Category Archives: High Adventure

New Tour and Activity Plan to Be Unveiled

Posted on by • Posted in Camping, camping. planning, comments, High Adventure, Journey to Excellence, planning, Risk Management, technology • Leave a comment

From our Friends at the BSA Internal Communications via Scout Wire:
Dateline February 29, 2012

The new online tour and activity plan has been developed and will soon be ready for use.

When compared to the former tour permit process, the new plan will no longer require signatures or approvals. Rather, as the plan is completed online, the required prerequisites for that type of trip or activity will be displayed.

For any prerequisites that have not been met (for example, not having someone on a trip who has Hazardous Weather training where this training is required), and before being allowed to submit the form, the person completing the form will have to certify that all prerequisites will be met prior to conducting the trip or activity. Once submitted, an email notification will be sent to your council, chartered organization, committee chair, unit leader, and emergency contact to let them know that a plan has been submitted. Receivers of this notification can log in to MyScouting and review the plan.

Other tour and activity plan enhancements include the following:

  • Because email notifications will be sent once a plan has been submitted, it is important to maintain current leadership information in the system.
  • Links are provided to current program-required training and education.
  • System prompts and warnings are included.
  • You will be able to review and fix any deficiencies flagged by the system prior to submitting the plan.
  • You can store, retrieve, copy, and reuse completed tour and activity plans.
  • Files such as trekking plans and flight plans may be uploaded.
  • Unit volunteers who currently have access to the tour and activity plan will be able to view and update all plans submitted for their unit up to the day before the scheduled tour date.
  • There will be leader certification of the plan prior to submission.

For those who do not have Internet access or simply prefer paper over an electronic version, a PDF version can be found on the tour and activity plan FAQ page.

Tour and Activity Plan Demo

Before implementation to unit volunteers, we are providing a demo to familiarize you and your employees with this new tool. The demo will be accessible to councils on MyBSA until April 30. You will have the ability to create, edit, copy, or print a plan, but not submit one. On May 1, the new tour and activity plan will be activated for authorized unit volunteers to access in MyScouting. We encourage your employees to show the demo to key volunteers, but due to the need to protect the personal information of the membership, this must be done via MyBSA.

The demo may be accessed online. When the MyBSA login screen appears, enter your current MyBSA user name and password. It will take you to the tour and activity plan home page, where you can begin and create a new plan.

A training video has been developed that guides you through the application process and can also be shared with your unit volunteers.

Devils Half Acre

Posted on by • Posted in High Adventure, Just fun, Leave no trace, Winter Camping • 2 Comments

Here is a short video of our Troops last adventure.  We loaded up and headed to the intersection of the Historic Barlow Trail and the PCT.  From there we packed up the Pulk Sleds and hiked down to Devils Half Acre and set up camp.  Saturday Morning we woke to fresh snow and lots of it.  We strapped on the snow shoes and took a nice day hike out to Grindstone camp ground.  Sunday Morning, we again woke to new fallen snow, ate breakfast, packed and hiked back to the trail head.  Then it was off to Joes Donuts, the last trip for the year to the donut shop.
The audio on the video got a little messed up, so after the music turn it up, then turn it back down when we start hiking out on Sunday..
Hope you enjoy the video.
Have a Great Scouting Day!

Winter Camping Leader Tool box

Posted on by • Posted in camp skills, Camping, camping. planning, High Adventure, Leadership, Winter Camping • 3 Comments

As we get into serious winter camping again for this season, we reinforce with our Youth leaders  and other adult leaders some of the principles that make for a successful outing.  In developing Youth leaders we put a lot on their shoulders and give them responsibilty.  When they accept that responsibility it is then that we hold them accountable for leading.  In doing this, they practice what they know, they show by their example that they can be trusted as a leader, and they Do the right thing.
Here is an outline of some of the Winter Leader skills training that we do within our Troop.

Winter Camping Leadership Tool box

Winter camping is like no other camping.  It requires skills, smarts, and the right attitude. It also requires strong leadership.  Leaders that accept responsibility and leaders that understand that the group comes before the individual.

Here are some items for a leader to have in his tool box for camping in the winter.

1.  The right attitude.  You must demonstrate a positive attitude in the winter.  The people following you depend on it.  As you go with you attitude, those that follow you will go.

2.  Be an example of right.  The leader must possess the skills and attitudes that make winter camping successful.  The leader must demonstrate those skills and teach others to use them.  The leader can not take short cuts and look the other way.  The leader must set an example by doing the right thing. 

3.  Skills.  There is a list of skills that make up a good winter camper.  Here are some that the leader must use and teach.
Gear- use the right gear and use it properly.  More importantly taking the right gear with you and packing it right.  Every item in the pack or SECURED to the out side and covered with a pack cover.
Staying dry. – Wet kills in the winter.
In camp routines.  Camp set up.
                           Getting in and out the tent without dragging snow in.
                           Storing gear.  Everything stays packed unless needed.
                           Gathering and “Making” water.
                           Gathering fire wood and making the fire.
Setting up camp.  Looking for best placement of tents/shelters.  No widow makers.  Building up snow walls.  Cooking areas.  Designated BIO area.
Anchoring of tents/shelters.
Morning routines.  Get up and cook right away.  Get things cleaned and stored.  Pack un used gear.  Hang anything that is damp to dry.
Cooking.  Have a plan. 
                Store food in bags in order they will be eaten.
                Repackage meals to reduce trash.
                Hot meals always
                3 good hot meals and lots of snacks.
                Hot beverages
                Clean up as you go and never leave dirty dishes laying around.
                Pack it all out.  Do not dump uneaten food in the snow. 
                Just because you can bury it does not mean it is right.
                Monitor water use and stay ahead. 
               Watch fuel consumption. No flame without a pot on it. NO empty pots.
               Don’t be lazy.  Cook and eat well.
Sleeping.  Dry equals warm.  Stay out of wind and wet and you will stay dry and warm.  Open your sleeping bag as soon as your tent is set up.  Get the loft going.  Make sure to have insulation under you.  Closed cell pads work great in the winter.  An extra blanket works too when used with a pad.  If nothing else your jacket should go between you and the pad or under your feet.
Your boots go in the tent and under your sleeping bag (foot end).  Do not wear anything wet to bed.  Change your socks and clothing before you go to bed if you are wet.  ALWAYS change your socks before you get in your sleeping bag.
Avoid condensation in your sleeping bag.  Wear a hat and keep your face out of the bag.  Short guys.  Fold unused portion of sleeping bag under you.
Take a trip to the pee tree before you go to bed.  Relieve yourself and then get comfortable.  You do not want to hold it till morning. You won’t sleep and you won’t stay warm.

4.  Be a Good example.  Yes, we say it twice.  This will get you farther as a leader than anything else in the cold weather.  If you do things right and maintain a positive attitude, those that follow you will to.

IMPORTANT.  Leaders are responsible.  You are the last ones in the sleeping bag after everyone is checked.  You are the last ones to eat or eat before the rest.  This way you can check, assist,and monitor the rest as they prepare and eat.
Leaders.  You are the key to success.  You have been given the responsibility to teach and coach.  Use it.

Build your tool box.  Fill it with those things that make you a great leader and you will be.  Collective knowledge and a willingness to learn, practice, and share is the success of all leaders.

Have a Great Scouting Day!

Video: Dead Horse Camp out

Posted on by • Posted in Backpacking, blog, camp skills, Camping, Cooking, gear, High Adventure, Just fun, Winter Camping • 2 Comments

Last weekend our Troop went caving up at the Dead Horse Cave.  We had a great time.  Here is a little video of mostly the adult Scouters of the Troop.  Sorry, it was way to dark in the cave to get real good video.
Enjoy!
Have a Great Scouting Day!

Skill and Gear

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

This last weekend our Scout Troop headed up to Trout Lake, Washington to venture into the longest Lave Tube cave in North America, called Dead Horse cave.  We tried to get up to the cave last year, but with record snow fall we could not get to the entrance.  So the PLC put it on the calender again for this year and in a month that the snow should not be that bad, if there at all.
The temps have been dropping and with the Dead Horse cave being pretty much at the base of Mt. Adams we kept an eye on the weather and told the PLC to be prepared for cold temps.  The 10 day forecast called for around 21*.  We conducted a shake down on Monday night before the trip and found that some of the guys were carrying too much and in appropriate gear for cold weather.
We pride ourselves on learning from mistakes, but more importantly being a self-proclaimed expert when it comes to cold weather camping.  I have spent a great deal of time teaching both the ASMs and the Scouts about cold weather camping, and so it troubles me when we teach and take great care in instructing the Scouts to be better prepared for their outdoor adventures and they choose not to listen or act on the instruction.  What I will tell you though is that with experience comes knowledge and we all learn from mistakes and our lack of preparedness.
So what I have summed up in our first cold weather experience for this year is simply its all about Skill and Gear.
Camping in the cold and extreme cold requires a different skill set than you typical 3 season adventure.  It requires thinking and constant awareness.  This raises a challenge when we are doing this with younger Scouts.  I am going to make a sweeping generalization, but the young Scouts do not always think before they act.  They take the path of least resistance, they make choices based on what seems to be fun and not what is right based on conditions.  For example, they see snow.  Snow equals snow balls and snow angels.  Fun, yes, but the right thing to do when you need to be able to sustain in the cold for three days, No.  So much of the skill we talk about with our young men is staying dry.  We stay dry with Skill and Gear.  Wearing clothing that will keep us dry and staying out of the snow.  Simple things like using your pack cover to kneel or sit on when setting up your tent or cooking rather than plopping down in the snow.  Or staying on the path rather than breaking trail if you don’t need to.
So we teach them before we head out and then stay on top of them during the trip and hope that it starts to sink in.
<START RANT>
ATTN:  SHOE COMPANIES.  I don’t care about fashion and style!  You have assisted in the creation of a generation that can not and will not tie their shoes.  I BLAME YOU for laziness.
<END RANT>
I can not tell you how many Scouts have trouble tying their shoes and keeping them tied.  This is a major issue in the cold.  This weekend I could not believe how many of the new Scouts would rather allow their boots to fill with snow than tie their boots up.  GEAR.  It is so important to keep your feet dry and warm.  A good pair of boots and a set of Gaiters is extremely important in keeping your feet and lower legs warm and dry.
Ok, so I can go on and on, the point here is that just like when you are building something, the right tools are required to do the job right, and with the right skill set and the right gear camping in the cold is fun and exciting.
It’s all about developing in these Scouts those skills.  There are Scouts today that are more than likely not happy with the way I assisted them this weekend.  I was nice, I am not a yeller, but because of the way that they have been taught to be lazy and have things done for them, they had a little more of me than they wanted.
PLAN OF ACTION.
Saturday night, the ASMs and I sat around the camp fire after the Scouts went to bed.  We talked about the challenges we had and how we were going to fix it.
First.  Gear.  We are putting together a list of recommended gear and must have gear.  We will distribute that list to the parents at a mandatory parent meeting.  It will be made clear that if a parent does not attend the Scout will not camp with us in the winter.  That simple.
At that meeting we are going to show the parents what kind of gear we want to see the Scouts have.  We are offering solutions for the lack of gear that some of the Scouts have.  Between myself and the other Assistant Scoutmasters we have a lot of gear.  We are all willing to loan gear until the Scout can get his own.  We want ever Scout to have this experience, but we can not have a Scouts go unprepared.
Prepared for cold weather camping requires the right Skill and the right Gear.  I can not make exceptions when it comes to the safety of our Scouts.
Second part of the plan is to change the shake down plan.  We currently do them the meeting before the camp out.  We talked with the PLC and we are going to start doing the night of the camp out.  We will not leave the meeting hall till the gear is right.  A parent will have to stick around to either make adjustments or take the Scout home when he does not meet the conditions for the camp out.
The Scout will not go with us if he is not prepared.
And finally.  We will make sure that our older Scouts are prepared and able to assist with the training.  Our troop has become every young in the last year, with as many new Scouts as we have brought in there is a need to go back and retrain everyone and ensure that we all are on the same page when it comes these skills.  In the long run we will have a better trained and ready group on our next winter adventures… which by the way is in January.  So the time line is short and the urgency of matter is there.  We start tonight.
Skills and Gear equal success in the winter.
Have a Great Scouting Day!

Are You a gram weenie?

Posted on by • Posted in Backpacking, camp skills, gear, High Adventure, Just fun, planning, podcast, Scouting, Skills • Leave a comment

The SMMPodcast show #95 is now available for your listening pleasure… well for those of you that still enjoy the sound of my Scouter voice.
In this show I talk about shaving weight and reducing volume in your backpack.  Take a listen to the show and let me know what you think.
As I recorded the show it became very obvious to me that this content would be better communicated in a video.   So I am going to record a video around mid November and get it posted here.
In the video I want to show you some of the tips and tricks that I use to reduce weight and volume in my pack.  It may not be the item itself.. but how it is configured and set up that reduces the weight and volume.
Again, let me know what you think about the show and now would be a great time to get questions in to answered in the video.

Thanks for all your support and listenership!

LISTEN TO THE SHOW

Have a Great Scouting Day!

The Light at the end of the Tunnel

Posted on by • Posted in Advancement, Backpacking, blog, Camping, camping. planning, High Adventure, Journey to Excellence, Leadership, Patrol Method, planning, Skills, training • Leave a comment

Tonight, under the leadership of the new SPL and a handful of Patrol Leaders and interested Scouts, the Troop finalized its Annual Plan.  This years planning seemed to take a bit longer, but looking back at the last few years, the goal has always been to get it completed by the end of September.  The Committee chair sat in on this years plan, she gave the boys the nod at the end of the plan suggesting that it was all “doable”.  As I guided the new SPL through the process, it became obvious that he is in need of more training.. and that’s a good thing, he is ready, but him and I will be spending some quality time together developing leadership skills.
Having said that the plan is outstanding!  I am really happy with it and look forward to one heck of a year of adventurous Scouting!
Caving at Dead Horse cave, backpacking a section of the new Oregon Coast trail, a kayak float down the McKenzie river, making Pulk sleds and snowshoeing a section of the Historic Barlow trail, a sweet backpack trip up to Table Mountain in the Gorge just to name a few of the trips planned.  By the end of the session the Scouts were on 9 foot hover and ready for the coming year.  It was all I could do to keep them from not getting to deep into the weeds, but the excitement was clear.
We talked a little about our Journey to Excellence and what elements they would be helping with.  Recruiting and retention will not be an issue.  We have put 2 new Scouts in during September and 6 more will be crossing over in November.  This on top of the group that will be crossing in February and March.  We plan on dropping some Scouts that have decided to remain inactive, and we will be moving two young men into Assistant Scoutmaster positions as they are about to turn 18.  I am glad that they are not taking their Eagle and running.
So now its up to the Scouts to work toward their next rank and keep camping.  This will be a great year of Scouting.
With the trip to Philmont just around the corner and all the new Scouts in the Troop, the buzz is contagious, you can feel it in the room.  We have 41 Scouts on the “active” roster and growing.
I suppose tonight the SPL and his PLC saw a light at the end of the planning tunnel.  When they got the idea that what they were producing was going to a fantastic year of Scouting it became less a chore and more like seeing the camp ground after a long day on the trail.
I am real proud of those guys, they put in the work and are seeing the results of their dedication and persistance.
I am sure we will be talking a lot more about this in the coming months.

Have a Great Scouting Day!

Challenge

Posted on by • Posted in blog, camping. planning, canoe, Character, High Adventure, Scout, teamwork • 1 Comment

This past weekend our Troops plan was to float a portion of the Deschutes River in Central Oregon.  We all knew going into this activity that there was risk as well as the opportunity to challenge our selves.  What we could never plan for was how well the Scouts did in the adventure leading to the adventure.
The Big River Campground is three and half hours away from our meeting hall, so we left a little earlier than we typically do to give us time in the day light to set up camp and relax for the night.
An hour out of town one of the cars in the convey starts “acting up”, so we pulled over, checked out and pushed on.  Two hours into the trip that same car came to its final leg in a town called Madras.  The car was finished, could not move.  So we parked it and started planning on first how to recover the car and then second how to keep moving to camp.  We decided to leave the car where it sat, right behind the Sonic.  The owner was kind enough to let us keep it there.  The next part was a bit more of a challenge.  We had to transport 4 Scouts and a Driver to Sunriver… another hour and half.
We squeezed one more small Scout into a seat belt and left the remainder at the Sonic with the driver.  The rest of the Troop moved on to the campground.
On the return to the Sonic from the campground one of the ASMs that was the shuttle car struck a deer on the highway.  The deer was extremely hurt and so a call to 911 sent the State Police to the scene.  They took car of the deer filled a report and the ASM was on his way back to Madras.  Not a scratch on his car.
They loaded up the car and turned around heading to camp.  By the time they arrived in camp it was 3 AM.
So where are the Scouts during all of this… well most of them do what all Scouts do when they get in the car… sleep.  But what was surprising was the first year Scouts that proved that they wanted to be helpful.  They volunteered to stay back.  They helped unload, move and reload gear, they seemed to be everywhere doing everything.  Hats off to them.
The adventure on the water was amazing.  We floated the river returning back to camp around 6:30 PM.  Needless to say spending a day on the river, a lot of the boys having a limited amount of sleep made for a real quiet night in camp on Saturday.
On the way home we rearranged all the kayaks and stopped into Madras to get the broken down car.  We got it into the boat trailer, again the Scouts of the Troop giving 100% in chipping in to help as went and got the Troop Cheese Burgers and Fries.
We ate and returned home.  Stories to tell and adventure had by all.
That’s what its all about.

Have a Great Scouting Day!

I got that Scouting Spirit up in my…

Posted on by • Posted in blog, Camping, Character, High Adventure, Ideals, Just fun, Scouts, stories, Summer Camp • Leave a comment

I spent the better part of the weekend at Camp Pioneer.  This weekend, among other things, the camp celebrated its 75th Anniversary.  I received an invitation along with other Scoutmasters and folks throughout the Council, so I RSVP’d and attended.  It was extra special as my oldest son is on Staff at Camp Pioneer this year, so it was an opportunity to see him.  My Troop is heading up to Pioneer in a week, so it was also a real good chance to pick up some Blue cards, look at the program areas and just hang out in my favorite camp our Council has.
Friday night was the celebration for the Anniversary.  They had a special dinner and then a program in the Dinning Hall.  A slide show of the history of the camp and some “Then and Now” pictures.  The 1974 Aquatics staff was there.. all of them.  It was neat to hear their stories and meet them.  They have all gone on to do good things with their lives and to hear them speak about the camp with such fondness really hit me.
Their collective love for this camp brought them back, not only as youth, (many had staffed at the camp for up to 7 years), but now to be a part of the 75th Anniversary.  What really touched me was the strong tradition that they embodied.  This was particularly special to see and as I watched today’s staff interact with them I saw light bulbs flash on.  I saw the passing of the torch. 
I brought our son home for the night and as we drove the 128 miles we talked about this tradition at Camp Pioneer.  He said that up until he talked and heard the 1974 staff share their stories he did not understand where some of the stuff they did came from.  Songs that are sung, ways that programs are introduced, skits, and camp traditions.  It made the camp come alive for all us that love Camp Pioneer.
I have always loved Camp Pioneer and this weekend really increased that love.  Yesterday before I left camp I sat and looked over the spectacular view.  The lake and the over looking Mt. Jefferson called me.  As I sat in the Chapel bowl I could hear the staff wrapping up the end of the week’s session with the Camp Song.
Camp Pioneer we’re loyal to your code, Together we will hike the eagle road, We love your lofty pines and lake so blue, Camp Pioneer our memories always turn to you, In love and friendship we will work and play, A helping hand to each upon his way, And may our faces shine, And spirits intertwine, Camp Pioneer, that’s why we’re here, Camp Pioneer.
Hip Hip Hooray, Hip Hip Hooray, Hooray, Hip Hip!!
It brought a smile to my face remembering the 1974 staff singing the song on Friday night along side the current staff.
Then as we walked out to the parking lot after dropping John off to head home the sound of Pioneer Vespers rang in my head.  I could not help but feel that Scouting traditions are alive and well and summer camp is that place that really brings it out in all of us.
When this land was untamed and free, A few brave men built a great country, Fighting for freedom, Despite their fears, We know these men as Pioneers,
High in the mountains where the green meets blue, Camp Pioneer’s calling you.
Here in the Cascades, the spirit lives on, A brotherhood of love, our voices in song, Learning to be leaders, For Future years, We shall be known as the new Pioneers,
High in the mountains where the green meets blue, Camp Pioneer’s calling you. Camp Pioneer is calling you.”

Have a Great Scouting Day!