South Dakota or Colorado High adventure camps

[ogghall 10]

We are a troop from western Wisconsin looking for a camp in either South Dakota or Colorado to take a backpacking high adventure in the summer of 2010. (Prefer locations we are approximately a good days drive to.) We are looking for a camp that would provide a guide and planned trek since we are not experienced at backpacking treks and it would be the first time in a long time venturing outside the state.

 

A couple of camps I found googling were Medicine Mountain Scout Ranch in SD and Elkhorn High Adventure Base in CO. There leader guides had the type of trips we were looking for. I did see some negative things written about Medicine Mountain but they appeared to be 4 to 5 years old and I believe were more directed to the summer camp and not the high adventure activities.

 

Appreciate any comments about these camps high adventure activities or other camps with backpacking near these areas.

[BrentAllen 10]

I'm not sure how close it is, but you might want to look at MOHAB - Montana High Adventure Base. I hope to get there some day.

Plenty of info at http://www.boone-crockett.org/educationPrograms/education_mhasp.asp?area=educationPrograms&ID=6080AFEF&se=1&te=1

[GernBlansten 10]

Denver Area Council, Tahosa Alpine Adventure is what you are looking for.

 

http://www.denverboyscouts.org/openrosters/ViewOrgPageLink.asp?LinkKey=11107&orgkey=51

 

 

[Mafaking 10]

 

I just spent about a week with the family traveling the Dakotas, including the Bad Lands, Black Hills and Mt Rushmore. Rapid City is a tourist trap, filled with put-put golf and fake Indian Jewelry.

 

Sturgis and Deadwood are for the adults. The Black hills are nice but not as nice as the Rockies. I didn't make it to Wind River cave or Custer park where the buffalo roam.

 

Just on an over all experience for scouts from Wisconsin, take them to the Rockies (Colorado) where the peaks are 13,000 - 14,000'. The Black Hills top out 6,000 - 7,000'.

 

As far as hiking, some of the hardest hiking I every did was in the foot Hills of south Carolina. It was up 100' down 80' and the patterned continued for miles. I much prefer an even 1,500' climb over several miles than a 500' climb with ups and downs spaced at 1000' intervals. What I am saying is that smaller mountains do not necessarily mean easier hiking.

 

Either trip is a good trip and the scout will remeber it for a life time. It's just a matter of what you want to get out of it.