Hiking in Three Steps You-Them-Us

The First Step The first step of any hike begins with you, the leader –Mental Understand personal limits Patience, empathy, competence and control –Physical FitnessGear –Organization Required and recommended paperwork Planning

Mental –Be honest with yourself ConditionExperience Do you really enjoy this activity Understand that scouts are not adults –Let them make mistakes but be there to guide them away from danger –You are there for all scouts, not just the ones that “fit” your mental picture

Physical Be honest about fitness, age, injuries, illness –Denial can lead to a serious incident in the field…this will be on the scouts –Inform another adult about your “liabilities” and ask them about theirs (heart trouble, arthritis, previous injuries, etc…) –Stay in shape!

Physical Continued Gear –Gear should accommodate your needs I use hiking poles/buy more expensive boots/carry lightweight gear because I am getting older –Gear should meet your worst case scenario needs While scouts might use map and compass, the adult leader may carry a GPS You can spread out among the group if it is heavy

Organization-Basic Requirements 2 Deep Leadership and more –After 10 youth, having an additional adult for every 1-10 youth is recommended but not required. –One but preferably two should be registered. –One must be at least 21, the other must be at least 18.

Organization-Continued Health forms (these are not required but…) First Aid (next slide)

Wilderness First Aid (WFA) Is this required for my position in Scouting? The BSA requires at least one person (two preferred and now being required by certain bases such as Philmont) per unit to be WFA-certified for certain high-adventure camp and backcounty experiences. You may want to discuss the prescriptive requirements with the specific council, camp, or program you plan to visit. This requirement drove the creation of the task force that wrote the Wilderness First Aid curriculum and its doctrine guidelines.

WFA Exactly what “beyond the reach of rapid emergency response” means is difficult to define. If you are planning a trip that you think even remotely meets that description you need to take the course. –I have heard from 1-2 hours from Advanced Care. Our Council has stated 1 hour. CPR certification is often required in conjunction with WFA

Additional Training Trek Safely Climb On Safely Weather Hazards All are online at myscouting.org

Tour Permits Q. When do I need to complete a tour and activity plan? A. Times when a tour and activity plan must be submitted for council review include the following: Trips of 500 miles or more; or Trips outside of council borders (exception: not to your council-owned property); or Trips to Florida Sea Base, Northern Tier, Philmont Scout Ranch, Summit Bechtel Reserve (you will be asked to present a copy of your tour and activity plan upon arrival), national Scout jamboree, National Order of the Arrow Conference, or a regionally sponsored event; or When conducting any of the following activities outside of council or district events: –Aquatics activities (swimming, boating, floating, scuba, etc.) –Climbing and rappelling –Orientation flights (process flying plan) –Shooting sports –Any activities involving motorized vehicles as part of the program (snowmobiles, boating, etc.); or –At a council's request (Contact your local council for additional guidelines or regulations concerning tour and activity plans; many have set guidelines for events or activities within council boundaries such as for Cub Scout overnight camping.)

The Second Step Mental –Scouts need to have fun Hiking cane fields meets the requirements but can be boring Hike should be challenging but not devastating –Scouts are in charge Give them options and ideas but let them plan it When they are invested they will invest more

Them Physical –Not everybody is the same Foster a “team” mentality Get everybody in the general ball park –Train A hike per month will keep a crew in top shape for High Adventure –Keep up to date medical information Check meds but only manage if overnight trip Understand effects of medication

Them Gear –There is no substitute for good gear Search sales and end of year deals Will pay for itself in durability, performance and injury prevention (especially boots) Two fingers behind/no slip on slope (minimum $50.) –Anything but Cotton –Have scouts plan what to bring If extra or contingency gear is brought that should be part of planning (back to GPS example) Emphasize layering/essentials/weight

Gear-10 Essentials __ Pocketknife __ First aid kit __ Extra clothing (socks, socks, socks) __ Rain gear __ Water bottle (1 liter minimum for day hike) __ Flashlight or headlamp __ Trail food __ Matches/Fire starter __ Sun protection (hat, sunscreen, clothing) __ Map and compass

Third Step-Us Going –It is never going to be perfect Attendance – If anybody shows-go! Back up plan –Have trigger points-communicate them –A trigger point is a pre-determined decision It can rain but no thunder WindTemperature

Fit the Hike to the Hikers Should be challenging but enjoyable Average of group capabilities Teamwork and fun should be more important then miles Preparation is just as important as hiking –That being said, don’t overburden with check lists, inspections and the like

Age Appropriate f/34416_Insert_Web.pdf

Going-Group The group –Size…BSA says follow area management policy…thanks! Maximum rarely exceeds 12 Larger groups can break up and travel min apart Mix performance levels (no Varsity and JV) –Can discourage group –Make it difficult to keep everyone on a schedule

Going-Leadership Every aspect of Hike should be scout led –First Aid –Navigating –Organization Elections can be helpful but not always best –Have SPL be ultimate voice with SM consultation –Discuss before SPL directs to avoid undercutting their authority

Going-Formation Leave no trace Spacing –2-3 step rule –Spread out over open fields –Stick to paths and trails Consider “centipede” method Stop frequently to hydrate

Going-Speed Speed –Average is 2 miles per hour –Add 1 hour for every 1000’ of elevation change –Account for weather and rugged terrain

Going-Difficulty

Going-Notifications Be sure that you have any permits necessary Inform parents of an estimated departure/return times Carry a cell phone…conserve battery Have scouts notify parents when finished Parents should understand the nature of the activity

Going-wrap up Always do head count before and after All gear needs to be cleaned and dry before storage Collect and dispose of any rubbish Ask about any injuries

A Few Words About Blisters Even the most experienced can get them Break in footwear How they start-friction leads to “hot spots” Warning signs-”hot spots” and redness Prevention-barrier tape, good boots, etc. Treatment-moleskin, tape, dry area – ckpacking-101/ What can happen if not taken seriously –INFECTIONS

Treatment Prevention –Liners –Anti-perspireant (Not deodorant) –Anti-chaffing –tape Popping- –The risk is infection and continued irritation Aloe Tea-green is better than black Toothpaste (avoid cinnamon) VinegarMoleskin Anti-biotic cream