HikeArizona.COM

Hello All.

I recently got appointed to the Outdoor/Activities Chair for a local Boy Scout troop. The troop is on the young side with kids in the 12 to 14 year old range with very little backpacking experience. I have been tasked with bringing the troop up to speed on weekend backpacking trips. They want to do an overnight trip once a month. We already have two months filled with a week long trip to a Boy Scout Camp and a weekend Jamboree.

I am looking to tap into the vast knowledge and experience of you guys and gals here on Hike Arizona.

I need 10 great seasonal backpacking overnight trips with a round trip mileage of 4 to 10 miles. I will post triplogs and pics of every trip for all to see.

Watching these young guys grow gives me hope that we haven't lost all of this new generation to Video Games and HotPockets.

Please post your suggestions to help the kids experience the best of Arizona and become the next great stewards of our Beautiful Lands.

Thank you,
Jay

Wow, from someone that's just getting back into Hiking, you're jumping in with both feet! Good for you! I will not offer up any suggestions, I'm still too new, but I'm sure some more Experienced Hikers and Backpackers will gladly chime in...

Outdoor Lover wrote:Wow, from someone that's just getting back into Hiking, you're jumping in with both feet! Good for you! I will not offer up any suggestions, I'm still too new, but I'm sure some more Experienced Hikers and Backpackers will gladly chime in...

I know I have been out of the game for awhile but I did backpack once or twice a month for many years and have been doing day hikes with full pack to prepare. The kids just need a little help and I hope to help give them many experiences to look back on and smile about later on in life.

Thanks again for your response.

Having just hiked (not backpacked) Los Burros trail, near Pinetop, I'd say that is a good candidate: It's within your mileage, not too much AEG, not too much people traffic , nice scenery, and if you need to camp near an actual toilet, there's one at the trailhead. (Which not a lot of rural trailheads have.)

Thanks for accepting the opportunity to help your Scouts do it right.

I recommend that you begin attending your monthly Scout District Roundtables and seek out those experienced and successful Scoutmasters for where they recommend you take your Troop. Then before you go have the adult leaders of your Troop visit the trailheads, trails and campsites that you are planning on using to insure that they are suitable for the needs of your Scouts and Troop.

Avoid heavily used trailheads and trails until your Scouts and adult leaders have learned the basics of backpacking and leave no trace camping. Camp well out of sight and sound of trails as well so you have the privacy to accomplish the purpose of your campouts such as orienteering, cooking, first aid, rope work, etc.

Many of us on this site can recommend where to go, when to go there and why. One trip that the Troops I worked with would do every other year is to camp near Lava River Tube on a Friday evening, explore the tube just before retiring to bed and then hiking up Humphreys Summit Trail #151 the following day. This is best done in late summer and early fall.

I recommend mixing hiking with backpacking. An experienced hiker will make a good backpacker because he is already acquainted with the outdoors and now only has to learn the basics of carrying more and having to have what he is carrying sustain him for an overnight or two.

You can PM me for more information and how to best use this website if you would like.

And share with us pictures and trip reports of your Troops adventures.

Although I don't have any specific places in mind, I do have some thoughts... Based on taking a 12-year-old on several backpacking trips...

First, start small. Something where you hike in only 1-2 miles to camp.
Even if all of the kids are in excellent shape, carrying a heavy pack is a whole new ball game, and takes getting used to.
You may never make it beyond this stage if the cast of kids keeps changing.

The suggestion to go on day hikes with the troop first is an excellent one - this will help them get in some sort of shape before attempting the harder step.

Kids LOVE water and playing in water. Then again, so do adults... Pick something that takes you to water and everyone will be happy.
Pack water squirt guns for everyone and bring them out as a surprise when you get to the water - everyone will perk right up.

Adults understand hiking hard for 5+ hours without stopping to reach a goal, while kids don't. They will become very grouchy if there are not enough breaks where packs come off and they can sit, look at the map, or wander around. With my niece, I have her keep track of the time so after each hour of hiking, we take one ~15-minute break. This also gives her something to think about if the views aren't very stimulating. I guess boyscouts wouldn't be down for singing, but we also play word games while hiking to keep interest up.

Most kids can't carry as much as an adult, so you may need to recruit some other folks to help carry the heavier items, like tents and such.
Alternately, expose the kids to the joys of camping sans tent.

Just a few thoughts...