Troop 323 s Week at Camp Geronimo, June 15 th to 22 nd, 2013 (Sat to Sat) (Items listed in italics are additional information that should have accompanied this letter.) 1. Departure Time: Please show up at Lookout Mountain School on Saturday, June15th at 8 am. Will we make last-minute checks of needed camp paperwork, collect outing fee, load up our equipment, get last-minute instructions and depart for camp by 8:45 am. It should take us 2 to 2.5 hours to get to Geronimo. There is no rush to get to camp but plan on meeting in the Geronimo parking lot by 11:30 am so we can eat lunch and get in line for the 12:30 pm check-in. 2. Outing Fee: Scouts need to bring $15 on the morning of departure to help pay for drivers gas and gas for pulling the troop trailer. This can be cash, check (made out to BSA Troop 323 ), or use your Scout s Troop Bucks. 3. Directions: See Camp Geronimo Directions. Maps will he handed out the day of departure including cell phone numbers of drivers. 4. Saturday Lunch: No Saturday lunch (on either Saturday) is provided at camp. Scouts should bring a healthy sack lunch from home on our departure day, or plan to stop in Payson on the way up to camp to purchase lunch to bring to camp. Since we will arrive at camp before our check-in time we will regroup in the Geronimo parking lot and eat lunch there. On the way back to Phoenix on 6/22 we will stop in Payson and grab lunch. 5. Packing in gear: Scouts should pack all their gear into a backpack as Scouts will be packing their gear in from the Geronimo parking lot into our campsite. It is about a 20 minute hike. Only extra Scout gear such as a sleeping cot or camp chair can be driven into the campsite. 6. Parking at Geronimo: Per BSA rules, please back into parking spaces- this makes it easy to quickly leave camp in case of an emergency. Due to the location of our campsite, it is better to park towards the southern end of the lot (where you first enter the parking area) as opposed to further north up by the gatehouse. 7. Vehicles in camp: On our arrival day and departure day we will be allowed to have one vehicle in camp at a time for unloading or loading gear. Our troop trailer will be driven to our campsite, unloaded, and then removed. Vehicles need to be quickly 1
remove and are NOT allowed in camp on any other days. 8. What to wear on departure day: Scouts need to show up at LOM school on the day of departure in full Class A Scout uniform. This is traditional for Scouts going to Geronimo. Any Scout showing up at LOM without their uniform on will be asked to return home to change. 9. Who s Going?: Please see the Troop 323 Geronimo 2013 Participants list for Scouts going as well as what adults will be at camp throughout the week (subject to change). 10. Emergency Contact Info: Emergency phone number for Headquarters at camp: (928) 474-4688; Fax: (928) 474-3582. Camp Headquarters will contact me with your message. 11. Cell Phone Service: Cell phone service is almost non-existent at camp unless you want to take a 15-minute hike up to the top of inspiration point. 12. Medical: All Scouts and adults staying at camp (even day or overnight visitors to camp) will need a completed BSA medical form with parts A, B, and C filled out and valid until at least 6/23/2013 (a form is valid for one year from the medical examination in part C). The troop will go through a medical check with the Health Lodge when we arrive at camp and all medical forms are reviewed for completeness. Medical forms are stored at the Health Lodge during the week so they are on hand at the lodge in case any medical issue arises. Our medical record coordinator Maureen Petkiewicz will be actively reviewing the troops medical record status in the weeks before camp to make sure that every Scout and adult attending camp has a valid medical form. If you receive an e-mail from her about your medical form status please read and resolve the issue as soon as possible. 13. Medications: The Health Lodge will need to know all prescription medications that will be brought to camp. One of the adults staying at camp will hold all of the Scouts medications (prescription or over-the-counter) and dispense them per your instructions. It is best that prescription medications be in their original container with Scout s name and clear instructions as to when and how much to dispense. Please make sure there is enough of a medication for the entire week. I would appreciate it if you get your Scout s medication information to me before our 2
departure day. 14. Staying Hydrated: Dehydration is the #1 reason for Scouts having to make a trip to the Health Lodge at camp. Camp elevation is 5200 feet. It is hot, dry and dusty during the day. Scouts will be out in the sun a lot. Please talk to your Scout about drinking water on a regular basis at camp. Water is available at the campsite and throughout camp. Scouts MUST have a Camelback that can hold at least 2 liters of water. This is not just for hiking but for anytime that they are out and about around camp so that they have water with them at all times. Camelbacks are superior to having a water bottle or canteen as these items can be set down and forgotten, or are bulky, or require to be held while hiking. A Camelback allows the water to always be with your Scout while keeping your Scout s hands free to do other things. Also, don t forget sunscreen, chap stick, and Scout hat. Sunscreen and chap stick should go into the Camelback. Remember: WATER! WATER!! WATER!!! WATER!!!! 15. Horse Ride Liability Forms: One of the troop activities at camp is a group horseback ride. This activity requires a signed waiver form for all Scout and adult participants. Please use form All Around Trail Horses LLC DBA. An adult or guardian must complete and sign this form for their Scout. Complete this form and bring it to one of the next two troop meetings or on the morning of departure. Please ignore the question on declining to wear a helmet - all riders at Geronimo are required to wear helmets. 16. Campsite: As always, Troop 323 will be in campsite #2. See the Campsite #2 Layout Map as well as the Geronimo Camp Map for the site location. We are sharing our site this year with our friends in Troop 428. It looks like council has possibly put another troop in with us this year, for a total of 35 Scouts in our site. Campsite #2 has 20 tents that hold a total of 40 Scouts, as well as 2 Adirondacks (three-sided wooden structures with roof): one with five bunks and the other with four. Usually the five-person Adirondack is for the SPL and ASPLs, and adults share the 4-person Adirondack, and/or take unused campsite tents. You can see that with 35 Scouts in camp, there might not be enough sleeping spots at the campsite for all the adults coming from the three troops. As such, it would be best if adults brought along a tent to have as a backup. 3
17. Troop trailer: We will be taking our troop trailer to camp so we will have access to our stoves, patrol cooking equipment, extra tables, troop entry-way structure, knottying structure, etc. Tentatively the trailer will be towed to camp by Bhrett Purdue and towed home by Jeremy Steffensen. 18. What to Bring (and NOT bring): See packing list at the end of this letter. 19. Patrol Equipment to bring: Patrol Flags (Patrol Leaders to arrange for this) 20. Troop Equipment to bring: Troop Flag (SPL/ASPLs to arrange for this) 21. Lost and Found: Please use a permanent marker to mark your Scout s gear and clothing. Make sure you mark the zip-off lower pant legs on the Scout pants as well as socks. Mark bolo ties, hats, notebooks, and Camelbacks (HQ ends up with a lot of Camelbacks by the end of the week). No one wants to hold on to found items so please label everything. 22. Official BSA Uniform: The official Scout uniform is appropriate dress at any time during the week at camp. Scouts must be in full uniform for arriving/departing Geronimo, church services, evening meals, campfires, KP duty, formal flag ceremonies and other formal ceremonies. Although not part of the official uniform, Scouts will need their bolo ties and Troop hat for troop inspections. 23. Class B Shirts: For normal daytime activities the Troop 323 red shirt or the Camp Geronimo Troop 323 shirt (2013 or from an earlier year) is appropriate. 24. Camp Geronimo 2013 Shirt: Scouts that signed up for a Camp Geronimo Troop 323 shirt will receive this at camp at some point during the week. 25. Money at camp: Scouts should bring about $40 to spend during the week at the camp s Trading Post for souvenirs, snacks, knives and purchase of any woodcarving, basketry, or leatherworking kits as needed for merit badge classes. Scouts should have about $6 for the ride home on Saturday, 6/22 as we stop in Payson for lunch. If needed, one of the adults staying at camp the whole week can be the designated troop banker for a Scout s cash. If you wish to take advantage of this please place the money in an envelope with your Scout s name on it and include any 4
instruction about how much cash can be withdrawn at any one time. 26. Mail: If you are planning on mailing your Scout letters please be aware that delivery to camp can take several days so be sure to mail early. I would not recommend mailing anything after the Tuesday of the week your Scout is at camp. Please don t mail packages. To save stamps and ensure timely delivery of mail you can give the Scoutmaster letters for your Scout on the day of our departure. Please list your Scout s name on the envelope and what day you would like it given to your Scout. Address US mail as follows: Scout s Name Troop 323 Campsite #2 Session #3 Camp Geronimo 2599 W. Weber Creek Road Payson, AZ 85541-9568 27. Weather: This time of year it may still drop down to the high 40 s in the middle of the night and be hot in the afternoons in the high 80 s or low 90 s. Rain is always a possibility so bring a lightweight emergency poncho or rain gear. Please check the Payson weather forecast as we get closer to our week at camp. 28. Camp Cost for Adult Leaders: The final cost the troop will charge for adults leaders staying the week at camp (or significant portion of the week) is not determined yet and is determined by the number of Scouts going to camp (the camp gives us a discount on adults based on the number of Scouts going), and how much the troop committee decides to subsidize adult leaders. Each paying adult leader is issued a wrist band that entitles the wearer to all program areas and meals. We can trade off wrist bands as adult leaders come and go during the week. 29. Visitors: Visitors are welcome at camp. Saturday and Sunday are the advertised Geronimo visitor days but we have had visitors during the week as well in the past. Visitors must have a valid BSA medical form. Visitors cannot take advantage of program areas and are responsible for purchasing their own meals in the dining hall. Cost is: $7 breakfast; $9 lunch; $12 dinner. 5
30. Swim Check: The troop will do a swim check when we get to camp. Parents only need to take this test if they wish to use the pool during the week (other than for Polar Bear Swim). Remember that camp is at 5200 feet making this activity more strenuous. Scouts (and adults!) should work on their swim strokes and build endurance before getting to camp. If your Scout is also going to the Lake Pleasant Aquatics camp later in the summer after Geronimo, the swim check can apply to the aquatics camp as well; however, I need to know if you want the Geronimo swim check to apply to aquatics camp so I can get a special form filled out for your Scout when he completes the swim check. 31. Dining Hall: Except for a few instances all of our meals will be at the camp s dining hall. For each meal there is a main food line as well as a number of side bars where Scouts can get alternative or supplemental items. Your Scout will not go hungry! Due to the number of Scouts at camp, troops eat in two shifts. Troop 323 is 1 st shift this year, meaning that we eat: 6:30-7 am breakfast; 12:30-1pm lunch; 5:30 6pm dinner. Please let me know if your Scout has any special dietary needs at least three weeks prior to camp. 32. Fishing: Camp Geronimo is one of the few places where only Scouts may fish. There are Rainbow Trout in the camp lake. If Scouts 14-18 years of age intend to fish they must bring a valid State of AZ fishing license with trout stamp. 33. Sunday Services: Sunday morning Protestant, Catholic, and LDS church services are held at camp at 9:15 am. A Jewish service is held on Friday at 6:30 pm. Scouts are encouraged to go to a service. Scouts that do not go to Sunday morning services will be required to stay quietly in our campsite until the others return. Please let me know if you want to make sure that your Scout attends a service. 34. Merit Badge Preparation: Make sure you have completed your Merit Badge prerequisites before coming to camp. See Merit Badge Requirements. Follow prerequisite information on what you need to bring to camp. 35. Showers: Geronimo has new shower facilities this year. However, there is no guarantee that the Scouts will use them. The Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning Polar Bear swim in the camp pool might be the only time your Scout gets some cleaning time in. 6
36. Activities at camp: The general camp schedule for the week can be found in 2013 Camp Geronimo Weekly Schedule. Our specific schedule will be some variation of this. Some of our activities at camp will include: Horseback ride, climbing tower, Polar Bear swim (3 mornings), Tenderfoot run, skit competitions with other troops, afternoon hike with lunch on the trail, cooking dinner in-camp one night, merit badge classes, free time in camp with program areas like rifle ranges and archery open to all, nature hike, nighttime Cat Eye compass course, formal flag ceremonies, KP duty, shower cleanup duty, campsite cleanup for inspections, campwide campfires, special ceremonies, Mighty Mogi Challenge, and more. Your Scout will come home exhausted. I know I will! 37. Return home: We should arrive back at LOM by about 1 pm on Saturday, 5/22. Drivers will have Scouts call home when they get close to school. 38. Questions: If you have questions, comments, concerns, or special requests please e-mail or call me now. Don t wait until the morning of our departure. I m looking forward to another great week at Geronimo with the Troop in the great outdoors. David A. Wright Scoutmaster Troop 323 602 993-6547 (home) 602 618-7404 (cell) mr.wright@cox.net 7
Clothing o Scout Uniform: official Scout shirt; official Scout pants (long or short); official Scout socks worn with shorts; Scout belt. o Troop 323 hat and bolo tie (needed for troop inspections) o Order of the Arrow sash (if in the OA, Wed is OA Day) o Troop 323 Class B shirts (see info in letter) o Sweater or Jacket o Sleepwear o Emergency Poncho or rain gear o Rugged pants (Levis) o Underwear / Socks o Hiking boots or hiking shoes or good tennis shoes o Flip Flops o Old tennis shoes or water shoes (for swimming in East Weber Creek) o Swim Suit and Towel o Clean street clothes if taking Swimming MB Camping Gear o Sleeping Bag o Ground Cloth (for floor of tent) o Cot or Sleeping Pad (Cot highly advisable) o Backpack o Camelback (capable of carrying at least 2 liters of water and merit badge class items) o Camping Pillow o Camp Chair? 2013 Camp Geronimo Packing List Personal Gear o Headlight with extra batteries o Personal First Aid Kit o Compass o Sunscreen / Chap Stick (carry in your Camelback) o BSA Handbook o Pocket Knife o Totin Chip Card (Totin Chip needed if you want to use a knife at camp or buy a knife at trading post) o Spending Money (about $40) o Small flashlight or small lantern? o Sun glasses? o Camera? o Fishing Gear? (and license if needed) o Musical Instrument? (no pianos) Toilet Kit o Toothbrush/Toothpaste o Comb or brush o Soap and small shampoo o Bath towel (or use swim towel) o Washcloth o Deodorant o Shaving gear? Merit Badge Items o Merit Badge Books o Prerequisites completed and brought to camp (as needed) o Small notebook and pen/pencils Departure Day Items o Sack lunch o Outing fee ($15) o Medical Form o Horse Liability Form o Medications for week (and complete instructions) o Scout mail for week Adults o Tent Do NOT Bring Fireworks Cell phones Radios/Tape & CD/DVD Players & IPODS, etc. Sheath Knives Weapons or ammunition Water Balloons & Launchers Sling Shots Wrist Rockets Skateboards or Rollerblades Bicycles Matches, Lighters, Hot Sparks Laser Pointers 8