AK-Eagle

VentureScoutNY Gee never the easy way eh? I think the "simple" solution to the challenge is to work with the troop that wants to go and have them "invite" you and your venture's along for the ride. Secure parental permission slips to reflect this. Now as far as the tour permit I'd go to your local DE or SE to see what is needed to be covered. If all else fails see if you can get your district to host the trip. Those Eagle Scouts that want to tag along need to be registered AK-Eagle Hope that helps

I know of no rule or policy regarding scouts in towing vehicles besides the number of seat belts. IMHO the best thing to do is leave it up to the driver. I for one would appreciate having extra sets of eyes in the truck or spotters on the ground especially when it comes to backing up or maneuvering. AK-Eagle

Le Voyageur We have a summer camp with aquatics area. no white water but a nice tidal change of an average 18ft per day. Not much in a swimming program but canoeing, rowing, and sea kayaking is offered. there is are is a glacier that is a half days hike from the camp. No idea if they are looking for that staff position but normally they are YIS

Bought one of the spiral bound copies just before the meeting tonight. "Accidently" left it out on the table opened on the pages on winter camping. Most of the scouts stopped and took a good long look. Hopefully I got something started ;-) Phil

Our winter high adventure for 2004 takes place next weekend. We are going camp near Fraiser British Columbia to attend the 2004 Frostbite Challenge a international camp with scouts/leaders from northern Canada and southeast Alaska Our summer adventure is still in the early planning stages more details to follow YIS Phil

Here is the accident report from www.avalanche.org. When we sleep in snowcaves we keep shovels inside just in case of collaspe. Our next campout. Snowcaves in low risk area for avalanche I can think of better ways of getting awakened than a probe poking me in the ribs ;-) Accident Report ------------------------------------------------------------ Date: 03-05-2004 Submitted By: WWAN Place: The Sinks, near the top of Logan Canyon State: UT Country: USA Fatalities: 0 Activity: OTHER Summary: 39 Scouts & leaders buried in snow caves by cornice fall Snow caves protect sleeping Boy Scouts in Utah avalanche By The Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY A huge wall of snow collapsed and buried the entrances to a series of manmade caves where more than three dozen Boy Scouts and their leaders were sleeping during a winter survival camping trip, but everyone was rescued unharmed. The Scouts had carved the caves deep into the snow on a ridge in northern Utah's Logan Canyon, at an elevation of 7,400 feet. "You're pretty cozy inside of them," said Randy Maurer, the father of one of the Scouts. "You're completely oblivious to what's going on outside." After the 39 Scouts and Scout leaders went to sleep Friday night, wind gusting to 64 mph piled snow into a huge cornice hanging over the slope where the Scouts dug their caves. The 500-foot cornice collapsed just before 4 a.m. Saturday, burying the entrances to the caves under 6 to 8 feet of snow. Insulated by the thick snow around them, the Scouts were unaware of the problem. "It was a little bit more than what we expected to wake up to," Maurer said. The avalanche was heard by a group of Scout leaders who were sleeping in a nearby trailer, and they used an emergency roadside telephone to call 911. "That probably made quite a bit of noise, I'm imagining," Cache County sheriff's Lt. Von Williamson said of the avalanche. "But if they would have all been in the caves, I shudder to think how long it would be before we would have heard about this." Williamson said the Scout leaders who called for help knew approximately where the caves were, and emergency crews used shovels and snow probes to locate the Scouts. Some of the boys, ages 12 to 16, were awakened when they were jabbed by the avalanche probes the rescuers were pushing into the snow. Maurer told The Salt Lake Tribune he was awakened by the sounds of the rescue effort. "That was a big shock," said his son, Brock. "It was a wake-up call for sure." By 7:05 a.m., everyone had been pulled from the caves uninjured. "Some were pretty scared, some were only somewhat upset," Williamson said. "It seemed to depend upon the age of the kids. The older kids took it a little more in stride." http://www.avalanche.org/av-reports/proc-show.php3?OID=2248448

Need help recalibrate? Just attend a cub day camp, help out in the crafts area. Remind yourself why we are here... Be sure to laugh as you pick out the glue and glitter out of your hair. :-D Phil

Hmmm I think I just found something that will help out on those long haul hikes.....Now if I could get the committee to buy off on it http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2004/03/03_exo.shtml good reading if just for fanatasy Phil

"Don't take life too seriously.... You'll never make it out alive" -Bugs Bunny

My day to day carry knife is a Kershaw ken onion For camping I have a super leatherman. Phil

Dump cake is another easy one Dump Cake 1 pkg. Yellow Cake Mix 1 can Cherry Pie Filling 1 (20 oz.) can Crushed Pineapple 3/4 C. Margarine 1 C. chopped Pecans or Walnuts Cool Whip Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9" by 13" cake pan. Place cherry pie filling on bottom, dump pineapple and juice on top. Sprinkle cake mix. Do not mix !!! Melt margarine and drizzle over cake mix and cover with pecans. Bake at 325 degrees F., for about an hour. When cool top with Cool Whip. I've substituted the yellow cake with chocolate cake and black berries and raspberries for the cherries and pineapple.... Scouts call that mix Bear dump cake ;-)

Just found this in the back pages of one of my favorite cook books "WHAT'S COOKING IN OUR NATIONAL PARKS" Over 500 recipes including a section on cooking for large groups. Copyright 1973. There is no ISBN number my book I found it in a used book store. RECIPE FOR SAFETY Take sensible, safe clothing. Add special safety equipment. Mix briskly with a solution of common sense. Sprinkle well with each safety regulation. Handle well with daily care. And continue its practice forevermore. Live a long and happy life. Vera Poston Regional Office

I arrived in Corning California on January 18th 1963, three weeks ahead of schedule. 24 hours or so later the docotor said something like "This guy's a fighter I think he'll make it" I'm 16, with 25 years experience ;-) YIS Phil

Heaps of good stuff so far although I like to use the pocket warmers if for nothing else a placebo effect In that 20-40 degree area hypothermia can really sneak up on you. This is an area where the buddy system becomes more than just another thing to sign off in the book or to use down at the water front. Make sure the scouts know if they are wondering if they should tell a leader about their buddy its better to tell now and be wrong than to be silent too long and be right. To encourage them away from the fire stop adding wood to it about an hour or so before lights out. Get those sleeping bags out and on pads as soon as possible the longer they have to loft up the warmer you'll sleep. Some more pre-bedding down things I do Fill my Nalgene bottle with warm water, close tightly, put at the foot of my sleeping bag. Make the hike to the KYBO and pump bilges. One last round of the tents/snow caves to check on the scouts and hand out snack sized candy bars (one each) if there wasn't a cracker barrel that night, a bit of sugar to warm up the core. Camping in winter poses some special challenges and is the fodder for some special memories. One of mine that is always worth a chuckle around the campfire. Crawling up and out one morning at a brisk -20f getting the kettle on the stove for the morning coffee hear some giggles, look to see one of my scouts wearing only long johns, barefoot, running across the snow/ice back to his snowcave.... He had to make a "emergency run" to the KYBO :-) YIS Phil(This message has been edited by AK-Eagle)

Black shoulder loop, black neckerchief, black armband, what ever works for you in your situation... Uniform police can just sit back and chill out for a day. Those bans of mourning don't just help the direct family but those who choose to wear them I'm sure those people that designed the uniform and write the guidelines (not commandments) will understand. YIS Phil

Warning! first swallow any liquids that may be contained in your mouth and move coffee cups, soda cans, etc away from hand's reach. Ready? This was also adopted, procured, re-appropriated, etc. from a military listing The Five Most Dangerous Things in Boy Scouts A Patrol leader saying, I learned this in JLT. A Commissioner saying, Trust me A Tenderfoot saying, Based on my experience A Professional saying I was just thinking..." A Eagle Scout chuckling, Watch this You may now resume consuming that beverage YIS Phil

Here's my good stuff; Wide mouth nalgene bottle with 3 yards of duct tape wound onto it. Motorola GMRS/FRS two way radio with weather alert. It sounds an alarm if the weather service sends an weather advisory, warning, watch, etc. Garmin Etrex Legend GPS and All Topo mapping software. I can create an custom Topo map of the hike/campout upload the information into the GPS. After we are back I can download from the GPS and see the difference between what we planned to do and what actually happened and save it for future ref. Glade ware/Ziploc disposable containers make a great "mess kit" for a weekend campout. One piece of camping equipment I always have is my Coleman stainless steel "Spork" Getting wet frozen wood burning can be frustrating at best and sometimes a matter of life or death. A 15 minute highway flare will work in temps below 0f and will sit safely in the your pack until needed. Thats all for now Phil(This message has been edited by AK-Eagle)

Done here and posted to Scoutlink YIS Phil

yep I meant cheek... How do you edit a post?

hmmm I'd have to ask the uniform police on this one but wouldn't it be. Red = Scouts, Blue = Cubs, Silver = District, Gold = National office, Etc. Tongue firmly in check YIS Phil

I hate it when I get a hare in my food. ;-) Phil

I got one of those lexan coffee presses from Campmor... Even have some the scouts that want coffee (with parents nod) trained in it's proper use.... nothing like getting a fresh hot cup of coffee delivered to your tent first thing in the morning. Through experimentation I figured out that I can stuff the premeasured ziploc bags of coffee into the press and save space in the backpack. AK-Eagle

A sleeping pad can also insulate from cold damp ground. When/if shopping for one be sure to avoid open cell pads they look and act very much like a sponge Phil Martin AK-Eagle

Since the patch blanket is personal item you can put the patches (badges) on anyway you want. An attractive way is to put one in the middle and work a tight spiral on the way out.

I'm 16.... with 24 years experience