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Hiking merit badge changes - Why?


cmd

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9 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

Careful @qwazse!! 

"Two registered adult leaders 21 years of age or over are required at all Scouting activities, including meetings."

I guess it comes down to what "at the activity" means.  Is sitting at the trailhead at the activity? 

 

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19 minutes ago, cmd said:

I guess it comes down to what "at the activity" means.  Is sitting at the trailhead at the activity? 

 

Certainly riding along at a leisurely pace on a bike would qualify.  Having relays of adults would also qualify.  Switch out every five or 10 miles or so.

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From the G2SS...

"In situations not specifically covered in this guide, activity planners should evaluate the risk or potential risk of harm, and respond with action plans based on common sense, community standards, the Scout motto, and safety policies and practices commonly prescribed for the activity by experienced providers and practitioners."

Two Scouts wanna hike a well-travelled, flat rail-to-trail section?  No problem... I'll drop 'em off and go to the ice cream shop near the end to wait for them.

Two Scouts wanna hike up Mount Washington?  Maybe not...

"Known as the most dangerous small mountain in the world, 6,288-foot Mt. Washington boasts some scary stats: The highest wind velocity ever recorded at any surface weather station (231 mph) was logged here on April 12, 1934. And almost 150 fatalities have occurred since 1849. No surprise: Most are due to hypothermia–and not only in winter. “They call them the White Mountains for a reason,” says Lieutenant Todd Bogardus, SAR team leader for New Hampshire’s Fish & Game Department. “We see snow right on through the year.” Several weather patterns collide on Washington and produce its notoriously foul weather, which can move in quickly. In 60-mph winds, hiking becomes nearly impossible: Traveling north along the Crawford Ridge from Washington’s summit, hikers routinely–and unknowingly–get blown off course by powerful westerly winds, which shove them down off the ridge into the Great Gulf or the Dry River Valley. “It’s human nature to go with the wind rather than into it,” says Bogardus. Unfortunately, hikers often find the winds have steered them many miles from trails and roads, thwarting their safe return."

https://www.backpacker.com/trips/america-s-10-most-dangerous-hikes-mt-washington-nh/

 

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1 hour ago, InquisitiveScouter said:

... I'll drop 'em off and go to the ice cream shop near the end to wait for them. ...

Technically, I was at work and saw them out my conference room window when they past their halfway mark. I got my afternoon coffee later.

MB work -- unless explicitly stated -- is not a troop activity. It can be fun when it is, but that's not necessary.

Meeting with counselors now does fall under YP. And, I wholeheartedly agree, that a good counselor will help the scout plan to the level of his/her ability. I think when there's that second person in the room, good advice is more easily retained.

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3 hours ago, cmd said:

I guess it comes down to what "at the activity" means.  Is sitting at the trailhead at the activity? 

 

Yep. A ton of real life examples. Here is one... A Scout attends a school board meeting to satisfy Cit. in Comm req#3. And it isn't just limited to mBs. 2nd class req#7 "participate in a school..."

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5 hours ago, cmd said:

I guess it comes down to what "at the activity" means.  Is sitting at the trailhead at the activity? 

A different, less legalistic tack is asking what level of hovering supervision is in your absolute best judgement required in the particular activity in that particular place for those particular scouts to limit their mistakes to the kind that are a matter of straightforward "let's not do that again" rather than someone thinking "I have to get out of here".

Sometimes maybe yes, sometimes maybe no, like other above have said. Keeping the scouts' minds and bodies in a positive place is the objective. Rules - good ones, anyway - are ultimately meant to be an aid to that, so putting your eyes on the safe enough prize ought to be able to lead you as well.

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  • 1 year later...

Changes... IMHO, the Outdoor Method seems to have disappeared from Hiking MB. It seems more of a Walking MB. 

My younger son completed his 20 mile hiker by walking round and round the high school track! He convinced it was safer (plenty of buddies, early sunset but field lighted and no cars), for a good cause (it was a Cancer walkathon), and his distance and time would be "official" .  :huh:

His MB counselor pre-APPROVED his hike plan. 

I read this article below which lead with a troop 20 mile hike to the St. Louis Arch. As a scout or scouter planning a hike, it would have never occurred to me do as their assistant scoutmaster did:

“I called every police department of the neighborhoods the Scouts would walk through ahead of time and had two backup drivers in case anyone fell behind, “

Back in the day, I carried a dime to call Mom or maybe my SM. 

https://www.timesnewspapers.com/webster-kirkwoodtimes/local-scout-troop-marches-to-the-arch/article_5864c7cc-8713-11ef-b972-9fa6e6d82af7.html

 

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31 minutes ago, RememberSchiff said:

I read this article below which lead with a troop 20 mile hike to the St. Louis Arch. As a scout or scouter planning a hike, it would have never occurred to me do as their assistant scoutmaster did:

“I called every police department of the neighborhoods the Scouts would walk through ahead of time and had two backup drivers in case anyone fell behind, “

I have no idea what kind of neighborhoods surround the arch.  It's possible that this decision may have been warranted.

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39 minutes ago, cmd said:

I have no idea what kind of neighborhoods surround the arch.  It's possible that this decision may have been warranted.

Yes, I am not criticizing his preparation. It would not have occurred to me. 

Edited by RememberSchiff
grammar
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17 hours ago, RememberSchiff said:

 

Back in the day, I carried a dime to call Mom or maybe my SM. 

 

Taught Wilderness Survival back in the 70's at various summer camps.  For those that recall those days we would make survival kits, the scouts would provide one of the metal band aid boxes.  We would put in a few water proof matches, some fishing line and hooks, band aids, little mirror, etc.  One item would in fact be a couple of dimes so if one was lost and made there way out to the real world, you could make a call.  In the early 80's we changed that to putting quarters in to reflect Ma Bell's pricing updates.

Good memories.  Actually found one of those a few years back in a box of old camping stuff that had been moved countless times over the years.  The quarter still seems to be legal tender.

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True story:  Way back when,  our Troop had a regular campsite on the property owned by somebody's uncle's aunt (....) way back in some timber.  It was a good mile back off the paved road.  We had even developed some regular "Patrol " campsites.  One sunday after breaking camp, I was the Patrol leader, and would be the last one out of the camp. I packed up, shouldered my pack and walked out up the trail. When I got to the road parking area (it wasn't really a "parking lot"), I discovered there was no one there! I had been left behind !  My Patrol buddies hadn't realized I was not there with them. Poor planning on my part, as PL....   Nearest phone might be 3 or 4 miles down the road... Knock on a house door?  Naw....   I walked on out to the main road and sat down.  I knew my folks would realize I was not at the church to be picked up (or was I going to be dropped off at home? I forget).  I had a canteen of water, some snacky food, it was about 1pm I guess, so I sat down to wait.  Yes, I was disappointed no one missed me, no one "counted noses", there would be a discussion later, I guess... Cars drove by, no one stopped or asked about me.  I  guess I looked "equiped", backpack and all. A couple of hours later, my dad showed up, and none the  worse for wear, we went home.  

What would happen today?  

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