By Peter D.
In March, Troop 5 went on a one-night campout to Camp Winnebago focused on survival skills—mainly building shelters from scratch.
We arrived Saturday morning and got right to work. Each patrol picked a spot in the woods and was challenged to build a shelter using only tarps, rope, sticks, and whatever else we could find. No tents allowed. Most patrols went with lean-tos or A-frame styles, trying their best to make something that could actually handle wind and rain.
Once we finished building, the senior Scouts came around to judge the shelters. They checked for things like structure, weatherproofing, and teamwork. Some turned out solid. Others… needed some work. But everyone gave it a real effort, and we definitely learned a lot.
In the afternoon, we headed to the Camp Winnebago rifle range—and it was a blast. After reviewing safety rules, we got to shoot .22 rifles at paper targets. It was a fun break from shelter building, and a lot of Scouts got their best groupings ever.
Then came the storm.
Out of nowhere, the sky turned dark, and we got hit with a surprise hailstorm. Everyone rushed to cover—either into their shelters or under nearby trees. After the storm passed, the temperature dropped fast, and by nightfall it was freezing and super windy.
After dinner, we had a short campfire with songs and a few quick skits before heading to bed. Most Scouts bailed on their shelters when the cold hit—but not Max K. He was the only one who slept in his shelter the entire night, through the cold and wind. Total Legend.
Sunday morning, we packed up, shared what we learned, and headed home. Even though it was just one night, this trip had it all—building skills, a hailstorm, target shooting, and some real Scout grit.
One of the toughest and most memorable campouts of the year.