High Adventure is not all mountains.

[trailfinder52@yahoo.com 10]

Venturing is high adventure true, it can be a canoe on a lake, a whitewater rafting trip on a rowdy river, it can also be ham radio, cheerleading, painting a picture, photographing a mountain lake, or drawing a sketch of a city park. This is Venturing and these are only samples of high adventure, some need a backpack, and some need a bicycle, some a camera and some an easel and paints and brushes and an open imagination. Some is also service in your community and some is also service to a BSA camp or being with special needs youth and helping them. See High Adventure can be anywhere.

[Gold Winger 9]

Okay . . . you and I have different definitions of "high adventure."

[johnmbowen 10]

Actually, my definition of venturing that could include the more cerebral types (though not video gaming), would be an outing or similar that is Self Propelled, Self Supported, and one that promotes a kid's ability to make that kind of outing themselves for the rest of their lives.

 

The best illustration is instead of hiring an outfitter to take you whitewater rafting, LEARN THE SKILL AND DO YOUR OWN TRIP AND HAVE THE SCOUTS THEMSELVES RUN THE BOATS AND TRIP (eventually - as this takes time and training). It has always worked for me (and yes I do teach this type of trip).

 

It is extremely important to empower the youth to learn the techniques and skills necessary to run the trip, not to give them the impression that the only way to go on a trip is to pay money for someone to take you. This is the WRONG lesson to give a venture group. (See:

for my own, and http://youtube.com/watch?v=YLJFHBsztTQ for last year's Kodiak (Joe Garrett's trip, which I am helping out on this summer). All these things can be taught, but we need a network of teachers to help out those who would like to learn them. We have a good group of teachers, but need a network.

 

Though I just helped teach a Powderhorn course, I suggest learning trips for adult scout leaders. I have one type that I'm teaching this summer.

[OldGreyEagle 5]

The Venturing Crew goes to New York City to walk around the World Trade Center area, we were there in Dec 2001, to see what it looks like. We get to Battery Park and Central Park and then the Musuem of Modern Art.

 

Navigating in NYC, now that is High Adventure