Preparing for High
Adventure
BSA High Adventure Camps


Philmont - Cimarron, NM
Northern Tier – Ely, MN
• Sommers base: BWCAW
• Atikokan base: Quetico Provincial Park, ON
• Bisset base: Pine lake, MB

Florida Sea Base
• Main Base: Lower Matecumbe Key
• Brinton Environmental Center: Summerland Key
• St Thomas USVI
http://philmontscoutranch.org
http://www.ntier.org
http://www.bsaseabase.org/
Why do High Adventure?





Unique experiences
Travel
Different environment
Team-building
Challenge
Preparation




Emotional / Team Building (FSNP)
Health and Personal Physical Training
Crew Preparation Training
Equipment
Emotional Preparation
Scout Appropriate?

When is a Scout Ready for High Adventure?
• Desire and commitment
• Physical & Emotional Readiness
• Maturity




Will they eat the food and drink the water?
Can they self-medicate?
Will they practice personal hygiene?
Can they work within the patrol method?
Scout Appropriate?
Health Preparation
Physical Readiness





The High Adventure Physical
Diet and Exercise
Activity Pace
Conditions and hypothermia
Challenges
Health



Personal Health and Medical Record Form
All youth and adults participating in High
Adventure activities
Physicians exam
Height
and
Weight
recommendations
Diet and Weight Issues



Do what works for you
Consult your doctor
Lose it slow to keep it off
• ½ to 1 pound per week
• Present weight x 10 = daily calories


Drink water to eliminate waste
Try using a “Diet Buddy”
Personal Physical Training





Cardiovascular training
Strength Training
Best Training is Hiking, Backpacking,
Paddling.
Scuba Certification
Sailing Training
Fitness Plans







Check with your doctor
Consider a trainer
Understand physiology of exercise
Train for cardio, strength…
and hands!
Build a progression
Don’t rely on shakedowns!
Pick something you like!
Sample Cardio-Vascular
Exercise







Walking/Running/Hiking/Backpacking
Gym: step, bike, X-trainer, treadmill
Swimming
Climbing Stairs
Step Aerobics
Biking
Whitewater Kayaking 
Sample Cardio Exercise Plan






January: 20-30 min. cardio, 70%, 3x wk
February: 20-30 min. cardio, 75%, 3x wk
March: 20-40 min. cardio, 80%, 3-4x wk
April: 20-40 min. cardio, 85%, 3-4x wk
May-Jun: 30-60 min. cardio, 85%, 4-5x wk
July: 30-60 min. cardio, 85%, 5x wk
Strength Training




Free weights
Bench weights
Circuit training
Exercises (situps, leg lifts, pushups,
etc.)
Secret Hints for
Canoeing Training







Shoulder—sprain or strain
Wrist—overuse injury
Impact injury—hit by paddle, rock or boat
Hypothermia—can even occur in summer months
Drowning—real spoiler
Swamping
Capsizing
Canoeing Specific Exercises

Upper body pull
Canoeing Specific Exercise


Paddle drive
Lat pull down
Canoeing Specific Exercise

Torso rotation
Canoeing specific exercise
Shoulder endurance
Air Paddling
Body bar or light
barbell for resistance
Crew Training
Activities
“Shake Down”
Crew Training






Practice trips
10 mi paddling / 15-20 mi Backpacking
Opportunity to work together as a crew
Practice LNT camping
Practice backcountry safety and cooking
Navigation / Map and Compass Skills
Training Opportunities

Lake Chesdin Dam to Albrights
James River
THE OLD DOMINION TRAIL
Appalachian Trail

• Shenandoah National Park
• Three Ridges
• The Priest
Ramsey’s Draft



Certifications






Youth Protection
Wilderness First Aid, CPR
Safety Afloat, Safe Swim Defense
Severe Weather
Consider:
SCUBA: Open Water Certification
Sailing Training
Equipment







Trail Stoves
Cook Kits
Mess Kits
Water Treatment
Trail Tarp
Tents
Packs
Scout Spirit
The end goal is to develop good people. Through
the experience of the rugged wilderness, Scouts
learn physical fortitude and mental strength;
through the isolated interactions within their crew,
Scouts learn lessons in leadership, in the
importance of doing their share of the work and in
the necessity of teamwork to accomplish difficult
tasks; through the careful practice of Leave No
Trace Wilderness Ethics, Scouts learn to assess the
impact of their actions upon their surroundings, to
be aware of how they affect the environment and
the people near them; and through the completion
of their trip, Scouts gain confidence in their abilities
to overcome tough challenges.
Anytime you're ready, Daddy.
I'll be sitting outside
growing older.