Troop 174

Read Summer Camp 2002
Detailed Information

Contents

 

General information

Troop 174 will go to summer camp at the Curtis S. Read Scout Reservation.  This is a golden opportunity for scouts to work on many outdoor skills, to advance in rank, and to earn merit badges, optimizing fun and opportunities.  For many scouts summer camp is the high point of their year.

Week 1 is July 7-13, 2002.  Week 2 is July 14-20.  Week 2 is our primary week.  We will use the Ranger site at Camp Buckskin.  This site is shared with Troop 164.

Our older scouts are planning an Adirondack canoe Trek in week 1.  They will be doing the 50-mile Long Lake, Tupper Lake, Raquette River trek.  To qualify for this Summit Base Trek you must pass the Camp Buckskin swimmer test and have Scoutmaster approval.  You must be able to portage the canoes one mile. Youth and adults must be able to swim 100 yards.

For scouts at least 14 years old there is also the Adirondack Challenge: full day low and high COPE courses, two days climbing challenging rock faces, and two days of wilderness hiking.

 

What you need to do

1. Fees

See the fee schedule here. $215 for one week or $420 for two weeks.  The Canoe Trek is $220

2. Registration

2.1. By April 18:  Non-refundable deposit of $25 per week is due at troop meeting.

2.2. By May 16: See Michael G. for form to total up your camp fee and optional troop activity fees.  Give a check to Michael G., payable to BSA Troop 174, and write in the memo section: Week 1, Week 2, or Both Weeks.  Turn in final total by May 16.  After that you have to take the money to Council, and fees increase after May 31.  There are additional fees due May 16 for some troop activities: white water rafting and horse trail ride.  The troop photo costs $6 (photo information, Troop 174 low-resolution web photos: 2000, 2001).

Merit badge materials are purchased at camp (see Handicraft for Basketry, Leatherwork, Woodcarving).  The scout's money will be locked up at camp.

3. Permission form

3.1. Read Scout Permission Form  Signed parental permission is required for optional activities, such as white water rafting, off-camp caving, and water skiing.  Give the form to Michael G. by May 16.  Note the fees on this Activities web page.

3.2. On the same form signed parental permission is also required, if arrangements are made for someone other than a parent to pick up their son to leave camp for any purpose, including these activities.

4. Medical form

4.1. The Medical Exam section of the the General Information page has an explanation and the form in PDF format.  This may require a doctor's exam, so allow time for that.  The medical form is also available from Barbara C.  Give to her when complete.

5. Complete your schedule

By the end of May you should have your merit badge schedule ready for review by the scoutmaster.

5.1. See the 2002 Camp Buckskin Merit Badge Schedule for the time of day each merit badge program is offered. Schedule addition: The Camp Buckskin Climbing merit badge will now be offered at three times.  Alternatives to 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. are 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon.

5.2. Find the program that is right for you.

First-year scouts:

First-year scouts should sign up for the Dan Beard program their first week.  It is designed to help the first-year camper "hit the ground running."  Outdoor requirements for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class are covered.

There are two 3-hour sessions each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.  Try to take all morning or all afternoon sessions, because sometimes the morning and afternoon sessions are a little out of synchronization.  Then, at other times one may sign up for a troop activity or for Basketry, Leatherwork, or Metalwork.  The evening make up is for merit badges only, not for Dan Beard.

The details of this schedule are as follows.  Plan to attend the entire Dan Beard program, including all three Tenderfoot, Second Class and First Class sessions, from 9:00 a.m. to noon or from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. to meet requirements for three ranks at once.

  1. Tenderfoot:       9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.  or from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  2. Second Class:  10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  or from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
  3. First Class:      11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon or from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Only Basketry, Leatherwork, and Metalwork merit badges are to be taken with the Dan Beard course.  Dan Beard takes priority over merit badges and troop activities (COPE course, climbing wall, etc.).

Consider buying before you go Basketry kits and Leather-knife pouch kits from theWestchester-Putnam Council Office, 41 Saw Mill River Rd. (9A), Hawthorne, NY, 773-1135. .

First-Class and above scouts:
Suggestion: required Eagle merit badges and waterfront merit badges.  For prerequisites for merit badges see the Advancement in Camp page, which also identifies difficult merit badges for older scouts.

Note that some merit badges are limited by space available or scout age.  Some examples are Lifesaving, Rowing, Canoeing, Rifle Shooting, Shotgun Shooting, and Horsemanship.

5.3. Troop activities are available if you want them.  The schedule is mapped out below.  There are fees for the troop photo, whitewater rafting, and horse trail ride.  There is no charge for the COPE course and for indoor and outdoor rock climbing.

Scouts may sign up for any troop activities they want, but to give everyone a chance there may be limits.  First-year scouts see section 2 above for how to avoid conflicts with Dan Beard.  7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. is reserved for making up merit badge activity missed during the day.

The zip line is only for scouts who pass the Camp Buckskin swimmer test.  The zip line is a trapeze slide down a steel cable that ends with a refreshing plunge into Lester Pond.
 
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:00 Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast
9:00 - 10:00          
10:00 - 11:00 Low COPE course 10:30-12:00 Horse trail ride   Low COPE course 10:30-12:00 Horse trail ride
11:00 - 12:00 Low COPE course 10:30-12:00      Low COPE course 10:30-12:00  
12:30 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
2:00 - 3:00     White water rafting 2:00-5:00    
3:00 - 4:00 Indoor climbing wall 3:30-5:00 Zip line 3:30-5:00 White water rafting  2:00-5:00    
4:00 - 5:00 Indoor climbing wall 3:30-5:00  Zip line 3:30-5:00 White water rafting  2:00-5:00    
6:00 Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner
7:00 - 8:30 Merit-badge make-up Merit-badge make-up Merit-badge make-up Outdoor rock climbing and Merit-badge make-up. 8:30 Campfire
Troop 174 Activity Schedule: Weeks 1 and 2, July 7-13, 14-20, 2002

5.4. By the end of May print out and fill in your merit badge schedule card.  This requires a PDF reader.  Otherwise, obtain a card from the troop.  The Scoutmaster will look over your card and advise changes.

For first year scouts the card for the first week (Dan Beard) should have at most something like this example.  This scout has chosen a full schedule.  Other scouts may want more break time.  This scout is participating in the troop activities and does not have time for the Metalwork merit badge --
 
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:00 Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast
9:00 - 10:00 Dan Beard Tenderfoot Dan Beard Tenderfoot  Dan Beard Tenderfoot  Dan Beard Tenderfoot  Dan Beard Tenderfoot 
10:00 - 11:00 Dan Beard Second Class Dan Beard Second Class Dan Beard Second Class Low COPE course 10:30-12:00 Horse trail ride
11:00 - 12:00 Dan Beard First Class Dan Beard First Class Dan Beard First Class Low COPE course 10:30-12:00 Dan Beard First Class
12:30 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
2:00 - 3:00 Basketry merit badge Basketry merit badge  White water rafting 2:00-5:00 Basketry merit badge  Basketry merit badge
3:00 - 4:00 Indoor climbing wall 3:30-5:00 Zip line 3:30-5:00 White water rafting  2:00-5:00 Dan Beard Second Class make-up Dan Beard Second Class make-up
4:00 - 5:00 Indoor climbing wall 3:30-5:00 Zip line 3:30-5:00 White water rafting  2:00-5:00 Dan Beard First Class make-up Leatherwork merit badge
6:00 Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner Dinner
7:00 - 8:30 Leatherwork merit badge make-up Leatherwork merit badge make-up Basketry merit badge make-up Outdoor rock climbing 8:30 Campfire
Troop 174 Sample Merit Badge Schedule Card: First Year Scout, 2002

5.5. Before the June 20 Meeting for Camp Read Attendees sign up to borrow Merit Badge booklets.  Scouts should do merit badge prerequisites before arriving at camp.  They can sign out merit badge booklets from our troop library at the June 20 meeting or before.

5.6. For the June 20 Meeting for Camp Read Attendees fill out and bring a Merit Badge Schedule Card (two cards for two weeks, labeled Week 1 and Week 2) and a prioritized list of desired merit badges for the Scoutmaster to carry to summer camp to use for merit badge sign-up.

5.7. Do this advance preparation as needed for some of the merit badges before going to camp.

5.8. Make  a copy of your Merit Badge Schedule Card to bring to summer camp.  Merit badge sign-up will be done by Scoutmaster Long or by an Assistant Scoutmaster.

5.9. Pick up your Merit Badge Schedule Card at camp Sunday evening after merit badge sign up.  You will then get merit badge blue cards.
 

6. What to pack

Read supplies a large two-person tent on a platform, a cot, and a mattress, as well as food of course.

6.1. Get supplies listed on the Camp Read suggested equipment list.

6.2. Add to that:

7. Donations

Camp Read requests that people who have certain items to donate please bring them to camp.  They want:

8. Travel to Camp Read

Camp Read is in Brant Lake, NY, about a 4-hour drive 200 miles north of Westchester, about a half hour north of Lake George.  MapQuest map.

Troop 174 does not provide transportation to Camp Read.

See the Getting to Camp page for

Bring a bag lunch or eat an early lunch before you arrive on Sunday at 10:00 a.m.

Then, see the map for the Ranger site at Camp Buckskin.

9. Arriving at Camp Read

10. Between the first and second week

11. Picking up scouts at Camp Read at the end of the week

 

Additional information at the Camp Read website

At the Curtis S. Read Scout Reservation website --

See the General Information page for

See the Camp Buckskin page for See the Advancement in Camp page for




Boy Scout Troop 174, Yorktown, NY.  http://troop174.info
Last revised July 1, 2002