Have a tough situation for you and hope one of you can shed some more light on the situation.
We have a large Pack, roughly 55 Scouts. (What a great problem to have!) Our Council does not have a great Pack overnighter location for us. We've historically made do with the closest one, about 40 minutes away. It has some MAJOR drawbacks: totally unstaffed, no trash service, drinking water only from an industrial type sink near the flush toilets that work sometimes, and a run-down un heated lodge that maybe holds 50 people. We have to bring EVERYTHING when we go (and pack out the trash) and program the entire trip. The Scouts have a blast, but it's exhausting. It also has a capacity of 100, which automatically makes us too large to fit with a parent for each Scout.
We're trying to find a new site that can accommodate more people, but in reviewing the Pack Overnight Campout Site Appraisal Form (vers. 2018) this campground I've just described doesn't meet 4 of the 10 criteria. I know units "aren't allowed" to review sites on their own, but is there a maximum number of "hits" a site can take before it's not approved? Is that up to each Council to decide or is there some sort of standard?
We're so excited to have grown our Pack but it's making any sort of camping trip really challenging. Our next best bet is almost 2 hours away and no longer allows campfires (we're in the Mountain west and prone to wildfire) which is a major disappointment to the Scouts. Looking forward to your suggestions! Thanks!
Pack Overnighter Site Appraisal Form
in Cub Scouts
Posted
Hi Scouters!
Have a tough situation for you and hope one of you can shed some more light on the situation.
We have a large Pack, roughly 55 Scouts. (What a great problem to have!) Our Council does not have a great Pack overnighter location for us. We've historically made do with the closest one, about 40 minutes away. It has some MAJOR drawbacks: totally unstaffed, no trash service, drinking water only from an industrial type sink near the flush toilets that work sometimes, and a run-down un heated lodge that maybe holds 50 people. We have to bring EVERYTHING when we go (and pack out the trash) and program the entire trip. The Scouts have a blast, but it's exhausting. It also has a capacity of 100, which automatically makes us too large to fit with a parent for each Scout.
We're trying to find a new site that can accommodate more people, but in reviewing the Pack Overnight Campout Site Appraisal Form (vers. 2018) this campground I've just described doesn't meet 4 of the 10 criteria. I know units "aren't allowed" to review sites on their own, but is there a maximum number of "hits" a site can take before it's not approved? Is that up to each Council to decide or is there some sort of standard?
We're so excited to have grown our Pack but it's making any sort of camping trip really challenging. Our next best bet is almost 2 hours away and no longer allows campfires (we're in the Mountain west and prone to wildfire) which is a major disappointment to the Scouts. Looking forward to your suggestions! Thanks!
- T.