Boy Scouts Headed for Chapter 11?

[Cameramonkey]

If you guys haven't heard of this yet, check this out: National Pathfinder Youth This seems to be a modern revamp of what the boy scouts used to be, or at least what I think they used to be.

Speaking of targets on their back... That logo contains an arrowhead and [STRIKE]Indian[/STRIKE] Indigenous person. They cant go around appropriating culture and skills like that.

Just dont get them confused with Navigators USA. Went to one of those with our kids once. SUPER DUPER liberal and ultra inclusive. Nice folks, but looking deeper into the org, not something we were interested in. They are backed by the UUC if that tells you anything. (UUC is the "church" for agnostics, atheists, etc)

 

[teddy12b]

Speaking of targets on their back... That logo contains an arrowhead and [STRIKE]Indian[/STRIKE] Indigenous person. They cant go around appropriating culture and skills like that.

Just dont get them confused with Navigators USA. Went to one of those with our kids once. SUPER DUPER liberal and ultra inclusive. Nice folks, but looking deeper into the org, not something we were interested in. They are backed by the UUC if that tells you anything. (UUC is the "church" for agnostics, atheists, etc)

I've never heard of Navigators USA. I just like that the pathfinder youth thing is fundamentally about getting family's and kids outdoors. The zero cost model seems pretty nice too. One thing that drives me crazy about cub scouts is that the first third of the year is all about selling popcorn and when we get done with that we work on skits, then derby cars, then rubber band "rocket" things. There's a single hike or two a year and it's glorified babysitting. I get that the kids are young and I'm not saying to put a hatchet in their hands, but we could certainly get them outside much more than what we are currently.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I didn't go into cub scouts and just went straight into Boy Scouts when I was 11. Our troop camped about every month too. My first winter camp was on the farm of a relative of our scoutmaster and the temps dropped to -15 overnight. Needless to say we were NOT prepared for that, but it was the last time I was ever cold on a winter campout. Learned a lot of lessons on that trip.

 

[Skullglide]

Doggydaddy, I did a similar camp out. Very unprepared for the cold. We burned everything we could find. It was a spot near Battle Ground that I occasionally pass, think about it every time I go by.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Doggydaddy, I did a similar camp out. Very unprepared for the cold. We burned everything we could find. It was a spot near Battle Ground that I occasionally pass, think about it every time I go by.

After that, we learned that instead of sleeping 2 to a tent, we'd team up with 2 other scouts, put all our gear in one tent, then all 4 would sleep in the other tent. Basically put half our sleeping bags on the ground, then all 4 would cover up underneath the other sleeping bags.

 

[actaeon277]

After that, we learned that instead of sleeping 2 to a tent, we'd team up with 2 other scouts, put all our gear in one tent, then all 4 would sleep in the other tent. Basically put half our sleeping bags on the ground, then all 4 would cover up underneath the other sleeping bags.

People forget the ground layer.
The ground layer is actually more important than the above layer.
Under your sleeping bag should be a couple layers to keep the ground from sucking the heat out of you.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

People forget the ground layer.
The ground layer is actually more important than the above layer.
Under your sleeping bag should be a couple layers to keep the ground from sucking the heat out of you.

Exactly. On some of our big multi-troop winter camps, we had big (like 15' x 30') tents with no floors. Just a layer of straw to put our sleeping bags on, but it worked. I started doubling up on sleeping bags if I was going to be sleeping single. Of course those old sleeping bags I had back then were cheap ones from Sears or somewhere, and were probably only good down to 30 degrees or so.

 

[ATOMonkey]

They've had a political target on their back for a long time as an organization. My kid is in cub scouts, and I've been a den leader, but growing up I wasn't in it more than a year before I got bored making paper airplanes. It's not the "go to the woods" organization it once was if it ever really was that. I hope they survive this and get back to their roots.

I was so happy when my son said he didn't want to do BSA anymore. Ours was the same thing. Mostly arts and crafts (as prescribed by BSA). When we tried to go camping or hiking or cave crawling, only half (if that) of the den would actually show up. They would do 1 camp a year, in a place where you could back up your car to the campsite. It was garbage.

I took him on a real camping trip where he had to carry his gear, cut his firewood and cook his food. He learned that water is heavy and necessary, and most of the other stuff he wanted to take isn't. Living in a tent is miserable, and cooking over a fire is hard, smelly, and dirty.

He also learned that living in a house is a hell of a luxury and doesn't really have any desire to do that kind of camping again. Knowing that camping is hard and living outside sucks is just as good as learning how to be Daniel Boone in my opinion, because now he has a deep and abiding appreciation for what he has, and can feel actual sympathy for those who don't.

Camping isn't easy, and it's only fun for people who like to do things the hard way (like me).

 

[jwamplerusa]

I am an Eagle Scout. When our son reached Tiger Cub Scout age we went to a meet Scouting night.

I was SHOCKED I looked at the books and materials all the way through Boy Scouts which were laid out, and the content was unrecognizable from what I had grown up with.

He went on one familiarization trip, and had no further interest. I was disappointed, as I had this concept at the time my son might be a second gen Eagle.

Now he's all outdoorsie, and he's learning the hard way as an adult, which is fine, but to me kind of sad.

Our youth NEED what Scouting used to be. Self reliance, being prepared, marksmanship, patriotism.

 

[teddy12b]

I took him on a real camping trip where he had to carry his gear, cut his firewood and cook his food. He learned that water is heavy and necessary, and most of the other stuff he wanted to take isn't. Living in a tent is miserable, and cooking over a fire is hard, smelly, and dirty.

He also learned that living in a house is a hell of a luxury and doesn't really have any desire to do that kind of camping again. Knowing that camping is hard and living outside sucks is just as good as learning how to be Daniel Boone in my opinion, because now he has a deep and abiding appreciation for what he has, and can feel actual sympathy for those who don't.

Camping isn't easy, and it's only fun for people who like to do things the hard way (like me).

These are exactly the lessons I want to teach my kids. My wife always questions why I go outside and do the things I do, but really it's not for the few nights away, it's so that every other night when I'm laying in a warm bed next to loving wife with a hot shower in the morning my life is that much more full of gratitude. I enjoy backpacking also, but I really love air conditioning, clean running water, and a solid roof over my head at night.

 

[teddy12b]

I am an Eagle Scout. When our son reached Tiger Cub Scout age we went to a meet Scouting night.

I was SHOCKED I looked at the books and materials all the way through Boy Scouts which were laid out, and the content was unrecognizable from what I had grown up with.

He went on one familiarization trip, and had no further interest. I was disappointed, as I had this concept at the time my son might be a second gen Eagle.

Now he's all outdoorsie, and he's learning the hard way as an adult, which is fine, but to me kind of sad.

Our youth NEED what Scouting used to be. Self reliance, being prepared, marksmanship, patriotism.

I hate to say it, but I'm not sure an Eagle scout award means what it once did. In today's scouts it may mean that your mom is now dating the scoutmaster, just saying. I remember guys that had an eagle scout could crank out a knot and get a fire going before anyone else had sticks picked up.

I agree that the lessons of scouting are what's important to pass along more than anything else. I want my kids both girls and boys to learn to be self sufficient and have those skills. Last summer I took my oldest daughter to a bushcrafting school in Kentucky and she loved everything about it. She kept asking why we didn't do those things in the one year of scouts she was in it and I couldn't really answer her very well on it. This upcoming summer my wife and I are planning a little overnighter trip with the kids (11, 8, & 7) where we're going to take a short kayak trip to a shore where we're going to setup camp for the night and pack up the next day and return home. I think my kids will love it.

 

[spencer rifle]

Our youngest was the only one of four interested in scouting. We've always camped, but in the last 10 years went further. We get as many together as we can and do a multi-day backpacking trip somewhere interesting and remote. Past locations include several segments of the AT, Deam Wilderness, Lantau Island and Catalina Island.

This year looks like a multi-day canoe trip on the Buffalo River in Arkansas.

Our scout has a good troop - he know so many knots, and is the default fire starter for all our trips. He makes such great camp food. As SPL he's had to become very organized. It's helpful having him on backpack trips - he's strong as an ox and carries all our extra gear. Because of his family backpack experience, he is in demand as a leader for any troop backpacking campouts.

That's how they all got outdoor skills, and they all continue to improve on them.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I was so happy when my son said he didn't want to do BSA anymore. Ours was the same thing. Mostly arts and crafts (as prescribed by BSA). When we tried to go camping or hiking or cave crawling, only half (if that) of the den would actually show up. They would do 1 camp a year, in a place where you could back up your car to the campsite. It was garbage.

I took him on a real camping trip where he had to carry his gear, cut his firewood and cook his food. He learned that water is heavy and necessary, and most of the other stuff he wanted to take isn't. Living in a tent is miserable, and cooking over a fire is hard, smelly, and dirty.

He also learned that living in a house is a hell of a luxury and doesn't really have any desire to do that kind of camping again. Knowing that camping is hard and living outside sucks is just as good as learning how to be Daniel Boone in my opinion, because now he has a deep and abiding appreciation for what he has, and can feel actual sympathy for those who don't.

Camping isn't easy, and it's only fun for people who like to do things the hard way (like me).

Camping can be a lot of work, but it can still be pretty comfortable. I never go to campgrounds. I take the boat and find a spot on shore and set up. But even though it's primitive, one can still enjoy some of the creature comforts with propane stoves and lanterns, stove top "toasters". Toasted bagels and fresh hot coffee in the mornings, dinner over the campfire or a small charcoal grill... And as far as sleeping quarters, we have a tent that would hold 10 people, but there was just the two of us. Makes it nice if the weather turns rainy. We can set up a table and a couple of chairs inside and don't feel cramped.

And this is the bed...

 

[ATOMonkey]

We are going to Red River Gorge for some hiking and camping end of March. Should be entertaining.