and fluids to help the body generate heat from within. Increased physical activity can help in mild stages. External heat can be from fire or another heat source such as another body.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Yeti Tag and Sherpa Winter Walk
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Yeti Tag
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose two players to be yetis and have them stand between the two boundaries.
- The rest of the players line up along one of the boundaries facing the yetis.
- Play begins when the yetis chant "We're the yetis, if you are ready; if you're wearing . . ." and they choose a color or an item of clothing the players are wearing (e.g., blue, winter hat).
- Any player wearing that item or color must attempt to walk or run across the playing field to get to the opposite boundary without being tagged by a yeti.
- A player who is tagged before reaching the other side becomes a yeti and helps the original yetis tag players in additional rounds.
- Those who make it across without being tagged wait behind that boundary line until the yetis chant again.
- Play continues until everyone is tagged or only two players haven't been tagged.
Safety Considerations
- Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
- Allow participants to run in only one direction at a time.
Yeti Frozen Tag
Yeti tag can be progressed into yeti frozen tag.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose one or two (or more) players to be yetis, depending on the size of the group.
- Yetis begin the game in the middle of the playing area. Players tagged by yetis must freeze on the spot where they were tagged with their arms and legs open (in a jumping jack position).
- Tagged players remain frozen until another participant ducks or crawls under their arms or legs. Let the game continue for as long as it remains exciting and fun.
- Switch the yetis often.
Safety Consideration
Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
The Search for Yeti
Alexander the Great, who in 326 BC set out to conquer the Indus Valley, heard stories of the yeti and demanded to see one for himself. But local people told him they were unable to present one because the creatures could not survive at that low an altitude. Indeed, yetis are thought to roam the Himalaya mountain range at an altitude of 14,000 to 20,000 feet.
Sherpa Winter Walk
Sherpas often guide climbers through rugged terrain in the mountains of Nepal. This icebreaker is a blindfolded winter adventure in which "sherpas" guide the group through and around obstacles found or made in the environment.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
None
Setup
Choose a location that has access to several kinds of obstacles such as snow banks, trees, or park benches.
How to Lead
- Break the participants into groups of 8 to 10, each of which has a sherpa. (If there are 10 or fewer participants, you will be the sherpa.)
- Line up the players in each group, one behind the other, with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
- If players are comfortable, they can close their eyes, wear a blindfold, or drop their hats down over their eyes.
- The sherpa is sighted and guides the group through, around, and over obstacles such as snow banks, snow trenches, and trees. The group follows the sherpa in a line.
- Sherpas can describe the obstacles as part of a winter adventure story such as crevasses, icefalls, glaciers, and the like.
- The group follows along and listens to the sherpa's descriptions for clues about what to expect and what to do (e.g., crawl over something, duck under a branch, roll in the snow).
- The players soon learn that they need to depend on, support, and communicate with each other to negotiate the obstacles.
Safety Considerations
- This activity requires participants to trust each other and work as a team to ensure everyone's safety while traversing the course. Make sure that your group is ready for this responsibility.
- If an obstacle requires players to be off the ground, have adequate sighted spotters at the obstacle to assist.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Ultimate Challenge Course (UCC)
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it’s junk, you don’t have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it's junk, you don't have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
Age or Grade Level
All ages can play, but the design needs to be age appropriate.
Number of Participants
Any number of participants; this can be a large-group or small-group activity
Equipment
- Lots of stuff!
- Pylons
- Plastic flexible tubing 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter
- Hula hoops
- Piles of snow
- Logs 122 cm (4 ft) in length
- Plastic sonotubes for tunnels, 91.4 cm (3 ft) or 122 cm (4 ft) in diameter and whatever length you can get (at least 2 m is good)
- Old tires
Setup
This activity is basically a giant obstacle course to be completed on snowshoes. One sample course layout is shown in figure 6.2, but that's just one of a million possibilities; let your imagination run wild! We like to start the group outside and away from the UCC, preferably in front of a large snowbank, such as those at the edges of parking lots. We make sure the participants move toward the UCC and not toward the parking area - and leave a GO leader to monitor this area.
A suggested layout for an ultimate challenge course.
How to Lead
Following is a suggestion for a bare-bones UCC. Use your imagination to make use of items at your disposal.
- Participants climb the large (parking lot) snowbank without snowshoes, slide down the other side, and run about 15 m to the UCC entrance.
- When they arrive, they are blindfold by a GO leader. They then make their way to the snowshoe pile (a random mix) and strap a pair to their feet (this pile is about 15 m from the entrance).
- They then snowshoe run back to the GO leader, return the blindfold, and run to the up-and-down portion: pylons are cemented into the snow with a plastic tubing stuck in the top to make archways they must go through.
- They jump over the next pile of snow (running jumps are encouraged).
- They then roll into and out of a trench.
- The next challenge is foxholes. Participants start in the first foxhole, lift one leg, twist, and plant it in the next hole; they do the same with the second leg, continuing until all the foxholes are cleared.
- At the tire station, participants roll or carry a medium-size truck tire across the snow and swap it with a large truck tire that they must bring back - either rolling or carrying.
- Next are at least two tunnels to crawl through.
- At the island hop, participants hop from hula hoop to hula hoop until they reach a sled.
- With the sled, participants haul a GO leader back to the entrance of the UCC.
Variations
- Mix and match the obstacles - this is about imagination!
- Participants who are not comfortable wearing a blindfold can spot at locations along the UCC.
Safety Consideration
- Make sure the challenge is age appropriate and matches participants' physical abilities. Remember, this is not boot camp or a preschool for a Navy Seals winter brigade.
Save
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Planning and Preparation
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders.
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders. There is very little room for half measures when leading people outdoors during the winter. The good news is that when the little things are in place, you can focus on delivering quality experiences.
Winter by nature presents environmental challenges: cold, wet snow, rain, freezing rain, and wind chill. The seasonal impact is magnified by the possibility of cold-related injuries when leaders and participants are not prepared. Being outdoors in winter is fun; you just need to be a bit more on your game. Know your group, know the terrain, and respect the weather.
At this stage of program planning, you want to know the following:
- What is the purpose of the lesson?
- Who are the participants?
- What activity (or activities) do participants want to do?
- Do participants have any special interests based on the terrain or prior knowledge and experiences?
- Will we be on the school or community center site or off-site?
- Will transportation be arranged?
- Will we need park permits and permission to use an existing shelter?
- Are we responsible for food and drinks?
- Who is taking care of what?
In addition to these questions, you will also need to consider the following issues in your planning:
- Risks. Do you have first aid training (emergency, standard, or wilderness and remote first aid) to support the health of your participants? Do you know the medical conditions of your participants and, if required, adult chaperones? What risks are present in the area? School sites - which offer an existing shelter base and easier access for 911 response - require a different kind of risk assessment than parks or camps do.
- Equipment. Do you have the equipment needed for ensuring a positive and comfortable learning experience? To make sure participants are prepared, send home a preparation list that includes the appropriate clothing and footwear (including a change of clothes), drinks, snacks, lunch, and any special considerations.
- Weather. We know you cannot control the weather, but you should have a good idea of what to expect in terms of rain, snow, sun, and so forth.
- Terrain. It's always a good idea to do a site examination of the terrain before the program. Clear away obstructions, and note areas that could lead to injuries (e.g., hollows, stumps, or obstructions that may be covered in snow if you are leading a running game, and even dog waste).
- Behavior and group dynamics. Before the program begins, communicate to the group your expectations for their behavior, and note group dynamics in advance if possible. Note who may need additional support outdoors (from you, your teaching assistants, or chaperones). Also review a few key etiquette practices regarding respect for the environment (e.g., Leave No Trace).
- Shelter. Do you need to bring a shelter to support the lesson (e.g., a portable base camp, a tarp for rain or snowfall), or does the site have an outbuilding?
- Maps and routes. If your program is taking place off-site, do you have maps? Be sure to identify walking routes, and determine an evacuation route in case of emergencies.
- Plan B. Having a backup plan is a must outdoors.
- Itinerary. Leave a trip itinerary with the program administration team, along with your outdoor instructional plans.
- Roles and responsibilities. If your program requires additional adult supervision (e.g., parent helpers), conduct a preprogram meeting to define roles and responsibilities. This puts everyone on the same page and avoids communication issues later on.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Hypothermia
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill.
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill. Conditions that contribute to and often accompany hypothermia are low temperatures, dehydration, improper clothing or equipment, poor food intake, wet or damp clothes or skin, alcohol intake, fatigue, and exhaustion.
The section on hypothermia is adapted, by permission, from K. Redmond, 2003, A guide to sea kayaking Newfoundland & Labrador. By permission of Kevin Redmond.
Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscle and brain functions are impaired. Hypothermia is a leading cause of death related to outdoor activities. Exposure to cold, wind, and snow without adequate clothing can lead to hypothermia. Extreme cold is not a prerequisite to hypothermia; in fact, most hypothermia occurs in cool weather. There is a real risk of hypothermia anytime you spend time outdoors in cool or cold weather. Of note is that hypothermia can occur at any temperature below body temperature - 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Never let yourself or a member of your group reach even the early stages of hypothermia. Always monitor each other.
To minimize the risk of hypothermia and prevent or reduce heat loss, wear warm, dry clothing and wear warm-when-wet clothing such as pile or wool and dress in layers with a wicking layer adjacent to the skin, followed by insulation layers and an outer shell to minimize the effect of wind and keep heat inside. To increase heat production, increase activity or eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrate before and during activity.
You and your participants have an equal role in reducing the risk of hypothermia. Your job is to ensure that participants are aware of cold weather activity protocols that mitigate risk, as well as to create a mood and social culture in which participants feel empowered to address cold-related concerns. Once participants are aware of hazards and how to avoid or minimize risks, they should be personally responsible for themselves and communicate with their peers and leaders when there is a concern beyond their ability or control. You must encourage open communication in addition to constantly monitoring participants' conditions, especially temperature, hydration, energy level, and mood or demeanor. Everyone should also understand the ways we lose heat so you can all take steps to reduce the effect of cold when engaged in outdoor activity.
How Cold Can Cold Get?
The lowest temperature ever recorded was - 89.2 degrees Celsius in 1983 in Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica.
Prevention
Understanding how a person loses heat to the environment is the first step in the prevention of hypothermia. The four ways our bodies lose heat are radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation.
- Radiation. Radiant heat loss occurs only when the surrounding temperature is below 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Factors important in radiant heat loss are the surface area and the temperature difference between you and your environment. Dressing appropriately reduces heat loss through radiation.
- Conduction. Conduction is heat loss through direct contact between objects. Heat travels from a warmer object to a colder one. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air. Generally, conductive heat loss accounts for only about 2 percent of overall loss. However, with wet clothes, the loss is increased five times. Conductive heat loss may be minimized by using a barrier between warm body parts (e.g., insulated boots) and snow or ice.
- Convection. Heat is lost when air or water molecules against the surface are heated, moved away, and replaced by new molecules that are also heated. The rate of convective heat loss depends on the substance (water convection occurs more quickly than air convection) and the speed of the moving substance. Wind chill is an example of the effects of air convection. In modern clothing systems, convection occurs when warm air escapes from the layers (e.g., through vents, cuffs, or collars) and is replaced by cooler air.
- Evaporation. Evaporation results from the conversion of water from a liquid to a gas. Heat loss through evaporation occurs through sweating, which is the body's response to excess heat. The body sweats to maintain a humidity level of 70 percent next to the skin; in a cold, dry environment, you can lose a great deal of moisture this way. During respiration, air is heated as it enters the lungs and is exhaled with an extremely high moisture content. Recognizing the strong connections between fluid levels, fluid loss, and heat loss is important. As body moisture is lost through evaporative processes, the overall circulating volume is reduced, which can lead to dehydration. This decrease in fluid level makes the body more susceptible to hypothermia.
Signs and Symptoms
When monitoring someone (or yourself) for signs and symptoms of hypothermia, watch for the umbles (stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles) that show changes in motor coordination and levels of consciousness. Following are signs and symptoms of various stages of hypothermia:
Mild: Core temperature of 37-35⁰ C (98-95⁰ F)
- Shivering
- Inability to do complex functions but can still walk and talk
Moderate: Core temperature 35-33°C (95-92⁰ F)
- Dazed consciousness
- Loss of fine motor coordination, particularly in hands (e.g., cannot zip up a jacket)
- Slurred speech
- Violent shivering
- Irrational behavior
- "I don't care" attitude
Severe: Core temperature 33-30° C (92-86⁰ F) and below (immediately life threatening)
- Shivering in violent waves followed by pauses
- Pauses get longer until shivering finally ceases
Treatment
The basic principle behind treating someone with hypothermia is to rewarm the person to conserve the heat he has and replace the body fuel he is burning up to generate heat. Reduce heat loss by replacing wet clothing with dry, adding additional layers of clothing, providing shelter, and adding fuel and fluids to help the body generate heat from within. Increased physical activity can help in mild stages. External heat can be from fire or another heat source such as another body.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Yeti Tag and Sherpa Winter Walk
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Yeti Tag
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose two players to be yetis and have them stand between the two boundaries.
- The rest of the players line up along one of the boundaries facing the yetis.
- Play begins when the yetis chant "We're the yetis, if you are ready; if you're wearing . . ." and they choose a color or an item of clothing the players are wearing (e.g., blue, winter hat).
- Any player wearing that item or color must attempt to walk or run across the playing field to get to the opposite boundary without being tagged by a yeti.
- A player who is tagged before reaching the other side becomes a yeti and helps the original yetis tag players in additional rounds.
- Those who make it across without being tagged wait behind that boundary line until the yetis chant again.
- Play continues until everyone is tagged or only two players haven't been tagged.
Safety Considerations
- Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
- Allow participants to run in only one direction at a time.
Yeti Frozen Tag
Yeti tag can be progressed into yeti frozen tag.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose one or two (or more) players to be yetis, depending on the size of the group.
- Yetis begin the game in the middle of the playing area. Players tagged by yetis must freeze on the spot where they were tagged with their arms and legs open (in a jumping jack position).
- Tagged players remain frozen until another participant ducks or crawls under their arms or legs. Let the game continue for as long as it remains exciting and fun.
- Switch the yetis often.
Safety Consideration
Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
The Search for Yeti
Alexander the Great, who in 326 BC set out to conquer the Indus Valley, heard stories of the yeti and demanded to see one for himself. But local people told him they were unable to present one because the creatures could not survive at that low an altitude. Indeed, yetis are thought to roam the Himalaya mountain range at an altitude of 14,000 to 20,000 feet.
Sherpa Winter Walk
Sherpas often guide climbers through rugged terrain in the mountains of Nepal. This icebreaker is a blindfolded winter adventure in which "sherpas" guide the group through and around obstacles found or made in the environment.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
None
Setup
Choose a location that has access to several kinds of obstacles such as snow banks, trees, or park benches.
How to Lead
- Break the participants into groups of 8 to 10, each of which has a sherpa. (If there are 10 or fewer participants, you will be the sherpa.)
- Line up the players in each group, one behind the other, with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
- If players are comfortable, they can close their eyes, wear a blindfold, or drop their hats down over their eyes.
- The sherpa is sighted and guides the group through, around, and over obstacles such as snow banks, snow trenches, and trees. The group follows the sherpa in a line.
- Sherpas can describe the obstacles as part of a winter adventure story such as crevasses, icefalls, glaciers, and the like.
- The group follows along and listens to the sherpa's descriptions for clues about what to expect and what to do (e.g., crawl over something, duck under a branch, roll in the snow).
- The players soon learn that they need to depend on, support, and communicate with each other to negotiate the obstacles.
Safety Considerations
- This activity requires participants to trust each other and work as a team to ensure everyone's safety while traversing the course. Make sure that your group is ready for this responsibility.
- If an obstacle requires players to be off the ground, have adequate sighted spotters at the obstacle to assist.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Ultimate Challenge Course (UCC)
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it’s junk, you don’t have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it's junk, you don't have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
Age or Grade Level
All ages can play, but the design needs to be age appropriate.
Number of Participants
Any number of participants; this can be a large-group or small-group activity
Equipment
- Lots of stuff!
- Pylons
- Plastic flexible tubing 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter
- Hula hoops
- Piles of snow
- Logs 122 cm (4 ft) in length
- Plastic sonotubes for tunnels, 91.4 cm (3 ft) or 122 cm (4 ft) in diameter and whatever length you can get (at least 2 m is good)
- Old tires
Setup
This activity is basically a giant obstacle course to be completed on snowshoes. One sample course layout is shown in figure 6.2, but that's just one of a million possibilities; let your imagination run wild! We like to start the group outside and away from the UCC, preferably in front of a large snowbank, such as those at the edges of parking lots. We make sure the participants move toward the UCC and not toward the parking area - and leave a GO leader to monitor this area.
A suggested layout for an ultimate challenge course.
How to Lead
Following is a suggestion for a bare-bones UCC. Use your imagination to make use of items at your disposal.
- Participants climb the large (parking lot) snowbank without snowshoes, slide down the other side, and run about 15 m to the UCC entrance.
- When they arrive, they are blindfold by a GO leader. They then make their way to the snowshoe pile (a random mix) and strap a pair to their feet (this pile is about 15 m from the entrance).
- They then snowshoe run back to the GO leader, return the blindfold, and run to the up-and-down portion: pylons are cemented into the snow with a plastic tubing stuck in the top to make archways they must go through.
- They jump over the next pile of snow (running jumps are encouraged).
- They then roll into and out of a trench.
- The next challenge is foxholes. Participants start in the first foxhole, lift one leg, twist, and plant it in the next hole; they do the same with the second leg, continuing until all the foxholes are cleared.
- At the tire station, participants roll or carry a medium-size truck tire across the snow and swap it with a large truck tire that they must bring back - either rolling or carrying.
- Next are at least two tunnels to crawl through.
- At the island hop, participants hop from hula hoop to hula hoop until they reach a sled.
- With the sled, participants haul a GO leader back to the entrance of the UCC.
Variations
- Mix and match the obstacles - this is about imagination!
- Participants who are not comfortable wearing a blindfold can spot at locations along the UCC.
Safety Consideration
- Make sure the challenge is age appropriate and matches participants' physical abilities. Remember, this is not boot camp or a preschool for a Navy Seals winter brigade.
Save
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Planning and Preparation
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders.
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders. There is very little room for half measures when leading people outdoors during the winter. The good news is that when the little things are in place, you can focus on delivering quality experiences.
Winter by nature presents environmental challenges: cold, wet snow, rain, freezing rain, and wind chill. The seasonal impact is magnified by the possibility of cold-related injuries when leaders and participants are not prepared. Being outdoors in winter is fun; you just need to be a bit more on your game. Know your group, know the terrain, and respect the weather.
At this stage of program planning, you want to know the following:
- What is the purpose of the lesson?
- Who are the participants?
- What activity (or activities) do participants want to do?
- Do participants have any special interests based on the terrain or prior knowledge and experiences?
- Will we be on the school or community center site or off-site?
- Will transportation be arranged?
- Will we need park permits and permission to use an existing shelter?
- Are we responsible for food and drinks?
- Who is taking care of what?
In addition to these questions, you will also need to consider the following issues in your planning:
- Risks. Do you have first aid training (emergency, standard, or wilderness and remote first aid) to support the health of your participants? Do you know the medical conditions of your participants and, if required, adult chaperones? What risks are present in the area? School sites - which offer an existing shelter base and easier access for 911 response - require a different kind of risk assessment than parks or camps do.
- Equipment. Do you have the equipment needed for ensuring a positive and comfortable learning experience? To make sure participants are prepared, send home a preparation list that includes the appropriate clothing and footwear (including a change of clothes), drinks, snacks, lunch, and any special considerations.
- Weather. We know you cannot control the weather, but you should have a good idea of what to expect in terms of rain, snow, sun, and so forth.
- Terrain. It's always a good idea to do a site examination of the terrain before the program. Clear away obstructions, and note areas that could lead to injuries (e.g., hollows, stumps, or obstructions that may be covered in snow if you are leading a running game, and even dog waste).
- Behavior and group dynamics. Before the program begins, communicate to the group your expectations for their behavior, and note group dynamics in advance if possible. Note who may need additional support outdoors (from you, your teaching assistants, or chaperones). Also review a few key etiquette practices regarding respect for the environment (e.g., Leave No Trace).
- Shelter. Do you need to bring a shelter to support the lesson (e.g., a portable base camp, a tarp for rain or snowfall), or does the site have an outbuilding?
- Maps and routes. If your program is taking place off-site, do you have maps? Be sure to identify walking routes, and determine an evacuation route in case of emergencies.
- Plan B. Having a backup plan is a must outdoors.
- Itinerary. Leave a trip itinerary with the program administration team, along with your outdoor instructional plans.
- Roles and responsibilities. If your program requires additional adult supervision (e.g., parent helpers), conduct a preprogram meeting to define roles and responsibilities. This puts everyone on the same page and avoids communication issues later on.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Hypothermia
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill.
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill. Conditions that contribute to and often accompany hypothermia are low temperatures, dehydration, improper clothing or equipment, poor food intake, wet or damp clothes or skin, alcohol intake, fatigue, and exhaustion.
The section on hypothermia is adapted, by permission, from K. Redmond, 2003, A guide to sea kayaking Newfoundland & Labrador. By permission of Kevin Redmond.
Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscle and brain functions are impaired. Hypothermia is a leading cause of death related to outdoor activities. Exposure to cold, wind, and snow without adequate clothing can lead to hypothermia. Extreme cold is not a prerequisite to hypothermia; in fact, most hypothermia occurs in cool weather. There is a real risk of hypothermia anytime you spend time outdoors in cool or cold weather. Of note is that hypothermia can occur at any temperature below body temperature - 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Never let yourself or a member of your group reach even the early stages of hypothermia. Always monitor each other.
To minimize the risk of hypothermia and prevent or reduce heat loss, wear warm, dry clothing and wear warm-when-wet clothing such as pile or wool and dress in layers with a wicking layer adjacent to the skin, followed by insulation layers and an outer shell to minimize the effect of wind and keep heat inside. To increase heat production, increase activity or eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrate before and during activity.
You and your participants have an equal role in reducing the risk of hypothermia. Your job is to ensure that participants are aware of cold weather activity protocols that mitigate risk, as well as to create a mood and social culture in which participants feel empowered to address cold-related concerns. Once participants are aware of hazards and how to avoid or minimize risks, they should be personally responsible for themselves and communicate with their peers and leaders when there is a concern beyond their ability or control. You must encourage open communication in addition to constantly monitoring participants' conditions, especially temperature, hydration, energy level, and mood or demeanor. Everyone should also understand the ways we lose heat so you can all take steps to reduce the effect of cold when engaged in outdoor activity.
How Cold Can Cold Get?
The lowest temperature ever recorded was - 89.2 degrees Celsius in 1983 in Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica.
Prevention
Understanding how a person loses heat to the environment is the first step in the prevention of hypothermia. The four ways our bodies lose heat are radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation.
- Radiation. Radiant heat loss occurs only when the surrounding temperature is below 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Factors important in radiant heat loss are the surface area and the temperature difference between you and your environment. Dressing appropriately reduces heat loss through radiation.
- Conduction. Conduction is heat loss through direct contact between objects. Heat travels from a warmer object to a colder one. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air. Generally, conductive heat loss accounts for only about 2 percent of overall loss. However, with wet clothes, the loss is increased five times. Conductive heat loss may be minimized by using a barrier between warm body parts (e.g., insulated boots) and snow or ice.
- Convection. Heat is lost when air or water molecules against the surface are heated, moved away, and replaced by new molecules that are also heated. The rate of convective heat loss depends on the substance (water convection occurs more quickly than air convection) and the speed of the moving substance. Wind chill is an example of the effects of air convection. In modern clothing systems, convection occurs when warm air escapes from the layers (e.g., through vents, cuffs, or collars) and is replaced by cooler air.
- Evaporation. Evaporation results from the conversion of water from a liquid to a gas. Heat loss through evaporation occurs through sweating, which is the body's response to excess heat. The body sweats to maintain a humidity level of 70 percent next to the skin; in a cold, dry environment, you can lose a great deal of moisture this way. During respiration, air is heated as it enters the lungs and is exhaled with an extremely high moisture content. Recognizing the strong connections between fluid levels, fluid loss, and heat loss is important. As body moisture is lost through evaporative processes, the overall circulating volume is reduced, which can lead to dehydration. This decrease in fluid level makes the body more susceptible to hypothermia.
Signs and Symptoms
When monitoring someone (or yourself) for signs and symptoms of hypothermia, watch for the umbles (stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles) that show changes in motor coordination and levels of consciousness. Following are signs and symptoms of various stages of hypothermia:
Mild: Core temperature of 37-35⁰ C (98-95⁰ F)
- Shivering
- Inability to do complex functions but can still walk and talk
Moderate: Core temperature 35-33°C (95-92⁰ F)
- Dazed consciousness
- Loss of fine motor coordination, particularly in hands (e.g., cannot zip up a jacket)
- Slurred speech
- Violent shivering
- Irrational behavior
- "I don't care" attitude
Severe: Core temperature 33-30° C (92-86⁰ F) and below (immediately life threatening)
- Shivering in violent waves followed by pauses
- Pauses get longer until shivering finally ceases
Treatment
The basic principle behind treating someone with hypothermia is to rewarm the person to conserve the heat he has and replace the body fuel he is burning up to generate heat. Reduce heat loss by replacing wet clothing with dry, adding additional layers of clothing, providing shelter, and adding fuel and fluids to help the body generate heat from within. Increased physical activity can help in mild stages. External heat can be from fire or another heat source such as another body.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Yeti Tag and Sherpa Winter Walk
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Yeti Tag
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose two players to be yetis and have them stand between the two boundaries.
- The rest of the players line up along one of the boundaries facing the yetis.
- Play begins when the yetis chant "We're the yetis, if you are ready; if you're wearing . . ." and they choose a color or an item of clothing the players are wearing (e.g., blue, winter hat).
- Any player wearing that item or color must attempt to walk or run across the playing field to get to the opposite boundary without being tagged by a yeti.
- A player who is tagged before reaching the other side becomes a yeti and helps the original yetis tag players in additional rounds.
- Those who make it across without being tagged wait behind that boundary line until the yetis chant again.
- Play continues until everyone is tagged or only two players haven't been tagged.
Safety Considerations
- Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
- Allow participants to run in only one direction at a time.
Yeti Frozen Tag
Yeti tag can be progressed into yeti frozen tag.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose one or two (or more) players to be yetis, depending on the size of the group.
- Yetis begin the game in the middle of the playing area. Players tagged by yetis must freeze on the spot where they were tagged with their arms and legs open (in a jumping jack position).
- Tagged players remain frozen until another participant ducks or crawls under their arms or legs. Let the game continue for as long as it remains exciting and fun.
- Switch the yetis often.
Safety Consideration
Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
The Search for Yeti
Alexander the Great, who in 326 BC set out to conquer the Indus Valley, heard stories of the yeti and demanded to see one for himself. But local people told him they were unable to present one because the creatures could not survive at that low an altitude. Indeed, yetis are thought to roam the Himalaya mountain range at an altitude of 14,000 to 20,000 feet.
Sherpa Winter Walk
Sherpas often guide climbers through rugged terrain in the mountains of Nepal. This icebreaker is a blindfolded winter adventure in which "sherpas" guide the group through and around obstacles found or made in the environment.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
None
Setup
Choose a location that has access to several kinds of obstacles such as snow banks, trees, or park benches.
How to Lead
- Break the participants into groups of 8 to 10, each of which has a sherpa. (If there are 10 or fewer participants, you will be the sherpa.)
- Line up the players in each group, one behind the other, with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
- If players are comfortable, they can close their eyes, wear a blindfold, or drop their hats down over their eyes.
- The sherpa is sighted and guides the group through, around, and over obstacles such as snow banks, snow trenches, and trees. The group follows the sherpa in a line.
- Sherpas can describe the obstacles as part of a winter adventure story such as crevasses, icefalls, glaciers, and the like.
- The group follows along and listens to the sherpa's descriptions for clues about what to expect and what to do (e.g., crawl over something, duck under a branch, roll in the snow).
- The players soon learn that they need to depend on, support, and communicate with each other to negotiate the obstacles.
Safety Considerations
- This activity requires participants to trust each other and work as a team to ensure everyone's safety while traversing the course. Make sure that your group is ready for this responsibility.
- If an obstacle requires players to be off the ground, have adequate sighted spotters at the obstacle to assist.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Ultimate Challenge Course (UCC)
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it’s junk, you don’t have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it's junk, you don't have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
Age or Grade Level
All ages can play, but the design needs to be age appropriate.
Number of Participants
Any number of participants; this can be a large-group or small-group activity
Equipment
- Lots of stuff!
- Pylons
- Plastic flexible tubing 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter
- Hula hoops
- Piles of snow
- Logs 122 cm (4 ft) in length
- Plastic sonotubes for tunnels, 91.4 cm (3 ft) or 122 cm (4 ft) in diameter and whatever length you can get (at least 2 m is good)
- Old tires
Setup
This activity is basically a giant obstacle course to be completed on snowshoes. One sample course layout is shown in figure 6.2, but that's just one of a million possibilities; let your imagination run wild! We like to start the group outside and away from the UCC, preferably in front of a large snowbank, such as those at the edges of parking lots. We make sure the participants move toward the UCC and not toward the parking area - and leave a GO leader to monitor this area.
A suggested layout for an ultimate challenge course.
How to Lead
Following is a suggestion for a bare-bones UCC. Use your imagination to make use of items at your disposal.
- Participants climb the large (parking lot) snowbank without snowshoes, slide down the other side, and run about 15 m to the UCC entrance.
- When they arrive, they are blindfold by a GO leader. They then make their way to the snowshoe pile (a random mix) and strap a pair to their feet (this pile is about 15 m from the entrance).
- They then snowshoe run back to the GO leader, return the blindfold, and run to the up-and-down portion: pylons are cemented into the snow with a plastic tubing stuck in the top to make archways they must go through.
- They jump over the next pile of snow (running jumps are encouraged).
- They then roll into and out of a trench.
- The next challenge is foxholes. Participants start in the first foxhole, lift one leg, twist, and plant it in the next hole; they do the same with the second leg, continuing until all the foxholes are cleared.
- At the tire station, participants roll or carry a medium-size truck tire across the snow and swap it with a large truck tire that they must bring back - either rolling or carrying.
- Next are at least two tunnels to crawl through.
- At the island hop, participants hop from hula hoop to hula hoop until they reach a sled.
- With the sled, participants haul a GO leader back to the entrance of the UCC.
Variations
- Mix and match the obstacles - this is about imagination!
- Participants who are not comfortable wearing a blindfold can spot at locations along the UCC.
Safety Consideration
- Make sure the challenge is age appropriate and matches participants' physical abilities. Remember, this is not boot camp or a preschool for a Navy Seals winter brigade.
Save
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Planning and Preparation
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders.
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders. There is very little room for half measures when leading people outdoors during the winter. The good news is that when the little things are in place, you can focus on delivering quality experiences.
Winter by nature presents environmental challenges: cold, wet snow, rain, freezing rain, and wind chill. The seasonal impact is magnified by the possibility of cold-related injuries when leaders and participants are not prepared. Being outdoors in winter is fun; you just need to be a bit more on your game. Know your group, know the terrain, and respect the weather.
At this stage of program planning, you want to know the following:
- What is the purpose of the lesson?
- Who are the participants?
- What activity (or activities) do participants want to do?
- Do participants have any special interests based on the terrain or prior knowledge and experiences?
- Will we be on the school or community center site or off-site?
- Will transportation be arranged?
- Will we need park permits and permission to use an existing shelter?
- Are we responsible for food and drinks?
- Who is taking care of what?
In addition to these questions, you will also need to consider the following issues in your planning:
- Risks. Do you have first aid training (emergency, standard, or wilderness and remote first aid) to support the health of your participants? Do you know the medical conditions of your participants and, if required, adult chaperones? What risks are present in the area? School sites - which offer an existing shelter base and easier access for 911 response - require a different kind of risk assessment than parks or camps do.
- Equipment. Do you have the equipment needed for ensuring a positive and comfortable learning experience? To make sure participants are prepared, send home a preparation list that includes the appropriate clothing and footwear (including a change of clothes), drinks, snacks, lunch, and any special considerations.
- Weather. We know you cannot control the weather, but you should have a good idea of what to expect in terms of rain, snow, sun, and so forth.
- Terrain. It's always a good idea to do a site examination of the terrain before the program. Clear away obstructions, and note areas that could lead to injuries (e.g., hollows, stumps, or obstructions that may be covered in snow if you are leading a running game, and even dog waste).
- Behavior and group dynamics. Before the program begins, communicate to the group your expectations for their behavior, and note group dynamics in advance if possible. Note who may need additional support outdoors (from you, your teaching assistants, or chaperones). Also review a few key etiquette practices regarding respect for the environment (e.g., Leave No Trace).
- Shelter. Do you need to bring a shelter to support the lesson (e.g., a portable base camp, a tarp for rain or snowfall), or does the site have an outbuilding?
- Maps and routes. If your program is taking place off-site, do you have maps? Be sure to identify walking routes, and determine an evacuation route in case of emergencies.
- Plan B. Having a backup plan is a must outdoors.
- Itinerary. Leave a trip itinerary with the program administration team, along with your outdoor instructional plans.
- Roles and responsibilities. If your program requires additional adult supervision (e.g., parent helpers), conduct a preprogram meeting to define roles and responsibilities. This puts everyone on the same page and avoids communication issues later on.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Hypothermia
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill.
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill. Conditions that contribute to and often accompany hypothermia are low temperatures, dehydration, improper clothing or equipment, poor food intake, wet or damp clothes or skin, alcohol intake, fatigue, and exhaustion.
The section on hypothermia is adapted, by permission, from K. Redmond, 2003, A guide to sea kayaking Newfoundland & Labrador. By permission of Kevin Redmond.
Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscle and brain functions are impaired. Hypothermia is a leading cause of death related to outdoor activities. Exposure to cold, wind, and snow without adequate clothing can lead to hypothermia. Extreme cold is not a prerequisite to hypothermia; in fact, most hypothermia occurs in cool weather. There is a real risk of hypothermia anytime you spend time outdoors in cool or cold weather. Of note is that hypothermia can occur at any temperature below body temperature - 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Never let yourself or a member of your group reach even the early stages of hypothermia. Always monitor each other.
To minimize the risk of hypothermia and prevent or reduce heat loss, wear warm, dry clothing and wear warm-when-wet clothing such as pile or wool and dress in layers with a wicking layer adjacent to the skin, followed by insulation layers and an outer shell to minimize the effect of wind and keep heat inside. To increase heat production, increase activity or eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrate before and during activity.
You and your participants have an equal role in reducing the risk of hypothermia. Your job is to ensure that participants are aware of cold weather activity protocols that mitigate risk, as well as to create a mood and social culture in which participants feel empowered to address cold-related concerns. Once participants are aware of hazards and how to avoid or minimize risks, they should be personally responsible for themselves and communicate with their peers and leaders when there is a concern beyond their ability or control. You must encourage open communication in addition to constantly monitoring participants' conditions, especially temperature, hydration, energy level, and mood or demeanor. Everyone should also understand the ways we lose heat so you can all take steps to reduce the effect of cold when engaged in outdoor activity.
How Cold Can Cold Get?
The lowest temperature ever recorded was - 89.2 degrees Celsius in 1983 in Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica.
Prevention
Understanding how a person loses heat to the environment is the first step in the prevention of hypothermia. The four ways our bodies lose heat are radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation.
- Radiation. Radiant heat loss occurs only when the surrounding temperature is below 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Factors important in radiant heat loss are the surface area and the temperature difference between you and your environment. Dressing appropriately reduces heat loss through radiation.
- Conduction. Conduction is heat loss through direct contact between objects. Heat travels from a warmer object to a colder one. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air. Generally, conductive heat loss accounts for only about 2 percent of overall loss. However, with wet clothes, the loss is increased five times. Conductive heat loss may be minimized by using a barrier between warm body parts (e.g., insulated boots) and snow or ice.
- Convection. Heat is lost when air or water molecules against the surface are heated, moved away, and replaced by new molecules that are also heated. The rate of convective heat loss depends on the substance (water convection occurs more quickly than air convection) and the speed of the moving substance. Wind chill is an example of the effects of air convection. In modern clothing systems, convection occurs when warm air escapes from the layers (e.g., through vents, cuffs, or collars) and is replaced by cooler air.
- Evaporation. Evaporation results from the conversion of water from a liquid to a gas. Heat loss through evaporation occurs through sweating, which is the body's response to excess heat. The body sweats to maintain a humidity level of 70 percent next to the skin; in a cold, dry environment, you can lose a great deal of moisture this way. During respiration, air is heated as it enters the lungs and is exhaled with an extremely high moisture content. Recognizing the strong connections between fluid levels, fluid loss, and heat loss is important. As body moisture is lost through evaporative processes, the overall circulating volume is reduced, which can lead to dehydration. This decrease in fluid level makes the body more susceptible to hypothermia.
Signs and Symptoms
When monitoring someone (or yourself) for signs and symptoms of hypothermia, watch for the umbles (stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles) that show changes in motor coordination and levels of consciousness. Following are signs and symptoms of various stages of hypothermia:
Mild: Core temperature of 37-35⁰ C (98-95⁰ F)
- Shivering
- Inability to do complex functions but can still walk and talk
Moderate: Core temperature 35-33°C (95-92⁰ F)
- Dazed consciousness
- Loss of fine motor coordination, particularly in hands (e.g., cannot zip up a jacket)
- Slurred speech
- Violent shivering
- Irrational behavior
- "I don't care" attitude
Severe: Core temperature 33-30° C (92-86⁰ F) and below (immediately life threatening)
- Shivering in violent waves followed by pauses
- Pauses get longer until shivering finally ceases
Treatment
The basic principle behind treating someone with hypothermia is to rewarm the person to conserve the heat he has and replace the body fuel he is burning up to generate heat. Reduce heat loss by replacing wet clothing with dry, adding additional layers of clothing, providing shelter, and adding fuel and fluids to help the body generate heat from within. Increased physical activity can help in mild stages. External heat can be from fire or another heat source such as another body.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Yeti Tag and Sherpa Winter Walk
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Yeti Tag
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose two players to be yetis and have them stand between the two boundaries.
- The rest of the players line up along one of the boundaries facing the yetis.
- Play begins when the yetis chant "We're the yetis, if you are ready; if you're wearing . . ." and they choose a color or an item of clothing the players are wearing (e.g., blue, winter hat).
- Any player wearing that item or color must attempt to walk or run across the playing field to get to the opposite boundary without being tagged by a yeti.
- A player who is tagged before reaching the other side becomes a yeti and helps the original yetis tag players in additional rounds.
- Those who make it across without being tagged wait behind that boundary line until the yetis chant again.
- Play continues until everyone is tagged or only two players haven't been tagged.
Safety Considerations
- Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
- Allow participants to run in only one direction at a time.
Yeti Frozen Tag
Yeti tag can be progressed into yeti frozen tag.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose one or two (or more) players to be yetis, depending on the size of the group.
- Yetis begin the game in the middle of the playing area. Players tagged by yetis must freeze on the spot where they were tagged with their arms and legs open (in a jumping jack position).
- Tagged players remain frozen until another participant ducks or crawls under their arms or legs. Let the game continue for as long as it remains exciting and fun.
- Switch the yetis often.
Safety Consideration
Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
The Search for Yeti
Alexander the Great, who in 326 BC set out to conquer the Indus Valley, heard stories of the yeti and demanded to see one for himself. But local people told him they were unable to present one because the creatures could not survive at that low an altitude. Indeed, yetis are thought to roam the Himalaya mountain range at an altitude of 14,000 to 20,000 feet.
Sherpa Winter Walk
Sherpas often guide climbers through rugged terrain in the mountains of Nepal. This icebreaker is a blindfolded winter adventure in which "sherpas" guide the group through and around obstacles found or made in the environment.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
None
Setup
Choose a location that has access to several kinds of obstacles such as snow banks, trees, or park benches.
How to Lead
- Break the participants into groups of 8 to 10, each of which has a sherpa. (If there are 10 or fewer participants, you will be the sherpa.)
- Line up the players in each group, one behind the other, with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
- If players are comfortable, they can close their eyes, wear a blindfold, or drop their hats down over their eyes.
- The sherpa is sighted and guides the group through, around, and over obstacles such as snow banks, snow trenches, and trees. The group follows the sherpa in a line.
- Sherpas can describe the obstacles as part of a winter adventure story such as crevasses, icefalls, glaciers, and the like.
- The group follows along and listens to the sherpa's descriptions for clues about what to expect and what to do (e.g., crawl over something, duck under a branch, roll in the snow).
- The players soon learn that they need to depend on, support, and communicate with each other to negotiate the obstacles.
Safety Considerations
- This activity requires participants to trust each other and work as a team to ensure everyone's safety while traversing the course. Make sure that your group is ready for this responsibility.
- If an obstacle requires players to be off the ground, have adequate sighted spotters at the obstacle to assist.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Ultimate Challenge Course (UCC)
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it’s junk, you don’t have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it's junk, you don't have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
Age or Grade Level
All ages can play, but the design needs to be age appropriate.
Number of Participants
Any number of participants; this can be a large-group or small-group activity
Equipment
- Lots of stuff!
- Pylons
- Plastic flexible tubing 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter
- Hula hoops
- Piles of snow
- Logs 122 cm (4 ft) in length
- Plastic sonotubes for tunnels, 91.4 cm (3 ft) or 122 cm (4 ft) in diameter and whatever length you can get (at least 2 m is good)
- Old tires
Setup
This activity is basically a giant obstacle course to be completed on snowshoes. One sample course layout is shown in figure 6.2, but that's just one of a million possibilities; let your imagination run wild! We like to start the group outside and away from the UCC, preferably in front of a large snowbank, such as those at the edges of parking lots. We make sure the participants move toward the UCC and not toward the parking area - and leave a GO leader to monitor this area.
A suggested layout for an ultimate challenge course.
How to Lead
Following is a suggestion for a bare-bones UCC. Use your imagination to make use of items at your disposal.
- Participants climb the large (parking lot) snowbank without snowshoes, slide down the other side, and run about 15 m to the UCC entrance.
- When they arrive, they are blindfold by a GO leader. They then make their way to the snowshoe pile (a random mix) and strap a pair to their feet (this pile is about 15 m from the entrance).
- They then snowshoe run back to the GO leader, return the blindfold, and run to the up-and-down portion: pylons are cemented into the snow with a plastic tubing stuck in the top to make archways they must go through.
- They jump over the next pile of snow (running jumps are encouraged).
- They then roll into and out of a trench.
- The next challenge is foxholes. Participants start in the first foxhole, lift one leg, twist, and plant it in the next hole; they do the same with the second leg, continuing until all the foxholes are cleared.
- At the tire station, participants roll or carry a medium-size truck tire across the snow and swap it with a large truck tire that they must bring back - either rolling or carrying.
- Next are at least two tunnels to crawl through.
- At the island hop, participants hop from hula hoop to hula hoop until they reach a sled.
- With the sled, participants haul a GO leader back to the entrance of the UCC.
Variations
- Mix and match the obstacles - this is about imagination!
- Participants who are not comfortable wearing a blindfold can spot at locations along the UCC.
Safety Consideration
- Make sure the challenge is age appropriate and matches participants' physical abilities. Remember, this is not boot camp or a preschool for a Navy Seals winter brigade.
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Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Planning and Preparation
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders.
Planning and preparation (P&P) creates an outdoor foundation in the schoolyard, at the local park, or as part of a camp experience. The bottom line is that you must maintain a consistent, solid P&P practice: A poorly planned winter excursion is a reflection of its leaders. There is very little room for half measures when leading people outdoors during the winter. The good news is that when the little things are in place, you can focus on delivering quality experiences.
Winter by nature presents environmental challenges: cold, wet snow, rain, freezing rain, and wind chill. The seasonal impact is magnified by the possibility of cold-related injuries when leaders and participants are not prepared. Being outdoors in winter is fun; you just need to be a bit more on your game. Know your group, know the terrain, and respect the weather.
At this stage of program planning, you want to know the following:
- What is the purpose of the lesson?
- Who are the participants?
- What activity (or activities) do participants want to do?
- Do participants have any special interests based on the terrain or prior knowledge and experiences?
- Will we be on the school or community center site or off-site?
- Will transportation be arranged?
- Will we need park permits and permission to use an existing shelter?
- Are we responsible for food and drinks?
- Who is taking care of what?
In addition to these questions, you will also need to consider the following issues in your planning:
- Risks. Do you have first aid training (emergency, standard, or wilderness and remote first aid) to support the health of your participants? Do you know the medical conditions of your participants and, if required, adult chaperones? What risks are present in the area? School sites - which offer an existing shelter base and easier access for 911 response - require a different kind of risk assessment than parks or camps do.
- Equipment. Do you have the equipment needed for ensuring a positive and comfortable learning experience? To make sure participants are prepared, send home a preparation list that includes the appropriate clothing and footwear (including a change of clothes), drinks, snacks, lunch, and any special considerations.
- Weather. We know you cannot control the weather, but you should have a good idea of what to expect in terms of rain, snow, sun, and so forth.
- Terrain. It's always a good idea to do a site examination of the terrain before the program. Clear away obstructions, and note areas that could lead to injuries (e.g., hollows, stumps, or obstructions that may be covered in snow if you are leading a running game, and even dog waste).
- Behavior and group dynamics. Before the program begins, communicate to the group your expectations for their behavior, and note group dynamics in advance if possible. Note who may need additional support outdoors (from you, your teaching assistants, or chaperones). Also review a few key etiquette practices regarding respect for the environment (e.g., Leave No Trace).
- Shelter. Do you need to bring a shelter to support the lesson (e.g., a portable base camp, a tarp for rain or snowfall), or does the site have an outbuilding?
- Maps and routes. If your program is taking place off-site, do you have maps? Be sure to identify walking routes, and determine an evacuation route in case of emergencies.
- Plan B. Having a backup plan is a must outdoors.
- Itinerary. Leave a trip itinerary with the program administration team, along with your outdoor instructional plans.
- Roles and responsibilities. If your program requires additional adult supervision (e.g., parent helpers), conduct a preprogram meeting to define roles and responsibilities. This puts everyone on the same page and avoids communication issues later on.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Hypothermia
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill.
Being exposed to cold with proper preparation, dress, monitoring, and maintenance can be a comfortable, enjoyable, and rewarding experience. Failure to monitor and address the hazards of exposure to cold can kill. Conditions that contribute to and often accompany hypothermia are low temperatures, dehydration, improper clothing or equipment, poor food intake, wet or damp clothes or skin, alcohol intake, fatigue, and exhaustion.
The section on hypothermia is adapted, by permission, from K. Redmond, 2003, A guide to sea kayaking Newfoundland & Labrador. By permission of Kevin Redmond.
Hypothermia is a decrease in the core body temperature to a level at which normal muscle and brain functions are impaired. Hypothermia is a leading cause of death related to outdoor activities. Exposure to cold, wind, and snow without adequate clothing can lead to hypothermia. Extreme cold is not a prerequisite to hypothermia; in fact, most hypothermia occurs in cool weather. There is a real risk of hypothermia anytime you spend time outdoors in cool or cold weather. Of note is that hypothermia can occur at any temperature below body temperature - 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Never let yourself or a member of your group reach even the early stages of hypothermia. Always monitor each other.
To minimize the risk of hypothermia and prevent or reduce heat loss, wear warm, dry clothing and wear warm-when-wet clothing such as pile or wool and dress in layers with a wicking layer adjacent to the skin, followed by insulation layers and an outer shell to minimize the effect of wind and keep heat inside. To increase heat production, increase activity or eat sufficient amounts of carbohydrate before and during activity.
You and your participants have an equal role in reducing the risk of hypothermia. Your job is to ensure that participants are aware of cold weather activity protocols that mitigate risk, as well as to create a mood and social culture in which participants feel empowered to address cold-related concerns. Once participants are aware of hazards and how to avoid or minimize risks, they should be personally responsible for themselves and communicate with their peers and leaders when there is a concern beyond their ability or control. You must encourage open communication in addition to constantly monitoring participants' conditions, especially temperature, hydration, energy level, and mood or demeanor. Everyone should also understand the ways we lose heat so you can all take steps to reduce the effect of cold when engaged in outdoor activity.
How Cold Can Cold Get?
The lowest temperature ever recorded was - 89.2 degrees Celsius in 1983 in Soviet Vostok Station, Antarctica.
Prevention
Understanding how a person loses heat to the environment is the first step in the prevention of hypothermia. The four ways our bodies lose heat are radiation, conduction, convection, and evaporation.
- Radiation. Radiant heat loss occurs only when the surrounding temperature is below 37⁰ C (98.6⁰ F). Factors important in radiant heat loss are the surface area and the temperature difference between you and your environment. Dressing appropriately reduces heat loss through radiation.
- Conduction. Conduction is heat loss through direct contact between objects. Heat travels from a warmer object to a colder one. Water conducts heat away from the body 25 times faster than air. Generally, conductive heat loss accounts for only about 2 percent of overall loss. However, with wet clothes, the loss is increased five times. Conductive heat loss may be minimized by using a barrier between warm body parts (e.g., insulated boots) and snow or ice.
- Convection. Heat is lost when air or water molecules against the surface are heated, moved away, and replaced by new molecules that are also heated. The rate of convective heat loss depends on the substance (water convection occurs more quickly than air convection) and the speed of the moving substance. Wind chill is an example of the effects of air convection. In modern clothing systems, convection occurs when warm air escapes from the layers (e.g., through vents, cuffs, or collars) and is replaced by cooler air.
- Evaporation. Evaporation results from the conversion of water from a liquid to a gas. Heat loss through evaporation occurs through sweating, which is the body's response to excess heat. The body sweats to maintain a humidity level of 70 percent next to the skin; in a cold, dry environment, you can lose a great deal of moisture this way. During respiration, air is heated as it enters the lungs and is exhaled with an extremely high moisture content. Recognizing the strong connections between fluid levels, fluid loss, and heat loss is important. As body moisture is lost through evaporative processes, the overall circulating volume is reduced, which can lead to dehydration. This decrease in fluid level makes the body more susceptible to hypothermia.
Signs and Symptoms
When monitoring someone (or yourself) for signs and symptoms of hypothermia, watch for the umbles (stumbles, mumbles, fumbles, and grumbles) that show changes in motor coordination and levels of consciousness. Following are signs and symptoms of various stages of hypothermia:
Mild: Core temperature of 37-35⁰ C (98-95⁰ F)
- Shivering
- Inability to do complex functions but can still walk and talk
Moderate: Core temperature 35-33°C (95-92⁰ F)
- Dazed consciousness
- Loss of fine motor coordination, particularly in hands (e.g., cannot zip up a jacket)
- Slurred speech
- Violent shivering
- Irrational behavior
- "I don't care" attitude
Severe: Core temperature 33-30° C (92-86⁰ F) and below (immediately life threatening)
- Shivering in violent waves followed by pauses
- Pauses get longer until shivering finally ceases
Treatment
The basic principle behind treating someone with hypothermia is to rewarm the person to conserve the heat he has and replace the body fuel he is burning up to generate heat. Reduce heat loss by replacing wet clothing with dry, adding additional layers of clothing, providing shelter, and adding fuel and fluids to help the body generate heat from within. Increased physical activity can help in mild stages. External heat can be from fire or another heat source such as another body.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Yeti Tag and Sherpa Winter Walk
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Yeti Tag
Yetis (also called abominable snowmen) are mythological creatures thought by some to inhabit the Himalaya Mountains, crossing glaciers and high mountain passes. They are often depicted as large white furry creatures that leave big footprints in the snow.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose two players to be yetis and have them stand between the two boundaries.
- The rest of the players line up along one of the boundaries facing the yetis.
- Play begins when the yetis chant "We're the yetis, if you are ready; if you're wearing . . ." and they choose a color or an item of clothing the players are wearing (e.g., blue, winter hat).
- Any player wearing that item or color must attempt to walk or run across the playing field to get to the opposite boundary without being tagged by a yeti.
- A player who is tagged before reaching the other side becomes a yeti and helps the original yetis tag players in additional rounds.
- Those who make it across without being tagged wait behind that boundary line until the yetis chant again.
- Play continues until everyone is tagged or only two players haven't been tagged.
Safety Considerations
- Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
- Allow participants to run in only one direction at a time.
Yeti Frozen Tag
Yeti tag can be progressed into yeti frozen tag.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
Ski poles, cones, or Kool-Aid for marking the boundaries of the playing area
Setup
- Choose a level playing area.
- Mark the boundaries of the playing area.
How to Lead
- Choose one or two (or more) players to be yetis, depending on the size of the group.
- Yetis begin the game in the middle of the playing area. Players tagged by yetis must freeze on the spot where they were tagged with their arms and legs open (in a jumping jack position).
- Tagged players remain frozen until another participant ducks or crawls under their arms or legs. Let the game continue for as long as it remains exciting and fun.
- Switch the yetis often.
Safety Consideration
Based on surface conditions, decide whether the game will be played at walking, jogging, or running speed.
The Search for Yeti
Alexander the Great, who in 326 BC set out to conquer the Indus Valley, heard stories of the yeti and demanded to see one for himself. But local people told him they were unable to present one because the creatures could not survive at that low an altitude. Indeed, yetis are thought to roam the Himalaya mountain range at an altitude of 14,000 to 20,000 feet.
Sherpa Winter Walk
Sherpas often guide climbers through rugged terrain in the mountains of Nepal. This icebreaker is a blindfolded winter adventure in which "sherpas" guide the group through and around obstacles found or made in the environment.
Age or Grade Level
Any age or grade level
Number of Participants
Any number of participants
Equipment
None
Setup
Choose a location that has access to several kinds of obstacles such as snow banks, trees, or park benches.
How to Lead
- Break the participants into groups of 8 to 10, each of which has a sherpa. (If there are 10 or fewer participants, you will be the sherpa.)
- Line up the players in each group, one behind the other, with their hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them.
- If players are comfortable, they can close their eyes, wear a blindfold, or drop their hats down over their eyes.
- The sherpa is sighted and guides the group through, around, and over obstacles such as snow banks, snow trenches, and trees. The group follows the sherpa in a line.
- Sherpas can describe the obstacles as part of a winter adventure story such as crevasses, icefalls, glaciers, and the like.
- The group follows along and listens to the sherpa's descriptions for clues about what to expect and what to do (e.g., crawl over something, duck under a branch, roll in the snow).
- The players soon learn that they need to depend on, support, and communicate with each other to negotiate the obstacles.
Safety Considerations
- This activity requires participants to trust each other and work as a team to ensure everyone's safety while traversing the course. Make sure that your group is ready for this responsibility.
- If an obstacle requires players to be off the ground, have adequate sighted spotters at the obstacle to assist.
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
Ultimate Challenge Course (UCC)
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it’s junk, you don’t have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
This activity fosters imagination and provides a challenge. Be creative and work with what you have; this is about making junk worthwhile. And because it's junk, you don't have to worry about leaving it out between groups.
Age or Grade Level
All ages can play, but the design needs to be age appropriate.
Number of Participants
Any number of participants; this can be a large-group or small-group activity
Equipment
- Lots of stuff!
- Pylons
- Plastic flexible tubing 2.5 cm (1 in.) in diameter
- Hula hoops
- Piles of snow
- Logs 122 cm (4 ft) in length
- Plastic sonotubes for tunnels, 91.4 cm (3 ft) or 122 cm (4 ft) in diameter and whatever length you can get (at least 2 m is good)
- Old tires
Setup
This activity is basically a giant obstacle course to be completed on snowshoes. One sample course layout is shown in figure 6.2, but that's just one of a million possibilities; let your imagination run wild! We like to start the group outside and away from the UCC, preferably in front of a large snowbank, such as those at the edges of parking lots. We make sure the participants move toward the UCC and not toward the parking area - and leave a GO leader to monitor this area.
A suggested layout for an ultimate challenge course.
How to Lead
Following is a suggestion for a bare-bones UCC. Use your imagination to make use of items at your disposal.
- Participants climb the large (parking lot) snowbank without snowshoes, slide down the other side, and run about 15 m to the UCC entrance.
- When they arrive, they are blindfold by a GO leader. They then make their way to the snowshoe pile (a random mix) and strap a pair to their feet (this pile is about 15 m from the entrance).
- They then snowshoe run back to the GO leader, return the blindfold, and run to the up-and-down portion: pylons are cemented into the snow with a plastic tubing stuck in the top to make archways they must go through.
- They jump over the next pile of snow (running jumps are encouraged).
- They then roll into and out of a trench.
- The next challenge is foxholes. Participants start in the first foxhole, lift one leg, twist, and plant it in the next hole; they do the same with the second leg, continuing until all the foxholes are cleared.
- At the tire station, participants roll or carry a medium-size truck tire across the snow and swap it with a large truck tire that they must bring back - either rolling or carrying.
- Next are at least two tunnels to crawl through.
- At the island hop, participants hop from hula hoop to hula hoop until they reach a sled.
- With the sled, participants haul a GO leader back to the entrance of the UCC.
Variations
- Mix and match the obstacles - this is about imagination!
- Participants who are not comfortable wearing a blindfold can spot at locations along the UCC.
Safety Consideration
- Make sure the challenge is age appropriate and matches participants' physical abilities. Remember, this is not boot camp or a preschool for a Navy Seals winter brigade.
Save
Learn more about The Get Outside Guide to Winter Activities.
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