eagle scouts

[Raymond]

I never made it to Second Class.

I sort of remember one hike, but I don’t even know where it was. Hated camping.

We did a ‘‘freeze out’’ (winter camping) and my pack leader (or whatever he was called) kept the money he’d collected from the others which was supposed to pay for the food my mother had bought for us. During the freeze out, he managed to chop into his foot with a hatchet, so screw him, he got what he deserved.

I can also remember one cold day the troop leaders served us water with chocolate mix in it, but it wasn‘t the type of mix that has its own nonfat dry milk, it was the type (like Nestlé Quik) to which milk is supposed to be added. So it tasted terrible. Cheapskates.

 

[deanmacg]

Let me guess...for drinking while hiking?

Well played

 

[RoySwkr]

My impression of Scouting is that it is highly variable, depending on the local leadership, and have heard both enviable and repugnant stories. "Eagle," however, always gets at least attention, if not respect per se.

I agree entirely. I was in my first troop for 1.5 years and reached Star rank, moved to different area and in 3 years got more merit badges but no more rank.

Some troops are rank-oriented and lots of boys make Eagle - I don't think they water down the requirements but rather set high expectations and push the boys to meet them. The 2nd troop was not perhaps because the scoutmaster's son had a physical impairment which kept him from making Eagle - but he was a nice guy and on summer Scout camp staff.

And while Explorers have explicit troop types, some Scout troops also had specialties based both on their leaders and then upon the sort of boys that gravitate to that troop. There are several scout troops that hike substantial parts of the Appalachian Trail and I'll bet even a 1st Class there is very knowledgeable in outdoor skills. However at least while I was in, the national office decided that the outdoors part of Scouting wasn't very relevant to poor urban youth and tried to revamp the program to retain the character-building aspects while discounting the hiking and camping. I'll bet an Eagle from one of those programs would have entirely different survival skills.

 

[Little Rickie]

Hiking drunk 4236 views.

Eagle Scouts 1281 views.

What is this saying?

 

[WinterWarlock]

Hiking drunk 4236 views.

Eagle Scouts 1281 views.

What is this saying?

Folks here enjoy a bit of levity every now and again...

 

[Little Rickie]

Folks here enjoy a bit of levity every now and again...

I was thinking I'm spending too much time on Scouting and need to drink more.

 

[hikerfast]

I reached first class and was a patrol leader and I definitely learned more about camping and hiking from this. I learned that hipbelts, when invented, keep your shoulders from being hideously sore. In 1978 we camped out at camp wanocksett when it was -10 degrees and 3 people in my patrol got picked up by their parents because they had frostbite and I didn't, and other kids got frostbite too. It seemed like a good idea to bring extra blankets and socks and it sure worked out. I sure had a lot of food to myself that morning. We had a 'klondike derby' where we had a competition of lighting fires that would burn a string 3 feet off the ground, and pitching a tent in high winds, treating an injury victim(simulated) with ratings done by people from the fire department and rescue service. They taught us that a rope tied to a log and burying the log in the snow would keep the rope from coming out of the snow. We did some long hikes(maybe 7 or 8 miles) and a lot of camping and cooking our own food. The main thing they pushed was 'first aid'. We learned a lot about that, in order to get the skill award and merit batch. We had a weekend course in orienteering and using a compass. It was a lot of information in 2 years.

 

[deanmacg]

Hiking drunk 4236 views.

Eagle Scouts 1281 views.

What is this saying?

Hiking is not THE obsession?

 

[woodsxc]

I'm an Eagle. I joined scouts in 6th grade and got through most of Life before high school. Then there's a 2 year gap in my advancement as varsity sports and advanced placement classes took hold. I reached Eagle as a junior in HS and got my bronze palm early senior year.

Scouting has most definitely shaped my identity and my skill set. Through scouts, I learned invaluable lessons about leadership, duty, responsibility, perseverance, and hard work, not to mention the countless outdoor skills. It's about the journey, not the destination. And, as any Eagle Scout will tell you, Eagle is not a destination, it's a starting point for, in all seriousness, the rest of your life. You never say "I was an Eagle Scout," but rather "I am an Eagle Scout" because you never stop being an Eagle.

I learned a great many things about the outdoors through scouts, but as far as Eagle making me a better hiker, not really. Most of the outdoor skills that Scouting teaches are in the lower ranks, Eagle is about life lessons and preparation for the years to come. Some of my best memories are from scout trips to the Rocky Mountains, the Flambeau River, Devil's Lake, and the Ice Age Trail. Through scouting, I was able to practice and hone my backcountry skills and become a more qualified, safer, and more competent hiker/backpacker/climber/canoer/kayaker/biker.

Right now, I'm going to school part time and working part time for my Council. It appears Scouting isn't finished with me just yet.

 

[Little Rickie]

working part time for my Council. It appears Scouting isn't finished with me just yet.

What do you do for the Council?

 

[woodsxc]

What do you do for the Council?

I'm a "Program Aide" in the In School Scouting Program. My official title is aide, but really, I end up running most of the sessions.

My coworkers and I go to schools (and a couple Boys and Girls Clubs) in low income areas of the Council and teach the Cub Scout program to kids in 1-4th grade. We go to about 15 different sites and do bimonthly meetings at each.

 

[prino]

I was in the Cubs (cub scouts) in the UK, but after seeing a film of scouts throwing fellow scouts into the river (I was terrified of water at that time) decided not to move up.
I kind of regret it now as it would be about another 15 years before I got back into outdoor activities.

 

[SilentCal]

I was in the cub scouts for a couple years. We did go on two father-son camping trips that looking back were quite educational. My interest in hiking was certainly spawned from these trips.

I will say that numerous Scout troops particpate in the Flags on the 48 event we hold in September. Their help is greatly appreciated and I sincerely hope that this event can mold some young minds with positive backcountry memories.