Category Archives: High Adventure

Expect more

Posted on by • Posted in Backpacking, camp skills, Camping, canoe, Character, comments, High Adventure, Ideals, Leadership, Patrol Method, Risk Management • 6 Comments

It is amazing how themes run together and I think I have said it before on the blog about how a subject seems to maintain a solid thread in life for a time.  This week it seems that the subject of what we expect of our youth in so far as work ethic, values, and skills has taken up much of the conversation I have had electronically and with some friends.
Yesterday I received an email from a reader that challenged the idea that Scouts are not allowed to use liquid fuel, like white gas etc.  He made mention of my recent videos and said that I was irresponsible for encouraging our Scouts to use equipment that is “proven to be dangerous”.
So let me get that out-of-the-way first.  “Proven to be dangerous”… By who?
Reader, do you honestly think that REI and other fine outfitters would have the MSR Whisperlite, the Dragon Fly, the Soto Muka, and the Trangia stoves on their shelves if they were “Proven to be dangerous”?  Do you think for a minute that the Tooth of Time traders at Philmont SCOUT Ranch would sell the Whisperlite and Simmer light stoves as well as make available at the commissary Coleman White Gas.  And finally Reader… Do you own a Guide to Safe Scouting and have looked up the policy found in the Chemical Fuels and Equipment Document published by the Boy Scouts of America?
It seems that our Reader, based on his email, does not feel that Scouts are “Responsible” enough to handle liquid fuels.  He also feels that I act irresponsibly by taking the Scouts camping in the winter.  “I find it hard to believe you would risk injury of your Scouts in camping in temperatures below freezing.” he wrote.
Now, I really don’t want to offend any good Den Leaders out there, but this guy obviously has not moved on the Boy Scouts yet even though he signed his email “Scoutmaster”.
I am not going to address all of the “issues” he has with me and as he called it “My brand of Scouting”, but I do want to discuss this as a matter of course in the conversation of week regarding our youth.
I know exactly where this “Reader” is coming from.  He is of the class that believes that our young men (boys) are not capable of doing anything other than sitting in front of a TV watching Barney.
He is so afraid to let boys be boys that he is killing our young mens ability to function as men.  I am sure that knives are not allowed in his Troop and that the Mom’s do all the cooking.  He is of the mind-set that does not allow Scouts to build a signal tower and climb it.  Him and his fellow non believers in youngsters are the ones that keep a good and sturdy rope bring 18 inches off the ground and find the need to “spot” someone who is literally inches from doom.
He is the reason that Scouts are not supposed to camp with their patrols.. ohhhh… hear that sound.. that’s Green Bar Bill  rolling in his grave.  This reader is why we have Eagle Scouts that can’t tie Clove hitches and max the minimum when it comes to everything in Scouting.
They don’t believe that a Scout is able to do anything that he and his buddies set their minds to.  He has no sense of adventure and won’t let a young man push himself.  He is the reason that we expect less from our youth and as a result get less.
As you may be able to tell… this really chaps my butt.
Our young men can do anything.  They can use an ax, they can climb mountains, they can swim in open water, they can hike miles and miles and still have energy to sing and joke.  They can ride horses and slide down a zip line.  They can build fires and sleep under the stars.  They can ride their bike for a 100 miles and camp along the way.  They can scuba dive in the Florida Keys and canoe the Boundry waters.
But this guy won’t let them.  Why?  Because he does not believe in the power of a boy!
He Expects less and he gets less because he does not believe in them.
Expect more… get more!
Train ‘em, Trust ‘em, and Let ‘em lead!

Have a Great Scouting Day!

Whispering of the Pine

Posted on by • Posted in Backpacking, High Adventure, Philmont, Service, Values • 1 Comment

“Philmont does something to people—it is not something that can be put into words easily. Something ‘‘gets into your blood.’’ A love for the land, the atmosphere, the people—all these work together in you to make Philmont an experience that you can never forget. The base of that experience is the presence of God—an awareness that all we have and all we offer to others comes from God. The brotherhood that we share as God’s children and as Scouts brings us to a sense of peace, a feeling that in some strange way, everything is all right. In that sense, we can call Philmont a ‘‘Scouting Paradise,’’ a glimpse of that ‘‘Paradise’’ all of us are called to and will one day experience.”
This passage is taken from the Chaplains Aide booklet “Eagles Soaring High”.  It is the passage that leads to the Day 9 relection.  Since we were on a Short Trek, our Chaplains aid skipped around a bit, so that the reflections matched up with the places that we were on the trail.
The title of the relection is “Country that I love”.  So for those of you playing along at home.  The reflections center around the Philmont grace and the Philmont Hymn.
What I found impressive at Philmont was the never-ending use of the theme.  A love of Philmont.  It echoed in every part of the trek.  The Wilderness Pledge not only reinforced the ideas of Leave No Trace and Good Stewardship, but a willingness to protect Philmont.  The Tour of the Philmont Villa tells the story of Waite Phillips and his generosity to the Scouts.  It concludes with the question, although never spoken, but what will you leave behind?  How will your generosity manifest?  The Philmont grace reminds us of the good things that we have in life and that we need to be thankful for everything that has been given to us.  The conservation project leaves not only our mark on Philmont, but makes it better for Scouts that will one day pass on the trail that we lay before them, just as Scouts before us groomed the trail so that our Philmont experience was just that much better.  And the daily devotions led by the Chaplains Aide remind us as we sit among the Aspen and Purple Mountains that Philmont is greater than ourselves and truly is Scouting’s Paradise.
So when the passage tells us that “Philmont does something to people”… it certainly does.
I can honestly say that I have left Philmont, but Philmont has not left me.  Now it’s back to the daily grind and loving being back home with my family, but the Whispering of the pines still echo in my mind.
So what does Philmont do to people?  It changes them in many ways.  Some of the changes may not happen for a while, some came home different, but everyone changed.  They all tested themselves in one way or another.  They all found strength on the trail.  They all learned a skill or sharpened one.  They all found peace in the mountain.  They all had a great adventure.
Some fell in love with Philmont right away, while others took the whole trek, some are even still reflecting on how Philmont has made a change in their lives.  And yep, some still resist the whisper, but it’s there.
I am fortunate to have been able to go to Philmont, I am fortunate to be a Scoutmaster, and I am lucky to have walked the Country that I love.  Some of the Scouts find it hard to think beyond the next climb, they find it difficult to open their eyes and ears to what is around them.  The ‘coolest’ of Scouts will hear the whisper of the pines… it’s just a matter of time.  For the seven Scouts of 810-N2 and the other Advisor, I know we changed.  I find myself whistling the Philmont hymn and I catch myself singing ‘the Tooth of time’s been chewin’ on me’ as I go about my daily life.  I have relived the climb up to Shaefers peak and laugh to myself when I think about our Burro racing team at Harlan.  The walk in the rain from Ute Gulch into Cimarroncito and the bear sighting just outside of Hunting lodge all bring a smile to my face.  But I knew we had changed when I watched the crew as they sang the Philmont hymn at the closing campfire.  The mood was somber, but the look of satisfaction as they all sang together for the last time as a crew.  The next morning as they proudly wore their Arrowhead award, being marked among the Scouts that have completed a Philmont trek!  Yep, they changed. 
I look forward to watching these Scouts grow and take what they learned at Philmont and use it in life and in our Troop.  They are better people for the experience and I know that Philmont is a part of them.
If you have never been.. go… if you have been.. you know what I mean.
Have a Great Scouting Day!

The Mountain

Posted on by • Posted in Backpacking, High Adventure, Ideals, Just fun, Philmont, Values • 1 Comment

“Once in a while you find a place on earth that becomes your very own. A place undefined. Waiting for you to bring your color, your self. A place untouched, unspoiled, undeveloped. Raw, honest, and haunting. No one, nothing is telling you how to feel or who to be. Let the mountains have you for a day…”  Sundance

The night before we headed out into the back country of Philmont, we sat with our Ranger and talked about the trek.  She introduced us to Roses, Thorns, and Buds and we shared our expectations of the trek.  I feel that this was a great way to set the tone for the trek as it got our collective minds off the weight of our packs, the miles we would walk, and the challenges we would face.  What I really thought touched me the most was how the Scouts in our crew opened up.  Now, it is fair to say that for many of the members of our crew opening up may have meant that they had no idea what to expect and that they looked forward to having fun on the trail.  But none the less, it was in the context of a nice discussion about what they wanted from Philmont.
When it was my turn to share my thoughts on expectations, hopes, and desires for the trek, I shared a simple thought about hiking.  A while ago I either read or heard an old-time backpacker talk about hiking.  He said that when you hike or backpack, you are either hiking to something or away from something.  People hike for many reasons and deep in our hearts and minds there is a deeper purpose for why we put on a backpack and wander into the wilderness.  Sometimes, we are doing both, hiking to find something and hiking to get away from something.  That was my Philmont experience.
I was hiking to get away from the hustle of everything that the daily grind has to offer.  I was hiking away from stress and drama.  I was hiking to find me.  Now that is pretty deep, and in all honesty I don’t think that I ever really lost me, but deep inside I wanted to search for some parts of me that I thought were absent.  The wilderness of Philmont was my hope in finding an absent spiritual self, an absent happiness, and a test of my physical abilities to push myself with these young men.
On the second day of the trek we were backpacking from Anasazi to Dean Cow.  We woke up and broke camp, ate breakfast and hit the trail.  The route took us up and over a few canyons.  At one point we had been climbing for miles.  Our Ranger suggested to the crew leader that at the top of this next ridge would be a great place to stop and take a ‘packs off’ break.  So we continued to climb and reached the top of the ridge.  Jackie, our Ranger, asked that we all follow her out to this great vista.  It over looked the route that we had just traveled and the vast expanse of land looking into the North country of Philmont.  The sun was shining bright and the sky was clear.  We all took up places among the rocks on the bluff and Jackie began to talk about the Philmont Wilderness pledge.  During that discussion she also talked about Philmont and what it meant to her.  She shared her personal story about Philmont and to summarize, Philmont is a special place to her and is a part of her.  She warned that it would also become a part of us and we would all find a special place in our lives for Philmont.
Then she read a quote from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid;  ”One in a while you find a place on earth that becomes your very own.  A place undefined.  Waiting for you to bring your color, yourself.  A place untouched, unspoiled, undeveloped.  Raw, honest, and haunting.  No one, nothing is telling you how to feel or who to be.  Let the mountains have you for a day”  After she shared this quote with us she asked that we separate for 5 minutes.  Go to a place where we could not see or hear one another and think about what that meant to us.
After five minutes we returned and shared out thoughts on the quote.  It was then that I found what I was hiking for and Philmont took its place in my heart.  It was on that bluff that I saw the beauty of Philmont and would later see more.  It was at that moment that my Philmont experience started to really take shape.
At the opening camp fire and member of the Philmont Staff got up and talked about Philmont and asked that we try not to ‘define’ it.  I got it sitting on the bluff.  Philmont can’t be defined because it is something special, beautiful. majestic, challenging, breath-taking, fun, in many ways to everyone.  We all see it differently and as the week went on and we shared Roses and Thorns each night the Philmont story for crew 810-N2 took shape in each of us.  Each one of us had a shared experience and experienced individual triumphs, challenges, and emotions.  Each of us found something spiritual in the mountains, each of us found laughter and fellowship in the crew, each of us found a piece of ourselves that can never be found in the noise of the city.  Letting the Mountain have us for a day we found what we were hiking for.
For me and our crew it seemed that our Philmont trek was less about backpacking, but more about letting Philmont have us.  After day two on the trail I gave myself to the mountain and as a result the mountain gave back.
I think it is true that when you hike you are either hiking to or away from something, I am glad that I found what I was looking for at Philmont.
And yep.. I wanna go back to Philmont!

Silver on the sage,
Starlit skies above,
Aspen covered hills,
Country that I love.
Philmont Here’s thee,
Scouting Paradise,
Out in God’s country, tonight

Wind in whispering pines,
Eagles soaring high,
Purple mountains rise,
Against an azure sky.
Philmont here’s to the,
Scouting Paradise,
Out in God’s country Tonight.

Have a Great Scouting Day!

The ‘Camp’ Speech

Posted on by • Posted in Advancement, blog, Camping, High Adventure, Just fun, Summer Camp • 4 Comments

Last night at our Troop meeting I gave my annual Summer Camp talk with the Scouts.  This is never a popular talk with the parents because I kind of go against the grain when it comes to conventional wisdom regarding “Camp”.
The rub comes when I tell the Scouts that the number priority of Summer camp (aside from being safe) is to have as much fun as you possible can.  Do not worry about merit badges.  Take a few and have fun.
I harken back to my Scouting days and the memories I have of Summer camp.  1978 at Camp Freedom was the best time I can remember.  The fun we had purposely falling out of our canoes, shooting bows and arrows and never earning the merit badge, time spent with my best buddies swimming and goofing around at the water front.  Fishing at the lake, singing songs in the dinning hall and just having a great summer camp experience.  That’s what it is all about.
Taking away from camp a life time of memories is more valuable than any merit badge.  Parents often times view summer camp as an advancement opportunity, and it is certainly there for the taking, but cranking out merit badges without having fun is a waste of summer camp.
I encourage the Scouts to take a merit badge or two, participate fully in the evening programs, make new friends, and emerse themselves in the camp experience.
Our younger Scouts are heading off to camp this Sunday.  The older guys hit the Trail at Philmont next week.  Both of the trips offer great life time experiences that needs to be taken advantage of.  Getting wrapped up in what I get out of it by way of cloth is not the focus and when it becomes the sole purpose you miss out on the wonderful Scouting experiences that are part of camp!
Have a Great Scouting Day!

Over the Edge

Posted on by • Posted in blog, Climbing, Good Turn Daily, High Adventure, Just fun, Leadership • Leave a comment

Ok, so before everyone gets completely tired of hearing about the Over the Edge fund Raiser.. let me do one or two more posts on it and then we will call it good.
Yesterday I went over the edge for Scouting.  So far the Council has about 125,000 in donations for this single event, that’s an unofficial number.. I am just doing the math that 50 of us went over the edge, and to do that you had to raise at least $2500.  That’s a pretty good chunk of change for a quick fund-raising effort.  The nice part, in my opinion, is that we did it without a ton of hype and with the effort of just a few.
That said… it was a good fund-raiser and I am happy that there is a cool incentive for raising the money.
When I ’landed’ I was interviewed by some one with a camera looking very official.  He asked some questions about the event and what I felt about it.  I thought I might share some thoughts.
First.  As stated above, I think it was cool that relatively a few people raised this much money for our council.  50 people.  There were more people who participated in the fund-raiser, many Scouters made an attempt at getting to the edge, a lot came up short, but every penny counts.  Now just imagine if more people would have made the commitment to go over the edge.. We could have made a lot more for Scouting programs.  Just a thought.  I am taking a “that’s cool” approach to the few because I value their dedication to the effort.  I talked with one Edger.. he never thought that he would get to the Edge.  It was never his intent to go over the edge, he just wanted to raise some money for the council and call it good.  One thing led to another and here he was… getting in the harness to go over the edge.  So when I say 50, I am focusing only on the folks that went over the edge.
Now, for those folks to raise that kind of money a lot of people had to step up.  Each of those 50 people asked for donations.  That amounted to a large amount of participation from within the Scouting community as well as true friends of Scouts and Scouters.
I did a lot of “asking” via Twitter and got a great response.  Georgia, Maine, Canada, England, to name a few areas that responded, and from around my Council too.  Parents from my Jamboree Troop, Wood Badge Friends, Parents from my Troop all stepped up.  Leatherman’s headquarters is here in Portland and as luck would have it a Scout in my Troop has a Dad that works for Leatherman up in the big office.  Conversations leading to the Edge caught the attention of Jake Nichol the President and CEO of Leatherman.  He took interest in this effort and made a major contribution to my fund-raising goal.
Second.  Friends.  Yesterday was like many days at Scouting events.  Filled with laughter and friends.  Adam Cox and I were scheduled for 10:00 Am to go over the edge together.  But from the time I checked in to the time we drove away… it was friends all over the place.  I suppose that is the way it is everywhere in Scouting.  I saw so many Scouters that I had the pleasure of working with at Jamboree, Wood Badge, Order of the Arrow functions, Training classes and other Scouting Events.  The more active you are, the bigger your circle of friends is in Scouting.  I could not turn in any direction without seeing a friend.  And that made the whole event special.
Our Scout Executive went over the Edge right before Adam and I.  It was fun to joke around with him and encourage him all the way down.  He is an enthusiastic leader and sets a great example for not only his staff but Scouters in the Council also.
I was talking with my wife last night about how great it is to have so many great Scouting friends.  They are good people who really dedicate time and energy to Scouting.  And at the end of the day, when you look at the profile created by this great group of people.. it is all about serving others.  They all could have spent yesterday making money for themselves, or enjoying the time with their families or doing something other than being a part of this event.  But time and time again, we see the same folks, these same dedicated people giving of themselves to make Scouting better in our community, to make our council just that much stronger, to be among friends.
And finally, the event itself.  The fact that on Friday in June the Boy Scouts of America would be rappelling down the second tallest building in Portland.  Right in the heart of city.  The fact that all day long, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Scouters took turns going over the edge of the roof of the USBancorp Tower in view of the whole city.  That was cool.  It is no secret that the city of Portland does not maintain traditional values that are consistent with the Scout Oath and Law.  Why that is?  I don’t know.  It’s just the way it is.  But we have a very large Scouting community here.  There have now been two major events in the heart of Portland that I would never have thought I would see.  Hundreds of Scouts and Scouters marching in the Rose festival parade and this Over the Edge event.  I am glad that I have been able to not only see these events, but participate in them.  Maybe the more we put it out there.. the more the city will embrace Scouting and soon will take to our values.  That last one, I will wait for, it’s not going to happen any time soon.
But none of that will dampen the scouting spirit of those of us that love Scouting and are willing to put our bodies over the edge.
The Over the Edge event was very well-organized.  From the time we walked into the “Ready Room” the professionalism and enthusiasm was there.  The Council staff and the OTE staff were friendly and dedicated to making this the safest, funnest event ever.  And they did.  From the fitting of the harness and explanation of the process to the training on the roof and ultimately the hook up and decent from the top, the staff did a fantastic job.  At no time did I feel in danger, frightened, or uncomfortable about what I was doing.
It was great to go down the building with my friend Adam.  He had a bit of a challenge right at the edge, but it was great to see him conquer his fear and take the next step and go over.  We were talking on the roof that we were either Stupid or motivated.. or a bit of both.  But you know this is what it is.. we love Scouting!
Final thought.

If the Over the Edge comes to your council.  DO IT!.   We will be doing it again next year.  It’s a great way to raise some money for your council and a fun way to do it!  Sure beats selling popcorn.
Have a Great Scouting Day!

Backpack Cooking

Posted on by • Posted in Backpacking, blog, camp skills, Camping, camping. planning, Cooking, gear, High Adventure, Just fun, planning, Skills • 1 Comment

As most of you know I am Troop Guide for Wood Badge Course W1-492-11.  One of my Might Buffalo patrol members needed some help with his ticket.  One of his items is to introduce his Troop to the many different ways of preparing meals while camping.  So he called me up and asked if I could do a presentation on Backpack cooking.  Well, one thing led to another and we just could not get dates that worked for me, him, and his Troop.. So I thought.. the next best thing to being there is video.  So my son and I shot this video on Backpack cooking.  It was an excuse to get out a bunch of gear and a way that John could break in his new GoPro camera.
Hope you enjoy.. I did.. got to eat some good chow at the end!
Have a Great Scouting Day!

Methods – Outdoor Program

Posted on by • Posted in Backpacking, blog, camp skills, Camping, High Adventure, Methods, Patrol Method, Skills, Summer Camp • Leave a comment

A long time ago a Scouting mentor of mine told me that the secret to success in a Troop is PROGRAM, PROGRAM, PROGRAM.  When you have a strong program you have Scouts that stay in Scouting, you have good advancement, you have Trained leaders, you have active Scouts and Scout parents.  PROGRAM, PROGRAM, PROGRAM!
The outdoor program is Scouting’s classroom.  It is why Scouts join and stay in Scouting.  Without the outdoor experience it’s just another club.
Outdoor adventure is the promise that we make to these young men when they join Scouts.
Here is what the BSA’s website (Scouting.org) has to say about the outdoor program, I have highlighted a few key words in this excerpt from the site.
In the outdoors, boys have opportunities to acquire skills that make them more self-reliant. They can explore canoe and hiking trails and complete challenges they first thought were beyond their ability.  Attributes of good character become part of a boy as he learns to cooperate to meet outdoor challenges that may include extreme weather, difficult trails and portages, and dealing with nature’s unexpected circumstances.  Scouts plan and carry out activities with thoughtful guidance from their Scoutmaster and other adult leaders. Good youth leadership, communication, and teamwork enable them to achieve goals they have set for themselves, their patrol or squad, and their troop or team.
Learning by doing is a hallmark of outdoor education. Unit meetings offer information and knowledge used on outdoor adventures each month throughout the year.  A leader may describe and demonstrate a Scouting skill at a meeting, but the way Scouts truly learn outdoor skills is to do them themselves on a troop outing.
Scouting uses the patrol method to teach skills and values. Scouts elect their own patrol leader and they learn quickly that by working together and sharing duties, the patrol can accomplish far more than any of its members could do alone. The patrol succeeds when every member of the patrol succeeds and Scouts learn that good teamwork is the key to success.
Exercise and fitness are part of the outdoor experience. As Scouts hike, paddle, climb, bike, or ride, their muscles become toned and their aerobic capacity increases. When they work as a patrol to plan menus for their outings, they learn to purchase cost-effective ingredients to prepare flavorful and nutritious meals.
Service to others and good citizenship is learned through such outdoor activities as conservation projects, collecting food, building trails and shelters, and conducting community service projects that promote healthy living. Through helping other people, Scouts learn to appreciate how they can share themselves and their blessings to those in need. By giving service to benefit others, Scouts gain a sense of personal satisfaction.
Your outdoor program is essential to the success of your unit.  Getting the Scouts out side and active is the method in which it all comes together.
Lets talk a minute about types of activities… CAMPING!  I don’t care how you camp… camp!  Backpack, tail gate, sleep in cabins, whatever.. just get out and camp.  And when you camp.. make it for more than 1 night.  1 night is not enough to excercise the important parts of the Patrol method.  Camp!  Place NO RESTRICTIONS on camping or activities in your unit.  Sumer camps and National High Adventure bases place age and rank restrictions on certain activities.  These are in place to reduce lines, give older Scouts incentives, and maintain certain levels or risk management.  At the unit level as long as you have QUALIFIED  and WELL TRAINED Leadership… the sky is the limit.  Younger Scouts can do amazing things when you let them.  So take them climbing, Kyaking, swimming, rafting, canoeing, backpacking… The sky is the limit.
Never say no to your PLC!  Let them plan and carry out great outdoor adventures!
Last weekend our Troop did a 10 mile Backpack trip over 2 nights (2.5 days).  The whole Troop did the event.  We have 17 brand new Scouts in the Troop and for a few this was their first camp out.  We trained them to pack their packs and reduce their loads. We did a shake down before we left to ensure they were all prepared.. then we went.  On Saturday, we gave the first year Scouts the option to carry their packs or have them forwarded to the next camp location.  Most of them carried their packs.. and after many adjustments.. they all did very well.  The best part is they challenged themselves.  They pushed themselves and did their best.  I am proud of them.
This is the adventure that they joined the troop for.  Remember.. They joined Scouts.. we did not join them!  You have to deliver the promise!
PROGRAM, PROGRAM, PROGRAM!
The outdoor program is an essential part of the Scouting movement.  It is universal, it is the class room of Scouting, it is… The Promise of Scouting!
Pictured above are some of the Scouts that went on the backpack trip this last weekend.  Most of the Scouts pictured are in the new Scout Patrol.
Have a Great Scouting Day!

Going over the Edge!!

Posted on by • Posted in blog, fitness, gear, High Adventure, Ideals, Just fun, Leadership, podcast, Scouting, Values • 1 Comment

I NEED YOUR HELP!!
I do not want a penny from you for personal use.  I have never used this blog as a fundraising tool.. but the time is NOW to help Scouts and help me do something real cool.
Yes.. I will benefit from this in that I get to have an extremely cool adventure.
Let me break this down for you.  I am in the Cascade Pacific Council.  The CPC sits in the heart of a city (government) that has no values, no support of conservative efforts and, while the CPC is a large council with many youth and adult participants… the city in which it resides is not a big supporter of Scouting.  And that is one of the reasons this is so cool!
We are going over the edge of the US Bancorp Tower in downtown Portland.. there is NO WAY that the city will be able to not see this great event that supports Scouting!


I pledged to raise $2,500 ! Your support will help us impact young lives with values like… On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my Country.  These words have been the foundation of our organization since 1910 and reflect the values that are critical to the healthy development of our youth.  Your contribution is greatly appreciated.
You can help me rappel 500 feet down the US Bancorp tower and help Scouting!
Go to my site and see if you can help.  I really believe in Scouting and need your help.  And yep.. the mic will go with me down the tower.. the first ever Scouting podcast from 500 ft and dropping!
Here is a link to my site where you can make your tax deductible donation.. every penny helps:  http://cpcbsa.kintera.org/overtheedge/schleining
I know that most of you are Scouters and support your local council.  And I thank you.  $2,500 is not that much when we spread it out among the great readers and listeners of the Scoutmaster Minute.  Please Help!!!
This is the US Bancorp Tower in Downtown Portland.  Its the second tallest building in the city at 536 feet!

 

 

 

 
I really want to rappel down that 500 ft tower!
Thanks for anything you can do!
Have a Great Scouting Day!

C.O.P.E and Scouting

Posted on by • Posted in Advancement, blog, camp skills, High Adventure, Ideals, Just fun, Methods, Skills, stories, Summer Camp, teamwork, Values • Leave a comment

Spending time with your Scouts on C.O.P.E courses is a wonderful experience.  Scouts are challenged to step away from what they know is comfortable.  The team building exercises and challenging tasks push Scouts to push themselves, not only for the sake of pushing themselves, but for the sake of the team.  Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience courses test the Scouts to do their best.
The other thing that C.O.P.E teaches is the idea that Scouting is among other things a “Personal Experience”.  Now it is wrapped up within Patrols, Troops, and buddy teams, but at the end of the day, it is up to the Scout to demonstrate self-reliance and have an attitude that he is willing to accomplish any task that he gets the personal experience.  Our Method of Advancement is one way that is completely a personal experience in Scouting.
The Scout is responsible for his advancement.  If he wants to be an Eagle Scout, there is nothing in his way except for himself.  The requirements are clearly outlined in his handbook, he has the support of his Adult leadership, and he is driven to complete the task.  Advancement is up to him.  Not his buddies, his Scoutmaster, or parents.
The merit badge program is much like the advancement method in that it to is a personal experience for the Scout.  There are required merit badges, but by and large with the large amount of badges spanning every vocation, hobby, sports, and skills, the Scout can pick and choose what he likes, wants, and needs to move forward with his Scouting experience.
Last night I talked with many of the new parents about Summer camp.  They had questions about merit badges and what we expect the Scouts to do… more so… what merit badges I expect the Scouts to earn while at camp.  My answer was received better by some parents than others.  My answer was that it was up to the Scout on what he earns and how many merit badges he try to earn.  My expectation is that they have fun at Summer camp.  If that means 6 merit badges or no merit badges I am ok with that.  “But we are paying a lot of money for summer camp” a parent said… yes I understand that.  What do you think you are paying for?  In my opinion we pay for the personal and shared experiences that are found only at Summer camp.  Summer camp is a week-long C.O.P.E course.   There are challenges, skills, and tests all week.  How the Scouts handle those both as individuals and as a team determines the success of the week at camp.  Merit badges and how many the Troop can earn is not the measure of success.  In the end, not one merit badge will lead to a memory that they share.  I can tell you stories all day long about the summer camps that I attended from 1978 to 1984.  But I can only tell you 1 story about a merit badge, and it really had little to do with the badge, it had more to do with me falling asleep and getting lost while trying to earn it.  My expectation is that the Scouts have fun and build a catalog of memories.  I want them to have a great Personal Experience in Scouting.
Have a Great Scouting Day!

SMMPodcast # 103 – Talking with Bob

Posted on by • Posted in camp skills, camping. planning, Character, Cooking, gear, High Adventure, Jamboree, Journey to Excellence, Leadership, Order of the Arrow, Patrol Method, planning, podcast, stories, training, Webelos to Scout Transition • 2 Comments

In this show I have a lengthy chat with a fellow Scoutmaster and great Friend Bob Pierce.    Join us as we talk a little bit about everything.  Jamboree, Dutch oven cooking, Troop Guides, JLT, Anuual planning, Parents and Philmont just to cover some of the bases.  It’s what happens Scoutmasters get together and shoot the breeze.  The show was recorded on location at the Annual rendezvous of the Order of the Arrow at Camp Meriwether, so the crashing of waves and other camp sounds fill the background of this nice talk with my buddy Bob.
Hope you enjoy the show.
Please leave some feedback, drop us an email, or leave a comment in the comments section.  Thanks for listening.
Have a Great Scouting Day! 

Direct Download