Crystal Hot Springs Campout

Every November our troop does a hot springs campout. Yeah, kind of crazy to go swimming in the winter when it's cold and dark (we either soak in the evening or first thing in the morning), but that's what makes it fun, right?

We've gone to Diamond Fork Hot Springs a few times, where you hike 2 miles to the springs to soak, then have to hike the 2 miles back. (we've done Diamond Fork a few other times, see Here, and Here)

Other years we've done Meadow Hot Springs, where it's more like a 1/4 mile hike to the springs from the parking lot.  It is also a natural hot springs - non-commercial.

This time we decided to go to a commercial hot springs where they have camping as well.  Crystal Hot Springs is great for scout troops, and they are full every November Friday Night (I guess other troops have the same November Hot Springs Campout tradition).

We set up camp and started a fire to get ready for tin foil dinners (yep, we changed the tradition we've had for ages of having beef stew and rolls for dinner).  Everyone liked it cause we had everyone make their own dinners - so they put in it what they would eat.

After dinner and setting up camp, we went to the springs and soaked & played for the next couple hours.  Crystal has two water slides that they run with warm-ish water.  The boys would rush up to do the slides a few times till they froze, then they'd get back in the hot tubs to soak and warm up.

Of course the scouts have to have competitions, right?  This time we challenged each other to who could hold their breath underwater the longest.  I thought I did pretty good with like a minute and 20 seconds, but one of the other leaders got over 2 minutes!  Luckily he wasn't a driver, so we didn't have to wonder if he fried too many brain cells to drive from starving them from oxygen.

Who's going to win?

Unfortunately photos don't turn out too well at the hot springs with all the steam - oh well.

We took a few younger scouts this time (just turned 12) and one of the issues we had was getting them to dress warmer around the camp!  I would think that logically you would put on clothes to keep warm, but some of them I guess didn't want to miss out on what was going around the campfire so they didn't change out of their wet swimming suit till everyone decided to go to bed!  They claimed they were warm, but they were sure huddling around the fire the whole time!  Oh well, they learn eventually, right?