Hello Troop 1!
We've lined up some great camping and outdoor activities for this fall and winter, and signup is open!
We're continuing some beloved Troop 1 traditions, like Ski Camp and Snow Base, and adding some new adventures, like Miller Castle, Ice Fishing, and the North Star Museum. We also get to share several events with Crew 1, Pack 1, and we get to know a couple of other local troops.
There are several options for winter activities in January and February. Please don't feel like you need to attend them all. We'd prefer you select the winter camping experience and skiing/fishing activities that match your own interests and experience level.
Assuming there is enough scout and adult leader (and driver) participation, we should be able to offer each of these to those who are interested.
Back to the Woods Campout | October 16-18 at Anderson Scout Camp, Houlton, WI
This is a "Back-to-the-Woods" camp. We will be in tents, cooking and sleeping outdoors. We will work on outdoor skills, rank advancement, and have plenty of free time for fun and games. Pack 1 is camping a short hike away, and Arrow of Light scouts will join us to gain camping experience with the Troop.Open to Troop 1 scouts and adults and Pack 1 AOL's (AOL's must be accompanied by a parent)
Overnight at the Scouting Museum | November 21-22 at the North Star Museum, St Paul, MN
Learn about the history of scouting while staying overnight at the North Star Museum in St. Paul. There will be a guided tour, pizza, s'mores around a bonfire, and an escape room! We are also offering an opportunity to earn the Scouting Heritage merit badge.Open to Troop 1 / Crew 1 scouts and adults and Pack 1 AOL's (AOL's must be accompanied by a parent and won't be eligible to earn the badge yet)
Gaming at the Castle | December 11-13 at Miller Castle, Nisswa, MN
For board game camp this year, let's play games in an actual castle!Miller Castle is a 12,000 square foot Castle, comes with a fortress wall, catwalk, drawbridge, and KNIGHTS to watch over and protect you! This is a large property and so we're joining forces with Minneapolis Troops 196 and 38 to stay for the weekend.We will plan our meals and activities together before the event, and are expecting a weekend full of board games, tabletop role playing games, and maybe even an opportunity to work on the Game Design merit badge.Open to Troop 1 scouts and adultsSign up | See who's coming
Snowbase: Experience and Spearhead programs | January 8-10 at Tomahawk Scout Camp, Birchwood, WI
Join us for a weekend of winter fun at Snowbase this year! Scouts and leaders can choose between 2 programs:
- Experience is great for first-year scouts, On Saturday after breakfast, we learn how to stay warm in winter as we spend all day outside enjoying winter activities like XC skiing, snowshoeing, broomball, tomahawk throwing. We'll have a warm dinner afterwards. We will sleep indoors both Friday and Saturday nights. More info (Experience)
- Spearhead takes winter adventure to the next level as campers stay outside for 24 hours. In addition to some of the outdoor activities mentioned above, scouts will build their own quinzhees, or snow shelters, that they will sleep in on Saturday night, before rejoining the group on Sunday morning. More info (Spearhead)
Open to Troop 1 / Crew 1 scouts and adults. The Experience program is also open to Pack 1 AOL's (AOL's must be accompanied by a parent)
Snowbase: Expedition program | January 15-18 or February 12-15 at Tomahawk Scout Camp, Birchwood, WI
North Wind: Ice Fishing | January 30 at Stearns Scout Camp, South Haven, MNHave you been to Snowbase and done the Experience or Spearhead programs before, and are looking for a new challenge? In the Expedition program, scouts will spend 4 days at camp over a long weekend, will travel farther, and will sleep outside over multiple days.This is a provisional program, meaning Troop 1 won't be participating as a group, but scouts can sign up individually. Camp staff are handling supervision, and transportation to and from camp is provided from Base Camp in Minneapolis. There is also an opportunity to earn the Exploration merit badge (with a few prerequisites and some homework after camp). More infoNote that the February dates land on the same weekend as Ski Camp, so try to attend in January if you want to participate in both events.Open to Troop 1 / Crew 1 scouts and adults in 8th grade and above with previous winter camping experience
New (for us) this year: spend a day Ice Fishing at North Wind and earn the Fishing merit badge! This is a one-day program, we will leave from MUMC early in the morning and arrive back that night. Gear is provided by camp, anyone who is 16 years or older and plans to fish will need a MN fishing license beforehand. More info
Open to Troop 1 / Crew 1 scouts and adults
Ski Camp | February 12-14 at Anderson Scout Camp and Trollhaugen Ski Area (Houlton and Dresser, WI)
As always, our camp registrations are also listed on the Troop website: https://sites.google.Another great Troop 1 tradition! We will stay in the Peterson cabins at Anderson Scout Camp and spend all day Saturday downhill skiing and snowboarding at Trollhaugen ski area in Wisconsin. Opportunities to earn the Snow Sports merit badge with focuses on downhill skiing or snowboarding are available. (If you are interested in earning the badge with the snowshoeing or XC skiing tracks instead, let us know, we can work that out too).Open to Troop 1 scouts and adults and Pack 1 AOL's (AOL's must be accompanied by a parent and won't be eligible to earn the badge yet)
Yours in Scouting,
Jill Towle
Scoutmaster, Troop 1
