BSA TROOP 189 BEARS DEN Adventure EVENT GUIDEBOOK v1.0 23-25 February 2018 18393 Blue Ridge Mountain Rd Bluemont, VA 20135 06:47 Sunrise, 17:55 Sunset, 23F avg Low, 43F avg High
Concept This weekend s adventure bases the Troop s activities out of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy s premier property along the AT. Bears Den is a compound that includes a stone lodge, campground, hiker hostel, and PATC cottage. Our troop will have exclusive access to the lodge and grounds for the whole weekend. The lodge has three rooms that sleep 26 people total (12, 8 and 6) on mattresses, a large modern fully-stocked kitchen, dining area, living room, electricity, heat, running water, and flush toilets. If we exceed sleeping capacity, we have access to the ground s tent sites, outdoor privy, and pavilion. Our goals for the campout are to finish the Eagle-required Cooking Merit Badge that we start in January and give the Philmont Crew an opportunity to hit the Appalachian Trail. In order for us to meet these goals, we ll need: Maximum participation during January and February troop meetings to complete merit badge academics and allow the patrol method to work; Scouts that have already completed the merit badge will be a great resource to help those that haven t! Patrols to determine their grub fees based on their menu plans Each Cooking Merit Badge candidate to print the Cooking Merit Badge Workbook from http://usscouts.org/mb/worksheets/cooking.pdf and bring it to each troop meeting and the campout; a completed workbook and solid participation will be the ticket to earning the badge! To form two cooking teams at the campout by combining two patrols each; teams will still cook according to their separate patrol plans To run three cooking stations at the campout based on campout, trail, and kitchen meals; cook the minimum amount of food to meet the requirement! Support from at least six adults to attend and support the campout for both cooking and hiking Additional adult support during troop meetings for various academics (e.g., food-related careers) Troop Schedule of Events Day 1 18:00 Link up already fed at PNC Bank, 5285 Waterway Dr, Dumfries, VA; food shopping @ Food Lion 19:00 Check out from store and load vehicles 19:15 Depart (1 ¼ hour drive) 20:30 Arrive at Bears Den, park beside the stone lodge, set up, cracker barrel, and personal hygiene 21:00 Bears Den gates close! 23:00 Lights out Day 2 07:00 Wake up, personal hygiene 08:00 Cooking and Philmont Prep programs begin (see next page) 19:00 Open program time 22:00 Lights out Day 3 07:00 Wake up, personal hygiene 07:30 Continental breakfast and Scout s Own Service 08:00 Load trailer, clean up, and check out 09:00 Depart Bears Den (1 ¼ hour drive) 10:30 Arrive at Pattie Elementary School, 16125 Dumfries Rd, Dumfries, VA for pick up 2
Program Plans Cooking Merit Badge Date Time Venue Who Requirements 1/16/18 19:00 Troop Meeting All 1 (all) Health and Safety (30 minutes) 7 (all) Food-Related Careers (30 minutes) 1/23/18 19:00 Troop Meeting All 2 (all) Nutrition (60 minutes) 1/30/18 19:00 Troop Meeting By Patrol 5 (a, b, and c) Camp Cooking (60 minutes) 2/6/18 19:00 Troop Meeting All 3 (all) Cooking Basics (60 minutes) 2/13/18 19:00 Troop Meeting By Patrol 6 (a, b, and c) Trail Cooking (60 minutes) 2/20/18 19:00 Troop Meeting By Patrol 4 (menu plan, a, and b) Kitchen Cooking (60 minutes) 2/23/18 18:00 Campout By Patrol Food Shopping (60 minutes) 2/24/18 08:00 Campout Team A 5 (d, e, f, g, & h) Prepare, Cook, Evaluate, & Clean (3 hours) 08:00 Campout Team B 6 (d, e, and f) Prepare, Cook, Evaluate, & Clean (3 hours) 12:00 Campout Team A 4 (c, d, and e) Prepare, Cook, Evaluate, & Clean (3 hours) 12:00 Campout Team B 5 (d, e, f, g, & h) Prepare, Cook, Evaluate, & Clean (3 hours) 16:00 Campout Team A 6 (d, e, and f) Prepare, Cook, Evaluate, & Clean (3 hours) 16:00 Campout Team B 4 (c, d, and e) Prepare, Cook, Evaluate, & Clean (3 hours) Philmont Prep Plan A (Round-Trip Overnight Trek) Date Time Location Activities 2/24/18 08:00 Bears Den to Blackburn Center via Appalachian Trail 8.1 miles to Blackburn Trail Center & remain overnight Hiker s Hut or campground 2/25/18 08:00 Blackburn Center to Bears Den via Appalachian Trail Hike 8.1 miles to Bears Den & return separate from rest of troop Philmont Prep Plan B (One-Way Hike, 3 Options) Date Time Location Activities 2/24/18 08:00 Bears Den to Trailhead Cooking cadre drive & drop off hikers 08:30 Trailhead to Bears Den via Appalachian Trail 1: Blackburn Trail Center 8.1 miles SOBO to Bears Den 2: Ashby Gap 13.5 miles NOBO to Bears Den on the infamous roller coaster 3: Keys Gap 14.2 miles SOBO to Bears Den (Blackburn Trail Center along the route) All options include overnight at Bears Den 3
Safety & Emergency Procedures Buddy Team & Youth Protection All Scouts will utilize the buddy system at all times, reporting to their Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, &/or Scoutmaster if they are departing the Troop s immediate area for any reason Non-Scout youth participating in Troop activities must be supervised by their parent or guardian All adults providing direction supervision of Scouts (aside from their own child(ren)) require current BSA Youth Protection Training found at https://myscouting.scouting.org Tornado If you hear or see a tornado coming, warn others, & take cover right away If you're in a building, go to the middle of the lowest level away from windows (bathroom or closet if possible) Get under something sturdy, such as a heavy table, hold on, & stay there until the danger has passed Use your other arm & hand to protect your head & neck from debris If there is no building nearby, lie flat in a low spot & use your arms & hands to protect your head Lightning The safest place to be during a lightning storm is inside a relatively large, fully enclosed building Avoid bodies of water, open areas, high ground, tall objects (trees, light poles), small shelters in open areas, & metal objects If you are outdoors & lightning is in the immediate area, crouch down with feet close together, keep your head down, & cover your ears to minimize hearing damage from thunder Stay at least 100 feet away from other individuals in the area to prevent bolts from jumping from person to person Injuries Scouts treat minor injuries using their individual first aid kit For serious injuries & hurry cases, Scouts perform immediate aid, & call for assistance with three short whistle blasts The first Scouters to arrive on the scene provides additional immediate aid as required, & determines whether medical evacuation is required by ambulance (911) or troop vehicle Nearest hospital emergency room 17.5 miles/22 minutes from Bears Den Inova Emergency Care Center, (703) 737-7520 224 Cornwall Street Northwest, Leesburg, VA 20176 4
Equipment & Support Requirements All Scouts bring the following: Class A uniform (for travel) Backpack that holds: o BSA Handbook, paper, & writing utensil in waterproof bag o BSA 10 Essentials o 2 liters of water minimum o Whistle o Headlamp with spare batteries o Sleeping bag & pad o Mess kit with eating utensil o Toiletries o Hat, gloves, & jacket o Change of clothes (layers of wicking materials, no cotton!) in waterproof bag o Camera (optional) No junk food or electronics Cooking Scouts & Scouters bring the following extra gear: Backpacking stoves, cooksets, & fuel Cooking Merit Badge Worksheets at http://usscouts.org/mb/worksheets/cooking.pdf Grub fees to be determined by the patrols based on their menus Adult Cooking Cadre will be eating what the Scouts cook on Saturday and will provide the continental breakfast for the troop on Sunday Group B (Backpacking) Scouts & Scouters bring the following extra gear: Water filters, backpacking stoves, cooksets, & fuel Trail Map Grub fees to be determined by the trek s menu for the weekend The Troop provides: Rental fee for two nights at Bears Den Troop first aid kit for the cabin Tents Cookware, dutch ovens, dutch oven handlers & mitts, & other items to support cooking Pioneer tools & water jugs Cadre support: Personal vehicles & troop trailer Min 3 adults for the backpacking trek (at least 1 with CPR/WFA training) with first aid kit, ELB device, water filters, & backpacking stoves/cooksets/fuel Min 3 adults for the cooking merit badge Additional adults may be needed to transport Scouts 5
Directions to Bears Den 18393 Blue Ridge Mountain Rd, Bluemont, VA 20135 1) Take a right out of Pattie onto Route 234 2) Get on I-66W towards Front Royal 3) Take exit 23 for US-17N/VA-55W towards Delaplane 4) Turn left onto US-17N/VA-50W at Paris 5) Turn right onto SR-601 (Blue Ridge Mountain Road) 6) Go 10.4 miles and turn left into 18393 Blue Ridge Mountain Rd, Bluemont, VA 20135 6
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BSA TROOP 189 Bears Den Adventure: 23-25 FEB 2018 Who: Troop 189 Scouts & Scouters What: Winter cabin camping along the Appalachian Trail in Northern Virginia Where: Drop off at PNC Bank, 5285 Waterway Drive, Dumfries, VA; cabin camping at Bears Den Hostel, 18393 Blue Ridge Mountain Rd, Bluemont, VA; cooking or hiking programs; pick up at Pattie Elementary School, 16125 Dumfries Rd, Dumfries, VA When: From 18:00 Friday, 23 February 2018 to 10:30 Sunday, 25 February 2018 Why: Test our mettle as we work towards the camping, cooking, & backpacking merit badges Weather & Light Data: Monthly averages: 43F high, 23F low, sunrise 06:47 & sunset 17:55 With: Per Equipment & Support Requirements list in Event Guide; grub fee (TBD by patrols/trek); eat dinner prior to link up Friday night cut here, keep the upper portion, & turn in lower portion with your fees BSA TROOP 189 Bears Den Adventure: 23-25 FEB 2018 As the parent or legal guardian of, I hereby give my permission for this child to participate in an outing with Troop 189, linking up on Friday, 23 February 2018 at the Montclair PNC Bank at 18:00, camping two nights at Bears Den Hostel, & returning Sunday, 25 February 2018 at approximately 10:30 to Pattie Elementary School. I give permission to the leaders of the above unit to render First Aid, should the need arise. In the event of an emergency, I also give permission to the physician, selected by the Adult Leader in charge, to hospitalize, secure proper anesthesia, order injection, or secure other medical treatment, as needed. I further agree to hold the above named unit & its leaders blameless for any accidents that might occur during this outing except for clear acts of negligence or non-adherence to BSA policies & guidelines. In case of an emergency, I can be reached by phone at: or. In the event I cannot be reached, please contact at. Printed name of parent or guardian: Signature or parent or guardian: Date: 8