Alaska Troop 42

I was watching Tougher in Alaska on the History Channel tonight. The show featured Troop 42 in Alaska (coincidence? I think not!). They were working on their 40 below badge and 100 below badge. For the 40 below badge they need to camp outside in 40 below weather. For the 100 below badge they need to camp outside in negative weather for however many consecutive days it takes to add up to 100 below. They build quinsies on the ice to sleep in. Before they go to bed they drink hot cocoa. There is 400 calories (per person) worth of butter melted in the the hot cocoa to give them calories to burn while they sleep. They also keep a pot with water cooking all night so they can drink water all night or they would dehydrate. They commented that because of how cold it is, there is a larger than normal amount of water leaving there bodies while breathing and sweating. I think they are pretty bad ass so I thought I would share the story.
Here is a link to the show if you want to see more.

Maah Daah Hey

I will be hiking the Maah Daah Hey Trail in the North Dakota Badlands. Me and a buddy from UND are going the week of the 4th of July. 90 miles in 8 days. You guys are welcome but I'll need a for sure very soon.

Alcohol Stove-2nd Attempt

I just made a successful alcohol stove. I used 2 aluminum can bottoms for the stove (1 Coors Light can for the top and 1 pop can for the bottom). I JB welded them together, and drilled 16-1/16" holes right under the angled part of the can. I also drilled one hole directly in the center of the top part of the stove (this is used for filling the stove). I cut a pot pie tin about a 1/4" from the bottom to put under the stove (this is used for priming the stove). I also cut a coffee can along the the first indent from the bottom as a wind guard. My pot is a sweet potato can filled with 2 1/4 cups of water.

I filled the pot with 2 1/4 cups water and after boiling I ended with 2 cups. I fill the dish part of the pop can twice with alcohol. I then dribbled a little alcohol in the pot pie tin. I lit the pot pie tin on fire. Let the stove warm up for about a minute and a half. Then set the sweet potato pot with water on the stove. The water was at a full boil in 7 minutes. The stove went out in about 8 1/4 minutes.

Stove is still warming up and starting to heat water.

Stove is heating at full capacity.

Water is boiling in 7 minutes.

Me very happy with my achievements.

My Bad Case of Hurt Toe...

... isn't actually hurt toe.  After an X-ray, I was diagnosed with a slight case of Broke Foot.  My sesamoid bone in my right foot is now in three pieces.  I was prescribed some anti-inflammatories, and was told to stay off it as much as possible

(A dramatization of my X-ray)

Alcohol Stove-1st Attempt

I made my first successful aluminum alcohol stove the other day. Supplies include: 2 bottoms of cans (1 Coors Light can bottom & 1 pop can bottom), 2 cans for wind guard, and 2 aluminum pot pie tins (1 for priming & 1 for boiling water). I used 3 caps full of alcohol and was able to get a small boil in 10 minutes. I got a rolling boil in 13 minutes and that is also when my stove burned out. I boiled 1 cup of water (which is what the pot pie tin will hold). Unfortunately, I lost about a quarter cup of water due to evaporation while heating the water. I have some work to do, but this is a good start.



In response to Grittsman's response, I am thinking a new location in MN is a good plan. A short time with Google search, I was able to find a couple new locations. Only one stood out though, and it was the Pow Wow trail in the BWCAW. It is a 27 mile loop. It looks like fun and we could hike it on a weekend trip.