Ten scouts and six adults of Boy Scout Troop 323 in Waterloo traveled to Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, N.M., over Christmas break. (submitted photo)

While friends and family enjoyed hot chocolate, candy canes and the warmth of a fireplace during Christmas break, 10 scouts and six adults braved the harsh Rocky Mountain winter.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 323 in Waterloo traveled to Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, N.M., from Dec. 26 through Jan. 2. In total, the group spent 24 hours traveling to and from the ranch via train, giving them seven days of hiking and camping.

“It was nice, because you could get up and move around, play games, take a nap,” troop leader John Durrer said of the train ride.

That served as about the only relaxing part of the trip, as the group would adjust to the physical complications that go along with high altitudes, among other challenges. Andrew Durrer, 18, another adult on the trip, said they camped at the base of Baldy Mountain at an 8,000-foot elevation.

Some scouts on the winter trip to the Rocky Mountains slept in a snow shelter known as a quinzhee. Pictured, from left, Alex Nobbe, Joe Busch and Andrew Durrer kick back and relax inside the makeshift shelter. (submitted photo)

“Altitude sickness is very common when you’re changing elevations by like 2,000 feet, especially on the first day,” he said. “Everyone was like ‘whew.’”

“We would try to run like 30 feet and were out of breath,” Joel Roth agreed.

Fortunately, the scouts said Seth Berenz was the only one to display physical signs of being sick and was able to recover from that without much trouble.

The scouts also experienced a lot of hiking. To get to base camp, everyone carried 40 pounds of gear for about a mile.

“It was water, clothing and backpacks and things, so that was pretty challenging,” Alex Nobbe said.

During the trip, each person in the group consumed between 4,500 and 6,000 calories of food per day.

Meals came pre-cooked and in Ziploc bags for scouts to heat up when they were ready to eat.

“It was all kosher, too,” Donovan Wallace chuckled.

John explained the food was kosher because scouts that came to the ranch before them had observed a religious holiday, and his troop was eating those leftovers.

For their sleeping arrangements, most of the group set up tents while five people settled for a makeshift snow shelter, known as a quinzhee. A quinzhee is made from piling a large amount of snow into a mound, then digging a hole into the mound to allow for access.

The scouts said building the quinzhee took the better part of a day. In addition, Anthony Irovic said the scouts shoved sticks into the mound to provide structural integrity.

“It was warmer than the tent,” Donovan said.

For recreation, the scouts went tubing, sledding, skiing, had a massive snowball fight and enjoyed the many perks the ranch offered. The scouts also earned their Snow Sports Merit Badge.

To earn the badge, the group hiked for two miles in snow shoes and learned about winter safety.

“We learned what it means if someone puts their skis in an ‘X,’” Anthony said while describing one of the safety lessons.

“It’s the universal sign for help,” the scouts elaborated in unison.

At the conclusion of the trip, everyone agreed they felt beyond satisfied with their experience.

Andrew added that not many people choose to go to Philmont for the Winter Adventure.

“It’s not quite as well known, so it’s cool that we got to do something that few people did,” he said.

“(The scouts) did fantastic,” John said. “It’s always good being out with the guys and seeing how they change from the first day of the trip to the last. It’s a massive change.”