MID-AMERICA COUNCIL, BSA TRI-STATE HIGH ADVENTURE BASE LOESS HILLS BACKPACKING TREK
Welcome to T-SHAB! Welcome to the Tri-State High Adventure Base, or T-SHAB, the Mid-America Council s newest camping experience. Based out of Little Sioux Scout Ranch, and staffed by trained Trek Guides, this is the ULTIMATE adventure for Scouts and Venturers in Nebraska, Iowa, and South Dakota. Launched in 2015, T-SHAB became the country s newest NATIONALLY ACCREDITED Council-operated High Adventure Bases. Now in our third year, we are offering two different experiences: the Missouri River Canoe Trek and the Loess Hills Backpacking Trek. Both will be equal parts fun and challenging, and will make lifelong memories for you and your crew. From your first day at Little Sioux Scout Ranch, you and your fellow Scouts will experience adventure. You will train with experienced Trek Guides, who will teach you basic skills needed to navigate the hidden corners of the Ranch, as well as the thousands of acres of State Forest land on its eastern border. You will also learn how to use some specialized gear provided by T-SHAB, including Global Positioning System (GPS) units, backpacking stoves, and more. In this guide, you will find a list of suggested supplies you should bring, along with the supplies with which you will be provided by the T-SHAB Staff. We will also give you an overall suggested trip itinerary, a set of detailed program outlines for each day, and some information on how to customize your trip. At the end, you will find a sneak peak of what we plan on offering in future years, as we develop T-SHAB into a versatile and exciting program for Scouts with varied interest. We look forward to having you take part in the Tri-State High Adventure Base s Loess Hills Backpacking Trek and we hope your adventure is the high point of your year! 2
Contents 2 Welcome 4 What to Bring 5 Supplies Provided at Base 6 Itinerary 8 Choose Your Own Adventure Activity Samples 3
What to Bring The Tri-State High Adventure Base (T-SHAB) will provide you and your Trek Crew with all the supplies you need to navigate the hills, including tents and cooking gear (see list on next page.) However, each Scout must provide clothing and some limited optional gear to make their trip comfortable. Backpack suitable for long-distance backpacking (internal or external frame) Smaller Day Pack (like a school backpack) 2 3 T-shirts 1-2 Long sleeved shirts 1 Sweatshirt, fleece, or light jacket 2 Pants and/or shorts (zip-off type highly recommended) 3 4 Pairs socks (wool, hiking recommended) Underwear Swimming Suit (trunks for guys, one-piece for girls) Hiking boots (broken in BEFORE your Trek) Water Shoes or CLOSED TOED sandals (NO FLIP-FLOPS) (optional) Rain Gear (jacket and pants, not poncho style) Sleeping Bag (compression type HIGHLY recommended) Sleeping Pad (NO COTS) Wide-brimmed Hat or Baseball Cap Sunglasses Bowl (plastic or metal) Sierra-style cup or thermal mug (could be used IN PLACE of bowl) Eating utensils (sporks work GREAT!) Pocket Knife Camera 2 Water Bottles (or one bottle/camelbak holding at least 2 liters) Limited Toiletries (tooth brush, sun screen, aloe, bug spray, soap, etc.) $25-$50 in spending money (for snacks, souvenir, etc.) NOTE: Do not be tempted to OVER PACK! All participants will go through a gear shakedown with your Trek Guide, and any items deemed unnecessary for your Trek will be left at base camp at LSSR. 4
Supplies Provided at Base As a Nationally Accredited High Adventure Base, T-SHAB will provide each Trek Crew with the equipment needed for a successful trip. The following items will be furnished for your use during the Loess Hills Backpacking Trek: Crew Gear: Cook Kit: pots, pans, etc. (one per four participants) Stove (one per four participants) Tent (one per two participants) While participants are encouraged to pack basic toiletries, and simple over-the-counter first aid items, like sunscreen, the Trek Guide will have a limited supply of these items. Trek Guide Staff will also carry a larger emergency kit and first aid kit. As much as possible, Crew members will share basic supplies to limit space used. 5
Itinerary Your Loess Hills Trek will include 5-days on the trail, but your experience begins with check-in at Little Sioux Scout Ranch and ends with a closing campfire back at Little Sioux, after your trek. Here is the basic schedule followed for all Trek Crews at the Tri-State High Adventure Base: Day 1: Sunday 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM Arrive at Little Sioux; Check in at Welcome Center Medical Recheck 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Move into T-SHAB Campsite & Meet Trek Guide 12:00 PM Lunch at Dining Pavilion 1:00 PM Trail Training Backpacking Skill Review GPS Navigation Emergency Procedure / First Aid Review 4:00 PM Gear Check Trek Gear Check Out Personal Gear Shakedown 5:30 PM Dinner at Dining Pavilion 6:30 PM Iowa DNR / State Forest representative Trail Navigation Instruction Loess Hills Natural Features 8:00 PM Itinerary Review Pack and Prepare 9:00 PM Campfire 10:00 PM Lights Out Daily Schedule (Days 2 5) 5:00 AM Awake 5:30 AM Breakfast 6:00 AM Depart LSSR Base Camp Hike 12:00 PM Arrive at first Program Stop Lunch 4:00 PM Additional Hike Set Up Camp 5:00 PM Dinner 6:30 PM Evening Program / Free Time 9:00 PM Lights Out 6
Day 6: Friday 6:00 AM Awake 6:30 AM Breakfast Pack and Prepare 7:30 AM Hike 12:00 PM Arrive at Program Stop Lunch 1:00 PM Hike 5:00 PM Expected Arrival at LSSR Base Camp Crew Photos Dinner Return T-SHAB Gear 8:30 PM Closing Campfire Optional Night Hike 10:00 PM Lights Out Day 7: Saturday 7:00 AM Awake 7:30 PM Breakfast at Dining Pavilion 8:30 PM Check Out Depart Little Sioux 7
T-SHAB Loess Hills Trek Choose your own Adventure Activity Samples Day One: Night Navigation at LSSR After dark, Crews will trek across LSSR to outpost locations using various night navigation skills. Lead By: Trek Guide Gear: All campers MUST have their 10 essentials Solution: Locate each outpost location and collect supplies/information important to your Trek. (Some supplies will be those required for Day Two breakfast.) Bonus: Choose an outpost location for your overnight. Optional sleep under stars (weather permitting.) Day Two: Breakfast Challenge Breakfast: Eggs, bacon, potatoes Gear: Cast Iron Skillet, Dutch Oven Need: Collect Water Scout Skill: Lower a Bear Bag (Bonus Bag needing climbing/tower building) Find 2 Bear Bags in the woods; one is accessible by tie line, the other is tied high. Gear: Harness, Lashing Rope/Twine, Food, Carabiner, hand-drawn map Need: Pioneering Poles (marked on map) Solution: Lash Together a way to reach the Bear Bag; One member climbs tower/ladder (on belay). Bonus Prize: Cake Mix, Dinner, Fruit, Fishing Rod Orienteering: Off the Map Find a set of bearings and distance, leading off LSSR Map Gear: Blank paper, pencil, empty corked bottle, sewing kit Need: Compass Learn: To locate using a bearing and track a trail using only bearings (bonus: how to make a cork and water compass.) Solution: Follow trails and draw map to location. Bonus Prize: Tents (or something else.) Orienteering: Assemble-a-meal Using a set of bearings in the meal bags, travel around camp collecting parts of your meal. Need: Map, Compass 8