GernBlansten

Uh oh, Got one in my area. Vigilance! http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_12901006?source=rss

Opinion from a non-WBadger and father of a son who is staffing NYLT this week as a youth. I haven't done WB because I'd rather spend my time with the youth and most of what I've heard is presented in WB I've already been through in my career. WB, from the outsider, seems more like an exclusive club of scouters who think poorly of non-WB volunteers. 1st and foremost, the program is for the youth. I think that one of the items to get your initial WB beads should be staffing NYLT as an adult. Take what you learned from WB, and give back to the youth. That should be first and foremost from WB. This in addition to the other ticket items you have from WB. This would do two things, 1) demonstrate your dedication to the program (the youth). 2) create an endless supply of trained instructors for NYLT.

Let me refine my dream uniform. It would only require the shirt, but it must function as a national field shirt. One color for cubs, one for boy scouts, one for venturers. The shirt would have a common graphic on the back and breast pocket. A unit could customize the shirt by having their location, council and unit number screened on it in a predefined location, but other alterations would be prohibited. It would be available in a variety of fabrics and cheap enough that a scout could own several. No position badges, honors, awards allowed. A scout is a scout is a scout. Every scout is equal (uniform). All other accessories would be optional and left to the units to decide what they want such as socks, pants, belts, hats, neckers. The dress (formal) uniform, should a scout(er) decide to get one, would have rigid guidelines on proper placement of ornamentation, completion and accessories, enforced by the UP.

Can a CO discriminate based on race?

Its not so much "hiding" the food from the bears, but creating enough of an obstacle such that we are alerted when he is trying to get into the stash. They will find the food, no matter what we do. I think the bear problems at Philmont, Yosemite and Yellowstone are more serious is because of the massive number of people they come into contact with and get sensitized to our presence and know us as a food source. In Colorado or even up at NT, you are lucky to even see a bear and if you do, you generally will only see his rump because he's running away from you.

NT in Bissett, MB doesn't use bear bags. The trees that far north just aren't big enough to properly hang a bag. So, bear canoes are the norm. You put the food packs on the ground and a canoe upside down over them, away from the tents. Then stack your pots on the canoe. Anyone hears the pots, rally everyone awake to scare the bear off. But no food in tents. Same protocol as anywhere.

The Granite Gear packs they issue at NTiers work very well. The abuse they sustain is incredible and we never had a problem with them on two treks and 6 crews.

A much simpler uniform. No doodads, ornaments or wingdings. Something practical that could be worn while camping not just there and back, but still identifies the scout as a scout to all scouts. Something in line with a national class B. Then I would implement an optional full dress uniform. This one would be ornamental and garish. Functional only for parades, banquets and photo ops. Something along the line of the Swiss Guard at the Vatican or the US Marine Corps dress uniform. Like the existing class A.

True story. Really. We just did a NTiers trek to Bissett, MB, Canada. Flight from DIA (Denver) to Winnepeg. Crew meeting before the trip, we (the adults) asked them what to wear for the trip. Lots of looks back and forth between the boys and finally, one sheepishly said Class A's. This made us adults happy. We are boy led, eh? So, we show up at the airport and every boy had a sweatshirt or hoodie over his Class A. Only me and the other adult were in a full and complete (sans socks, a man has gots to knows his limitations). But we are boy led. So we say nothing. Go through security, no issues. On the concourse, we go get lunch before the flight. The boys scatter in all directions, me an the other leader hit a Mexican grill. We get our stuff and sit down. Not seconds later, a flight attendant joins us, gushing about how we are doing God's work and Jesus will save us. Embarrassed, we thank her as she rails about how terrible kids are these days and they don't make eye contact with her on the flights anymore. We don't point out the hoodied kids wandering the concourse as ours. Underneath those hoodies is a boy scout uniform. You can tell by the disco collar. So, we finally board our flight. The hoodies have been removed because the plane is warm. A commuter plane that we filled about half of. Lots of BSA khaki present. The flight attendant comes down the aisle and remarks that she just doesn't understand how Boy scouts can be so rich that they can fly to another country to go camping. I remark that we are special scouts. These boy's parents are really rich and they pay us to dress this way so we get special treatment. Laughter filled the cabin. Arriving in Canada, we approached immigration in full alien regalia. Most of the boys were traveling without parents but had passports handy. I passed through easily. But some of the boys were quizzed by the Canadian border guards on the Scout Oath and Law. Actually pretty funny, watching their expressions when they thought entry in Canada balanced on their knowledge of BSA lore. Anywhoo. On the return, another crew meeting. What to wear on the return flight. An easy decision by the boys, whatever was clean. No comments by flight attendants, border guards or anyone. Boy led, eh? So yes, the uniform does solicit responses when traveling.

Philmont lore... A scout preparing his hot chocolate, opened the packet, emptied it out into a cup, then blew into the packet to get the last bits out. the powder blew back on his face and hair. Later that night, he awoke to a bear licking the powder off his head.

The uniform may not drive kids away, but it certainly doesn't attract them.

Situations like this will only litter the backwoods with corpses. Rescues will become recoveries. How many, when injured, knowing now that they face huge fines, will delay or even reject the idea of calling for help in hopes of getting out before big brother is engaged. We now have to make a choice, self rescue or face financial distress. Very dangerous precedence.

Wow! Strike NH from any future Blansten vacation.

Pikes Peak is a rather famous mountain in my backyard. The road to the summit is owned and operated by the City of Colorado Springs. Barr Trail is a 13 mile hike from the base to the summit. The city just recently implimented a $100 fee for any hiker who requires a ride off the summit. Seems lots of flatlanders climb the mountain, but find themselves too tired to hike back down. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2008806940_webpikespeak03.html

I already have rescue insurance. Cost me $7/year as an addition to my SPOT messenger subscription. If I need a rescue, they can recover the costs from that policy. After reading this story, I'm glad I have it. I believe REI brokers a policy similar to this. In my rural fire district, whenever there's a call, every bit of deploy-able equipment is dispatched. Whether its needed or not. Why? For two reasons, better to have that brush truck at the auto accident call and not needed it than have the accident cause a fire that you might need that brush truck. Also, it justifies having that brush truck. Every dispatch is logged and if a piece of expensive equipment is under utilized, they might have to get rid of it. So if your local SAR has access to a copper, you bet they will use it whether its necessary or not. Rescue restitution is a slippery slope. As mentioned before, what's next, fire? Police? Are we heading down a trail that only the rich will have protection, the poor will be left to their own devices?

The problem with assessing fines and restitution for rescues based on negligence, is who's standard of negligence do we apply? I can't think of one rescue where there wasn't some degree of negligence on the part of those rescued. Example: A 65 year old woman stumbles on a remote trail and breaks a hip. Negligence, right? 65 year old women need to be very careful and avoid stumbling or avoid unimproved trails altogether. She took a risk to hike that trail, knowing the dangers. Example: A 40 year old man is hit by lightning and suffers cardiac arrest. Negligence, right? He should have known not to hike when there was a threat of lightning. He took a willful risk to hike when there was a potential to be struck, even though remote. Who decides when and to what degree your negligence triggers restitution? The rescuers? A court? Law enforcement? Remember, no laws were violated here. Here's another twist. What if the rescue was unwanted? Can you charge someone for something they didn't request or refused?

This is kinda a hot topic in our neck of the woods. Guys who cross the ski area boundary to drop in on an untracked bowl. Climbers who don't have the experience or equipment to attempt a route. Kayakers and rafters who should probably stay in the shallow end of the municipal pool. Should liability be accessed only on those who violate our rules? Do we do that with other aspects of urban life? Does the fire department fine the family of a 3 year old who started a fire in the garage? Should they? Do we really want victims deciding whether to call for help for fear they might be charged for the rescue? I like to hike alone. In many circles, that is a clear violation of responsible behavior. Should I have anymore liability to pay for rescue costs than someone who travels with a buddy? Where do we draw the line? This case seems pretty subjective. The scout continued after twisting his ankle. Big whoop. He was traveling alone. Again, big whoop. He was an Eagle scout. Big whoop. Had he never been an boy scout, was traveling with a friend and stopped after getting a twisted ankle, I doubt the costs would have been any different. I fear the day that after a serious car wreck where I'm trapped in a burning car, the rescuers assess the worthiness of my rescue based on my previous actions.

Just got back myself. My genuine Altima's performed admirably and are ready for another trek. So did my boys. When we got to base, another off water crew was showing off their handiwork. An imitation Altima (made in China label) had lost its entire sole on the Heartbreak portage. They ended up using zip ties to keep the rubber on the road. We did the same portage. Moose muck up to your crotch for about 700 meters. It took all your effort just to extract your boot. But not a lost sole. Or soul.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090717/ap_on_re_us/us_hiker_fined Teen fined $25,000 for cost of NH mountain rescue In Colorado, we have a voluntary fee we can pay to cover rescue costs. I think its like $10/year, and tacked onto any fishing and hunting license. My SPOT messenger costs $100/year subscription fee and for an addition $7, covers me for any rescue. Considering the atmosphere that municipalities are facing and the pressure to get the rescued to pay costs, I think its wise that anyone who ventures beyond your suburban fenced backyards, to obtain some kind of rescue coverage.

Just returned from Bissett. The bugs were unbelievable this season. Ate me right through my socks. None of the local interpreters use any special bug repellant. They just don't scratch the bites and hit the tents at O'bug thirty. Our sister crew used 100% DEET to no avail. We didn't use any treatments on the clothes and gave up on bug spray after the first day. I think if the bugs find you tasty, you are gonna get bit. One scout didn't get one bite. If you stood next to him, you didn't get bit either. He was very popular with us. The bigger trick was tucking your pants legs into your jungle boots. Looks a bit military, but when you are crotch deep in moose muck (ala Heartbreak Portage), the leeches don't get ya.

I was refering to the statement that BSA shares the same values as AHG. However, they don't. BSA allows any religion to participate. AHG is Christian centric. Anywhoo. Heading off to Bissett for 10 days in a canoe with the crew. Gern out!

"The group is now officially recognized in a Memorandum of Mutual Support with the Boy Scouts of America, because both groups share the same values." So when did the BSA become a Christian organization?

Bingo Lisa. I think you hit the nail on the head. The reason there are so many shirt only units out here is the horrible ODL pants of yesteryear. The new functional pants now make them usable and acceptable by the boys. But because for many years units had to adapt their uniform method to exclude the pants, they now have a tradition of shirts only. A new unit like Brent's doesn't have those traditions and the baggage of bad pants. Its much easier to enforce a full uniform. Maybe in a few years, we will too as the older boys who knew and hated the old pants age out.

Maybe its in the water Brent. Compare to my district where zero full uniform units participate in our camporees. We may have them, but they don't come. At least I don't see any at flags or campfires. All the units who do participate are shirts only units, like ours. Of course, we don't have the UP critiquing the units during the events. The camporees are well attended. The boys have fun. Now if, say a well meaning commish would start making full uniforming an issue at camporees, perhaps to the point of requiring them to attend, the percentage of fully uniformed units would probably go up over time. Of course the total number of participants would probably decrease dramatically. But the remaining ones would look sharp. At least in the eyes of the adults.

We got wicking Ts for our Ntier crew. They were $22 each. About twice the price of a quality cotton T. Any screener can order them for you.