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Where to go and what to do for your high adventure program? The simple answer is just about anywhere and just about anything. It may be a week of backpacking, canoeing, touring, cycling, boating or the adventure of your choice.
You don’t need to travel very far, look at nearby state and national parks, talk to your Scouting colleagues, check out council-based programs at local summer camps. Once you have an idea of a destination making the trip a reality requires four things:
Vision and Leadership
Someone has to say “let’s go!” and show others that it is actually possible. This can be more challenging than you may think, especially with the first Troop based trip.
Details, Details, Details
Troop-based trips are full of details! Preparation may take as many hours as the trip itself. The work put into planning pays big dividends. Research the activity and location throughly and plan the preparations to complete your adventure safely.
Commitment to Training and Skill Development
Leaders, advisers and participants have to commit time to training and learning the applicable skills to safely carry out the trip plan.
Finances
Calculating the cost of the high adventure program, collecting money and expenses all must be accounted for. It’s best if one person becomes the program bookkeeper and keeps a close eye on expenditures. High adventure does not mean high cost, be realistic about the ability of your Scouting families to pay for the trip and design it to be affordable.
Tomorrow we’ll discuss vision and leadership.
