Sir_Scoutalot

A few years back I opened what turned out to be a lengthy string on the use of cell phones at summer camp, which I opposed at the time. Cell phones are so prevalent now I'm not sure that's even a battle worth waging anymore. This summer I returned to summer camp for the first time in three years (now a scoutmaster "emeritus") and was a little dismayed to see units bringing in big screen theatre systems for their units to have their own movie nights. One of our boys thought he even saw equipment like this permanently installed in someone's troop trailer. I can only hope they weren't staging video game tournaments on them. I must be old school, but give me the card games around the picnic table or the all camp movie night shown on the hanging bed sheet. Can we not set some of this stuff aside for one week? With that said, this year's camp did not have a computer that the leaders could use to check emails and update the families back home. That technology gets my thumbs up.

My quick internet search came up empty, but I think there's a one or two page document/application out there that lists the requirements. I thought I had accessed it through the national site (www.scouting.org). If you can't find it online, I would contact your council office and see if they can help you locate it.

Thanks! The Signal Mountain address was good. They also sent me information on the Chattanooga Historic Hike and the Nolichucky Jack Trail.

Thanks! I will give that address a try. We actually tried to hike it based on the pdf a couple of weeks back. Unfortunately, the trail is poorly marked, we erred in our course, and had to hurry back down the mountain as we did not want to get caught up there after dark. With that said, I was shocked that we had several in our group that want to go back and try again. Would like to be able to see if there's updated info and that awards still can be ordered. Thanks again.

Wondering if anyone out there has a current contact information for the Blue Beaver Trail in Chattanooga, TN. Someone had posted a pdf for the trail, but when I mailed the PO Box in Hixon, TN my envelope was returned. Thanks in advance.

Good trip to Buck Toms. Would probably rate it a notch above Skymont. Nice waterfront (no pool) and some primo lakeside campsites.

We went to Skymont two summers ago and looking at Buck Toms for 2009, We have a unit campout there next weekend to check things out. Will post after we get back. We also have an Eagle Scout in our troop that worked several summers on staff at Daniel Boone. He raves about it.(This message has been edited by Sir_Scoutalot)

Second year Webelos. I got a lot of satisfaction in helping the boys find a troop that was best for them and crossing them over to Boy Scouts.

Sorry, I just saw you are from South Carolina. A few activities in the Chattanooga area that you might want to consider would be stuff in the downtown area like the TN Aquarium. There is also an IMAX theatre down there and several nice restaurants (bbq, pizza, etc). The Incline Railway up Lookout Mountain also does not take long but is a memorable experience. Finally, Chickamauga battlefield in just south of there in Georgia and has a nice visitors center and several scout hiking trails (patched offered) that start out as short as 5-6 miles and can be knocked out quickly. Have fun on your trip.

I assume you are talking about Raccoon Mountain Caverns in Chattanooga, TN. We have it in a three cave trip rotation with Lost Sea and Cumberland Caverns, also in Tennessee. I rate Raccoon Mountain as my favorite. Although it is the smallest of three (very small commercial area in terms of formations, etc), it seems to offer the best "wild cave" experience. They also offer the best gear in terms of padding, helmets, etc. The small size also means the total number of folks in the cave is smaller (often several hundred folks at the bigger caves ... yuck). They also lack huge sleeping areas, meaning they usually divide you up in to smaller sleeping groups. We went in January a couple of years back and were the only troop in the cave. That had never happened before. Staff was great. Not sure where you are travelling from. If you let me know, I might have some ideas for activities, etc. Also let me know when you are going. Scoutalot

As Tom Cruise once said, " Sea Base .... there is no substitute." So great I went twice.

Our council camp (Middle Tennessee Council - Nashville area) is Boxwell Reservation. It's actually a complex of camps. The two Boy Scout camps are Craig and Stahlman. Nice facilities and a very comprehensive program. In 2007 we went to Skymont, located in southeast Tennessee and operated by the Cherokee Council out of Chattanoogs. A little more rustic and off the beaten path, but we gave that camp the thumbs up as well. The camp offered a white water trip to the nearby Ocoee River and also had many nice climbing and rapelling areas nearby.

Which adventure are you doing ?

I think all the Brinton crews snorkel at Looe Key. Our Keys Adventure group did and we picked up an Out Island crew that day at Munson and took them with us. Very nice area for snorkeling. We also had a Coral Reef crew that went out of the base at Islamorada and they stopped at Looe on their way to Key West as well. We had hoped to coordinate it so that our crews could meet in Key West on the same day, but the staff was not able to accommodate us on that.

I think all the Brinton crews snorkel at Looe Key. Our Keys Adventure group did and we picked up an Out Island crew that day at Munson and took them with us. Very nice area for snorkeling. We also had a Coral Reef crew that went out of the base at Islamorada and they stopped at Looe on their way to Key West as well. We had hoped to coordinate it so that our crews could meet in Key West on the same day, but the staff was not able to accommodate us on that.