Outdoor Skills & Gear on ScoutmasterCG Archive

Seven Appalachian Trail Lessons Plus Three

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 00:00:00 +0000

These Appalachian Trail Lessons come from Wade Bastian, one of two of my old Scouts hiking the 2200 mile trail. Wade and fellow Eagle Scout Bucky Kellorg started in February. As planned, Wade interrupted his hike to spend the summer employed as a peak steward in New York’s Adirondack mountains Bucky completed the trail in July, here he is on Katahdin with fellow hiker Brightside You can listen to Wade and Bucky from the trail on the Scoutmaster Podcast – 338 – Eagles on the Appalachian Trail 340 – On the Appalachian Trail Again 346 – Back on The Appalachian Trail Again I asked Wade to share what he learned on the trail, ( he also shares some great gear tips in this article ). Here’s a seven Appalachian Trail lessons I’ve learned from the first few months of my through hike – Hiking every day is hard, but not how you’d expect Sometimes you can’t eat enough Good Eats – Good Attitude Pace yourself, there’s no shame in zero Just because you can doesn’t mean you should Gear wears out fast Be Prepared; more than a motto Hiking every day is hard, but not how you’d expect.

How Long is the Hike?

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 00:00:00 +0000

You can estimate using Naismith’s rule named after the Scottish climber W.W. Naismith, who devised it in 1892.

Allow 1 hour for every 3 miles (5 km) forward, plus ½ hour for every 1000 feet (300 metres) of ascent . When walking in groups, calculate for the speed of the slowest person. The basic rule assumes hikers of reasonable fitness, on typical terrain, under normal conditions. It does not account for delays, such as extended breaks for rest or sight-seeing, or for navigational obstacles. For planning expeditions or walks a party leader may use the rule in putting together with a route card.

3M Ultrathon

Mon, 25 Aug 2014 00:00:00 +0000

What’s a good place to test insect repellent? How about 25 Scouts canoeing their way through a buggy week in Ontario, Canada’s Algonquin Provincial Park? In mid August we don’t usually run into too many mosquitoes and the black fly season is long over. This was a wet summer and we encountered more mosquitoes that we were used to, many, many more. One evening as we were chatting around the campfire we heard a quiet, yet audible, high-pitched buzzing sound that must have been a cloud of insects (we suspected mosquitoes). We armed ourselves with 2 ounce tubes of 3M Ultrathon, the best repellent I have ever used and one that has earned a permanent place in my camping kit. One application (a pea-sized blob of lotion I applied to my ears, forehead, forearms, ankles and the backs of my hands) lasted for hours.

Preparedness is Awareness

Mon, 25 Aug 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Being prepared is not only knowing what to do or having the right gear.

Skill and gear absent awareness of surroundings it is of little use.

Awareness is a contextual understanding of the relationships between environment, action and resources.

Awareness is taking it all in, seeing the whole picture before acting.

Scouting hones the skills of observation and inquiry; What is the result of this course of action? How does the context of the situation affect the action?

Scouting and Outdoor Leadership

Fri, 22 Aug 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Is there really a difference between outdoor leadership and leadership in other situations? To my mind just about everything we do in Scouting hinges on how you answer that question. We are familiar with business or management-style leadership in our professional and business lives.

Outdoor (or Scouting) leadership is different and understanding this difference is key to being an effective Scouter. Why do corporations invest time and resources in things like ropes courses and leadership retreats?

Why Leaves Change Color

Fri, 22 Aug 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Autumn’s crisp temperatures, fall colors and clear nights make for great camping.

Every Scoutmaster should know the answer to the question “why do leaves change color?”. Here’s some information from the United States Department of Agriculture: During the growing season, most tree leaves are green because they are full of chlorophyll.

Plants use chlorophyll to capture sunlight for photosynthesis, the process that enables them to manufacture their own food. The amount of chlorophyll is so high during the summer that the green color masks all other pigments present in the leaf. As the days grow shorter in the fall, chlorophyll production slows down and eventually stops. The carotenoids and anthocyanins that are present in the leaf then become visible. More information available at the USDA website

What Causes Wilderness Emergencies?

Sun, 06 Jul 2014 00:00:00 +0000

Wilderness emergencies caused by sudden, unpredictable changes in conditions may be unavoidable BUT: Ignorance, inattentiveness, bravado , and lack of preparedness cause more wilderness emergencies than sudden changes in conditions. IGNORANCE of terrain, climate, skill level or physical health of groups and individuals. IGNORANCE of skills required to conduct the activity safely. IGNORANCE of risks inherent in the activity. KNOW where you are going, who is going, and what you need to stay safe. INATTENTIVENESS to changes in conditions. INATTENTIVENESS to a participant’s state of mind and physical condition. INATTENTIVENESS to the risks inherent in the activity. PAY ATTENTION to participants, conditions, and risks. BRAVADO that blinds us to our own limitations. BRAVADO of a group that obscures the obvious risk. BRAVADO of trying to impress others. RESPECT LIMITATIONS don’t be foolish. LACK OF PREPAREDNESS not having the proper gear for the activity. LACK OF PREPAREDNESS failing to study and understand risks. LACK OF PREPAREDNESS not assessing suitability and limitations of participants. BE PREPARED bring the gear, knowledge and skills required to assure safety.

The Accident Prone Outdoorsman

Fri, 11 Oct 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Author and Instructor Peter Kummerfeldt conducts outdoor safety skills seminars for his company OutdoorSafe . he writes: The tendency to hold optimistic opinions of our ability seems to be a part of human nature. No one wants to be “average,” we want to believe that we are “better than average.” The belief that “I will never find myself in a survival situation” compounds the problem… we read the reports, see the mistakes, and increasingly believe that accidents only happen to the foolhardy, the incompetent, and the accident prone – the other guy! Is it possible that all of those that people who get in trouble in the outdoors are fool hardy, incompetent and accident prone?

How to Make a Fire in the Rain

Tue, 24 Sep 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Any good outdoorsman knows how to make a fire in the rain. Once you’ve mastered the skill of building fires when the weather is dry you’ll want to hone your skills for starting a fire when the weather goes bad. The infographic explains a few strategies for getting a fire going when you have nothing but a match and no fire starters .

I always carry fire starters but I won’t use them unless it’s absolutely necessary, I’ll save them for an emergency or when it’s otherwise impossible to light a fire without them. The first step is finding dry wood. Even if it’s been raining for a day or two there’s still a good chance you’ll find dry wood by splitting open dead, down, medium to large-sized branches (down means branches on the ground, not on the tree).

What Are Scouting Skills, Why Are They (Still) Important and How do We Get Them Right?

Sun, 14 Jul 2013 00:00:00 +0000

What are Scouting Skills? Can you throw some things in a pack, step off the road into the woods and live comfortably for a few days without getting lost? Can you build a fire, lash a tripod together, set up a shelter, cook your food, stay warm and dry and leave no trace of your presence when you leave? If the answer is yes then you possess what I would call some basic ‘Scouting Skills’.

High Adventure Canoe Trip 3 - Portage Details

Tue, 25 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Modern portage packs have an advanced suspension system that is much like a normal backpack. At the beginning of a high adventure canoe trip our portage packs our packs weigh about 60-70 pounds. This is quite a load for some of us but time has proven that even our smallest Scouts can handle them very well. As the trip progresses we eat our way light and by the last portage out the packs are about 20-30 pounds lighter.

High Adventure Canoe Trip 2 - Gear and Clothing

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Portage pack and day bag (the waist or lumbar pack) The canoe never gets lighter, but the packs do. Pack with paddles.

Triumph! The end of a five mile portage. Any high adventure canoe trip requires selecting the right gear and clothing.

I am pretty specific about what we carry on our trips because I know one thing for sure; in the case of where we are going: It’s All About Portaging In a place like Algonquin you’ll be traveling from lake to lake, and the lakes connect by trails called portages. When the crew arrives at a portage they empty the canoes of all their gear, carry the gear and the canoes over the portage to the next lake, re-pack the canoes, and continue paddling. A portage may be a few yards or a few miles, you may have one portage in a given day of travel or several.

High Adventure Canoe Trip 4 - The Kitchen

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

On our high adventure canoe trip each crew packs and cooks food for a group of five to nine Scouts. Our menu is a combination of freeze dried and grocery store food that keeps the cost reasonable while providing good nutrition and good eating.

After making adjustments to our menus and the kit we assembled to prepare it over two or three years we developed a pretty well tuned approach. Our cooking gear packs down into two basic packages – a cook box that we fondly call ‘Tidy Cats’ and a bag of cook pots. Tidy cats? That’s right, believe it or not. Our latter-day wanigan (an old Ojibwa word for a gear chest) is a miracle of recycling. For a couple of years we used a three gallon plastic bucket to contain our cooking gear until I walked by the neighbors recycling bin one day and found a rectangular plastic container that holds kitty litter (Tidy Cats brand) and had one of those eureka moments. The size and shape of the container fits quite nicely in a portage pack and the price was right. Tidy Cats holds cup, bowl and spoon for each of crew member 1 gallon plastic pitcher (the bowls and spoons are packed in the pitcher) a small gas stove, heavy insulated welding gloves (pot holders and working in and around the fire) utensil roll, dish washing kit (soap, scrubby and brush), Aquamira water treatment (a back up for our water filter ), matches, fire starters (cotton balls and petroleum jelly) and any other small stuff that can’t find a home elsewhere. The tidy cats container also makes a great camp stool and water bucket. We built our cook kit from components purchased at a restaurant supply store .

Golden Guide to Trees

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:00:00 +0000

If, when in the forest, we know the names of the trees we are more at home. My well-worn Golden Guide to Trees is a reliable source of information for tree identification.

I have a couple of other guides but reach for the Golden Guide first because I find it easier to identify things from illustrations rather than photographs. The guide features over 730 species of trees grouped in 76 families. Each species description includes characteristics-tree shape, bark, leaf, flower, fruit and twig-for quick identification. As with any guide one must learn how to use it properly.

Wilderness Communications

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

The Wilderness Medical Society published an article concerning Wilderness Communications authored by Gordon H.

Worley. The article explains the technology behind wilderness communications, emergency communication, radio communications, satellite communications, casualty evacuation and helicopter evacuations.

Anyone venturing past reliable cell phone range would do well to read the article and gain some understanding of current technology and its proper application.

Satellite phones, personal locator beacons, and other devices are inexpensive to rent and relatively easy to use but they are only backups to standard preparations and practices: Wilderness travelers today have a wide range of communications technology options available to them.

Ten Step Camping Gear Buyer's Guide

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 00:00:00 +0000

I have developed this ten step camping gear buyer’s guide over many years.

I hope it will help you and your Scouts select the right gear for your individual use.

Buy the best you need Waking up (or worse yet no being able to sleep) chilled to the bone in a cheap sleeping bag really drives home the importance of having adequate gear. If you and your Scouts aren’t warm and dry or don’t sleep comfortably you’ll have miserable camping trips. If you are my age (50+) and go backpacking with 70 pounds of gear in a backpack you used in high school you’ll suffer. I’ve invested in the best sleeping bag, pad, backpack, raingear and clothing I can afford. Most of these things will last me for many years.

I promise you that you’ll never regret spending a bit more on good gear and almost always regret going for the cheapest option. So what’s the difference between a $40.00 tent or sleeping bag at the discount store and one that costs $400.00 from a gear boutique? The $40.00 option may work just fine and the $400.00 option could be much more than you really need. What we are looking for is some middle ground: a choice that stands up to constant use and performs well without breaking the bank account.

24 Hours left to get "Stuff Adult Leader's Say" tee shirt

Sat, 29 Sep 2012 00:00:00 +0000

First of all – I apologize if you’ve had enough of the nutty tee-shirt thing!

I have tried to balance keeping everyone informed with being irritating; hopefully I have kept it below the point of being too terribly aggravating. Wow!

There’s been a big flurry of pledges to tee-shirt project on Kickstarter that will include 200 things that adult leaders say over and over again. You can read about the whole thing here and pledge to secure your shirts at Kickstarter . On Wednesday we had the project 52% funded and by today it is up to 83%!

Sewing Scout Patches

Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

can be a challenge! … let alone figuring out where they all belong! Here’s some information that should answer your questions about where those patches belong, how to sew or iron them on and some ideas for displaying them.

Where to Sew Patches? | Merit Badge Sashes | How do you iron-on? Hand or Machine Sewing? | Extra Patches? | Patch police?

Where do you sew all those patches?

Start with these resources, 99% of your questions are answered in the Official Uniform Inspection guides below: There’s also an online interactive guide that shows where to sew patches on the uniform for Cubs, Webelos, Scouts and adults; If you don’t find the answers you need in those resources check the BSA Uniform and Insignia Guide . If you still can’t find an answer get in touch with me! Back to top What about Merit Badge Sashes? Boy Scouts can wear a merit badge sash with their uniform anytime, most choose to wear them only at special events; like courts of honor.

Ten Tips for Camping in the Rain

Sat, 25 Aug 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Camping in the rain sounds awful – and it is if you aren’t prepared! Here’s ten tips for surviving rainy camping trips: 1. AVOID IT I have canceled or rescheduled weekend camping trips if heavy rain or horrendously bad weather is forecast. We aren’t Marines and the safety of the free world does not depend on our withstanding really awful weather. That being said camping in the rain can be great fun if you are prepared for it. Our high adventure trips are long enough that we usually get a day or two of rain so we are sure to be prepared.

W. Ben Hunt - Whittlin' Jim

Tue, 31 Jul 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Several books authored by W. Ben Hunt (Walter Bernard Hunt) also known as “Whittlin’ Jim” grace my bookshelves. Each one offers a rich journey into Native American arts and performance, woodworking, whittling, scoutcraft, pioneering, jewelry making, metalworking and calligraphy.

Native of Greenfield in Milwaukee County, Hunt was born in 1888 in the log cabin his father built. He dropped out of high school to take a job engraving lithographs and went on to become a noted artist and illustrator. Hunt’s books are illustrated with his own inspirational and practical drawings; just try looking at one without wanting to make the project it describes. Hunt shares his encyclopedic knowledge of traditional skills in a simple, direct way that engenders confidence. He wrote and illustrated many articles for Boy’s Life magazine.

Uniforms

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The word uniform is both an adjective and a noun; the noun being what we wear and the adjective the reason it is worn.

According to BSA literature: The uniform makes the Boy Scout troop visible as a force for good and creates a positive youth image in the community. Boy Scouting is an action program, and wearing the uniform is an action that shows each Boy Scout’s commitment to the aims and purposes of Scouting. The uniform gives the Boy Scout identity in a world brotherhood of youth who believe in the same ideals. The uniform is practical attire for Boy Scout activities and provides a way for Boy Scouts to wear the badges that show what they have accomplished.

What is the Heat Index ?

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Management Most of our Scouts will leave the relative comfort of an air-conditioned house for a week in the out doors.

Keeping cool can be a monumental challenge, or a physical impossibility. We perspire to dissipate heat through evaporation.

Increased humidity (more moisture in the air) decreases the rate of evaporation and our ability to keep cool. R. G.

Steadman’s 1979 paper titled “The Assessment of Sultriness,” factors 20 different variables to describe how heat feels.

Moon Phases - Premier East Disappear West

Wed, 25 May 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Study Here’s an illustration that s explains how to roughly determine direction from moon phases. If the moon is the quarter, crescent or gibbous phases it’s easy to note the position of the shadowed part of the moon and know where east or west is. Note that this only works in the northern hemisphere.

A (Really) Highly Evolved Mess Kit

Fri, 15 Apr 2011 00:00:00 +0000

I first wrote about mess kits five years ago. Most of the advice remains the same but enough has changed to justify an updated version; For a number of years I was thought that real campers only used specially manufactured camping gear. The standard issue military type clamshell mess kit has a long tradition in Scouting but true campers know it is woefully inadequate.

There are lots of gadgety, expensive, highly touted modern specialty cooking and serving ware being manufactured but none are as cheap, light and practical as a kit you can assemble from commonly available alternatives. What follows is part rant, part practical advice that will (hopefully) consign your mess kit to the recycling bin where it belongs.

Bear Bags - How To by Kevin Callan

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Kevin Callan on bear bags from the Paddler’s Guide to Happy Camping Keeping your food safe from bears (and other critters) is an important element of any camping trip. Not only do you want to reduce the chance of having an unwanted close encounter with bear, raccoon or field mouse – but you also don’t want to loose your food. Your food is an important part of your trip.

There’s a number of ways to store your food. The most notable, however, is hanging it.

Deer Tracking

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0000

I must admit that every once in a while I cannot resist this bit of fun (so long as it is not demeaning my Scouts).

There’s no ‘butt’ to this joke and everyone ends up laughing.

Bring a box or bag of chocolate covered raisins on your next camp out. Get up early and place a pile of them on the ground near where you will later take a nature hike.

The Portage Lexicon

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0000

Today 18 Scouts and adults are off to our annual high adventure trip to Ontario’s Algonquin Provincial Park.

Canoer Chris Lawson, in writing about his Bonnechere river trip in Algonquin, has developed a lexicon for some of the conditions he encountered while portaging: The Armadillo: wherein the clear line through the bush becomes suddenly a Car Wash , the portager curls head toward chest, tucks arms in, leans forward and stomps aggressively through obstructing branches. A move heralded by judges for its audacity in placing skin preservation ahead of the need to see where you’re going. Car Wash: undergrowth along a river, either where nature is reclaiming a trail or engulfing a river tends to be strong, right to the ground.

8x10 Tarp Setup

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0000

8×10 Tarp Setup June 19, 2007 By Clarke Green I am a tarp convert.

Having carried a seven pound Eureka Timberline 2 man tent for twenty years I now carry a 1 lb silnylon tarp.

Quite an upgrade in weight, ease of setting up and much roomier. Here’s an instructional video of one quick, effective tarp set-up from Sundog Outfitters in Damascus, Virginia.

Damascus is known as ‘Trail Town USA’ because it lies at the intersection of 7 major trail systems including the world famous Appalachian Trail and the Trans-America “76” Bicycle Route from Virginia to Oregon. The Virginia Creeper Trail passes right next to our store and attracts2007 AT Thru Hiker La Mas and Nighthawk hundreds of thousands of people yearly who come to ride bikes and hike on “Americas most beautiful Rail-Trail”.

Dirt Bagging" for Cheap Gear

Mon, 21 May 2007 00:00:00 +0000

Gearheads like myself find great pleasure in hunting down the nec plus ultra in the expansive (and expensive!) world of specialty backpacking and camping gear. How the world has changed these past four or five years! Now ‘dirtbagging’ is in and overpriced doo-dads are passe. Sgt. Rock , an Appalachian Trail through hiker, coined the term ‘dirtbagging’ and has collected lot’s of great gear ideas in this article at whiteblaze.net …the average hiker starts putting together a kit by going to the local outfitters, looking at the Internet, or picking up a catalog and then builds a shopping list. The fact is the latest high tech gear can be VERY expensive, and even the little things that you may need backpacking can add up if you try and buy everything new. Dirt Bagging is a term I picked up from a hiker named Nigel who used this term to define the use of re-cycled gear like soda cans for stoves and soda bottles for fuel or water; or using cheap gear like plastic sheets for tarps and grease savers for cooking pots. Dirt Bagging can actually be fun when you see what you can get away with. Here’s a few of his ideas: Pack Towel.

New" lashings at Ropes and Poles

Wed, 20 Dec 2006 00:00:00 +0000

Peter at the Ropes and Poles pioneering blog has posted three lashings from John Thurman’s book Pioneering Principles (available in PDF format from The Dump ) These ‘new’ lashings are certainly worthy of wider use.

While we are on the subject check out the Japanese Square Lashing at Ropeworks a website featuring the work of Gerald L.

Findley.

Compared to the traditional method that involves two clove hitches the Japanese square lashing is simpler and usually stronger in that it is much more effectively tightened. (I favor the Mark II) Findley’s book Rope Works is well worth the ten bucks.

Dutch Oven Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 00:00:00 +0000

There’s nothing quite like baking a pineapple upside down cake in a dutch oven. It’s easier than you think!

Preheat the dutch oven until a hand held inside gets uncomfortably warm in five seconds.

While the oven is heating mix a box of white or yellow cake mix according to the instructions on the box.

Spread margarine around the whole inside of the oven. Melt about 1/3 of a cup of margarine in the bottom of the oven, add about 2/3 cup of brown sugar and mix well. Open and drain a can of pineapple rings, place them on the bottom of the oven.

Nessmuk

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 00:00:00 +0000

Go light, and the lighter the better so that you have the simplest material for health comfort and enjoyment. '

Nessmuk

Nessmuk is the pen name of George Washington3 Sears. In 1884 he wrote the book Woodcraft and Camping and it has been in print ever since. His approach to camping is satisfyingly philosophical and completely practical. Worthy reading for anyone who wants to take to the woods.

Tote-N-Chip

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 00:00:00 +0000

There is no jesting with edge tools.

-Beaumont & Fletcher