Cabins, is that camping?

[Basementdweller]

So exactly what is camping????

[Brewmeister]

I think it's pretty well defined in the Camping merit badge requirements, although I would go so far as to say that sleeping in the open air (i.e., w/o a shelter) or in a shelter of the scout's own creation that is not necessarily a "tent you've helped pitch" (i.e., wilderness survival) would obviously qualify.

[packsaddle]

It's not cabins and it's not Adirondacks.

It IS a fabric roof at best and eating food you cooked yourself after you backpacked your gear to your campsite.

 

I add: this past weekend was just great for the AT. It was cool, getting crisp, and for some reason I didn't see a single other person on the trail. Wow. The only thing that would make it better would be for the leaves to be down and cold enough to freeze all the mud solid.

[qwazse]

I dunno. Most hunter camps I see advertised have lodgings with four walls and a roof.

 

But, a definition that would apply to 11 year olds should fall within Pack's parameters.

[Basementdweller]

what section were ya on Pack????

 

 

[Cambridgeskip]

I think it depends on why you are asking the question.

 

If you are specifically looking to develop the skill of using a tent and only what you can carry on your back then no it isn't. And there are good reasons for developing those skills, cabins don't exist everywhere.

 

But I would look at scouting more widely. If you are looking to develop young people into being responsible citizens through adventure in the great outdoors then what is wrong with light weight back packing to the middle of nowhere to use a mountain cabin which you are expected to keep in good condition for the next lot of people to use it? This is a place I used as a scout

 

http://www.claviantica.com/culra/index.html

 

Seems to me that in that case there's nothing wrong with a cabin.

 

There's a place for a tent and a place for a cabin and both have a place in scouting.

 

 

[packsaddle]

Southern NC section, the part that goes over Albert Mtn. Had lunch at the fire tower. I could hear cars approaching as I left the area and headed north.

[SMT224]

Camping is sleeping outside.

 

When we go winter camping, we will sometimes rent a cabin at a Boy Scout camp for cooking and safety sake, but all Scouts and most leaders (save for 1 or 2 fire tenders) sleep out side in tents. We have used Adirondacks too, and at 4F, it qualifies as sleeping outside as far as I'm concerned.

 

But sleeping inside a cabin is not camping.

[eisely]

Cabin camping is clearly different from tent camping, or camping with no shelter at all. I don't think that the Order of the Arrow draws any distinction here in its eligibility requirement that at least six nights of camping be "long term" camping. I have always understood this to mean summer camp. Summer camps differ and some have cabins or some kind of fixed shelter. Those nights still count.

[Callooh! Callay!1428010939]

"Cabin" isn't very descriptive. Some are luxurious, others not.

 

Tent, hammock, bivy bag, tarp, or blanket and clear sky are preferable to some cabins.

Hantavirus, et al come to mind on seeing some cabins.

 

If Scout wants it to "count" for something and "tent" or "outside" isn't part of the requirement, I'd lean toward "counting" it, within reason.

 

 

How about a sailboat? Camping?

 

[WasE61]

If there's no A/C, indoor plumbing or cable...then it's camping!

 

LOL

[Basementdweller]

Pack, nice......we are heading out for a 20 mile three day weekend on the shelowee trace. Not much foot traffic compared to the AT, But high adventure for my guys.

[packsaddle]

That sounds like a great trip you have planned. In fairness, I was on the AT for only a short segment and I always try to tent way away from the trail somewhere. I spent a good bit of time on the connector trails in Coweeta Hydrologic Lab and then moved up the AT from Mooney's Gap (I think that's what it's called) and then off to the west to find a secluded clearing I know about to camp.

I'm not sure if other people get the same feeling or not but I often have a 'sense' of 'goodness' or 'badness' about certain places I'm traveling. If I stumble across a 'good' place I may just stop and stay a while to reflect, then after a day or so, move on to find another...kind of like life.

[Brewmeister]

It depends what the OP is asking the question for...just a general topic of discussion or to make some other point.

 

When we go camping with our family I haul my camp behind me on 4 wheels and 2 axels. I set up in a campground and consider that camping but I don't think the scouts would look too fondly on that.

 

So sure, for kicks and grins, anything is camping that you want it to be. Tent, no tent, hammock, yurt, natural shelter, cave, retired submarine, cabin, popup, trailer, hybrid, class A motorhome....But if you are looking to a specific scout objective, look to the written guidelines if they exist.

[LeCastor]

During our annual planning session a few weeks back, the Scouts in my Troop indicated that they wanted to try their hands at winter camping here in Wisconsin. Then, last night when I brought it up with the committee they were pretty surprised that I wasn't planning to rent a cabin for the weekend. "But what if they aren't prepared for the cold?" My reply was that the SPL has plenty of time to educate them between now and December so that they don't arrive at camp in December with no coat, etc. Winter camping doesn't mean sleeping in a cabin.