Topic
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
35 posts
Here is our year-end camp summary for 2016: 1) Jan – 2nd annual Winter backpacking on snowshoes in Little Cottonwood Canyon 2) Feb – Last minute change to Crystal Hot Springs* 3) Apr – 2nd annual April outing to White Rock near Dugway** 4) May – 6th annual May backpack outing to Rudy's Flat 5) Jun – Exploring Coyote Gulch…
Check out my North Country Trail 100 Miles patch! Any scout can receive this patch and certificate by hiking at least 100 miles on the North Country National Scenic Trail by the end of 2016. So, you've got a month remaining to get out on the trail and rack up some miles.
Everyone I know that camps has been at least a bit scared by something going bump in the night. My scare was one night on the Arizona Trail, all alone, when I heard coyotes howling - not from one direction, but all around me.
It's that time of year when all good scouts take on the extra challenge of camping in cold weather. Whether 'cold' to you is 30 degrees or -30 degrees, preparing and educating scouts is a big part of a successful outing.
These scouts are carefully screening food bits out of waste water before disposing of it. Are your scouts well versed in Outdoor Ethics? How would they dispose of this water and the food bits? I spent my weekend at scout camp on staff presenting a Leave No Trace Trainer course to 14 participants, 9 from…
It's 2016. The smartphone doesn't detract from the Scouting experience; it enhances it. Where in the past there was a debate over whether smartphone use is appropriate in Scouting, these days most Scouters see the devices like pocketknives. They are multitools that - with guidance to prevent misuse - are an important part of the Scouting experience.
This hike has been on my “to do” list for a long, long time – as long as when my own sons were working on their Hiking merit badge and completed the Smith & Moorehouse Trail back in 2010. I don’t know why I haven’t done this trail before now, but I finally did it with my…
The troop trailer Jim Rosensweet inherited when he became Scoutmaster had seen better days. The year was 1987, but this trailer must have been from the 1950s or 60s. Inside the rickety old thing, Rosensweet found heavily used gear that needed replacing, too.
Hey, thanks to the folks that took a chance at guessing which state has ordered the most copies of my signed dutch oven cookbook . A winner has been chosen! I know I said that figuring out the books per capita would be too much work, but I was wrong.
We’ve been doing a lot of hiking this summer and felt that maybe parents needed to know why in order to help support their boys from home, so here’s what I sent to them in email: 10 miles in Coyote Gulch (Jun) 5 miles at Camp Steiner (Jul) 4 miles on Red Butte / “The Living…
Do you cook with dutch ovens? Which state has the highest dutch oven usage for cooking? Do scouts in Alabama use dutch ovens more than scouts in Wyoming? I've sent out 200 orders of my signed dutch oven cookbook this year, so I thought it would be fun to map the orders to states.
As a happy gear nerd I enjoy writing camping gear reviews once in awhile, especially when that gear stands the test of time. When I write about gear it's usually stuff I have used for at least a year or two, and often a decade or more.
Here are 10 simple, safe, comfortable ways to cut 15 pounds or more from what you take on your next backpacking trip: Lose Nalgenes - (save 1lb) The Nalgene bottle is ubiquitous to backpacking and Scouting. There are at least 5 different styles available in my local Scout Shop.
Today is National S’mores Day! And what better way to celebrate than with a bite full of chocolate, gooey goodness? Any s’more aficionado (or Scout) will tell you the most authentic way to prepare this quintessential camping treat is over a campfire.
The Lofty Lake Loop trail is a great one to do from Steiner during your week at scout camp. The actual loop trail is only 4 miles, but that extra mile needed to make it a 5-miler is easily accomplished.
If your Summer of Scouting 2016 included (or will include) a trip to a BSA high-adventure base, you're pretty lucky. And not just because you experienced the adventure of a lifetime in New Mexico, Florida, Minnesota, Canada or West Virginia.
The Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 have completed their weeklong summer camp for the year. Once again, the troop went to Many Point Scout Camp which is located northwest of Park Rapids in Minnesota. Only four Scouts of the troop attended camp because the older boys will be going on a high adventure trip…
Is it a good idea to wear cowboy boots on a hike? Q. Is it OK to wear cowboy boots on a hike? I have a pair that is very comfortable. - B.J. the Cowboy, LeHigh Acres, Florida Interesting question. I've definitely never been asked that one before.
June is National Camping Month! Are you already planning your overnight adventure to celebrate? You don’t have to be a wilderness expert to partake in the fun. We’ve got the where, why, how, and more, so round up your friends and family and get ready for the camping adventure you’ve been waiting for.
Attention council marketers! Just in time for summer, we’re freshening up BSA’s Cub Scout recruitment tools, starting with some brand-sparkling-new visual assets. The BSA Brand Center brings you Camping with Cub Scouts —the latest Build an Adventure toolkit, created to help you take your council’s Cub Scout membership to the next level.
Boy Scouts go camping. Everybody knows that, right? Camping is the universal activity that ties the program together. Outsiders are likely to think that camping is the raison d'être of Scouting. It's been with us since the very first camping trip that Lord Baden-Powell took Scouts on back at Brownsea.
My troop just spent the weekend camping at White Rock near Dugway, for the second April in a row. We like this destination in April for a few reasons. First, it's generally warmer and drier out in Utah's west desert as my scouts "transition" between winter camping and summer backpacking.
My troop just spent the weekend camping at White Rock near Dugway, for the second April in a row. We like this destination in April for a few reasons. First, it's generally warmer and drier out in Utah's west desert as my scouts "transition" between winter camping and summer backpacking.
My troop just spent the weekend camping at White Rocks near Dugway, for the second April in a row. We like this destination in April for a few reasons. First, it’s generally warmer and drier out in Utah’s west desert as my scouts “transition” between winter camping and summer backpacking.
It's Time to Get Cooking Outdoors When the weather changes and your day dreams turn to spending more time in the beautiful outdoors, there's one universal question that comes with camping season: What to eat?? Well, Scouting Wire has mined the archives of Scouting magazine and drummed up five recipes that call on that ol…
How about your Scouts? How about their parents? This podcast features advice for Scouters attending summer camp and parents who are staying home. I'll discuss ten things that will make life at summer camp smooth sailing for you and your Scouts, and also share some things parents can do to prepare their Scouts and themselves…
Okay, I admit I’m a Boy Scout Handbook junkie. I don’t collect patches, mugs or a lot of other memorabilia, but I do love old Scouting books, especially old editions of the handbook. Perhaps it is because the handbook is such an iconic classic, or maybe because each edition evokes the smell of wood smoke…
After spending the winter months getting the trailer ready for camping duty, we were itching to get out and put it through it's paces. What better place to do that than the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park ? Day 0 We left Denver after work on Friday, with a slight delay as we waited…
There’s nothing quite like that amazing feeling you get when you finally pry the lid off a Dutch oven and peer down into its depths. Your nostrils fill with a heavenly aroma and your mouth begins to water as your gaze falls lovingly on a hearty dish you’ll soon devour around a campfire.
Outdoor Code + Leave No Trace + Tread Lightly + Land Ethic = Outdoor Ethics Just like that little equation might be confusing, there's been some confusion about the Outdoor Ethics part of the Boy Scouts of America program. I've heard BSA is breaking ties with Leave No Trace.
Before my Hike through Florida last month, I contacted some troops in towns along the trail. I hoped to visit with the scouts, share some hiking stories and advice, and encourage them to get out and enjoy the trail in their neighborhood.
When preparing for a campout, one of the most common questions from less experienced campers is "What should I bring?" This article from Boy's Life magazine is a good list of must haves for that campout. It covers the outdoor essentials you should always take on a campout or hike.
Like I state in the video this is a Super Stove for all Scouts, especially the first year Scouts looking to get a stove that will last a long time. The Snow Peak Giga Power Auto Stove is light weight, compact, and is tough as nails.
I used to think our camping options were limited once winter came and our favorite hiking and backpacking trails got buried in snow… until I rented a pair of snowshoes! It started with my daughters wanting to do something during Christmas break in 2014 and me casually saying: "let's go rent some snowshoes".
Its that time of the year when we break out the winter gear and head out for some chilly, exciting winter camping adventures. I thought it was a good time to throw out some things to consider when getting out there in the cold.
