Bringing a patrol to the Scouters’ Winter Campout for the first time? The weekend runs on patrol spirit, and a little preparation before you arrive makes all the difference. Here is what to sort out ahead of time so your patrol shows up ready for a fun Scouter training.
Start With This Year’s Theme
Every SWC is built around a theme, and it changes from one year to the next. Each theme is selected by the Scoutmaster. This year the theme is “Lead On! A Scouter’s Life for Me,” a pirate and adventure motif. The theme shapes nearly everything your patrol does over the weekend, so read it early and let it guide your ideas. Because the theme is different each year, treat the pirate examples below as a starting point rather than a fixed list. Get creative, keep it Scout-centric, Scout-friendly, and have fun.
Building Your Winter Campout Patrol
Your patrol needs a name, and playing off the theme is encouraged. Once you have the name, the rest of your winter campout patrol identity grows from it:
- Costumes that match your name and the theme
- A patrol flag that carries your name and a design tied to the theme (see guidelines in the Participant Packet)
- A totem, a small emblem your patrol shares throughout the weekend (see guidelines in the Participant Packet)
- A patrol cheer or call.
Setting Up Your Scouters’ Winter Campout Campsite
Your campsite adds to the experience and shapes the impression your patrol makes. Even before you enter camp, you can begin planning (and building) a couple projects. Pioneering projects are structures you lash together on site, such as a washing station, a raised table (or a themed build like a ship’s mast for a pirate year). Your gateway is the entrance to your campsite and often its centerpiece, and a pirate-themed patrol might shape theirs like the bow of a ship. As always, these projects are designed to encourage and reinforce Scoutcraft – use knots, techniques, and best practices from the Scout Handbook. This year (2027), the Scoutmaster is offering a Scoutmaster’s Award for a Pioneering Project. This is an award determined by the Scoutmaster and awarded to an individual patrol.
Bringing Your Winter Campout Patrol to Life on Saturday Night
Saturday evening is when patrols celebrate and share a meal together. Two things are worth preparing before the weekend. The first is table decorations for the Saturday night meal, dressed up to match your patrol and the theme. The second is optional but encouraged: a skit for the campfire program. Even though we’re all adults and leaders, remember to keep everything Scout-appropriate, and lean into the theme for your material. Again, refer to the Participant Packet for scoring guidelines on table decorations as these are one of the judged events.
What Your Winter Campout Patrol Should Pack
“There is no bad weather, only poor planning.” Winter camping is comfortable as long as you come prepared for the cold and conditions. Alongside the themed gear, make sure every member packs the essentials:
- Layers, including a base layer, an insulating mid layer, and a warm outer layer. Choose wool or synthetics and skip cotton.
- A sleeping bag rated below the expected overnight low, paired with an insulating sleeping pad.
- A warm hat, gloves, and several pairs of dry socks.
- Sturdy, waterproof boots.
- A headlamp, a water bottle, and any personal medications.
- Work gloves for the Saturday Good Turn service project.
- An insulated foam sit pad for the Saturday night campfire.
- Insulated coffee mugs to take warm coffee on the go.
- Umbrellas or other rain gear.
- Walking/Hiking sticks to get around camp safely.
- The Scout Basic Essentials + a Scout Handbook
- Hand warmers and a full change of dry clothes kept in a dry bag.
- Rainflys or tarps for rain/snow
- Camp kitchen supplies
- Zip ties (remember to “leave no trace”)
What Your Winter Campout Patrol Should NOT Pack
- Gas/Propane fueled heaters – these are deadly in spaces with limited ventilation
- Outside firewood
- Any items discouraged by the Guide to Safe Scouting – remember, we are all Scouts this weekend
- Alcoholic beverages, drugs, firearms, etc. (I probably don’t need to say this, but I’d rather say it than assume everyone knows it.)
One Last Word
If you sort these out ahead of time, your patrol arrives ready to camp instead of scrambling once you get there. Arrive prepared and willing to lean into the theme, and the rest of the weekend takes care of itself. If you have any questions at all, I encourage you to join the SWC Facebook community and post questions anytime. The community is engaging, responsive, and always ready to welcome a new leader!
Written by Mariana Wegener, SWC #59 Service Patrol Leader