Not snow, not cold, not even 50 mph winds could turn back Tim Grubham's hardy band of Venture scouts last month.

St. Maries Crew 42, an adventurous group of teenage boys and girls, trekked to Silver Mountain Resort in Kellogg on Feb. 11-12. Guided by ski patrollers, the outfit snowshoed off the east ridge, breaking trail through untrammeled powder.

Conditions took a turn for the worse. A brutal storm blasted North Idaho, and wind whipped across the mountainside. Working with shovels and hand saws, the crew carved out big blocks of snow, digging caves into 12-foot drifts. They burrowed inside the shelters, set up camp and prepared for a long, cold night.

Out on the mountain, the wind chill dropped to 45 degrees below zero.

"We woke up the next morning - the mouth of the caves we had dug had pretty much blown shut," Grubham, 42, recalled. "It was grueling."

The trip required a long list of outdoor skills - orienteering, winter travel, cave building, bad-weather camping - and a heavy dose of toughness, besides. But Venture Crew 42 lasted the night.

"And those kids, they were excited the next day," Grubham said. "They're pretty proud of that (trip). That's what it's all about: empowering those kids."

More adventure is on the horizon. This summer, Crew 42 plans to go hiking, camping, backpacking and whitewater rafting. They'll explore foaming rivers and wild, roadless country.

"It's a lot of fun, because it gets you out in the fresh air," said Nicole McKay, a 16-year-old Venture Crew member from St. Maries. "A lot of kids would just sit there with their XBox 360 and do nothing. We're staying active."

McKay joined the crew last August. She's one of 13 members, seven girls and six boys, all around high school age. Crew 42 is one of only two coed groups in the Inland Northwest.

"We all look out for each other," McKay said. "(Grubham) is a pretty neat guy. He's kind of like your dad out on the camping (trips). He encourages you to push your limits, and test your limits."

The Inland Northwest Council of the Boy Scouts of America took note of Grubham's leadership and volunteerism. On March 12 at the People to People Complex in Spokane, he received the prestigious Silver Beaver Award.

"The Silver Beaver is the highest award that a council can bestow on a volunteer," said District Director Chris Petersen. "He's been an outstanding scoutmaster down in St. Maries."

Grubham devotes much of his time to scouting, but his day job is at Stillwater Electric Inc. and Northwest GreenTech, the two companies he owns and operates. He lives near St. Maries with his wife, Carey, and their five children.

In 2002 Grubham became scoutmaster of St. Maries Troop 443, sponsored by the LDS Church. Largely because of Grubham's recruiting efforts, the troop grew into a good-sized outfit.

Two years ago, he worked out a sponsorship with the local Elks Lodge and became an adviser for Venture Crew 42. The group started with six members and soon doubled in size. Grubham's 16-year-old daughter, Camille, is already on the team, and another daughter, 14-year-old Madison, will be joining soon.

Venture programs are an offshoot of the BSA, but designed for older kids. Instead of merit badges and summer camps, the crews focus on outdoor excursions, community service and leadership lessons.

Crew 42, for example, went through a Venture Leadership Skills Course on Grubham's acreage. The youngsters participated in group activities, working together and building team unity.

"We learned how to be leaders," McKay recalled. "We learned how to lead in difficult situations. It teaches you to trust the others in your crew. That's one of the most important things: trust."

For Grubham, leadership duties extend beyond the Venture Crew - he's also part of the Old Missions District training committee. A couple of times each year, he teaches a class for rookie scoutmasters called Scout Leader Essentials.

"There's more to being a Scout leader than knowing how to pitch a tent," Grubham said.

As winter slowly melts into spring, the season of camping and hiking is fast approaching. In a few short weeks Venture Crew 42 will hit the trail, headed for the mountains. They might traipse the rugged peaks of the Mallard-Larkins wilderness; they might climb to a Forest Service lookout and enjoy the panoramic view.

"The wilderness is a great teacher," Petersen said. "It's a classroom in itself. It puts you all to the test."

Several volunteers from various districts were handed Silver Beavers earlier this month, but Grubham was the only scout leader from North Idaho.

Another honoree was Phil Ruff, longtime organizer of Boy Scout in the Silver Valley, who received the Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award. By way of national selection committee, Ruff was recognized for his outstanding work with rural programs.

"I never really considered that I would get (the Whitney Young)," Ruff said. "Fortunately I didn't have to make a speech."

The 78-year-old is an assistant district director and scoutmaster of Kellogg Troop 21, an outfit that's been sponsored by the local American Legion since 1919.

Ruff entered his first leadership position in 1968, and won his own Silver Beaver in 1982. The biggest challenge he faces as a rural Scout leader, he said, is "The continual need for leaders. Because if you don't have leaders, you don't have a program."

Hard-working BSA volunteers are invaluable, Petersen said.

"Volunteers like Phil and Tim keep the programs going. They're the lifeblood of scouting in those rural areas."