High Adventure - what is it?

[acco40]

Does the BSA have a strict definition of what constitutes "high adventure?" I'm aware of age restrictions for certain activities (13 and above), and that certain activities are generally understood to be high adventure activities but does the BSA have a strict definition or listing for high adventure?(This message has been edited by acco40)

[John-in-KC]

I went googling for a definition. A fair number of personal or council definitions, but nothing that looks like a BSA policy sheet, at least online.

 

I would even be leery of age restrictions, though. There are age restrictions at the National bases. Philmont is 14, Northern Tier, though, is 13...

 

BUT!!!...

 

I just went back to the website of my youth council; well, its successor council: The San Fernando Valley Council went away in the first merger wave of the 70s. They have a 50 miler trail that works out of their Council camp (Whitsett: http://www.whitsett.org): The Silver Knapsack. Minimum age is entry to Scouting, but the Council mandates some basic skills that probably push the practical entry to 12 or 13 (camping, cooking, hiking, and first aid).

 

Thoughts.

 

YIS John

[fotoscout]

Interesting question, one that highlights the diversity of programs offered in scouting.

 

We have a High Adventure (HA) Committee whose primary function is to train leaders for HA outings with their boys. The why of what they do, goes something like this; as time went on fewer and fewer troops were doing nothing more than car camping. Not that thats bad, but the older boys tired of it after a few years. So whats a troop to do? The answer is something else. So the HA Committee formed and started to run classes in Backpacking, Advanced Backpacking, Canoeing, Kayaking, Winter Backpacking, and maybe some other things that Ive forgotten. The concept is familiar, Train the Trainer, meaning the leaders. Some of their courses take about 12 months to complete.

 

But in all of this they, do not really define what High Adventure is. The thought process behind the whole HA program is to develop outings that the younger boys can look forward to, and that will excite the older boys.

 

So if youre looking for a clear definition, I dont think that youll find one. Its more of a concept than a specific activity.