[Philmont] training treks

I second Coop's remarks (below)?about adult comfort and training.? I was a backpacker in high school and college, having completed a hike from the northern shore of Lake Michigan up to the Taquamanon Falls as my graduation present to myself.? Where I really got trained in backpacking, however, was as a Girl Scout advisor.? I resisted getting trained, confident that I knew enough to keep my scouts safe--and I did.? However, what I picked up from the 206 level of GS training were tips and techniques for introducing backpacking to teenage girls.? I've shared that knowledge with our brother Boy Scout troop and what is now our all-girl Venturing Crew.

I wasn't very sucessful with the guys (I'm still convinced that's because the SMs insist on doing a really hard trip for the scouts' first backpacking experience), but the girls are amazing.? We've made five trips to our local council's Philmont-style program, one to a neighboring council's program, and one Philmont trip (two "studly" crews who did Trek 29 & 32 in '04).? We have another crew heading out there this summer.? Once you make the scouts unload and put away everything used in car camping vs. the same from a backpacking trip--and see things you could never see from a regular campsite and walk in the woods--and help them experience the self confidence that comes from doing something hard and wonderful, they won't go back to car camping much if at all.

I might add that Coop's work on the NCAC Hike-o-Ree (a backpacking-style experience that eases troops and crews into backpacking) is one of the things that helped push my young teen girls into backpacking.? They learned they could do it--and what wonders awaiting them when they did.

Denise Vowell
Crew 574
Bailey's Crossroads, VA

>>The reason what troops don't do backpacking, even one trip a year is because the adults are uncomfortable with leaving the comforts of car camping, not because the kids don't want to do it.? Unfortunately, the current training offered by BSA doesn't help.? Its focus is on camping heavy, with chuck boxes, lanterns, coolers, lawn chairs, gateways, weather rocks, you name it.?<<??

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Received on Tue Dec 18 13:15:28 2007