Scoutmaster Musings

I had a friend join me on my hike yesterday. I was very surprised to see him since he's usually just a summer hiking buddy and doesn't enjoy being out at all once it frosts up.
I can't recall if I've ever seen a mosquito out on the trail in January before, but this guy was out and about due to the record high temps this week.
Click the image if you want to see a very short video of his dance moves.

Actually, the weather has been great for getting in more hiking. I'm off now for 8 miles and it's 34°F but snow's expected and the temp drops throughout the day. Back to real January tomorrow. Unfortunately, that's not enough for the scouts going on their Okpik campout this weekend. Looks like no quinzee huts or Zero Hero awards this year. But, they've planned a 5-mile hike as an alternate activity, so that'll keep them moving and warm.

Scout On

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A headlamp is a great outdoors tool. It frees up both hands, lights your way or work area, and is convenient. I've got a few different ones (one I even found ontrail at Philmont) that have evolved from incandescent bulbs to LEDs, reducing the weight and power usage. But, I just got a way cool upgrade.

I received a Photon Freedom LED light. It is a single LED but is dimmable so I can choose the brightness, and corresponding power consumption. I can't show you how bright it really is, but this tiny light delivers as much light as my previous 4 LED headlamp.
It weighs just 0.25 ounces and is as bright as my 7.6 ounce headlamp. When I add the clip, it weighs 0.4 ounces. To reduce weight, I removed the keyring, cut the tiny magnets off the clip, and left the lanyard on the table.

I'm impressed (it has a big 'fun factor') and am very excited to use it on my long hikes. I don't expect to do any night hiking, instead using it for a camp light. The clip allows the light to swivel around into any position, and is tight enough to hold it in position.

This one light should last for at least a month of hiking, but I ordered a bunch of CR2016 batteries for cheap online and will take a few, just in case. It's supposed to last from 12 to 50 hours, depending on the brightness I use. Since I expect to be in my shelter right after nightfall each day, I don't think I'll put many hours on it.

I'd prefer rechargeable batteries and Photon has a version that can be recharged. There's also a solar charger accessory which could be useful, but may weigh more than carrying a few extra batteries.

I also received an ultraviolet version from my brother, concerned about scorpions on my Arizona Trail hike - he figured I could use it to see them before stepping outside or into by shoes. :-) For the extra .25 ounces, I'll probably take it along - who knows what I'll find with it.

Scout On

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I got to hike 30 miles on the Ice Age Trail last week while visiting relatives. This was done as two separate 15-mile day hikes, one on the north-west part of the trail and the other on the south-east part. Even though this national scenic trail is not yet complete, the finished segments are great.

I did the Grassy Lake and Timberland Hills segments up north and Cedar Lakes, Slinger, Pike Lake, and Holy Hill segments down south. Segments vary in length, anywhere from 1 to 15 miles on this trail, so they are mostly useful for just tracking progress.


With the frozen ground and leafless trees, it's hard to imagine how different this will be when I thru-hike in the late summer. I made good time with the cold temperature, no bugs, and low humidity, but maybe a bit warmer and less wind in a shaded forest canopy will be even better.
I know my hiking will be quieter - every footstep was a crackling of ice and snow or shlurping of sucking mud on the sun-softened southern slopes of hills.

I have to say again that the IAT volunteers have built terrific trail through their hours of relentless effort. Here's an example of some of their more impressive construction - a boardwalk over a swampy area. I'm looking forward to finding more little surprises like this one along the trail.


Scout On

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I'm thinking the Scouting program in the UK will see a sharp membership increase this year. The Duchess of Cambridge has signed on as a Scouting volunteer, helping at local cub pack events.

Scouting UK is working hard to get more volunteers, offering flexible opportunities to fit in where it makes sense. I believe this lets folks know they are welcome to help as much as they can rather than getting tied into a position with no known exit strategy. It sounds like thoughtful positioning and good marketing to me.

Can you volunteer some of your time this year? If you don't already have a role in Scouting, how about letting the scoutmaster, or crew advisor, or cubmaster know that you'd like to help out in some way.
If you are in a position already, how about going through the unit roster and contacting a few people that could help spread the work a bit this year? Somebody needs to organize that Blue Gold extravaganza, that week of summer camp, or maybe that Camporee.

Read the UK Scouting article about the royal volunteer.

Scout On - and Volunteer!

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This 4x3x2 inch bag contains my latest MYOG project that weighs 1.4 ounces. My wife showed me how to use the sewing machine this weekend and I made this myself - I'm so proud! :-)

Sewing is actually a lot easier than I expected. The seams aren't perfectly straight, but it turned out like it was supposed to.
And, it only took about 2 hours for the tutorial and completing the project.
Now I'm looking forward to seeing what else I can create.



It's an insulated hat!

It's mostly intended for sleeping when winter camping, or at elevations such as those found on the Pacific Crest or Continental Divide trails which result in freezing nighttime temperature. I was expecting to use it this winter, but we've had much warmer than normal weather.

As you can see, the hat expands and has about an inch of loft all around. The drawstring is to hold it as snug as you like.

It is reversible so I can wear it with either my blue or grey outfit and stay fashionable. :-) As a matter of fact, it is so cool, I had to wear my shades when modeling it here.

Scout On

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What do cigarettes, guns, spray paint, knives, and rocks have in common?

They account for the majority of vandalism and litter I see on the trail and at trailheads. I often wonder what person does this. Maybe I know him. Maybe he's a friend of mine.

This Ice Age Trail route sign is a perfect example of someone with a gun, boredom, and low braincell counts. OK, that wasn't very nice, but really? I mean, Come On!
This was at a point where the trail crosses a fairly remote dirt road and that small yellow sign makes a great target.

I also imagine the vast majority of trail vandalism is done by males, and probably young males. Does this sound like a good opportunity for discussion the next time you go hiking with some youth? Keep your eyes open for vandalism and ask what they think of it.
Who does it effect?
What cost does it have?
How does it diminish the outdoors experience?
What can we do about it?

This is a small kiosk sign on the IAT. It was slashed and cut with a knife which allowed water and freezing to damage it further. The IAT has many informational signs like this along its route. I learned about kames and kettles last week by reading these.
Now this one will take volunteer time and money to replace - efforts that could have been spent on trail improvements elsewhere.

Scout On

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Another year about to begin - endless possibilities and opportunities ahead. Over the holidays, I've been enjoying time with relatives and away from computers. I got in a couple 15-mile hikes in the snow, received a few very cool hiking/camping items, and ate way too much. I'll tell you more about the first two next week. I even made two sets of moccasins for gifts and have one more to do today.

It's always a good thing to take some time to reflect on what you've accomplished and make goals you'd like to attain. January 1 is a perfect date to do this, being sort of a reboot of time each year. Being resolute is a characteristic of good leadership and self-discipline - defining success and then pushing ahead until success is reached.

If you've not made any new year's resolutions yet, take ten minutes and jot down a few so you can check your progress over the year. Here's a couple of mine:

• Walk 3000 miles - that's 800 on the AZ Trail, 1100 on the Ice Age Trail, and 1100 on conditioning hikes.
• Blog 300 times - this will be the most difficult
• Make 30 new friends - not Facebook friends, real people. I hope to meet them on the trail, at presentations, church, and in business.

Now, I need to set my resolve and make these more than just wishes.

Scout On
(and have a Happy New Year)

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The Rudolph animated classic is one of my favorite shows ever. A small band of outcasts brave the wild world, bond together, and save the day. How cool is that?

Rudolph starts out as a teased, klutzy little guy but turns into a strong, confident leader at the end. Ring any bells?

Hermy wants to be something more than just a toy maker. He doesn't fit in with the crowd. Too bad they didn't have the Dentistry merit badge for him. But, he practices his skills, accepts others, and is brave through the challenges.

Santa is shown as a cranky, worried, unaccepting grouch - but he eventually learns that everyone is valuable. Hopefully, our adult volunteers are more like Yukon Cornelius - out on adventure, ready to help, and afraid of nothing.

Good ideals and lessons are sprinkled throughout the show, along with some fun old music.

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Check out Google's holiday doodle - click the button under each letter to animate Google's holiday doodle.

After enjoying the show, search for let it snow and see what happens. Be patient for 15 seconds then click and drag your mouse around.

Or, gravity and click the I'm Feeling Lucky button.

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas this year!

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The next few weeks are a perfect time to check in with past scouts that are home for the holidays on break from college to enjoy time with family.

Our troop has a special meeting early in January where they recap the year and get commitment to the year ahead. This is a perfect time to invite past scouts back to see how the troop is doing and hear from them about their recent adventures. We have recent scouts in MN, AZ, CO, MA, WI, ND, and IA so having the current scouts hear what they've been up to is a good thing.

To do this successfully, you'll need contact information for scouts after they leave your troop. This is a great task for the troop historian as scouts age out - keeping a file of past scouts, their addresses, emails, and phone numbers. If you send a short alumni newsletter twice a year, the list should stay up-to-date without much effort.

The BSA has a Scouting Alumni site to help keep past scouts connected.

Scout On and Merry Christmas

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We use terms like positive role model, camaraderie, teamwork, and strong character when encouraging scouts in their choices. despair.com has taken motivation and applied a thick lathering of reverse psychology to it. If you have a few minutes and need an irreverent chuckle, here's 100 more from which you might get an idea or two for a scoutmaster minute.

How about printing one of the small pics and taking it to a PLC meeting or your troop leader training? Asking the guys what's wrong with it or how it could be made 'better' might be an indirect way to help them understand their responsibilities.

And, if you want a trip to Yellowstone or Breckenridge but haven't entered yet see New-Skin contest - just 1 week left.

Scout On

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The best all-around, most useful knife I have is my Victorinox Tinker with BSA emblem. I use the small blade on it for all my whittling and to carve fire pistons. I've used all the gizmos on it at some point except the wire stripper. :-)

If you don't have one yet, this is a perfect day to get yours. Scoutstuff.org has knives on sale for 25% discount, plus free shipping on orders over $50 - today (12/15) only. Easy way to get your Christmas shopping taken care of for scouts and scouters you know. There's a 21 knife selection, from single blades to multi-tools.

See sale page.

Scout On - and don't cut yourself

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On this hike, it was 5 degrees - see the frost all over my head? :-)

I've decided 5 degrees is about as cold as I enjoy being out hiking miles. Colder and the layers of clothes make walking less enjoyable. But, down to 5 and my trail shoes, longjohns and nylon pants, fleece jacket and rain coat, mittens, hat, and scarf work perfectly without being overly bulky. This week it's popped back up to 40 with mist and fog so I've got at least a few more days to hike.

In wilderness first aid, we discuss what time of year is the most dangerous for hypothermia. When your body loses more heat than it can generate for long enough, your core temperature drops, resulting in hypothermia. Often, the first thought right out of the gate is "January!" but then we chat a bit.

Hypothermia can happen any time of year, but the colder the temperature gets, the faster your body loses heat. So, January makes sense. But, in the dead of winter around here with -20° days, we expect cold so we wear parkas, mukluks, mittens, and balaclavas to insulate us. Besides that, and just as important, everything is frozen solid - that means it's not wet. You can hike through miles of snow and stay completely dry.

Staying dry is a great defense against hypothermia. Hiking at a steady rate without working up a sweat, dressing in layers, ventilating your clothes, and wearing rain gear are all good ways to minimize moisture on your skin. Water transfers heat 50+ times as much as air.

So, spring and fall tend to have more wet weather. Which is worse?
After warm summer days, a wet Fall day feels cold so we protect ourselves. A 35 or 40 degree day in Spring feels tropical and people are tempted to go out with inadequate protection - especially youth. When they get wet, real trouble can happen quickly.

Whether heading out for an afternoon hike or a long trek, staying warm and dry should be part of your preparation.

The cold won't kill ya - the wet will.

Scout On

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