xj-boonie Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 Our Troop is sending 2 crews to Northern Tier, Ely, at the end of June, and I'm hoping it's still on as we've put deposits on most everything and final payments for Blue Sky and Southwest are coming up this week and next. We are moving forward hopeful that it will happen, and it seems positive given the news coming out of the Mayo Clinic and that BWCAW is opening up for permits on May 5th. Our Troop is also collecting money for summer camp, so we've got a lot of hopeful people. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69RoadRunner Posted April 27, 2020 Author Share Posted April 27, 2020 9 minutes ago, xj-boonie said: Our Troop is sending 2 crews to Northern Tier, Ely, at the end of June, and I'm hoping it's still on as we've put deposits on most everything and final payments for Blue Sky and Southwest are coming up this week and next. We are moving forward hopeful that it will happen, and it seems positive given the news coming out of the Mayo Clinic and that BWCAW is opening up for permits on May 5th. Our Troop is also collecting money for summer camp, so we've got a lot of hopeful people. Mike I can certainly understand your situation since you've committed the funds. We were just about to do that when everything shut down and we've been in a holding pattern since. I just don't see how the HA camps can expect to operate this summer. Still no WFA classes. People can't get physicals. Financial situations for many people will make it a challenge, too. It's not just the virus risk, it's all the other aspects that will vary greatly troop to troop. I hope we have the option of a refund. We've paid for Sea Base next year, so we can't just push it off a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xj-boonie Posted April 27, 2020 Share Posted April 27, 2020 12 minutes ago, 69RoadRunner said: I can certainly understand your situation since you've committed the funds. We were just about to do that when everything shut down and we've been in a holding pattern since. I just don't see how the HA camps can expect to operate this summer. Still no WFA classes. People can't get physicals. Financial situations for many people will make it a challenge, too. It's not just the virus risk, it's all the other aspects that will vary greatly troop to troop. I hope we have the option of a refund. We've paid for Sea Base next year, so we can't just push it off a year. For Northern Tier (and Sea Base, not sure about Summit but it's not exactly wilderness), the staff that stays with you is WFA trained, and our WFA training is in June. Additionally, my physical is next week and isn't virtual, so that's also positive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimB Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Following along here. We are operating under the assumption that our Philmont trek will happen for us in July (12 Day). However, I don't know how it can. There is such a risk of a second wave shutting down the country again. It seems a short window to get in a real couple of shakedown hikes, and not all trails are open. Even the AT is still closed, I believe. There is such a need to train, to travel, to shop, to prep, and with a high likelihood that forced closures will happen again - it is tough to ask crews to put up the time and money. Like I said, we are planning as if we are going, as much as we can. Hoping Blue Sky does not drop us for non payment May 1. Hoping to get decent airline tickets, etc. And I expect the May 1 announcement will be that Philmont will pushback some early treks, and have the later ones on schedule. But what happens if they cancel those later one? I've reserved some cabins on a big loop trail here so that our crew can sill do a 5+ might and over 50 mile trek during that time if Philmont gets cancelled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertrat77 Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 (edited) @TimB, welcome to Scouter.com! PS You are correct, the AT is still closed, in the sense that hikers are highly discouraged from attempting it. Even if someone ignored the warning, it would be a tough go. Hostels, shuttle services, food resupply stores, hotels, restaurants are almost all shuttered. Edited April 28, 2020 by desertrat77 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InquisitiveScouter Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Yes, our Plan B's are to do unit treks and unit Summer Camp, with participants from like-minded families. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69RoadRunner Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 Well, it looks like they're going to operate this summer. I'm relieved they'll waive the WFA & CPR requirements. I also like their very reasonable policy of not just allowing people to apply to a later 2020 trek or 2021 trek but also refunds minus 10% if you just can't make it. We're going to poll our troop to see who can/is willing to still go. Losing our mulch fundraiser is going to be an issue for several scouts, I'm sure. We might only be able to fill 1 crew for NT and we registered for 2. http://www.ntier.org/Covid-19/ https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/coronavirus/ https://www.bsaseabase.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Sea-Base-Coronavirus-Update-05.01.2020.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2Eagle Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 I like being an optimist, but I just don't see this happening. Let's say everybody's fine and looking good when you start your trek. But day 4 or 5 someone starts coughing, spikes a fever, and tests positive for Covid, assuming they can even get tested. Everybody on the trek and every staff member that came in close contact with that person now has to go into a 14 day self quarantine. What does that mean? Are they all going to stay at Philmont, because it sure as heck doesn't mean they should all get on a plane or train to travel home. This doesn't look like a plan to move forward with the season, this looks like a plan to do rolling cancellations in the hope that somehow something will change, when there's really nothing that's going to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimB Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 We just heard that Philmont after July 1 is a go. I also heard other high adventure are going too. While I get your worries about someone getting sick during, that is a risk we have to take any time. Yes, it is more serious now - with air travel to the location. The other risk we will have is that there could be a 14 day self quarantine upon return. Personally, I do not think that going ahead with this is the safest or sanest option. However, my son and I have decided to go ahead, knowing he will not get this chance again. Next summer is his last before college and knows he will want to be home and working all summer before departing. We are - at this time - betting that the risk to us and those we know will be low. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisos Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 Well, our Sea Base trek (early June) wound up on the no-go list. I've sent in preferences on dates for next year, so we'll see what happens. We were asked to send it several dates that work. I'm assuming they're going to collect informantion first, then try to fit in as many as possible. Probably a better procedure than saying ''just call to reschedule!" On one hand I'm bummed, we were really looking forward to it. But realistically it's probably for the best. At least we have a resolution to it. Has anyone else tried any high-adventure reschedules yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69RoadRunner Posted May 10, 2020 Author Share Posted May 10, 2020 After polling our troop, we only have enough scouts and adults for one NT crew. We'd signed up for 2. Between financial issues (including not having our fundraiser) and peoples' concerns about travel, many chose to drop out. I'm not sure where we are on payments for Sea Base next year and if we can transfer the NT credit for one crew to that or we'll get the refund minus 10%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisos Posted May 10, 2020 Share Posted May 10, 2020 58 minutes ago, 69RoadRunner said: I'm not sure where we are on payments for Sea Base next year and if we can transfer the NT credit for one crew to that or we'll get the refund minus 10%. Not sure how NT is handling it; I'd assume the way Sea Base is...even if you're not cancelled yet you can transfer to a different HA base for next year. I think the 10% penalty is only if you are still in the "it's on" category and request a refund. At least that's how the email I got reads. Tricky part will be aligning the schedule on a new SB trek with the one you already have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69RoadRunner Posted May 10, 2020 Author Share Posted May 10, 2020 29 minutes ago, Chisos said: Not sure how NT is handling it; I'd assume the way Sea Base is...even if you're not cancelled yet you can transfer to a different HA base for next year. I think the 10% penalty is only if you are still in the "it's on" category and request a refund. At least that's how the email I got reads. Tricky part will be aligning the schedule on a new SB trek with the one you already have. They're all the same. Our NT trek this year is at the end of July is on. We paid for 2 crews, but can only fill 1. We've signed up for Sea Base next year and made the first payment. We've made our deposit. If your trek is still on this year, but you can't make it, you can get a refund minus 10% or apply the payment to an HA trek next year. I'm hoping that we can take 100% of our fees for the NT crew we're cancelling this year and apply it to our payment due for Sea Base next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xj-boonie Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 Our NT trek is still on (June 27-July 4) out of Ely, and both crews are still going. As we had paid everything except airfare, we paid that also (and got a great discount on southwest!). A few adults are worried about the air travel, but it beats 16 hours in the car just to Minneapolis. I guess I'm in the minority, but I'm not worried about the air travel or NT. The BWCA is one of the most isolated places I've been and rarely see anyone when I'm out there. The crew's are already small sized, and i have no problems sharing a tent with the other adults in my crew, or riding in a van with the other scouts. I for one would have liked to been out and moving around and just get it over with, if I'm in the small percentage that gets it and actually gets sick, so it would be over and done. It's a risk, all high adventure is. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
69RoadRunner Posted May 13, 2020 Author Share Posted May 13, 2020 We're now in a bit of a pickle. We have 7 scouts and 2 adults who want to go. We can only have 8. We could probably get enough scouts to make 2 crews with scouts outside of our troop. Getting 2 more adults is the challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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