The Hawk Mountain trip started just like any other CAP activity: a convoy of cars, blaring music, blabbering cadets, and several stops where the Senior members look at the map and scratch their heads. We had four cars, only two of which had all-wheel drive. This posed a problem as the car I was riding in fish tailed up the mountain trail and could not make it up the final hill. So we had to take the back way, which would have taken only another thirty minutes if we had not gotten lost twice more.

But finally, only an hour and a half late, I was at the Hawk Mountain Winter School signing up for the basic squadron and full of excitement and anticipation. After an exasperating sign-in process where several staff cadets got rather frustrated with our late arrival, I was assigned to Charlie Squadron with three others from my home unit.

"Put your extended packs next to that vehicle and fall in," C/CMSgt Lawson commanded. Apparently, the opening formation, and therefore the entire day's training, was awaiting our arrival. We did as told and were soon standing at the end of an entire flight of cadets dressed in winter-weather gear. They mostly consisted of airmen, but there were a few sergeants and two officers, C/2nd Lt Adams from a nearby Squadron 203 and myself. "Forward, HARCH!" Lawson shouted and we all started marching. Not four or five steps later I slipped on a small patch of ice and fell flat on my back on top of a rock. Not the best way to begin an activity, and certainly not one of my favorites. A couple cadets behind me quickly helped me up and we kept marching, though my back sure was complaining about it.

Opening formation was like most others. The colors were posted and the school commander greeted us all warmly, despite the frigid environment. Shortly thereafter we were marching again to get our rucks and begin to hike. Needless to say, I was a bit more careful around the ice on the second time through.

Charlie Squadron was the only squadron in the entire school to only take day packs with them on the hike. Everyone else was commanded to take extended. I'm not sure if that made us the smarter ones or the weaker ones, but no one was complaining. Our staff divided us into three teams and we started on our hike. Team One, the team I was in, lead the pack while the rest followed as best they could.

The hike itself was not that bad, though it certainly would have been easier with a non-injured back. I can imagine it would be extremely difficult with an ill-packed ruck, however we only had our day gear so we were making very good time up the hill. Along the way the staff taught us how to count off marks, different map skills, and how to avoid the more difficult terrain. Through the course of the day's hike in Basic, we walked about three miles up very gentle slopes and along flat trails. Only one part of the hike was a bit challenging because it was a good deal steeper than the rest. However, it only lasted a few hundred feet and it was all downhill from there.

We arrived back at base camp, grabbed our extended gear, and made our way about 200 yards to our camp site. One team pitched tents while the other two gathered firewood for the night. Chief Lawson assigned four cadets, three of which were about my size (over six feet), to sleep in my two-man tent. When I questioned her decision, she assured me that we would all fit. I figured she knew best, and went back to pitching my tent. Afterwards we cooked dinner by the fire and ate to the sound of other cadets being talked to for not bringing anything hot to eat.

The evening was full of training about various SAR related topics such as search lines, winter bedding, and guarding. We kept fairly warm around the fire, but our inactivity made the cold a little sharper. We were also sitting on the ground for a while, which did not help us keep warm.

After classes and before bed was down time where everyone sat around the fire doing nothing and trying to keep warm. The guard shift was established and a few more trips to get firewood were made before bed. It took about twenty minutes to convince everyone that the four large cadets assigned to sleep in my tiny tent were not going to fit. Finally, they sent the fourth man to the third tent and we three remaining large cadets crammed in and fell asleep instantly out of utter exhaustion.

My tent's guard shift was at 0100. Nothing really exciting happened except for the cadet who's boots were frozen and he had to go to the bathroom. He ended up shuffling up the snow covered hill in a trash bag. When he got back, he sat by the fire warming his feet and complaining. Amazingly enough, the staff did not get irritated with him for continuing to whine about how he wanted to go home, although I had certainly had enough. At the end of our shift, I awoke Lieutenant Adams's tent and hurried off to my own to get warm once again.

Two hours later, nature woke me with a start. When I got back I found that my six foot and four tent mate was hanging out of the tent. Not wanting to wake him, I could not zip the tent completely shut because his feet were in the way. My nose was cold the rest of the night, though it wasn't as bad as I would have expected.

The next morning was full of yelling, packing, and more classes about carrying people on stretchers. Then we had closing formation and we were done. That was it, but it didn't feel like enough. Even with a hurt back for the entire weekend, it didn't seem challenging enough. After questioning a few of my Hawk-savvy squadron members, I realized that it was just that Basic is very easy.

So why go to the Basic school at all? Well, for several reasons.

First, you need to go to Basic before you can go to Advanced or Special Advanced, which are a lot more fun.

Second, it teaches you basic winter survival. It also teaches you what to pack and what not to pack. If you can't lug your pack up the shallow grade in Basic, then you sure shouldn't take it in Advanced.

Finally, it gets you familiar with the Hawk Mountain layout, things such as where base camp is, what Three Pipes looks like and so on.

All in all, it was a good time. It will certainly be a lot more fun in Advanced next year. If you are planning on attending Basic, follow these Super Secret Insider Tips before going (Most of which are mentioned in the Winter Hawk announcements that go out from PAWG! - Ed.):

1. Food.
   1. You need to bring at least two "hot" meals. Whether it be a can of soup or fruit to heat by the fire, or an MRE with a heater. If you don't, the staff will "talk" to you and will not let you sleep or do anything until you ask a team mate for a can of something to heat up.
   2. Don't bring two weeks worth of food. You will only be there for four meals, and chances are your appetite will be gone from all the hiking. I personally brought four MREs and was only able to eat one of them the whole weekend.
   3. Bring the right kinds of food. One cadet got the urge to bring delicious PB&J sandwiches. Another cadet asked for one, and when he got it, started clanging it against a tent pole. Both jelly and peanut butter are fluids and bread has a lot of water in it. Sandwiches WILL freeze shortly after you start on the hike if they didn't already. If you feel the urge, just remember, you may want to make reservations with your dentist before hand in case you break a tooth.
2. Pack wisely. If you don't need it, don't bring it. Seems pretty straight forward, but there were still cadets with 60 pound packs. Unlike ours, most squadrons will make you take your ruck with you on the hike, and 60 pounds will kill you. All you really need is a tent, a sleeping bag, a ground pad, food, a flashlight, a compass, drinking water, and that's pretty much it. Bring a couple extra socks so you can change them for Sunday, but you do not need a change of clothes (you are only there for a day and a half) and you will be wearing all your winter gear. Don't forget to bring gloves, though I would assume you would be wearing them when you get there.
3. Insulated boots. If you do not have insulated boots, you shouldn't go to Winter Hawk. Period. They do have some to lend out, but only a few pairs and they will probably not have your size. If they can't lend you a pair, they will send you home without thinking twice. Any insulated high-topped boots will do including hiking boots and hunting boots. They do not have to be combat boots as long as your feet are warm.
4. Dress in layers. Don't wear just your BDUs and a huge coat, dress in a couple layers. On the hike you will get very warm and will start shedding layers. Suggested layers: Polypropylene shirt, BDU blouse, Gore-Tex jacket. For most of the hike, I was carrying the jacket.
5. Water. You will be drinking a good amount of water, but don't go crazy. They say you should drink a couple of liters a day, but realistically you won't. I mean yes, you should drink whenever they tell you to or whenever you are thirsty, but you do not need to bring a couple gallons of water. I'm a "fairly" large person and I only went through about three-fourths of my camel back over the entire weekend.
6. Sleeping bag. If your sleeping bag isn't rated into the negatives, you should get a new one. It was zero degrees the night I was there. Now it isn't always that cold, but it could be and you need to be prepared.
7. Tent. Don't bring some huge 20 person tent that weighs 15-20 pounds and takes forever to set up. You are most likely going to have to haul that thing up and down the mountain, and that's an extra ten pounds that you don't need. You also might have to set up your tent at night, so simple is better.
8. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid to ask a cadet for help. Whether before Hawk to help you with packing, or at Hawk to help you with your tent, don't be afraid. Fellow cadets are there to help you. Also, don't be afraid to ask for help from Hawk Staff. They are there to teach you, and will be willing, if not eager, to help.

Again, the Basic isn't that bad. It is certainly full of good training for newer Cadets and it will prepare you for advanced and special advance, but it may feel kind of un-challenging and slightly boring. My advice: Clench your teeth and tough it out, knowing how cool your experience will be next time.