Things we like to remember:
Taking troops (especially young scouts) into the backcountry requires additional skills over standard campground camping. Leave No Trace skills should be taught in advance to prepare both adults and scouts to protect and respect the environment. Backpacking in the backcountry is not the place to teach these skills. This is the place to practice what scouts have already learned from previous training in highly impacted campground environments. It is always best to encourage scouts to use a backpack even for campground camping. Get them used to packing light and watertight. Never take a ill-prepared crew into the backcountry. Leave trail maps (good ones) and an itinerary with a responsible party and know where the nearest hospitals are. Though this is basic common sense – it deserves mentioning.
Crew sizes often pose a problem for troops to venture into backpacking.
Always be conscious that a large crew will make a significant impact on
the environment – no matter how hard you try not to.
Try to keep crews to 12 or fewer. If
you have more than 12, split the crew into two or more (providing you have
sufficient adult leadership in each crew).
A great thing to do is send crews hiking in opposite directions. Send one crew one way and the other in the opposite way on
the trail. It is always a blast to
meet half way and exchange high fives and war stories of the crew’s
adventures! If car shuttling is
required, and multiple crews are hiking in different directions, always remember
to provide multiple sets of keys so each crew has keys to cars on both trail
ends – for safety. On trips
of five days or more, consider leaving a car at or near the mid-point of the
trek. It never hurts to be
prepared! Water and extra fuel can
also be left in the cars.
Water supply around Southeast Texas is inconsistent, especially through the frequent dry spells. Never depend on a creek or brook to have flowing water. They are too often stagnant if not bone dry. Water must obviously be treated, pumped or boiled prior to use. A note of caution: any scout or adult that is allergic to shellfish (shrimp or crab) are more than likely allergic to iodine and should NOT drink water purified with iodine – boiling is the best option here). One handy trick we have learned from experience is to hide several 5-gallon jugs of tap water near where the trail crosses a road. Make sure you position the jugs well out of sight from the trail and road. Place the jugs before starting the hike. Tanking water ensures adequate quality water along the route. If your placement is strategic, you can tank up your water supply at the end of the day and thus avoid having to carry water for dinner and breakfast all day long. If you have multiple crews, make sure members from both crews help to “hide” the water and know where to find it. Don’t forget to pick up the empties on the way home.