Spearhead Revealed!

by Bert S

On February 9, 2001, Venture Crew 19 departed for Spearhead Base at Tomahawk Scout Reservation in Wisconsin. The trip started with an eight hour ride in the van to Rice Lake, where we arrived at Tomahawk Reservation. After a brief introduction to winter camping by our guide, we received the gear we’d need the next day for our adventure. The base provided everyone with a sleeping bag, mattress, socks, pants, boots, a small water bottle, gaiters, and gloves; just about everything that we’d need to spend 36 hours in the north woods.

Saturday morning, we woke up early and ate breakfast in the lodge, packed our backpacks and the sled we’d be towing behind us, strapped on our skis, and departed for our home away from home. After a 2 mile trek through beautiful snow-covered pines, we arrived at our campsite. Upon arriving, we got out our shovels and began piling snow for the quinzees, or snow caves, that we were going to sleep in. We finished piling the snow (12 feet across by 8 feet high!) around lunch time, so we ate lunch, then took off for a four hour tour of the area on skis. While we skied around the camp, the snow mounds were supposed to be settling and hardening so we could hollow them out when we got home.

4 hours later, we got back to camp and began the task of hollowing out the shelters. After about an hour or so, the adults (Fred, Rick, and Amy) were nearly finished with their shelter. However, while Rick was inside putting the finishing touches on the floor, the roof caved in on him, ruining what had been a picture perfect quinzee. About 15 minutes later, I was halfway through our shelter when I heard a crack and was enveloped in snow. The second quinzee had collapsed. The third and final hut stayed up, thankfully, and most of the boys spent the night inside that, away from the cold. Tom Wallace and I, however, spent the night in the half-collapsed shell of our quinzee. Temperatures fell to 20 below zero that night, and we all woke up craving something hot to eat and drink.

After eating breakfast, we packed up our gear and headed back to camp. At camp we were greeted by the staff people and a building with heat inside it. We left that afternoon for Bloomington with wonderful memories of an incredible trip.

Quotes from the boys:
“20 below is cold.” “I never appreciated hot water so much.”
“Anything warm,” in response to “what was the best meal.”
“A few days of therapy and I’ll get over it.”
Scariest words: “I want to lie down in the snow.”
“Would I do it again? Heck yes!”