Camping badge - 20 nights?

[LauraT7 13]

My son is working on his Camping badge, and has all the requirements done - that is, except for the 20 nights.

 

We have been with the troop for two years and he has gone on almost every outing and 2 summer camps -he's missed only 3 campouts - the first - a 30 mile bike trip in April 2001 (he hadn't been on his bike since the previous fall, and never been more than 10 miles - no WAY could he make 30 miles first hit in the spring!) The next was a canoe trip to Quetico - for the older boys, only. And one was a caving trip - he's claustrophobic.

 

the problem is - our troop doesn't DO two night campouts - even the boys are dead set against changing - mostly from habit. They also don't do the recommended campout-a-month - though I'm sure the boys would go for that.

 

Historically, they've always been a "high adventure" troop - but in the past 3 years, the majority of our boys are younger, not that interested in "high adventure", and/or not prepared yet for it. (Only 3 boys - 16 & 17 - went on the Quetico trip!)

 

We will be getting in 5 new scouts (our biggest single influx in years) and the way i see it, we need to:

 

1 - have a program for first class/ first year

2 - get into at least SOME two night campouts

3 - have a program to work-up-to the more advanced level activities - not just jump into them.

 

anybody have any ideas on how I can change some stick-in-the-mud minds? Both adult and boy?

[Bob White 20]

Many troops only do one night campouts mostly due to rligious worship responsibilities. Many however do two nights it really depends on the needs of the troop at any given period of time.

 

Just as clarification there is no scouting recommendation to go camping once a month. That is a common but icorrect notion. The guidelines for outdoor activity is that the troop has an outdoor activity once a month. No where does it say that activity must be an over nighter. The Quality Unit Award asks for 10 days and nights including a scout long term camp such as summer camp. A can camp one night every other month and do summer camp and earn quality unit award and a scout in that troop could earn Camping MB in two years.

 

Keep in mind also that your son is not limited to troop campouts if your SM follows the scouting program and has patrol aactivities as well as troop ones.

 

Good Luck

BW

[red feather 10]

The more I follow this campfire the more I learn. We do 20 nights easily in 1 to 1 and half years. (some years 20 is easy) Sounds like your troop is about to have a change in focus. To younger boys not just older scouts, hope the leadership is ready for it. Been there.

 

Hang in there.

 

yis

[evmori 11]

I have always felt that overnight camping trips were a waste since you need to drag all that gear for one night. We very seldom go for less than 2 nights and we never have problem getting 20 day/night in a year. We go out once a month plus summer camp.

 

Don't forgert merit badges aren't required until a Scout has reached Star. A Scout can work on them prio to this but there is no requirement until Star.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[OldGreyEagle 5]

And dont forget something else,

 

requirement 9 A

Camp out a total of at least 20 days and 20 nights. (You may use a week of long-term camp toward this requirement.) Sleep each night under the sky or in a tent you have pitched.

 

Cabin camping doesnt count

 

[Sparkie 12]

Whenever our troop camps, it's always for 2 nights. We NEVER do a one-night campout. I would highly recommend getting in at least 2 2-night campouts as you suggested. Unless your are an LDS Troop, i don't see why they wouldn't want to stay another nite since they go thru all that work setting up camp!

 

Personally, i think the monthly camp-outs is what keeps our boys in the troop, and in scouting. When the boys are at camp, they are different then when they are at home, it's hard for me to explain but, it's like their own little getaway, away from home, homework and yes, mom. I feel like everytime my son comes back from a campout, he's grown a little more .

 

Sparkie

 

P.S. Our boys are ALWAYS working on Merit badges (whether in camp, or weekly meetings) the first one being....First Aid.

 

[Scoutmaster Ron 12]

Boys love the outdoors and the outdoors love the boys. If it's a one night camping trip or two nights. We never pass down an opportunity to get the boys in the woods

[Bob White 20]

Units chartered by the LDS Church are not the only ones who have a difficult time doing two-night campouts. There are other religions as well, some who celebrate a Friday Sabbath, who would have difficulty with two nighters due to religious obligations. Let's remember that a scout is reverent and takes an Oath to Duty to God, and not be hasty to refer to their one night outings as a waste of time. Any time spent outdoors in the spirit of scouting is time well spent.

 

my humble opinion,

BW

[LauraT7 13]

Hmmm..

 

I checked the book - it DOES say

 

"Camp a TOTAL of 20 days and nights. Sleep each night under the sky or in a tent you have pitched."

 

It doesn't say it has to be with the troop or patrol - does it?

 

what do you folks think? We have done alot of family camping - just the two of us - wonder if those nights count, too. in other areas of the badge - like the preparation - it DOES say to do it with your troop or patrol.

 

Jon IS Star rank - he just passed his First Class BOR, and already has 11 MB's - 3 of which are Eagle req.

(first aide, Cit in comm & swimming)

 

our 1 nighters are NOT for religious reasons - just habit - we usually leave Sat AM and come back Sun @ noon. I agree with Ed - as long as we're hauling all that stuff - we might as well stay for two nights!

 

As we just re-instated the patrol system this year - and had a SM changover, we have not yet done too many "patrol" outings. (1 lock-in in the church when other outings were cancelled) however, Jon is in the Patrol most likely to do patrol outings - they work together real well.

 

I DID get the boys to camp out on a Friday night only - for Klondike - previously they had only gone for the day. We nixed the bus (no available driver) took 2 vans and loaded all the troop gear in my van on meeting night - including the sleds. Yeah, I had to cart the stuff with me everywhere for a few days - But Friday night we just tossed in personal gear & food and we were out of the parking lot in 20 min - it was amazing! 6 boys spent the night and about 6 more joined them Sat AM.

 

Since that was our last campout - maybe there is some hope - Now that they've seen it's possible to get OUT quickly - maybe I can convince the boys to try it again.

[hops_scout 9]

I dont know how many nights of camping I have at this time and I have been in for three years. I think that troops should try to do camping as many times a year as possible. I know in November we dont camp because we do Scouting For Food two Saturdays in a row and then you have Thanksgiving too, so that is the only month we dont camp. I think if we camp outside in the winter, we usually camp only one night. Otherwise, we will usuallly camp two nights.

[LauraT7 13]

Hi Hops_Scout!

 

See, that I can understand - it makes sense to me to have one nighters sometimes during the school year - events, holidays, homework - it's like everybody wants a piece of your time.

 

But when we have the opportunity - say on a school 3 day weekend - Columbus day, Teacher conference days, at spring break weekends and summers - Why not do SOME 2 nighters?

[KoreaScouter 13]

The intent of the 20 night requirement, as my DE explained it to me, was to get the Scout not only camping, but PLANNING to go camping, with menus, equipment, site selection, application of LNT principles, patrol duty rosters, and so on. That's why they only allow one summer camp to count toward the 20 nights. In that vein, family camping would not qualify toward the 20 nights. If you look at the Camping MB pamphlet and the skills BSA wants a Scout to get proficient at when working on Camping, you'll surely see that the objectives are met in troop/patrol camps...

 

KS

[LauraT7 13]

Ordinarily, knowing most family campers, I'd agree with you KS - Mom and Dad plan the trip and the kids ride along. and I understand that the "intent" is for them to plan and implement the trips - but it doesn't SAY that - specifically.

 

But as I grew up in girl scouting, canoeing and LNT camping in the northwoods with my family, so has Jon been trained in the arts of LNT camping since he was 2 or 3 yrs old. LOL - he didn't even recognise the phrase "leave no trace" he just thinks that IS the only way to do things! Plus I'm a single mom -

slightly overweight, 40-something, with a bad back - (and I get alot of mileage out of that! LOL!)if we go - he has to do most of the packing, hauling, etc. and since he is the pickiest eater, he usually plans the meals, too! Jon has known from a very young age that he has to help out or things don't happen. I won't do it for him and I can't do it all myself! We're a "patrol" of 2 on our camping trips! (and a dog!)

 

If it's "intent" we're going on - since our troop only started using boy run & the patrol method since last summer, and I have yet to see a duty roster, meal plan or shopping list, or a properly stocked patrol box (we're working on all those)in our troop - then our 'family' campouts meet the "intent" better than the troop outings!

 

so my question is, CAN he use a few nights of family camping to fill out the requirement? He needs just one more Eagle required badge (camping) and his 4 mos POR to reach STAR.

 

He has 2 weeks of summer camp - of which he can only use 6 nights (1 week,Sun-Sat), and 5 other nights of camping with the troop. He wants to see if he can make STAR before July - and summer camp. He needs 9 more by June. The troop does not plan on doing that many camping nights before then - and one outing is a submarine overnighter - very cool - but it doesn't count - indoors.

 

laurat

 

 

 

 

 

[KoreaScouter 13]

I don't have a camping MB pamphlet in front of me, so I can't tell you what it says specifically. You might consider checking with your DE, District Commissioner, or District Advancement Chair.

 

Nine nights of camping between now and June would be tough even for a troop with a very active outdoor program...the equivalent of four camporees plus another overnighter in the next three months.

 

Camping is one of the most difficult MBs to earn, primarily because of the 20-night requirement. Took my son a year and a half, not missing a single campout, and they were all District/Troop campouts, no family camping.

 

I think it's great your son has a goal to earn Star by June. I don't know him or his advancement status of course, but there are Eagle-required badges that don't present the problem that Camping does for him right now. Has he earned all the Citizenship badges? Communications? Family Life? Swimming? Family Life takes 12 weeks, but the others don't have time lines associated with them.

 

KS

[evmori 11]

The 20 days & nights camping requirement is more than just pitching a tent. Here is the text from meritbadge.com for #9.

 

9.Show experience in camping by doing the following:

 

a. Camp out a total of at least 20 days and 20 nights. (You may use a week of long-term camp toward this requirement.) Sleep each night under the sky or in a tent you have pitched.

 

b. 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 2,000 vertical feet.

2.Backpack for at least four miles.

3.Take a bike trip of at least 15 miles or at least four hours.

4.Plan and carry out a float trip of at least four hours.

5.Rappel down a rappel route of 30 feet or more.

6.On one of your campouts, perform a conservation project approved in advance by the private land owner or public land management agency.

 

Can this be completed on a family camping trip? Possibly but I don't think it will happen.

 

This is an Eagle required merit badge & should not be taken lightly.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10