johnmbowen

HI Seattle and Bill Yes we have tended to pick a type of outing, then plan where to go with it. In the summer, which I am now limited to by jobs, we tend to concentrate on rafting, climbing, backpacking and caving. The challenge is finding new places to practice these, and we seem to have only scrached the surface in the 10 years of doing this stuff. I've been interested in learning canyoneering as well, which might be an easy sell as a type to the kids. It seems to combine climbing, caving and water skills. Here in WY there is just too much to choose from. One thing that I woul

Well said Cliff! The adult positions are really teaching positions in the Troop or Crew. One continually has to re-teach the lessons of logistics, planning and making things happen to new youngsters when inevitable breaks in the youth leadership occur. One of the things that I've noted is that many kids when asked to sit down and plan some adventures is that they don't even have a good idea about what to do! It is the lack of experiencing a wide variety of adventures that limits their imaginations. So our role often has to be to teach, talk up, and help them set up as wide a variety

Just got your post, and am still somewhat stunned that more groups don't go off on their own. Still some of these camps do offer some group participation in setting up their own backpacks and trips. I did notice that the Log Cabin Camp did actually offer Peak Bagging which was one of my suggestions. I would like to suggest a similar alternative that might be of interest. See http://www.hpoiadventure.com/scoutprograms.html which has a few programs that offer groups technical skills and will help the group to later finish their trip with a neat trip on their own. JB

Hi folks Taught my 4th, but the first for a BSA audience in OK. I have updated my course (it is based on the wimpy Transylvania Chapter outline) with content from our course we teach in Albany Co. WY which is based on 10 years experience and NOLS. My sentiments exactly for WFA and Scouts. At present most all Scouts and Scouters in the wilderness are an accident waiting to happen. Little first aid and little outdoors knowledge and lots of ambition will lead to problems. My group will be teaching WFA March 13 or thereabouts in Laramie, WY. Email me back if you are interested.

It was either March or May...they are going to draw a picture. I don't get the magazine and so I hope they send me a copy. JB

In the past, our Troop specialized in snow caves and shelters. The best cave: Cut back a snow bank saving some snow blocks. The snow should be relatively consolidated for safety. Dig out a T shaped entrance. The T shape includes the entrance (the vertical part) and the cross piece starts the snow shelves that you will eventually sleep on (you need to sleep above the floor as that is where the cold air migrates. Dome the roof once inside for strength of the cave. The open T allows for easy shoveling. Be SURE to use a ski pole to push a vertical vent through the roof for air. Finally

Hi Cliff! I will try to look up your article! Is it on line? Our Troop was featured in Boy's Life for Oct 2002 for a trip to climb Orizaba in Mexico. That was kind of contrived as I had the Scouts to write their stories periodically in internet cafes back to the local newspaper (the trip was conceived and the logistics run by the Scouts themselves). I then organized the material and approached Boy's Life. The surprise there was that the staff had little idea of what that kind of "high adventure" entailed, and wanted to be sure that the Scouts wore their uniforms while on the climb.

Still a lot of the posts here involve going to a Scout Camp of one sort or another. So here are a few alternatives that I have done with my Scouts, and one that I am planning on. All these involve significantly more work than collecting money, making a reservation and showing up at a Scout Camp. However, when you drag your youth leaders through this, they are left with knowledge on trips that they can personally run for themselves in later life. (the old Chineese proverb about teaching a man to fish rather than giving a fish...). These trips are also far more rewarding, less crowde

Well, if any Troop from UK would like to come to WY for an adventure, we would take care of them! We have rafting, climbing, backpacking and mountaineering. JB

Hi Dave Welcome to Wyoming. Have you thought about any of the fabulous bacpacks available in the park? There are also some great canoe trips on Lewis and Shoshone lakes available in addition to the tourist crawl. My Troop is a WY Troop and if you are interested in other than the tourist moving parking lot stuff, email be back. JB

Hi Folks My opinion is that if you have some expertise in a particular outing that you have the responsibility to share it with other Scout Troops as often as possible. My Troop has a great deal of experience with rock climbing and white water rafting, as well as having a perfect venue to share with other group. We have shared our experience with Troops and Crews from Colorado and Oklahoma, and think it as almost a requirement that we help our fellow Scouts. This is an attitude that helps shape our Scouts in the appropriate ways, as well as making them feel that what they have le

Hi Folks I caught onto this thread in an odd moment, but would like to offer my 2 cents. I know that Philmont is considered to the be the ultimate Scout experience, but I really think that it is an easy answer for a Troop that wants to do something that is memorable, that they could easily do themselves for less money, have a better adventure, and give the kids a better learning experience on planning and going on a recreational activity that they themselves create for themselves. Sure Philmont is a great place to go, but it is in realty a Disneyland for Scouts! It is a pre-progr

Hopps This is the case with most areas in ARC. In Wyo, where most everyone is into the outdoors, my company (through ARC) and NOLS are the only providors. In OK, my wintering grounds, I and one other are the only instructors. I almost became providor for the OK and CO Sierra Club, but was co-opted by NOLS who now provides WFA for the entire Sierra Club nationwide (BSA take note that the Sierra Club which has been running wilderness trips longer than BSA has been in existance with adults requires WFA as the minimum). You should try for those contacts (which are few and far

Hi Guys I am looking for a Troop or information on one in the Last Frontier Council that was planning on going to Boundry Waters and had asked me about running a WFA class for them. Does anyone know who they are, and would you mind having them to reply if they are still interested? Time is running out for this fall semester, though I would be glad to run one for the council

Hopps, It is great to have a first aid kit, especially if you will actually carry it. One of my original WFR instructors, an ER Doc said he only carried a few bandaids and duct tape...but he did carry it everywhere. I have two kits, one for the car (which stays there) and a smaller one that I carry in my pack, which goes with me. On the river we have an even larger one complete with a backboard. Most important is to know how to use it properly. Below, are two links I found for WFA and WFR classes in Illinois. The National Safety Council is probably your best bet. They purport to

Just an announcement for an opportunity that might be of interest: High Plains Outdoor will be presenting an ARC certified Wilderness First Responder course, a full 100 hour comprehensive course with outdoor sessions the Spring Break week of March 14-20, 2005 in Laramie, WY. Cost of the course is $350 which is about half the price that NOLS/WMI charges. They are planning to make a deal with a local motel, University Inn Motel for a special price for out of town WFR students,

Hi Folks Finally, someone asking about WFA. I have my WFA teaching cert from ARC, and we regularly teach WFA. I am also a scouter and ASM for Troop 136 out of Laramie WY, but spend the fall and spring in OK (for a real job). I have been trying hard to get the local OK council to advertise and let me teach a WFA for the leaders but to little interest! Finally, an OK Troop has stepped forward to do this in Dec or so as they want to go to Boundry Waters (wise choice). Though I have also tried hard, the local council for Laramie has also shown little interest!! I don't kn

Thought I'd like to chime in on this as I've been a caver for many years as well as an NSS member, and as such teach my Scouts in that fashion. Bob White is correct in his safety considerations with regards to sleeping in caves. Cavers will often sleep in caves as well, however my point is the following. What are the effects on the cave? Caves are the ultimate in n

Hi Hopps Glad to see you are in climbing too. I found Metolius gloves, but not Franklin gloves. Can you give a URL for it? As I remember, you live in a flat state. What climbing resources do you have available? My Troop will be on the Snake R on Memorial Day, then climbing at Vedauwoos. You should bring your Troop or Patrol and we will host you! JB

HI guys Well, this discussion section has lasted for nearly a year. In only a month, on Memorial Day our Troop is running their now annual Troop 136 Memorial Day Family Whitewater Snake Trip. We have found one of the few places near Jackson to camp for free, on the Hoback River. We are using this raft trip as a lure to get new members. I am looking forward to camping with the families this time and let the ASMs run the Troop camp. The older Scouts will take all our whitewater boats for themselves to run with the new kids and make all us oldsters go in the oldest boat a

Well OK, as long as everyone is talking about the whole summer. Additionally, we will be running our Troop members through our Guide Training Course for my Whitewater rafting company along with the new guides in May. The Troop will then head out on its annual whitewater run on the Snake River over the Memorial Day weekend. There the Scouts can practice their boatman skills while running our own rafts, which we do. Here one of our boats run by one of our Scouts: https://www.floatographs.com//PHP/DisplayPhotos.php?SID=0&selCompany=Private&TripDate=5%2F24%2F03+00%3A00%3A00&am

Our Troop is making plans to visit some of the Carlesbad wild caves for vertical caving over spring break.

Hello hotdesk FL Scout is correct. Are you setting up several trips or just one. Let me know, as I have had some 30 years of High Adv to work with, and am an climbing-rafting outfitter in addition to being an ex-SM JB

Buffalo2 Do you know if this rule applies to established set ups in Scout Camps, or to all Troops in the field. I am aware that alot of the very stringent rules set by BSA apply to the set routes in Scout Camps, such as the rules involving no use of personal gear, etc. However, in the past these have not applied to Troops that go out on Troop outings for climbs. Where are the rules published? Thanks JB

How do you get your Troop prepaired to go on your river trips, what special programs do you do for the Scouts? Also, what preparations do you make for safety on the river?