Troop 285 High Adventure Program

TROOP 285 HIGH ADVENTURE PROGRAM

It is the goal of the Troop 285 High Adventure Program to utilize the teaching opportunity of small group multi-day treks in true wilderness environments to expose and hopefully instill the benefits of maturity, responsibility, and camaraderie into participating scouts and adults.

Over the last several decades Troop 285 has had crews on 50-100 mile backpacking and/or canoeing treks in such places as The Grand Canyon, Gila Wilderness, Aldo Leopold Wilderness, Pecos Wilderness, Weminuche Wilderness, Canyonlands National Park, Grand Gulch Primitive Area, Superstition Wilderness, Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness, Big Bend National Park, Buffalo National River, Green River, Sandia Wilderness, San Pedro Parks Wilderness, Cruces Basin Wilderness, and others, including Philmont Scout Ranch.

Our description of a true wilderness is one in which there are no roads, no motorized vehicles of any kind, no bicycles of any kind, and no livestock of any kind, with the exception of stock needed for travel within the wilderness. We are looking for wild, pristine places not covered in cow manure, places not divided by barbed wire fences, places with water sources not fundamentally damaged by grazing animals.

Troop 285 has made a commitment to offer at least two High Adventure opportunities each calendar year. Each trek will take a minimum of five days. Due to schools closing in late May, our Long Term in mid July, school activities beginning in late July, the lack of school breaks of suitable length during the school year, and time needed during the summer for family vacations, we have found that the best time for our treks is during the APS spring break in late March and as early as possible in June. We recommend that scouts and adults who wish to participate take serious note of those dates so that possibly conflicting activities, if possible, can be scheduled at other times.

An adult volunteer troop member, sometimes known as The Grand Poobah, coordinates the Troop 285 High Adventure Program. The Coordinator is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Scoutmaster, sometimes known as the Imperial Grand Poobah. The coordinator may or may not participate on the actual trek, and may defer the coordination of a trek to another adult that has more experience with the skills needed and activities required for that trek. The Coordinator will work as much as possible with participating scouts and adults to plan the details of the trek. The Coordinator must be current in all required BSA training.

Venturing into the wilderness as part of a self-sufficient crew takes education and experience. Over the past 50 years Troop 285 has developed successful safe backpacking practices. It is a role of the Coordinator to teach these techniques, not only during the trek, but also during the prep activities, which will include a Backpacking 101 campout open to all troop members.

Scouts and adult troop members wanting to be considered for a high adventure crew must meet several criteria.

• Age. A scout, or adult must be and act at least 13 years old. On some treks we will be able to consider scouts as young as 11 years old. It is highly recommended that the parent also participate.

• Prep Work. Each potential participant must complete to the Coordinator’s, Trek Leader’s, and Scoutmaster’s satisfaction required prep activities such as but not limited to prep hikes, a specified Backpacking 101 campout, and instructional sessions.

• Backpacking 101 Campout. The Troop 285 High Adventure Program shall coordinate at least one, Backpacking 101 campout each year as part of the prep activities needed for upcoming treks. Though a scheduled troop activity open to all members, each potential trek participant must attend. For backpacking treks that are scheduled during spring break, the Backpacking 101 campout will be the February troop activity. For backpacking treks that are scheduled in June, the Backpacking 101 campout will be the May troop activity. If, on a rare occasion, a backpacking trek is scheduled for July, the Backpacking 101 campout will be the June troop activity.

• Adult Training. Each adult participating must be current in all required BSA training. It is the policy of the High Adventure Program to have a minimum of three adults per crew. It is also our policy that each trek has at least two Adults and/or older Scouts current with BSA Wilderness First Aid training.

• Health. The coordinator must have a copy of a current BSA Annual Health and Medical Record Parts A, B, and C for each participant at least one week prior to departure for the trek. No participant that is taking antibiotics, or other prescribed medications, has a fever, or is ill in any way may go without specific approval from his Doctor, his Guardian, the Coordinator, the Trek Leader, and the Scoutmaster.

10/28/2015