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Campouts, cooking, backpacking and Leave No Trace. The outdoors is where Scouting happens, and these posts are full of gear lists, Dutch oven recipes and lessons learned on the trail.
540 posts · 2006–2020
Showing 1–50 of 64 posts
*** EDIT NOTE: This post was scheduled for today (12-14-12). I contemplated "pulling it" in light of the tragic events that have shaken us in Connecticut. Our hearts go out to those families. The reason I did not "pull" this post is simply this..
I once knew a Patrol that was pretty good at camping in the summer time. But how that gang could shy away from camping when cold weather set in! We called it the "Ground-hog Patrol." It hibernated every winter. Around Groundhog Day in February it stuck its nose out of the ground – not to see…
I have said it over and over, the older I get the lighter my pack has to get. The pack I carried out of base camp at Philmont was 55 lbs. That is the heaviest pack I have carried in a very long time.
Every Christmas, parents come to me looking for ideas on camping gear to get their scout. I typically look at our Troop's equipment list for scout camp and think about what items they were missing. While a lot of those items have already been covered in the " Gear Guide " category of this blog, there is…
I am not a scientist, so tell me if this makes sense. There are about 40,000 Scout troops in the B.S.A., they go camping (this is a very conservative average) of six weekends a year. 40k * 6= 240K weekends I'd guess, conservatively, that two-thirds of these troops own stoves or lanterns that use disposable gas…
Before I begin this Solo Stove review I need to explain that I think building a campfire is an important skill. It connects Scouts to many things, sharpens their ability to plan, and is almost always a group activity. I once thought that we ought to do all of our cooking over fires and not…
Over time I have managed to get my weekend backpack down to around 25-30 pounds. I am not an fully anointed apostle of the ultra-lightweight sect but I have certainly benefited from a lot of their ideas. The backpacking cook kit described here weighs in at well less than two pounds depending on your choice…
As you are fully aware by now, I like gear. I have had many discussions with parents of the Scouts in my Troop that my obsession with gear is rubbing off on their sons. Half jokingly I often reply that it's a good thing.
First of all, let us get something straight. When I say camping I mean staying overnight in a tent or sleeping under the stars. I do not consider staying in a cabin, lodge, or barracks as camping. Camping is sleeping outside, not in a building.
Now, I am not interested in how wet, or how cold, or how dark it is. If you are just going to be a fair-weather Patrol – well, that is hardly better than being no Patrol at all. – John Thurman There is no denying it, it is certainly easier to stay home when the weather takes…
Cold weather camping in very cold weather from Northern Tier where crews regularly face temperatures lower than -20F. That's cold! A double sleeping bag, techniques for keeping clothing from freezing, and drying out boot liners; some good advice. Okpik , (Inuit for Snowy Owl, pronounced OOk' pick) is a winter cold weather camping program offered at…
There were a few small fires in the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming this past week. Fire managers believe they were caused by untended campfires. Fortunately, they only burned less than 100 acres. Not a big deal. Last year, a wildfire in Arizona burned over 840 square miles.
My first University of Scouting experience last weekend was great fun. I was asked to present a talk about Lightening the Load of Scout Treks since I've done a couple long-distance hikes now and am a total proponent of lightweight efforts.
Don't assume your Scouts know how to sleep warm while camping, it's important to instruct them and be sure they are properly equipped. In especially cold weather changing clothes before getting in a sleeping bag can make a big difference, as can having a pair of loosely fitting wool or fleece socks just for sleeping.
Campmor is offering good discounts on Eureka tents and sleeping bags. These sales usually are limited to stock on hand and go pretty quickly, so if you are interested act fast! Note that the group discount of 10% does not apply to sale items, so you won't benefit from a group buy on these items…
I had a dandy dream this morning. I paid an "out of season" visit to the Buckskin Camp of Many Point Scout Camp to check in on the campsite Troop 68 has been using for a number of years. I was quite surprised to find the camp staff at the Seton campsite preparing to set…
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Just when you thought the Friday night campfire was going smoothly, the Eagle patrol had to do that skit. You know, the one with salty language, an inappropriate ethnic joke, or sexual innuendo? Now you, the Scoutmaster, will spend all week fielding angry calls and e-mails from moms and dads in the troop.
My journal about my 250 mile hike of the Superior Hiking Trail this fall is online. I've also made a Google Earth map of the trail sections and my Spot tracking blips. And, there's a page of just pictures if you're interested in seeing what I saw.
“Hiking, too, where you go farther afield, exploring new places every day, is a glorious adventure. It strengthens you and hardens you so that you won’t mind wind and rain, heat and cold. You take them all as they com, feeling that sense of fitness that enables you to face any old trouble with a…
Posted in FitnessHiking Hiking Pin for Cub Scouts Don't forget to put the "outing" in Cub Scouting. :-) One easy way to get some outdoor adventure into your program is hiking. And while your pack or den is out hiking, your Cub Scouts can work on their Hiking pin from the Cub Scout Academics and...
It was 4 o’clock in the morning. I was in the middle of the canyons in West Texas during the cold time of year. I didn’t have a tent or a sleeping bag, just a tarp, some rope, and a blanket.
I took a minute away from writing my Superior Hiking Trail recap to let you know about this great contest at Scouting magazine. My trail journal should be done tomorrow. You can never have enough tents! Scouting magazine is giving you an opportunity to get a waaay cool tent - For Free - you just have to…
WE DID IT!! Something my boys and I have been working on for five years, we finally finished the Hiking Merit Badge . It started in 2008 when they were 11 with our first 10-miler to Dog Lake from Butler Fork .
Your tent serves as a home away from home. It withstands bad weather, late-night setups, curious insects … the list goes on. But plenty of Scouters still use the same tent from their days as a young Scout. It's time to upgrade-with help from Scouting magazine.
Earlier this month, I posted about a backpack outing we did in June to Lake Mary from Brighton . It was on that trip that I wanted to see how to get into this area from the Alta side, up Little Cottonwood Canyon.
I'm not a big fan of short scout outings. You know the kind: drive up on Friday night, eat, sleep, eat and return home by 10am the next morning. Can you accomplish anything in that short a time? Will the boys benefit?
I'm not a big fan of short scout outings. You know the kind: drive up on Friday night, eat, sleep, eat and return home by 10am the next morning. Can you accomplish anything in that short a time? Will the boys benefit?
Once in a while you find a place on earth that becomes your very own. A place undefined. Waiting for you to bring your color, your self. A place untouched, unspoiled, undeveloped. Raw, honest, and haunting. No one, nothing is telling you how to feel or who to be.
Click the picture if you'd like to see a video recap of my Arizona Trail hike. It's about 10 minutes. It won't win any awards, but you can see some of the terrain I covered. I hiked the trail from March 17 to April 28, 2012.
Once upon a time, we used maps printed on paper to find our way. We studied laminated sky charts to identify constellations. We counted seconds after thunder strikes to locate storms. What were we thinking? Today, thanks to the ubiquitous smartphone, we can do all that and more with a few taps.
My son just got back from a week backpacking trip without me. The troop leaves tomorrow for a week backpacking trip without me. I need to get out on another trek! I've been hiking about 8 miles each morning and looking around for a long, but not too long, trail to do.
I couldn't be more excited, going into this year's summer camp…. I may not have posted much lately, but I decided to put my fingers on the keyboard and some words on the screen. The hardest part about blogging is saying what you mean.
I may not be a scoutmaster anymore, but Boy Scouting is still in my blood. I may not have gone with the troop to summer camp last week, but I could not completely stay away. I took a day off work last Friday spent the day with the Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 at…
I did not go along with the Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 when they left for their weeklong stay at Many Point Scout Camp on Sunday, July 8th. The boys and the camp were on my mind all week though.
Ultralight backpacking may be the biggest change to hit Scout backpacking since the development of the hip strap. While still slightly contentious among some traditional Troops, Ultralight is increasingly accepted as a viable alternative to carrying the entire equipment list developed by traditionalists.
Personal items have been packed. The troop gear has been loaded. The freshly uniformed Scouts have chosen their rides. The vehicles have left town. Boy Scout Troop 68 is on its way to a week of camping at Many Point Scout Camp in northern Minnesota.
I've gotten to talk about my AZ Trail hike with a few scout troops and groups over the past month. The most common question I'm getting is how to lighten a pack for a backpacking trip. I tell about all the ways I cut out ounces and pounds from gear, staying safe and comfortable and…
This past weekend's Scout outing put me at 100 nights of camping… a count I have been tallying since I first got involved with Scouting some twelve years ago. I don't really know if this is a recognition for adults, but I did it for fun at first and then as an example once I…
On a 50 miler, getting into camp every afternoon means a brief sense of accomplishment which is followed by a flurry of activity. Backpacks have to be emptied of group equipment. Water has to be filtered. Bear bag trees need to be located.
To be honest, this week's Photo Friday topic - Great Moments at Summer Camp - is a little redundant. After all, it's hard to find any moment at summer camp that isn't great. I speak from experience. I attended Camp Cherokee (now called Trevor Rees-Jones Scout Camp ) with my troop six years in a row when I…
When it comes to life-changing experiences, there's no substitute for camping. And when it comes to the Eagle-required Camping merit badge, there's no substitute for Requirement 9a. It reads as follows: 9. Show experience in camping by doing the following: a.
Who's going backpacking this summer? (Yep, I've got my hand raised, too!) After you've collected the essentials-like a great stove, sturdy boots, a lightweight tent-did you remember the most important item for a long-distance trek? … a comfortable backpack? We've got your back.
Give and you shall receive. At this fall's Volunteer Vacation at Philmont Scout Ranch, participants give a week of trail service and receive an unforgettable adventure in the captivating Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northeast New Mexico. The American Hiking Society and the Boy Scouts of America joined forces to craft this trail stewardship event…
The following is a Guest Article by Mike Dubrall. Mike "Dub Zero" Blogs and writes informative articles on backpacking and snow camping at 50Miler.com. Philmont sits at the apex of the Scout backpacking experience. For skilled backpackers the Philmont routes are not difficult.
I received an email the other day asking some questions about the backpacking video that I recently put up on the blog. They are great questions and so I thought I'd share the email and answers here. Question: What sort of Food Bag do you use?
Here's the Situation: While camped in an area that does not allow collection of wood for fuel, you notice people a few campsites over dragging large logs to their fire ring. It's getting dark and the temperature is dropping, but the campsite host that typically sells firewood isn't around and the wood is locked up.
A long time ago a Scouting mentor of mine told me that the secret to success in a Troop is PROGRAM, PROGRAM, PROGRAM. When you have a strong program you have Scouts that stay in Scouting, you have good advancement, you have Trained leaders, you have active Scouts and Scout parents.
OK.. I tried to get this post out yesterday.. not sure if it was the computer or the operator.. but lets try it again… I have been playing with a new stove the last couple months. Taken it out on the last three outings and I am in love with it.
The following is a Guest Article by Mike Dubrall. Mike "Uncle Dub Zero" Blogs and writes informative articles on backpacking and snow camping at 50Miler.com. Its Spring – a time when every good Scout starts thinking about his backpack. Across the country, people are pulling their packs out of the closet, cleaning out the leftover food…
