In this episode we talk with David Ambrozewicz, Camp Director at the Rodney Scout Reservation which is a part of the Del-Mar-Va Council. We talk about the ACE Program: The Advanced Camper Experience.  Designed to offer exciting new experiences to Scouts that think they’ve seen it all. Opportunities include advanced sailing, teambuilding activities, and knife throwing. Scouts will be able to earn the Exploration Merit Badge and the Paul Bunyan Woodsman Award as part of the ACE program. Open to Scouts at least 14 years of age, who have earned First Class.  Connect with the Rodney Scout Reservation at https://www.delmarvacouncil.org/rodney-scout-reservation/.

5 Things Adults Should Not Bring to Philmont
Philmont Scout Ranch is a trip of a lifetime and there are several items that adults might want to avoid taking on the trek. This is the list of the 5 things that adults should not bring to Philmont.

Make sure to add your choices or feel free to disagree with my list. Happy High Adventure!

In this episode we explore setting up an independent Boundary Waters trip for your unit using a base camp instead of the traditional different campsite each night.  The Boundary Waters is an awesome place to take Scouts and an excellent way to get off the net.  Canoeing through the Minnesota wilderness is a classic trip.  

I interviewed two Scouters from Troop 40 in Shiloh, IL - Greg Gunyon and Wes Wexell about their trip.  It is a great way to change up the traditional Boundary Waters trip.  

A full breakdown of their trip is available at https://www.highadventurescouting.com/boundarywaters-basecamping.html

Floodwood Mountain Scout Reservation has been the ultimate site for High Adventure for over 50 yrs. Floodwood is located near Saranac Lake, NY about an hour west of Lake Placid in the heart of the Adirondacks. With its many lakes, streams, and High Peaks, Floodwood is perfectly located to offer a High Adventure challenge second to none.

Choose either a canoe trek from our base located on Rollins Pond or backpacking trek into the High Peaks Wilderness. Accompanying your unit for your trek will be one of our experienced staff Voyagers, a trained wilderness guide. While 100% customizable canoe and backpacking treks are the mainstay of Floodwood, we also offer first class waterskiing/tubing, rock climbing/rappelling, archery, as well as many other day and overnight hikes and paddles.

Floodwood is truly a special place in the Adirondacks and offers your unit the opportunity to create memories that will last forever!

https://www.nnjbsa.org/floodwood/

The Salmon River High Adventure Base is an adventure with the Mountain West Council.

Idaho's Salmon River, known as the "River of No Return," is one of the most unique in the world. Originating in the mountains of central Idaho, it flows through some of the most beautiful and pristine land in the United States before reaching its confluence with the Snake River. It is a free-flowing river, without a single dam anywhere on the 425 miles of its main steam. It is one of the longest such rivers in the continental United States, second only to the Yellowstone. Also, excepting Alaska, it is the longest undammed river contained entirely in a single state. 

The exact origins of the Salmon's nickname are lost to history. Some credit Lewis and Clark after they turned back, the only obstacle during their entire exploration they retreated from. Others say it was early pioneers who settled along the river as farmers and miners. Whoever first coined the phrase, the name is fitting. On average, the river loses nearly 20 feet of elevation for every mile, making for some intense whitewater. It also travels through the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness, the second-largest wilderness in the lower 48. 

https://www.mountainwestcouncil.org/srhab

Lenhok’sin is a trek camp. They offer each Crew the opportunity to design their own program tailored to their level of experience and goals. Our primary program is a combination of backpacking and adventure activities. Backpack through the 4,000+ acres of Goshen Scout Reservation and some of the 35,000 acres of surrounding state wildlife game lands. Challenge your Crew to summit up to five peaks and earn our most challenging award! Stop along the way at four of our nine exciting programs.

https://www.gotogoshen.org/

Scott Thiessen, Director for the Zink High Adventure Base (Z-base) and Jacob Southwick, High Adventure Director for the Indian Nations Council, discuss the coming 2022 season. 

Jack Zink high adventure base (ZBASE) is a high adventure leadership based program that will be operated by the local Indian Nations Council and serve Boy Scouts and Venture Scouts as well as high adventure enthusiasts on a regional basis. The leadership curriculum will provide an outdoor discovery based classroom designed to develop participants’ leadership skills and learn more about themselves and others in a hands-on, active experience. The programs offered will be unique to not only the area, but to scouting in general. ZBASE will encompass 35,000 acres on Zink Ranch as well as 10,000 acres of Skiatook Lake.

THE PURPOSE OF ZBASE IS THREEFOLD: become the premier regional (and eventually national) high adventure base, help maintain the relevance of the scouting principles to today’s youth, and be seen as a leadership training center. Zink Ranch has a tradition of hosting various scouting activities and is a fitting site for this one of a kind high adventure base.

https://zbase.camp/

This episode of the podcast features an interview with Jason Wilburn, Director of High Adventure Programs at the Michigan Crossroads Council about the 2023 season.  They operate two high adventure bases - Cole Canoe Base and the Great Lakes Sailing Adventure.

Cole Canoe Base
https://colecanoebase.com/
Our high adventure program provides older scouts an opportunity to stray from the traditional summer camp experience and put their outdoor skills to the test, on canoe trips on three of Michigan's most scenic rivers- the Rifle River, the Fox-Manistique, and the Au Sable. For more information please see the High Adventure homepage to start planning for your adventure now

Great Lakes Sailing Adventure
https://michiganscouting.org/outdooradventures/great-lakes-sailing-adventure/
The Retriever, a 52′ ketch, is an offshore sail training vessel where youth will learn the fundamentals of sailing, including sail trim, helmsmanship, navigation,  marine safety and skills used by seasoned sailors!

Based in its home port of Mackinaw City, Michigan, the Retriever will call on harbors throughout the northern Great Lakes teaching valuable sailing skills along the way.  Program options include six (6) day – five (5) night cruises, and a 3 night Labor Day weekend. The Retriever is designed to accommodate a maximum of 10 youth and two (2) adults. Co-ed crews are welcome, but the advisor must contact the council in advance to discuss accommodation options.

This episode of the podcast is from the Live discussion from the Philmont Trek Talk Group.  During the August 2022 edition they discussed Tips from First Time Trekkers.  In addition to the regular panelists listed below, a few first time trekkers joined the group to give their impressions.   This is a longer than normal episode, but we wanted to put the whole discussion into one recording.  

Our panelists:
Sal Porto - 15 yr ASM w/ Troop 212, Fl & LNT Master Educator. 7 treks to Philmont & #8 in 2023. Philmont Ambassador & council lead advisor . Owns Suncoast Wilderness First Aid & is a WFA/CPR/AED instructor.

Darrel Tadsen - 45yr Scouting veteran. 7yr SM, + many other Scouting roles. Current District Vice Chair. Multi-year adult crew advisor & council contingent advisor.

Andy Parrish - High Adventure Chair Troop 152, IN. Led crews to Boundary Waters & Philmont.Outdoor adventurer & avid backpacker. YouTube Channel - Andy Parrish Outdoors- shares backpacking, gear reviews, trip reports, tips & tricks, & Philmont Gear.

Jeff Cress - Skipper, Sea Scout Ship 4019, NC. Trekked @ PSR as a youth & adult Crew Advisor. Gear-Report.com Publisher. Produces gear & best-practices articles & videos on Philmont.

Scott O'Mary - 5yr Troop 259B SM, Tx. Created a 3yr program for all 4 BSA high adventure camps. Crew advisor for 4 BSA high adventure treks 
- Philmont (Summer & Winter), Northern Tier & Bechtel Summit & is advisor on '22 Florida Sea Base trek.

In this episode, we interviewed a lead advisor who had just gotten off the trail at Philmont.  We are calling this a Philmont Hotwash to get the immediate impressions of a trek just off the trail.   

We explore what worked, what didn't, and what he would change for another trip.  The lead advisor, Bryan King, organized a crew of 11 for a 12-day trek at Philmont Scout Ranch.  Mr. King is the immediate past Scoutmaster for Troop 85 in O'Fallon, IL.