The Hiking Staff

Basic Materials

• Hiking Staff (from the Scout Store, $6 in 2017)

• parachute cord: 18 ft to make wrap handle, strap, utility loop, 6 in pieces for mile beads

• vinyl craft lace

• A small carabiner

• Pony Beads (for recognizing miles hiked)

Knots

The following common knots will be used to construct the Pack 38 Hiking Staff. The boys should be encouraged to learn these and be able to tie them themselves. Do your best!

• Rope Wrap / Common Whipping

• Bowline

• Figure Eight Knot

• Buntline Hitch (more secure than Two Half-Hitches for bead lanyards)

Basic Design

1. Small top section for name and scout medallion

2. Handle section made from paracord

3. Mile and Hike beads hang from bottom of handle

4. Rank medallions

5. Other decorations

1. Using an 18 ft length of paracord, first tie a bowline knot with a 1 in diameter loop.

2. Mark off the length for the handle with masking tape. Secure the bowline below the bottom mark. Draw up the cord to the top mark and secure. Make strap, then draw the cord down an back up again, leaving the small loop at the bottom for securing the whipping.

3. From top to bottom, wrap the cord as evenly, closely, an tightly as you can manage.

4. When you get to the bottom, put cord through the mooring loop and pull up on the handle stand to secure the whipping into place. Leave enough cord at the bottom to tie the end into a second bowline.

5. Attach the cords with beads to one of the bowline loops using a buntline hitch.

6. The bead cord end should be fastened with a figure 8 knot.

7. Attach a carabiner to the other.