Re: 50 Miler Requirements

Hello All,

Our troop has just completed our first (in many years) 50 Miler backpacking
trip in the High Peaks of the Adirondacks. The PLC decided last summer that
they wanted to work on Hiking and Backpacking MBs. They worked their way up
to this gradually in our regular troop campout program, starting with 5
mile hikes to a long of 16.5 miles, and backpacking up to 12.5 miles in a
day. This not only conditioned them physically, but mentally as well in
building their self-confidence. Although the troop has not within
institutional memory been anything but a carry-it-all-on-your-back unit,
most of the program this last year was designed to prepare for the long
trip.

We split our troop into two crews, partly because NY requires a maximum
group size of 12, and partly because of the physical ability differences
between 12 year-old scouts and 14+ year-old scouts. We designed the trek
for the older crew to be over 50 miles to begin with, had more stringent
physical requirements prior to the departure(although the most of the guys
self-selected the appropriate crew) and laid out more difficult climbs. The
younger guys started out with a 35 mile trek planned, but with options
along the way to increase the milage if they decided to do so as a crew.
They did! Over 8 days they completed 50 miles, 4 peaks over 4000 feet, and
surprised not only the adult leaders, but themselves as well. On the last
day most of them were really pumped, although they may not have had much
left in them beyond that.

We required that scouts be a minimum of 12 years of age, First Class rank
and hold First Aid MB. We held two 15 mile backpacking trips (one Fall, one
Spring) as MB requirement/ shakedown trips one of which was manditory for
the trek. Physical requirments were to hike 3 miles on a flat course with a
40 pound pack in 45-50 minutes for the older crew, and in about an hour for
the younger crew.

The bottom line is that I don't think that a younger crew should plan to do
a 50 Miler from the start, but if they decide to raise their sights as they
go they should be allowed to do so. Now the problem seems to be what do
you do for an encore now that you have seven 12 year-olds with a 50 Miler
under their belts?

Earl Lawrence
ASM Troop 115
Lakewood, Ohio

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