Skiing at WinterPLace, WV

Waivers

1. If you and/or your scout are renting ski equipment: Ski Rental Waiver. Please complete a separate waiver for each person renting equipment.

2. Lodging wiaver for Summit Bechtel: Lodging Waiver.  All trip participants must complete this waiver.

About the trip

We will be traveling to Winter Place West Virginia for two days of skiing and winter fun and staying at Summit Bechtel Scout Reserve, home of the Scouting America National Jamboree each summer.

Transportation

We will leave Friday night to drive around 7 hours to Summit Bechtel where we will be staying in camp bunkhouses.  Please eat dinner prior to arrival at OGUMC.  Transportation between Summit Bechtel and Winter Place will be provided by the charter bus as will the trip home.

Programming

After breakfast on Saturday we will all travel to the ski resort, check in to receive our lift tickets and acquire any rental equipment (boots, skis and poles).  Rental equipment will be return at the end of your ski day on Sunday.  Once rental equipment has been collected, we will break into Ski Pods and hit the mountain.  Ski Pods will be based on skiing experience, skill and interest in trying more difficult terrain.

Beginner skiers will have a mandatory lesson provided on Saturday prior to hitting the slopes with their Pod.

Snow tubing is also available at the mountain for an additional fee.

Meals

Breakfast and Dinner on Saturday and Sunday and breakfast on Monday will be served at Summit-Bechtel in the Dining Hall.  Lunches on Sat and Sunday will be available at the ski resort with included meal vouchers.

Packing list

• Participants should plan for clothes and gear in 3 bags

Bag #1: Bag with gear for inside cave (see below list, "Required items for caving")

Bag #2: Garbage bag with clothes for when out of cave. This bag will be in vehicle and needs to be accessible when you exit the cave. After changing put dirty clothes in garbage bag and a label on it with your name.

Bag #3: Clothes and gear for at the campsite  (see the standard packing list and the cold weather packing list. It will get cold!! 

• On Friday, while at your home, pack your Saturday lunch and snacks. (Saturday lunches are not provided or part of the cost of the campout)

• Money for lunch stop on Sunday return

• Review below for additional packing requirements

Notes about cold weather camping

Your Scout should be responsible for what he packs, as that is how he will learn to be prepared for future campouts  . . . . but with very cold temperatures and precipitation and wind in the forecast, we need parents to look over their shoulders and ask some (or many?) questions (rhetorical if you can so they continue to make the decisions, but drive it to the right conclusion). We won’t have enough backup warm gear if your Scouts doesn't have what he needs so scrutinize WHAT he has and reinforce WHEN he will wear it.

Your Scout will be more comfortable if he . . . .

• changes out of clothes he wore during the day and into clean and dry clothes before he gets in his sleeping bag. This is a MUST! Many Scouts don’t want to change clothes because it is cold in the tent or because a tentmate might come in the tent. There are individual bathrooms at our campsite for him to change if he would prefer. Please reinforce that he needs to change into new clothes Friday night and Saturday night before going to bed. There are showers if he wants to shower after caving (recommended!)

• sleep on a good sleeping pad. If your Scout sleeps without one, he will be cold as his body is in close contact with the cold ground. If you need a sleeping pad, let us know. There are a couple in Scout Hall you can have or borrow. 

• have the warmest sleeping bag you own. 

• have a sleeping bag liner, which can warm you up by another 10+ degrees, depending on what it is. Here is an example of one I have. Sending an extra blanket would be a cheaper way. 

• wear these (clean and dry) clothes in their sleeping bag . . . . 

  •  long underwear . . . . (two layers is better than one)

  • a hat (very, very important)

  • gloves (personal preference. . .  lightweight fleece are good)

• fill a Nalgene bottle with HOT water and put it in his sleeping bag. If he brings a Nalgene (must be a Nalgene to take the heat), we can do this for Saturday night. The lid will have to be screwed on tight and stay closed (we will verify after filling it).

• use the bathroom before going to bed

• have a healthy, non-sugary snack before going to bed

Finally, please ensure he has the needed gear and clothing and organize his gear as we have listed it on the website so your Scout has what he needs. All of those things for in the cave are very important to remember. Because it will be cold, he will want to get changed efficiently so having exactly what he needs when he needs it is important. 

When to wear class A uniform

Scouts and adult leaders will wear Class A shirts at the following times:

• We always travel in uniform to and from the campout

• For Scouts Own Service

Medication 

If your scout will take medications during the weekend, please have your Scout turn it over to the medical officer when arriving for departure at OGUMC. 

• • • Complete this Medication Administration Form

    • NO prescription, over the counter medicine, vitamins or herbal supplements are permitted in a scout’s gear.

    • The Scout’s medication, along with the completed form should be placed in a Ziplock bag.

    • Medications MUST BE in their ORIGINAL containers.  We will be unable to accept anything without the original container. 

    • Please label the Ziplock bag with your Scout’s name.

    • Emergency medications such as Epi-pen and albuterol inhalers should be kept with the Scout at all times!!!!!

MEALS

• Everyone should bring from home a bagged packed lunch to eat inside the cave on Saturday

• Meal plan is TBD. Previous caving trip, was Grubmaster budget is $15/person. Patrols prepare Saturday breakfast and dinner, and Sunday breakfast. Adults will plan/cook as a patrol and use this same budget for their meals.

• All patrols are expected to put together menus that are enjoyable, healthy, and that use their cooking skills.

Skiing Groups

Lodging

We will be staying in bnkhouses at Summit-Bechtel that accomodate 6.  Scouts are to coordinate lodging with other Scout(s) on their own. Only Diamond patrol needs to communicate their arrangements to the Scoutmaster.

KEY CONTACTS

• Senior Patrol Leader - Jackson Wade - 

• Trip Planner - Genie Iredale - 

  • Trip Leader - Wes Brewer

• Scoutmaster - Paul Mooring 

Hospital

Winterplace Ski Resort has Ski Patrol first responders and medical staff onsite.

Beckley ARH Hospital: Emergency Room

 (22 minutes from the ski resort and 19 minutes from Summit Bechtel)

306 Stanaford Rd, Beckley, WV 25801

304-255-3304

https://maps.app.goo.gl/oWLzUDFDg9c8PyLc9