2013 Cub Scout Leaders Monthly Schedule

Hey All Cub Scout Leaders,

Hope everyone had a relaxing Christmas and New Year!

It's time to get back to scouting, so here's the information that we have for you:

• Round table is now on the second Thursday of each month, 7-8:30 pm at 10962 N. 6400 W. Highland  Click here for google map location
• Pack Committee Meeting is next Sunday, at 4 pm at our house.  It's a time change due to the church meeting time change.
• Come prepared to talk about Blue and Gold Banquet, which is in February.
• We'll review boys birthdays and which dens they're in...
• Wolves are starting to meet at 4:30 on Wednesdays.
• Bears and Webelos are still at 6 on Wednesdays.
• Figure out how to get keys from Laurie Herget.

Let us know if you have any questions,

Jake and Michelle

Winter Camping resources

Posted on November 10, 2012 by mflitton

Here are some ideas to help simplify planning for your next winter campout. These were shared in the recent Varsity Huddle.

8 simple tips for a comfortable winter camp

1. Preparation (mental and physical) for boys and adult leaders.
2. Burn calories to stay warm—eat lots of calories.
3. Closed-cell foam pad for sleeping, standing, sitting, etc.
4. Hot water bottles at night in sleeping bag (Nalgene work best).
5. Layer clothing – bring a complete change of clothing (especially with snow caves).
6. Bring an extra sleeping bag, tarp, or blanket for extra warmth.
7. Sleep with a Beanie.
8. When building snow caves – take two days to build them.

Resources

Places to go

• City Weekly article – Has information about Big Cottonwood Canyon, American Fork Canyon, Spanish Fork Canyon, Strawberry Reservoir, Mirror Lake Highway, East Canyon, Rockport State Park.
• Utah National Parks Council – Maple Dell or Frandsen Scout Ranch. Overnight packages include activities, equipment and food.

Winter Camping Info

• Basic tips for staying warm
• Outdoor Action Guide to Winter Camping – A very thorough guide to preparing for winter camping. Includes information on clothing, food, shelter and gear tips.
• Outdoor Action Guide to Snow Shelters – Good illustrations for different types of snow shelters.
• Okpik Participant Handbook (pdf) – a prep guide for people attending a Boy Scout Okpik camp. Can be applied to any winter camp.
• Okpik: Cold-Weather Camping – a Boy Scout book available from ScoutStuff.org for $10. Also available free as a pdf (scanned images).  May or may not be at the Orem Service Center.
• Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills - A book recommended as a general outdoor reference. Amazon, Wikipedia

Activity ideas

• Ice fishing
• Hiking/Snow-shoeing
• Cross-country skiing
• Fire building competitions
• Build a sled to haul gear
• Shelter building – see link in Winter Camping Info section above for different types
• Animal tracking
• Lion hunting game (#4 at http://www.inquiry.net/outdoor/games/b-p/tracking.htm)
• Snowshoe soccer
• Fox and Geese
• Track and Snow – set up a hurdles course using piles of snow. Can have contests for speed or height.
• Biathlon
• Hot springs near Fillmore

2013 Deacon Scout Summer Camp

By: Matt Sorenson, Scoutmaster

This summer, instead of returning to Camp Maple Dell for our annual Deacon Scout summer camp, we are planning a 4-day river rafting trip down the Colorado river, which includes merit badge classes in the evenings. Scouts should be able to earn 3-5 merit badges, including: Whitewater, Kayaking, Rowing. The trip will be operated and outfitted by White Water River Expeditions out of Moab. 

I've made an initial reservation for the week of June 18-21.  

The cost of this trip will be approximately $175.00 per person. 

It may be impossible to find a single week that accommodates the families of all 17 deacons. If there are problems with the current reservation I'll do my best to finalize a week that accommodates the most deacons.  Fathers are welcome to join us.  

Let me know if you have any initial questions. 

Cold Weather Camping

By: Matt Sorenson (Scoutmaster) January 3, 2013

We are planning our next camp out this Friday. We'll meet at the chapel at 4:00 pm, will leave at 4:15 sharp. We will park at Tibble Fork reservoir and walk into Granite Flat campground.

The overnight lows are expected to rise slightly by Friday to 10-15 degrees. Given the snow we will be strictly enforcing the no cotton rule.

As usual, boys will be responsible for their own water (1 liter plus cooking water, if needed). This is less water since we aren't hiking very far. They should bring dinner and breakfast. No individually wrapped candy.

Despite the bitter cold, if they are prepared they will be fine. As always, Dads are welcome! 

The weather reports I'm watching are showing Alta with a low near 10 degrees on Friday night. I use Alta as a reference point of similar elevation as the Granite Flat campground. I'm expecting it to be in the single digits. I hope it is only that cold but it could be minus a few degrees. The Scouts in Minnesota typically called off camping when the temps reached -10 or wind chill reached -20. I'll use the same thresholds here.  

I trust that each of us, properly prepared, will be safe. 

We've camped out in similar during the past two winters without incident. 

A zero degree rated bag in zero degree weather will prevent frostbite if kept dry inside a tent. There might be a shiver or two in the predawn hours but no physical harm will be done. However, this is not a camp out for a sleeping rating anything higher than zero degrees. If your Scout doesn't have one available he should not attend this camp out. Make sure they know how to operating the drawstrings on their mummy bags so they can cinch the bag down over their head and around their shoulders to prevent heat loss. Practice this at home. Teach them to identify the different-sized drawstrings by feel, so they can do it in the dark. The temperature inside a tent with 3-4 boys in it will probably be in the mid 20s even when zero degrees outside.

Hand and foot warmers will probably be worth their weight in gold. 

Put fresh batteries in all lights, the cold will sap their power when old or half used up. 

If you don't feel your Scout is properly prepared for the cold, please keep him home. This includes physically as well as mentally. I don't have any reservations about any of our boys, as long as they bring the proper equipment.  I suggest 1 extra layer on top of what they normally wear. I'll wear an two pair of socks on my feet and have two pair dry, on hand just in case. 

They should wear a hat and even a face mask, ski mask, or other protection for nose and cheeks, although we will have plenty of wood for a good, roaring fire. 

We'll do a rigorous pack check before we leave to ensure safety.

It is a great sense of accomplishment for a young man to face the elements and learn the value of preparation, endurance and self reliance. Chances are he will still have fun. 

Brian Erikson - Eagle Court of Honor

Brian Erickson was recognized at his Eagle Court of Honor on Sunday, December 16, 2012.  It was a great event.  Here is a copy of the program and a video produced by his step mother.  Enjoy!

  

Brian Erickson Video

2013 New District & Roundtable Location

Attention All Scouters of Unit 1206

We have now officially been moved to a new district in the BSA Utah National Parks Council from Timpanogos District to Alpine District.  Below is some information for Round Tables days, times, locations for the new district.

The following stakes are now all part of this district:  Alpine, Alpine North, Alpine West, Highland, Highland East, Highland West, Highland South, Cedar Hills, Cedar Hills West, and Manila.

The Key Three:
District Chairman: Ken Krogue kkrogue@gmail.com
District Commissioner: Kevin Card klchighlander@yahoo.com
District Executive: Grant Hansen grant.hansen@scouting.org

Here is a link to the Alpine District Directory: Alpine District Directory

Roundtable:

When: 2nd Thursday of each month at 7:00 - 8:30 pm

Where:  Two different locations between cubs and scouting.  (see map below)

Who:  11-Year Old Scouts, Scouts, Varisty, Ventures - 5980 W 10400 N, Highland Utah (Strasburg Building)

Cubs - 10962 N 6400 W, Highland Utah (Hollowcrest Building)

Additional Information and Links:

Ken Krogue

District Chairman | Alpine District | Utah National Parks Council

kkrogue@gmail.com | 801-631-9090 cell | 801-756-9099 home

Let's use social media to communicate better!

Alpine District Blog | www.AlpineDistrictBSA.com

Let's connect by LinkedIn | http://www.linkedin.com/in/kenkrogue

Merit Badge Information

Merit Badges
This fall BYU Merit Badge PowWow.  Facebook users go like the BYU Pow Wow facebook page: 
https://www.facebook.com/BYUPowwow.  You can also follow them on Twitter @BYUPowwowto receive updates and exciting news about the upcoming PowWows.
The boys have chosen Welding and Cinematography as the next merit badges we'll work on as a troop this winter.  We've recently completed golf and orienteering, and are one activity away from completing the climbing merit badge. 

Here are other merit badge resources for you and your Scout to consider: 
Thanksgiving Point: http://register.asapconnected.com/Courses.aspx?CourseGroupID=1679
Cooking and Citizenship in the World currently offered for December. Also, bookmark that page and watch for upcoming Robotics MB classes. 

American Fork Recreation Dept. offers 50 Merit Badge classes. To find the list, go here and click the link "Register for Activities" and the Click "Boy Scouts" and then "Current Merit Badge Classes Available"

Winter Sports merit badge is offered this winter at Sundance resort:http://www.sundanceresort.com/explore/wnt_ski_meritclinic.html