Outdoor Program

Winter time is not ‘down time’ for nature study – there’s plenty happening in the natural world. Here’s questions you should be able to answer: Why does winter happen? The Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. The varying amounts of sunlight around the Earth during the year, creates the seasons. Winter in the northern hemisphere happens when the north pole is tilted away from the sun and the sunlight is at a shallow angle because the sun is lower in the sky....

1. Go to bed Warm Jumping jacks, push ups or something similar – just enough to warm yourself up but before you start sweating. If you getin a sleeping bag when you are cold you’ll likely stay cold. 2. Fuel up If it’s going to be a very cold night consider a pre-bedtime snack that will keep the furnace burning. Slow burning fatty snacks like cheese; avoid refined sugars or caffeine....

An early Father & Son weekend (early 1990’s?) 25 years ago our troop held our first annual father and son weekend. We started the weekend as a way to invite dads that were not otherwise involved to join us for a weekend and see what goes on in Scouts. It has evolved into a tradition that our Scouts and families look forward to every year. When and Where For the past eight or ten years we’ve held the weekend at a neighboring council’s camp (chiefly because they have enough lodging space and a winterized dining hall) every February....

Do your Scouts like Camporees? We attend a District or Council Camporee every three or four years because it takes that long for our Scouts to forget what the last Camporee was like. At every annual planning conference I suggest to my patrol leader’s council that we include whatever Camporee or district event is planned for the next few months: “What are we going to do at the Camporee?” they ask...

Can you identify the major species of trees in your area? What’s the difference between a tree and a shrub? How do we use the lumber or fruits of from a specific tree? How did Native Americans and our ancestors use them? Why do leaves change color?. I have always been fascinated with trees and the stories they can tell. We spend a lot of time in the forest ; much of this country was covered with a dense forest canopy almost impenetrable to sunlight....

Can you locate the north star? What three stars make up the summer triangle? Have you ever seen a meteor shower? Any active Scout Troop will spend many nights under clear skies away from city lights – ideal conditions for observing the stars. We try to include an observing session on our weekend campouts. With a rudimentary understanding of astronomy and a few good sources of information any Scouter can lead an observing session....

The outdoors is par excellence the school for observation and for realizing the wonders of a wondrous universe. It opens to the mind appreciation of the beautiful that lies before it day by day… The study of nature brings into a harmonious whole the question of the infinite, the historic, and the microscopic as part of the Great Creator’s work. Baden Powell Going into the world of nature without knowing the names of the plants and animals that call it home is like walking into a room of people whom you have never met....

A recent study links simple ‘green time’ (time spent outdoors in nature; and for the purposes of this particular study expansive green fields or lawns) to milder symptoms for children with Attention Deficit and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADD, ADHD). Some complain that we over-diagnose and over- medicate children with ADD or ADHD; some doubt that it is even real. Ask a parent whose child is challenged with these disorders – it’s very real and, thankfully, treatable....

Steven C. Karoly is a retired Seabee Cook who blogs at Round the Chuckbox. I eagerly followed a series of eight of Steve’s recent posts on the ‘Code of the Campfire’. They are a combination of practical advice and old fashioned good manners. One look at the idyllic campfire seen pictured above speaks volumes to Steve’s skill and experience as a camp cook. Here’s a quick overview of the code- you can read them all here....

It’s time for another Outdoor Blog Carnival …what is your dream hike? If money wasn’t an issue, if time away from loved ones, work, school, etc. wasn’t an issue, if there was nothing preventing you from going, what hike is your dream hike? That is this month’s theme. Let us know what your dream hike is. My entry: We all hike for some reason; exercise, meditation, exploration, companionship, achievement, solitude....

Dutch oven cooking is worth the trouble. Truth be told it’s not actually all that much trouble either! Here’s a great introduction to dutch oven cooking in three parts. It is as easy as it looks; use simple recipes, don’t get too overwrought and you’ll have some great eating. Other Dutch oven information at ScoutmasterCG: Larry’s Dutch Oven HintsDutch Oven KitDutch Oven VideosDutch Oven Bread RevisitedDutch Oven Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Headed to a National Park? Check out these National Park Service Programs For Boy Scouts: Scout Ranger Program Scouts who complete 10 hours of educational programs and/or service work at a National Park qualify for a Scout Ranger patch. Scouts who complete 5 hours of educational programs and/or service work at a National Park qualify for a certificate. Hours can be completed at one or several parks over any amount of time....

Tom Managan offers this guide to simple outdoor photography with a digital camera: It’s not about the camera. It’s how you use it. Waiting for the right light, shooting only memorable scenes, avoiding shutter-induced blur, cropping and editing the best images you bring home. Shoot in the best light The best times of day are sunrise and dusk… In the High Country they call it alpen glow (for fun, start watching movies for evidence of location shots taken during this “magic hour....

The author of the original article posted here requested that I remove it. He contended that it was a violation of his copyright to re-post the entire article. He went on to threaten “… otherwise, I will initiate legal proceeding against you.” [sic] The article suggested a pretty good idea. Now I could have simply restated the author’s idea without any attribution at all. I wouldn’t do that because it’s a really good idea and I think he should get the credit for it....

Every so often adults attending Scout camping trips just don’t get it (Scouting that is). I walk into camp and find them sitting in their son’s tent organizing their son’s gear and maybe the tent mate’s gear also or over in his son’s patrol area getting involved in making scrambled eggs or grilled cheese sandwiches. This really sets off the alarm bells in my head. Scout camping is about Scouts and Patrols operating independent of adult interference and ‘help’....

It’s a great privilege to be a guest of the Scouts while we are at summer camp for the week. Here’s what our average day looks like: Time Scouts Adults [6:45] AM Awakened by the SPL and PL’s. Flag is raised and all Scouts go to polar bear swim as a group. I used to get up and go to Polar Bear swim years ago (like 15 or so) but I think it’s important for the Scouts to do this on their own....

When a Scout arrives at summer camp with our troop he deposits all of his money in the troop bank. He’s been told to bring his money in one dollar bills to keep things simple. The troop scribe collects all the money and records deposits in a small notebook. The cash and the notebook go into a metal strongbox that is locked with a padlock and placed in an inconspicuous place (usually under a tent platform) and the padlock key, on a lanyard, is placed in another inconspicuous spot....

PROGRAM OVERVIEWTahosa Alpine Adventure is true back country mountaineering. Backpack thirty to fifty miles in the Indian Peaks Wilderness with a trained guide while learning all about mountaineering skills and practices. Rock climb in a true back country environment, glissade down snow fields in July, learn about weather patterns, summit peaks of over 13,000 feet in elevation, and experience the back country adventure of a lifetime. The Tahosa Alpine Adventure is for Scouts aged 13 and up by January 1 of that summer....

Adult Leader Summer Camp Equipment List Stuff Personal Gear Tools/etc. First Aid Kit Pillow Hammer Paper Towels Hanging Kit(4) Pliers TP Shower Sandals Nails Hanging Light(1) Hangers(5) Tarp D Batteries Coffee Cup/Mug Rope AA Batteries Water Bottle String Liquid Hand Soap Notepad Duct Tape Hose Pencil/Pen Shovel Broom Knife Saw Clothespins(2) Snacks Tacks Clorox Wipes Books(6) Staple Gun Clear Shelf Paper(3) Clock Work Gloves Deck Cards Sewing Kit Magic Marker Troop Flag Matches Sharpie Marker US Flag Camera State Flag Seasonings(7) Flag Stands 1 Gallon Zip Loc Cash Box Hat Trash Bags Fishing Gear Chair Mirror Glasses Rug/Mat Notes:...

PROGRAM OVERVIEW Philmont style High Adventure Treks and Stake Encampment features. Slot canyoneering and Bicycling the top trails of Brian Head are two of the most requested side trips that can be built into the program for the units. Areas such as Mountain Men, Rappelling, Aquatics, Mountain Biking and Canyoneering areas all have a different program as the troops, teams and crews hike around a 31 mile loop. High adventure outpost camp geared for older Scouts thirteen (13) or above ....