PAD20 Winter Camping Info
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Winter is finally here and we can hope for more snow over the next few weeks. This is a quick update on upcoming activities for the winter portion of outdoor education.
Our winter camping trip will be our second overnight trip of the year. This year, we will be heading up to Gatineau Park in the Lac Philippe area to do some cross country skiing and winter survival skills development. The goal of this trip is to learn to cross country ski and to learn how to build a traditional snow shelter (quinzhee) and spend the night in it.
The trip dates will be:
PAD2O-01 Wednesday February 19 to Thursday February 20
PAD2O-05 Thursday February 20 to Friday February 21
PAD2O-06 Friday February 21 to Saturday February 22
With respect to timing, students will be required to be at school at 8:30 for a 9:00 departure. Students will be back at school for 11:30 and will be expected to attended their afternoon classes the date of their return.
Here is a link to the Gatineau Park winter map: http://www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca/sites/default/files/pubs/gatineau_park_wintertrails_map_2016-17_lr_0.pdf
We will be starting at parking lot P19 and heading towards Renaud cabin. Our skiing and snowshoeing will be done around there.
With respect to equipment for the upcoming trips, if the students have cross country skis they could bring with along that would be much appreciated. We have some cross country skis at the school (about 20 pairs) to help outfit the students, but students who do not fit into the boots or skis may have to rent them for those trips at either MEC or Trailhead. I have attached a complete gear list for the winter camping trip on the back of this page. Of greatest importance is a top & bottom set of polypropylene or some other synthetic material long underwear. This material helps wick moisture (from sweat- and yes they will be sweating) from the skin, which is very important in cold temperatures. In addition, a set of mitts would also be advisable as they are much warmer than gloves in cold weather. I've attached an equipment list at the bottom of this document for you.
The weather for Wakefield, PQ is the most accurate in terms of geographic area. In terms of our specific location we are in a wooded area which is sheltered from the wind. For our safety we will have 24 hour access to Renaud cabin which is heated with a wood stove. The students will be spending 1.5-2 hours in the cabin warming up before heading off to their quinzhees. Please make sure your child is fully prepared with clothing (See List Below)- extra socks, gloves, mittens and sweaters would be recommended and equipment (winter boots and a sleeping bag rated to at least -7 celsius-a second sleeping bag is a good idea).
On a final note, weather at this time of year plays a large part in the logistics behind the trips. In order to maintain a safe, yet challenging, environment for trips in the event that weather is forecasted for below -25°C (with the wind chill factor) we will not be going on the outings as per the Ottawa Public Health Frostbite Advisory and will try to reschedule them to the best of our ability.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at the school.
Sincerely,
Darius Arjang
613-239-2696