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First time posting about a specific trip we've taken, but this one is worth mentioning in case anyone in the area is looking for ideas.  We're Central/North NJ, so it was a 6.5 hour drive for us (not including stopping for gas and food), but well worth it. We stayed at Mount Norris Scout Reservation in Eden, VT.  The camp director, Eric Bouchard, was down sick, but still repaired a door in their trading post so we could change our reservation and add people to our trip.  When we arrived late Friday night to 5 degrees F, he had the lights on and the heat up and the parking lot freshly plowed.  The scouts spent quite a bit of time just playing in the snow in the field near the dining hall.  https://www.scoutingvermont.org/mtnorris.html Saturday we drove to Catamount Outdoor Family Center, in Williston.  It's about an hour from the camp, but again, worth it.  They rent cross-country skis, snowshoes and a limited number of fat bikes, and have a sledding hill.  Due to thawing and refreezing prior to our visit, the scouts weren't able to ski or sled, but we did bike and snowshoe.  For biking, there are sections of trail that are manageable for anyone who is a decent biker, but there are also some very technical sections.  The four of us who biked all have mountain biking experience, so we did hit some of the more difficult sections and it was a blast!  Catamount offers group rates and day passes, along with seasonal.  They had a nice fire going in the field outside the office and rental building.  Our scouts on snowshoes took out the trail stoves and cooked at the 'Cliffs of Insanity'.  https://catamountoutdoor.org/ Sunday, just a ten-minute drive from camp, we visited Eden Ethical Dogsledding.  I can't even tell you how much fun this was.  The kids enjoyed the sledding, but it was the time spent with the dogs that was the biggest hit.  If you've never walked into a house and been surrounded by twenty dogs, you're missing out on a wonderful experience.  The scouts just hung out with the dogs, eating popcorn and warm cookies, for about 40 minutes.  They then helped put harnesses on the dogs, hook them to the traces on the sleds, and afterward un-harness and feed the dogs treats.  Jim and his staff had hot chocolate waiting for us afterward, and in an unexpected twist, brought out the Arctic Cat to rescue one parent who got turned around (lost-ish) and ended up in a ditch.  All around top-notch visit.  https://www.edendogsledding.com/ All three (Camp, Catamount, Eden Ethical) are open year-round.

I think you've accurately captured the theme of the thread. Sure, cost is a factor in most decisions, but it's secondary to the child's interest and the family's limited time.   At a primal level, many fathers want to see their sons succeed at sports in hopes of propagating their genetic line. Even when the odds aren't great, they press on. I say this tongue in cheek, but you know there is some truth to it.   Agreed. This a big factor. The youth sports industry is motivated by profit to have a good product. Our family has had positive experiences with most camps, clinics, leagues, tournaments, etc.

Yes   To quote the grandfather in  PRINCESS BRIDE, "Wait, just wait." The "official" December 2025 number will be out in a few weeks. Still we are down from last year 

Can we split this topic into the two things people are posting about?   my friend sent me numbers for December.  Total membership around 877k.

So I attended my first event today with the new troop. The SM is "trained," but admitted he doesn't consider himself "trained," and is glad I am joining the troop. We started talking, and from the discussion,  I realized a lot of info was left out of the online training.  We are trying to recruit new Scouters, and I have a feeling I will be doing some informal training with them on camp outs.