Camping Merit Badge 9b

[tree123 0]

Regarding requirement 9b for the Camping merit badge, what would define the backpacking for at least four miles? Would a scout need to carry a tent in addition to the gear they are already carrying in their backpack? Also, for the snow camping experience, if the temperature conditions could allow for snow but no precipitation occurs, would this trip still apply?

[MattR 2659]

Welcome to the forum,  @tree123 .

In my opinion, if the scout is carrying his or her share of the gear, and the scout is sleeping outside then I'd be okay with them not carrying a tent. There is really no point in having a tent in the Grand Canyon in the summer, other than keeping the scorpions off, and jusr the bug net will do that.

As for snow camping, it doesn't need to snow but I'd say there needs to be snow. Snow creates challenges not seen in cold weather. And again, the scout should be sleeping outdoors.

But that's all just my view.

[Eagle94-A1 2687]

18 minutes ago, tree123 said:

Regarding requirement 9b for the Camping merit badge, what would define the backpacking for at least four miles? Would a scout need to carry a tent in addition to the gear they are already carrying in their backpack? Also, for the snow camping experience, if the temperature conditions could allow for snow but no precipitation occurs, would this trip still apply?

here are the current 2023 requirements from http://usscouts.org/mb/mb001.asp

 

Show experience in camping by doing the following:

1. Camp a total of at least 20 nights at designated Scouting activities or events. ⁴ One long-term camping experience of up to six consecutive nights may be applied toward this requirement. Sleep each night under the sky or in a tent you have pitched. If the camp provides a tent that has already been pitched, you need not pitch your own tent.
2. On any of these camping experiences, you must do TWO of the following, only with proper preparation and under qualified supervision:
   1. Hike up a mountain, gaining at least 1,000 vertical feet.
   2. Backpack, snowshoe, or cross-country ski for at least 4 miles.
   3. Take a bike trip of at least 15 miles or at least four hours.
   4. Take a nonmotorized trip on the water of at least four hours or 5 miles.
   5. Plan and carry out an overnight snow camping experience.
   6. Rappel down a rappel route of 30 feet or more

 

Regarding snow question,  if there is no show, how cna the requirement be met?

 

As for the backpacking question, that requires some specialized gear, i.e. backpacking stove, nonpersihable food, waterfilters, etc, Group gear, which for some units includes tents, I have seen done different ways. Some troops with split the tents in 1/2 and give each half to the tentmates. Other untis will include the tents in the group gear, and divide it up by weight.

But I would not use a car camping trip where  you have the scouts do a 4 mile hike with packs on count. But we are fortunate in that we do a yearly backpacking trip on the AT.

 

 

[satl8 22]

Couple of thoughts as a MBC-

Backpack, snowshoe, or cross-country ski for at least 4 miles. To me this would require the Scout to hike a minimum of 4 miles total and stay the night carrying everything they need for that experience. Doesn't say anything about a tent, want to sleep outside, great. I would expect food, water, 10 essentials, sleeping materials, toiletries, etc to be carried for the duration of the trip. Out and back would only require 2 miles in and 2 miles out to meet this requirement.

 

Plan and carry out an overnight snow camping experience. Is there snow on the ground? It counts.

Is it dry and then snows while they are there? That one gets muddy for sure- did they actually plan for the snow experience or did they plan for cold and it happened to snow? I have seen both ways, one of the times I counted it, PLC decided to go camping last minute when a big snow storm was forecast for our area. Got to the campsite, setup (cold but dry), and about 3 hours later it was snowing. It snowed all night and into the next day. I counted it because they planned for snow, if the storm had gone around us then I would not have counted it.

 

Only having to do 2 of these items should be pretty basic if your Troop is active in the outdoors or goes to summer camp regularly. I would not shortcut a Scout's experience to check the box.