Camping
How to Buy a Great Backpack
Backpacking expands your world, opening up vast backcountry areas for exploration beyond the reach of day hiking. But you’ll have to carry your portable home on your back. Besides boots, no piece of gear will affect how much you enjoy this activity like your backpack. Follow the Gear Guy’s advice to make sure you get…
Read MoreHow a troop from Florida planned an affordable ski trip to Montana
Inspired by a story the Scouts read in Boys’ Life magazine, a troop from Florida is heading to Montana this month for a once-in-a-lifetime ski trip. Over four days, they’ll tour Yellowstone National Park on a snowcat, work on the Snow Sports merit badge, learn about avalanche rescue from members of the ski patrol and spend…
Read MoreRipley Rendezvous 2019 – May 17-19, 2019
Ripley Rendezvous 2019 will be held the Camp Ripley Army National Guard Training Facility, Camp Ripley, Little Falls, MN. This spring time event is truly a unique opportunity to utilize the training facility’s ranges and buildings in presenting three distinct levels of involvement. Extreme Program: Limit of 1,000 youth and adults; Youth:Age 14+ or Venturer Adventurer Program: Limit of…
Read MorePhilbreak 2019: Spend your spring break helping Philmont recover from wildfires
A Scout’s promise “to help other people at all times” doesn’t take spring break off. That’s why hundreds of Scouts, Venturers and adult volunteers will gather at Philmont Scout Ranch in March and early April for Philbreak 2019, a chance to help the legendary Scouting destination recover from the Ute Park Fire. Ever since the…
Read More2019 BLUE AND GOLD PLACEMATS – Includes Summer Cub Camping Program Information
What are Blue and Gold placemats? Northern Star Scouting offers these 11 x 17 placemats for your Pack to set tables at your banquet for the youth. Each unit is allotted their first 100 placemats at no cost. If you are in need of additional placemats, you may purchase them in increments of an additional…
Read MoreHow to Fuel Your Body in the Backcountry
Q. What’s the trick to having enough energy while on a big outing? — Jack, Boston, Massachusetts Whether you’re backpacking, climbing, paddling or taking a simple hike, the key to maintaining your energy is food. Fuel your body right with these simple rules for eating in the backcountry: 1. Start the day with food. Hitting…
Read MoreDon’t Freeze! Here’s How to Take Cooler Cold-Weather Photos
It’s cold outside. So what? There’s pictures to be had out there. And fun. And adventure. And, it’s cold outside. Okay, there are some things to improve the pictures, fun and adventure side of the equation. No, there is no math. Well … maybe a little. DRESS IN LAYERS AND KEEP WELL-HYDRATED First rule of…
Read MoreWINTER CAMPING – WE’LL SHOW YOU HOW
WE PROVIDE TRAINED STAFF, GEAR, FOOD, AND THE FUN! It’s a cold February morning as students flood back into school. Image your Scouts and their classmates exchanging stories from their previous weekend. Instead of bragging about playing too many video games and drinking more soda than seems possible, your Scouts are boasting about their weekend sleeping…
Read MoreNorthern Tier National High Adventure 2020 Summer and 2019-20 Okpik Lottery
Northern Tier will offer a lottery for 2020 summer reservations and 2019-2020 Okpik winter reservations. The registration for the lottery will open Tuesday January 8, 2019 at 9:00 AM and remain open until Tuesday January 15, 2018 at 11:59 PM. Entry into the lottery will open at 9:00 am CST on Tuesday January 8 and…
Read More10 more unbelievable places Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts have camped overnight
The last time I posted about out-of-the-ordinary camping locations, the list included an 18th-century fort in New York, a “haunted” jail in Canada and a minor league baseball field in Delaware. Now it’s time for a new list. The list of 10 actual places Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts have camped includes a gorilla exhibit…
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