What you need to know about legal liability

Note: I am not a lawyer and I am not giving legal advise. If your troop does not have a lawyer as a resource please, please, please find someone who is local and willing to donate their services.

In Scouting, which is three-quarters outing, there is a lot of opportunity for people to become injured and for leaders to make errors in judgement. When mistakes happen that result in injury you, other leaders, the chartered organization, and the BSA can be sued. Civil suits are about money so the people doing the suing (typically parents and guardians) will go wherever the money is. Fortunately there are some simple ways to reduce the personal cost of such a situation by reducing legal liability.

The first thing to know is that the BSA will spend its time and treasure defending you as a leader if you were fully trained and you followed the training at the time of the incident. If you were not fully trained, you are on your own. If you did not follow the training you received, you are on your own. This is why the BSA spends so much time promoting and requiring training. Further, the BSA training programs are adjusted and improved each year based on the court cases brought against the organization and its leaders. The best way to limit your liability as a leader in Scouting is to get trained and to follow that training.

The second thing to know is that we are a contract-heavy society and it is straightforward to require parents and guardians to sign an activity consent form for every activity a Scout participates in. This contract can and should include a waiver of liability for the leaders and chartered organization. These documents will hold up in court so long as they were complete in describing the various aspects of the outing. For example, if the troop decides to go swimming during a bike-ride and a scout drowns, the activity consent form is useless if it does not include swimming as part of the activity.

In creating or improving the activity consent form for your troop you can search for what other units use and start there. I strongly recommend you have the document reviewed by a lawyer on a periodic basis and implement any recommendations. Even if the unit must pay for this service, it is money extremely well spent if there is ever a need for the document in court.

YIS, Jeff

Scoutmaster Minute Chef Ramsay's Money

Check out this great Scoutmaster's Minute on leadership and business

YIS, Jeff




Picture Credit: GordonRamsaySubmissions

Scoutmaster Succession Planning

The day will come when your unit needs a new Scoutmaster. If your unit has done little planning and preparation a Scoutmaster search can be really painful. I think all Scoutmasters and Committee Chairs have heard of (or experienced) some really trying times when it was time to find a new Scoutmaster. I, personally, was contacted and asked to become Scoutmaster of the troop I was a member of as a young man and, at the time, I had no adult scouter experience, which shows how hard it was for that troop.

If your unit is prepared, the transition will go something like this:

1. The Scoutmaster let's the Committee Chair know of his retirement plan
2. The Committee Chair and Scoutmaster review the preparedness of the candidates they have been groomed for the position (generally Assistant Scoutmasters)
3. The Committee Chair reviews the list with the Chartered Organization Representative to make sure he or she is comfortable with the adults on the list
4. The candidates are asked in order of priority
5. One of them, feeling prepared for the job and having considered it before, accepts the position
6. There is transition time since the replacement was already ready
7. The transition is rather seamless since the new Scoutmaster is trained and ready

With some work ahead of time, the horror stories are easily avoided and the unit reaps the benefits of volunteer development year-round, not just when the Scoutmaster is ready to leave.

Now you are probably wondering how to achieve this ideal experience, since so few troops actually get an experience like this. A basic process for succession planning is below. Note that succession planning is the responsibility of the trifecta: The Chartered Organization Representative, the Committee Chair, and the current Scoutmaster.

1. The most important step in an easy succession plan is to plan for succession starting on the first day a new Scoutmaster is in the position... Be Prepared, right?
2. Identify the adults with the right qualities and characteristics for the troop
3. Determine what skills those candidates have and what skills they need to develop
4. Create a simple development plan for each adult
5. Give each adult the resources and experiences they need to develop the skills in the development plan
6. Every year, review the candidates on the list. Add new adults if appropriate and remove those that are no longer considered a good fit.
7. Review or create development plans, and start again to give the resources and experiences needed for development
8. When a candidate reaches a certain level of skill proficiency and dedication to the troop, it is worthwhile to talk to them about whether they have ever considered being a Scoutmaster. This will get them thinking about it should the day come when they are asked to step up.

You are probably thinking that this looks rather easy though the work is really hidden in numbers 4 & 5. If so, you are right. Here is an example development plan for Joe Scouter who is an ASM.

Scoutmaster Development Plan - Joe Scouter

What makes Joe a good fit: Joe has strong values that are aligned with scouting values. He has been an Assistant Scoutmaster for a year and is enjoying the position. He has some basic, positive rapport with the scouts and we can imagine him being successful in the Scoutmaster position.

What skills does Joe need to develop:

• Presentation skills: he can be really "long winded"
• Outing leadership
• Mentoring scouts in leadership positions

Resources & experiences plan:

• Joe should create and deliver some Scoutmaster Minutes
• Joe should be the leader in charge of an event like Camporee, Winter Camp, or another multi-night outing
• Joe should act as a patrol adviser to gain experience coaching scouts in leadership
• We should encourage Joe to go to Woodbadge this year

---

As you can see, this development plan is really simple and easy to figure out. If you can follow through on it, there will be huge benefits to the troop, regardless of whether the Scoutmaster decides to step down. Congratulations if you are already in this position with your troop. If your troop is not in this position, I encourage you to start succession planning or to refocus on it in an upcoming month. Getting started and investing over time pay huge dividends.

If you would like more information, ideas, tips, or help with this succession planning system add a comment below or use the Contact Me page.

YIS, Jeff

Committee Tools to Improve Behavior

Running a troop committee can be difficult at times. The purpose of the committee is to support the leaders and scouts. Unfortunately just about everyone has different ideas about what that means. By figuring out the framework for decisions before they become a fight, a lot of work, emotion, and bad blood can be avoided.

There are three groups of people who need reminders about how to behave, from time to time: 1) Scouts, 2) Adults, and 3) Guests. Most people from young to old will make reasonably sound decisions, however, we humans are not so good at making good decisions when we are tired, frustrated, or feeling particularly competitive. These are three situations that come up in Scouting a lot. When tempers get heated or bullying breaks out or a meal is ruined after a long day, behavior decisions can deteriorate. Troop Committee policy needs to deal with at least three aspects of behavior for everyone:

1. The standard for behavior
2. The consequences for bad behavior
3. Who has authority to enforce standards and consequences

Fortunately for all of us, Scouting provides three standards that can be used for behavior: The Scout Oath, the Scout Law, and the Outdoor Code. Committees that adopt these three aspects of scouting as their behavior standards make a clear statement of what is expected from everyone, including adults and guests. Once everyone knows the standard, it is time to make the consequences clear.

Behavior consequences are the result of failing to follow the behavior standard. In general, there should be a lot of room for applying consequences and nothing should be considered a necessary consequence. All situations are different and all the people involved are different so the consequences need to be considered carefully by those with authority to implement them, which leads us to the third aspect.

Who has authority to enforce behavior standards and apply consequences in your unit? If you are not sure, there is room for improvement. Generally, senior scouts and any trained adult should be considered an authority. By empowering trained leaders as representatives of the behavior standard they know that they can take serious action when it is needed, and use softer approaches when those are warranted. 

Here is an example motion to consider:

MOTION: I move that the Guide to Safe Scouting, Scout Oath, Scout Law, and Outdoor Code be adopted as the standards of behavior for all scouts, adults, and guests at troop activities. The consequences for poor behavior may include coaching, a Scoutmaster Conference, removal from an activity, and other scout-appropriate consequences. Though the entire troop community is expected to contribute to making the troop a safe place for everyone, the authority and responsibility to address poor safety and poor behavior is given to the Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, and all Registered Adults. Parents and guardians are expected to accept (though not necessarily agree with) the decisions of those in authority with regard to maintaining safety and behavior standards and to support troop leaders as needed in this regard.

I am sure many of you reading this have similar (or very different) policies for behavior. Please take a minute to dig them up and add them to the comments section so that we can have a hearty discussion on this topic.

YIS,
Jeff

Scoutmaster Minute Forgotten Phone

An interesting Scoutmaster's Minute about being Helpful when a phone is forgotten on the bus. Scouts can relate to this one.

YIS,
Jeff


Image: Carissa Rogers

5 Ways to Support Scouts in Need

Scouting attracts families from all backgrounds and situations. When a family is struggling financially scouting can be an extra stress on the family and the scout or family may or may not ask for financial assistance. Regardless of a request, here are five ways the troop can help the scout.

Teach the scout to run personal fundraisers

Fundraising opportunities are all around us, folks just do not look for them. A simple Google search for "individual fundraiser ideas" brings back a ton of results. With a little effort your scout can be receiving donations for themselves, separate from any troop fundraiser. 

Here are some personal fundraising ideas:

• Collect aluminum and take it to a recycling center that pays by the pound
• Send letters to friends and relatives asking for a donation (Google can point you to a lot of great tips for this sort of letter)
• Invite the neighbors to dinner in return for a donation
• Bake cookies and give them to neighbors for a donation
• Run a corner lemonade stand for a donation, don't forget to make large, readable signs

Note that while fundraising as an individual Scouts cannot wear the scout uniform since they are not fundraising for the Boy Scouts of America.

Teach scouts how to make money

This is the "go get a job" item on the list. There are countless ways a young man, even an 11 year old, can earn money around the neighborhood or in their communities. With a little effort the scout will see the results of their work and know exactly what it will take to get to their goal. This is very different from fundraising... this is income.

Some ideas for younger scouts:

• Mow lawns and complete yard work
• Have a garage sale
• Sell unused stuff on EBay
• Be a TaskRabbit
• Do other people's (and neighbor's) chores
• Sell something like first aid kits, fire extinguishers, CO2 detectors, or the like

Note that while working as an individual Scouts cannot wear the scout uniform since they are not acting on behalf of the Boy Scouts of America.

Provide for some activities in the troop budget

I know a troop that provides for one significant activity each month that is free for all scouts and registered adults that want to attend. They make this happen by fundraising or by dues that support the troop general fund and then adding a line item to the annual budget. The line item covers all participation fees, food, equipment rentals, and transportation. This method lets everyone in the troop participate in one monthly activity without needing to pay.

This is a great way to support the troop community through the normal course of business.

Operate a clothing and gear bank

Scouts grow, a lot. They also go through gear, fast. The side-effect is that families must find uniforms, clothing, equipment, and personal gear several times throughout a scouts career. A great way to reuse the stuff already in the troop community is to operate a clothing and gear bank. This is really, really, simple.

Here is what you need:

• An adult to operate the bank
• Scouts to staff the bank while it is "open"
• A place to store the items in the bank
• A pen and paper system to track inventory (this isn't really necessary)

Here is how it works:

• Scouts and families with clothing and equipment are encouraged to donate it to the troop when the scout is too big or leaves scouting
• Donations are considered and either accepted or rejected by the adult in charge
• Scouts that are in need of new clothing or gear come to the bank when it is open and can take what they need
• There is no need to track "deposits" or "withdrawals"

If you want to be able to provide a tax-deductible receipt for donations, work with the chartered organization representative to determine if they will accept items that are donated to the troop and, if so, how they want records to be kept. This will add paperwork, though also provide a benefit to donors.

Directly support a scout in need

As a troop, some budget can be set aside to support scouts in need. This method of supporting scouts has a variety of benefits and considerations. The primary benefit is that the community is supporting its members. Some of the considerations are:

• What policy will be used by the committee to determine need
• What amounts and terms of sponsorship will be followed
• How will the privacy of the family be maintained if they ask for privacy
• Does the full committee discuss the situation or does a sub-committee handle these requests (think about privacy considerations and logistics)
• How are the policy and expectations communicated to the troop community
  
  

Wrap Up

Enough cannot be said about involving scouts in budgeting and figuring out how much troop fundraising should go to scouts in need is an excellent topic for discussion as part of that process.

Notice that the personal fundraising and get-to-work items both will require support from the parents as the Scout works to pay their own way. Notice I didn't say that the parent will need to help... Scouting is about the Scout so make sure to take the opportunity to teach the scout how to get results. Parents working harder for a fully capable young man is not what this is about.

Regardless of how your troop or organization decides to support scouting families that need financial assistance, be aware of the human part of the situation. When money is tight it can be very stressful on adults. It can also be very hard to ask for help.

YIS,

Jeff

3 Considerations For Making Money

When it comes to what your troop can do, nothing is as empowering or limiting as the ability to raise funds. Money and finance and accounting are topics that our young men generally do not get trained on in school or at home, so Scouts is a great place. From my perspective there are three things to consider when evaluating a troop fundraising portfolio:

1. Is it repeatable
2. Does the payoff justify the effort
3. Is it diversified

I'll take just a couple minutes to cover each.

Repeatable Fundraisers

The reason this makes the list is that Troops need ongoing funding, not just one-time shots in the arm. A one time gig here and there isn't so bad for specific fundraising (to support Philmont, Seabase, and treks) needs but this will not help the troop create an ongoing budget that is sustainable. I know a troop that runs three annual fundraisers that each bring in a couple thousand dollars and one quarterly fundraiser that brings in about $300 for the year. Now that latter one leads us to the next topic.

Payoff

The ideal fundraiser takes a little effort and has a lot of profit when considering percentage of sales and the time required to execute the fundraiser. This is a page out of business 101 where as a business person you should focus on what makes the best money and drop the rest. I'll cover a good and bad example next.

First, a bad example: A troop runs a quarterly aluminum drive. The scrap price of aluminum is historically low and so a truck full of aluminum results in about $75. The effort required was not too bad but when considering time and cost to collect the aluminum, get to the recycling station, and get the bags ripped open and such, this really only results in about $10 per hour. THIS IS NOT WORTH IT!

Next, a good example: A troop executes a Mother's Day plant sale. The troop has a good relationship with a local grower who sells by the flat and gives a 45% to 50% commission depending on the item. Scouts canvas the community and the people they know to generate sales, by the flat (to get a higher purchase price). All orders are paid in advance. All customers pick up their order on a specific day and time. Now, this is a good fundraiser due to the item price, and return on time. Also, if the troop or individual scouts find new ways to get customers, the fundraiser can easily grow. 

Now these two lead us to the next topic which is diversification, which, as you will see, is important.

Diversification

A troop that does a single fundraiser is in a precarious position. I know of a troop that executed one fundraiser each year, a coupon book sale, and one year the supplier decided to stop providing the books. This caused a decent amount of chaos for the adult leadership since they had to find another fundraising option in time to keep the troop operating. 

I strongly recommend that your troop operate at least two fundraising ventures. Even if you have worked the troop into a great position with a monthly fundraiser that generates all the funds you need. Diversification is food for:

• Handling change
• Teaching scouts multiple fundraising options
• Giving scouts varied money experiences

Summary

So there you have it. Hopefully you have some things to consider when it comes to the fundraisers executed by your troop. Do not be afraid to start new fundraisers in search of better ones. Also, be brave enough to stop the fundraisers that are not worth the time. Feel free to add your comments on what works and what doesn't. I really enjoy hearing about your troops and situations and I am happy to provide ideas if you want them.

YIS, Jeff

Dash Point Camping

This is a great local state park and I was mentally thrown off by not driving 2-3 hours to arrive at camp. There is a little beach area, a large group camp, and lots of trails for hiking.

The adults and family members had a good food rotation (though I think every meal was significantly late) and some great dutch oven creations.

The Scouts did a better job planning this outing than I have seen in quite some time and other than a couple meals that could have used more quantity, ate pretty well.

I look forward to the upcoming camporee and June camping.
YIS, Jeff

Donations

Donations fall into three categories:

1. usable stuff
2. usable stuff, just not by the troop
3. junk

The key to receiving donations is to make sure you are realistic about what you can use and thus is worth keeping.

The key to making a good donation is to maximize #1 and just throw away #3 to save the charity the trouble.

YIS, Jeff

Mt St Helens Review

Here is brief rundown, see your local climber or groupie for color commentary.

• No one from the troop made it to the summit this year, either day
• Over Saturday night and Sunday it rained several inches, often in massive squalls that drenched everything; and it was very windy.
• The lead group of Sunday climbers ascended approximately 1/3 of the way up the mountainous portion of the climb before turning back.
• The Monday climbers made it 3/4 of the way up the mountainous portion before turning back

Overall it was a very, very difficult weekend to climb a mountain due entirely to the weather. Very few people from any climbing party reached the summit (around 5-10 per day that I talked with) out of 100 sold permits per day. The fact that everyone got up in the morning and went as far as they thought was reasonable is a prime example of "Doing Your Best"! Turning back from a mountain climb is ALWAYS the right decision, for whatever reason, and everyone showed good judgement this weekend.

Oh, one more thing, the whole group relied on this little NOAA radio to consider conditions and make decisions. I've recommended it in the past and I'll post it here again. There may be no other piece of gear that has paid-off like this one.

YIS, Jeff

Tiger Mountian did not disappoint

We had a fantastic hike up tiger mountain #3 last weekend. We made it round trip in three hours and our ratio of scouts to adults was much better. Last year the count was 5 adults, 2 dogs, and 1 scout. This year it was 7 adults (one seven months pregnant), 1 dog, 7 scouts, and 2 future scouts.

See you all on the next hike.

YIS, Jeff

Mt. St. Helens Training Hikes

Tiger Mountain #3
Trailhead Elevation: ~520'
Summit Elevation: 2522'
Gain to Summit: 2002
Length: 5.2 miles
Slope: 770' per mile
Location: Issaquah

Overview:
This is just a bit of a challenge for beginning hikers and can be taken at a fast pace or with weight for a great training hike. There are two trails to the top, one is the 2.6 mile one way trip on well established trail and the other is known as the powerline trail. The powerline trail leaves from just before the gate into the Forest and to the official Tiger trailhead.

Poo Poo Point
Trailhead Elevation: ~150'
Summit Elevation: 1825'
Gain to Summit: 1675
Length: 4 miles
Slope: 837' per mile
Location: Issaquah

Overview:
Poo Poo point was named for the sound made by the short gauge railroad that was used to log the Tiger Mountain range. There are two popular trails to the summit, one from the parasail landing site and one from Issaquah High school, the stats above are from the landing site. At the summit you find the two parasail launch sites, one with a view of Mt Rainier to the south and the other (.3 mi up the trail) with a view to the north over Issaquah and Lake Samammish. This is a good training hill close to home, load up your pack and push to the top in 45 minutes!

Mount Si
Trailhead Elevation: ~650'
Plateau Elevation: ~3900'
Summit Elevation: 4167'
Gain to Plateau: ~3250'
Length: 8 miles
Slope: 812' per mile
Location: North Bend

Overview:
Mount Si is a very popular trail for generally serious hikers in the Seattle area. The slope makes it a good middle-weight training hike for more extensive hiking or backpacking. Most people stop at the plateau as the ascent to the peak can be dangerous.

Rachel, Lila, & Rampart Lakes
Trailhead Elevation:
Summit Elevation:
Gain to Summit:
Length: ~10 miles
Slope:
Location: Near Hayak, WA

Overview:
The trail starts with a moderate grade for approximately one half mile then flattens as you continue to the back of the valley. Once at the back of the valley the elevation gain begins as you hike up the valley wall to Rachel Lake, 3.8 miles from the trail head. Once at Rachel lake, the trail continues steeply up 0.3 mile to the top of Rampart Ridge where your can travel another 0.5 mile south to Lila lake or 0.7 mile north to Rampart Lakes.

Shriner Peak
Trailhead Elevation: 2432'
Summit Elevation: 5834'
Gain to Summit: 3400'
Length: 9 miles
Slope: 755' per mile
Location: Mt Rainier

Overview:
I'll add info once I hike this one...

McClellan Butte
Trailhead Elevation: ~1480'
Summit Elevation: 5162'
Gain to Summit: 3682'
Length: 9 miles
Slope: 818' per mile
Location: East of North Bend

Overview:
This is definitely the slow and steady hike of the bunch. Longer than Mount Si and Mount St Helens but shallower it starts climbing right from the trail head. Four miles later you actually go down for about 100 feet to a very small lake and then climb again to the plateau of McClellan Butte.

Mailbox Peak
Trailhead Elevation: ~800'
Summit Elevation: 4841'
Gain to Summit: 4041'
Length: 5 miles
Slope: 1616' per mile
Location: East of North Bend

Overview:
Do not underestimate this hike! I did! This is a tough climb up a poor trail to a fantastic view. I climbed it the first time on July 4th 2009 in 75+ degrees and hazy skies. Pushing my max rate I spent 2.5 hours up and 1.5 down. You should expect this to take 5 hours as I ran a good portion of the way down. The view of Si, McClellan, Rattlesnake, North Bend, Bellevue, Seattle, Ranier, and Baker was amazing. This is a great pay off for a difficult hike.

Granite Mountain
Trailhead Elevation: ~880'
Summit Elevation: 5629'
Gain to Summit: 4749'
Length: 8 miles
Slope: 1187' per mile
Location: East of North Bend

Overview:
The goal of the Granite Mountain hike is to reach the old fire-lookout at the summit. This peak is higher than all the surrounding ones which makes it perfect for a lookout and a great challenge. Total distance and elevation gain are much like Mt St Helens though the trail takes 1 mile more to gain that elevation. For the first 1.3 miles the trail is a pretty standard 500' per mile. From there it is steep the rest of the way.

Camp Muir
Trailhead Elevation: 5450'
Summit Elevation: 10,050'
Gain to Summit: 4600'
Length: 9.2 miles
Slope: 1000' per mile
Location: Mt Rainier

Overview:
I'll add info once I hike this one. Though this destination has a lower slope the elevation of the hike makes it much more difficult than Granite Mountian. Additionally, 75% of the route is on the Muir snowfield which does not require roping-up or crampons but does require a more experienced and disciplined hiker.

Mt. St. Helen's
Trailhead Elevation: ~3700'
Timberline Elevation: ~4800'
Summit Elevation: ~8200'
Gain to Summit: 4500'
Length: 10 miles
Length to Timberline: 2.1 miles
Slope to Timberline: 428' per mile
Slope Timberline to Summit: 1182' per mile

Overview:
This is definitely not a hike. The first two miles are gentile and scenic as the trees thin and shrink and you start to catch glimpses of Monitor Ridge running along side. As you reach the tree line you are met with an almost baron mountain and an imposing rock slope that must be climbed to reach the spine of the ridge. From here the elevation gain is ~22% for the next 3 miles. The first couple miles are generally rock or hard packed ash. The last mile is noticeably steeper and eventually becomes lose ash, much like a sand dune. All said the view from the top and the sense of accomplishment is immense.


For online topographical maps visit http://www.topozone.com


These are some of the best pieces of equipment I carry. I recommend you use them too.

YIS, Jeff

Preparing for Snow Camping & Klondike

This is the season for troop activities in the cold and snow. To have fun at these sorts of events there is some special gear that will keep you warm, dry, and energized. By the way, this all comes about because Mrs Kelly decided to partake in Klondike, Snow Camping, and Winter Camp for the first time... yippee!

Personal Gear

• Thermal underwear (1 set/day)
• Sock liners (1 set/day)
• Glove liners (personal preference, 1 set/day)
• Fleece jacket
• Fleece pants
• Wool or thick hat
• Wool or synthetic winter socks
• Wool or synthetic scarf (personal preference)
• Waterproof mittens
• Rain Pants
• Rain Coat
• Waterproof, breathable boots
• Hand warmers that fit in your mittens
• Vacuum insulated mug or thermos
• Work gloves

Overnight Gear

• Small tent
• Mummy bag (preferably rated below the anticipated temperature)
• Fleece sleeping bag liner
• Sleeping pads/blankets (3 below you for every 1 over you, sleeping bag counts as 1)
• Towel to wipe up condensation (1/night)
• Thick socks
• Thermal underwear

Now that you have all this gear you need to know how to use it... So, here is some guidance.

Staying warm while out and about

• If your base layer get's wet, change it. Particularly true for your socks
• Glove liners wick moisture away from your hands and add a small amount of insulation to your mittens and gloves
• Colder weather means thicker or multiple fleece layers
• Mittens are better at keeping you warm than gloves because your fingers can share heat; so if you do not need the dexterity of gloves, go with the mittens
• Drink liquids regularly to replenish your perspiration
• Take layers off/on as your activity level changes, you are still sweating even though it is not dripping down your face
• Mittens typically have a zipper on the top of the hand you can use to vent excess heat or house a hand warmer
• Vacuum insulated mugs and thermos' are best at keeping your liquids hot in the cold
• For those time you need to use tools, chain up, or be dexterous with your hands in a way that would ruin your mittens, use the work gloves instead

Staying warm overnight

• Use a separate set of thermal underwear and socks to sleep in, the lack of moisture in these will keep you much warmer overnight
• The smaller the space inside your tent the warmer it will be overnight due to your body heat
• Fleece sleeping bag liners add about 10F degrees to the capability of your mummy bag
• Use hand warmers near your feet if needed
• When you awake in the morning your tent will have a serious layer of condensation on the inside, mop it up with a towel and make sure to bring enough towels to do this every morning; remember your towels will not dry out during the day

YIS, Jeff

Mt St Helens 2008

This year the troop again climbed Mt St Helen's. We selected Labor day weekend because by the time we went for permits it was the last summer weekend available and we had quite a time!

Friday before we headed down to base camp the forecast was for snow around 5000'+ and thus calls went out to gear up for cold weather and a possible turnaround on the mountain. Saturday when we arrived, base camp was almost empty and NOAA issued an extreme weather warning for winter weather conditions, particularly for those climbing the local mountain peaks.

Sunday we awoke to cold temperatures but not freezing and no snow in camp. A quick look at the mountain showed a dusting around 7000'+ and the forecast had not been updated so we decided to head out and make the decision at the tree line on whether to climb or turn back.

Long climb short... the weather did deteriorate but never to the point it was no longer safe to climb. At the summit conditions were mildly extreme, below freezing temps, freezing fog, and 10-15 mph winds. So, we didn't stay long. Fortunately on the way down the ceiling had risen quite a bit and we had good views out to 10 miles.

All around, a successful trip!

Pictures

For those of you wondering how to stay in the know about the weather at basecamp and on the mountain, read on. I carry and highly suggest the Midland weather radio below. Several times it has helped me make the right decision on a mountain and is probably the best investment I've ever made.

YIS, Jeff

Up Another Mountain

We have secured 10 permits to climb Mt St Helens this summer. The mountain is no longer growing (though it is only a matter of time) so the gear load will be lighter. Cannot wait!

YIS, Jeff

Pioneering, Step 1

So, for the last several months those poles that the troop cut down have been drying in the Ghost Shed. I started playing with them at the request of Mr. H for a Gateway at the upcoming Camporee... and they are still heavy!

After some wrangling I built up a reasonable gateway prototype with two tripods and a cross pole in the middle. At the scout meeting last week, it was a hit!

Next mission: see if I can get the boys excited about building towers and bridges and stuff. If not, we'll put the hobby away for a while, if so, there will be towers and bridges and ziplines in our future :-)

YIS, Jeff

Mt. St. Helens Climb

Troop 517 sent 6 boys and 3 adults to climb Mount St Helens on August 19th, 2006. We spent 5.5 hours on the way up and 3.5 hours on the way down. The pictures are great and the pride is massive.

YIS, Jeff

Mt. St. Helens Itinerary

FRIDAY
Time Activity
~3:00pm Leave for Mountain
7:00pm-8:00pm Dinner
8:00pm Campfire
10:00pm Lights Out

SATURDAY
Time Activity
6:00am Wake up/ Breakfast
6:30am Pack Inspection
6:45am Begin Climb
3:00pm Turn around time
Upon arrival Dinner

SUNDAY
Time Activity
8:00am-9:00am Leave Base Camp
12:00pm-1:00pm Pick up sons at Church

Note that this is very doable as a two-day trip, Friday & Saturday. I've come home many times. The drawback is that legs get really stiff if you don't stop to stretch along the way. The benefit is that when you get to your bed, it feels way better than a sleeping pad.

YIS, Jeff

The Bork

Bork: When a cyclist completely cracks while training or racing on one particular stage or day.

Borking is completely avoidable. If you have ever watched a professional cycling race, you will see that the riders are regularly eating and drinking. This keeps energy levels up, core temperature down, and the body's cooling system working. The same can happen while hiking or backpacking.

When I hike, I take food and water every 20 minutes or less. By regularly taking water and food your body will not run empty, and you will be able to cover more ground and elevation.

My pack always has a few vanilla powerbars stashed away for energy and a water bladder for hydration.

YIS, Jeff

Heat Exhaustion

The hottest days of the year are passing by in Seattle and medics are constantly responding to heat related conditions. The most common heat condition is Heat Exhaustion. This is where your body overheats and your cooling system (sweating) is unable to keep up, causing your core temperature to rise.

On Saturday, I suffered from Heat Exhaustion. That was the day the high clouds wouldn't go away and trapped the muggy heat. I went hiking at poo poo point that morning (training for the mountain) and went to an outdoor wedding that afternoon. At around 7pm when I got home, I just did not feel right. I was fully hydrated (my pee was clear) but I was extremely hot, no matter where I went or what position I was in.

The solution was a small bag of ice, moving around my head and stomach. Over about 5 minutes I felt much more alert and comfortable.

The moral of the story... anyone can get heat exhaustion on a hot day. If your body is not feeling well, listen to it.

YIS, Jeff