Better4itall

Just read through this subtopic. Sad but in a way re-assuring as well since it sounds like most councils have become increasingly insular and funding focused. I've been spending more time looking at WOSM Scouting movements and it's heartening to see growth, involvement, and positive directions. I am hopeful that even if BSA continues in its inwardly focused path that Scouting as a world movement will continue.

Ummm - really low country. Like 35 feet above sea level. Some good advice, but don't let it deter you, sounds like a great trek. Good hydration and conditioning training before you leave are the best preparations. Treat it like you would a Philmont trek - it looks comparable. I'd leave the O2 and Gamow bag at home, but get ahold of the local SAR team, and definitely stair-step your way up over a couple of days.

We haven't done it but it looks like a fantastic trek! As a fellow scouter from the low country, we usually add 1-2 days to acclimatize at altitude to avoid altitude sickness for mountain high-adventure trips. With a trip like this you could fly into Denver, spend a day or two there or somewhere in between and then head out. Mind if we borrow your idea?

I hear that if you are quick you can make breakfast in basecamp. Great way to have a big finish!

It's a canoeing spring - March was a day trip to clean up a local creek with canoes - 17 bags of garbage. April was a short paddle from a major spring 5 miles down river. May will be swimming and water sports at a local lake, and June will be a 2 night river paddle. Nothing but a sliding rock for Summer Camp in July, along with backpacking, climbing, mountain biking and random acts of Scouting.

As an older Scouter, I've got a mild gripe here. Not to diminish the work of the fire crews or others doing everything they can to battle this or other fires. I trekked Philmont in 1971, and we cooked over wood fires made from deadfall and dead branches still on trees (gold in rainy weather). We heard a rumor that they were shifting to lightweight stoves in the next year or two while we were there, and it was an accurate rumor. So that means there is 50 years of fuel now piled up on the forest floors of Philmont. And we see the results. Might be time to go back to old school cookin

Loved Indiana Jones as a Scout. He was all about adventure and doing the right thing. The folks that wrote GTSS probably had heart palpitations over it but we need more scouting like that. Can't wait for this one!

That's great news! Sounds like you didn't let the other leader get under your skin, which is the best way to handle those kind of things. Congratulations on a job well done.

Our Troop has access to a private gun range, so we do Rifle and Shotgun shooting. Start things off with a bang. Only injury ever sustained in 10 years has been a Totin' Chip violation.

Hey @Eagle94-A1 How did the Camporee wind up going? What worked, what didn't? Any advice from the trenches?

Wow - this is a great piece of information - I had no idea, and have glanced past many KOA locations while working on campout plans. Thank you @skeptic for this insight!

I'd suggest reaching out to the local council about it - it's possible that it will be acquired by a local/state government or a land trust and continue to operate as a camp, just not BSA.

These 2 guys turn 18 next November and January, and will be fighting the clock to finish.

We've got 2 Scouts that will need to hurry on this, then we can set up a plan for the rest. Luckily we have a handful born in the first half of the year that dodge the bullet. It might be cool to set up a means of connecting Scouts to Scouts, but that would need to be done carefully. Around first class is when Scouts often enter the Ninja phase - they don't want anyone to know they are associated with Scouting, so it can't be public on social media. It's cool when they are younger, but it doesn't become cool again until they make Eagle.

Hmmmm - you're right @Fred8033, the Scout needs to drive their own advancement cadence (sometimes maddeningly) but some MB's need some placement; Swimming before Lifesaving, and in our Troop we feel that Family Life and Personal Management are much more meaningful at age 16-17 than 12-13, so some steering happens there, too. At a minimum, the MBC can distribute the reqs and check them off, I expect a lot of that this year. I'm hoping for insights to make it better than a TPS Report.