ADK (Adirondacks) January 19 - 21, 2008 Lake Placid, NY A handful of seasoned, adventurous scouts challenged the frigid climate and enrolled in an overnight camping trip in Lake Placid, New York.  Their mission was to hike four miles to the camping ground, spend the night there, then continue hiking to Indian Pass, turn around, and return to the parking lot.  The concept of extreme winter camping is simple, defeat the cold, or it will defeat you.  The next thirty-six hours would be a constant battle between each Scout and a relentless foe, the weather.  The worst enemy is perspiration. When one sweats, it freezes, which in turn freezes the individual.  Body temperature is one of the many concerns during a cold weather camping trip.  After some last minute equipment checks, the fight began, as the scouts started hiking.  Throughout the day, it snowed in spurts.  During the night, the temperature dropped to negative fifteen degrees.  And at eight the next morning, it was still negative five. Avoiding frostbite was tricky, since they not only had to keep moving, but also cook breakfast.  After breakfast, they completed the preplanned hike.  Since the entire hike was below the tree line, as opposed to hiking a mountain above the tree line, there weren't many spectacular views.  There was one exception, however, that overlooked a frozen lake.  They learned that if you are looking for views, hiking up a mountain is the best option. Domenic Casinelli Troop Scribe