Troop, just a quick reminder that this week’s meeting is the first meeting of the month and we will have a uniform inspection. Class A uniform with all the chest candy you’ve got!
Dan
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Use this category to add news to the Troop blog. News can be a collection of announcements, live updates (photos, videos, etc.) on outings, or any information that pertains to the entire Troop.
Troop,
This week we will focus on planning what we are going to be doing for the remainder of this year. I know we have done this during covid, but we need to re-hash it so we (us adults) can plan against what you Scouts would like to do.
Bring your ideas pertaining to outings, merit badges, and game nights. As far as it goes, we need to decide on what kind of events we want to do. The adults will figure out a best time to plan what you guys want to do. Just really need to fill in the blanks below (plus merit badges).
April: Hike campout from Palmer Lake to a plane crash site for hammock camping.
May:
June: Summer Camp at Camp Cris Dobbins
July:
August:
September: 14er usually
October:
November: No Campout due to Thanksgiving and Columbus Holidays (Day hike or bike ride?)
December: Lock-In
Dan
Troop,
Welcome back from your well deserved Spring Break!
Now, we need to get back into it!
In March we had 1: Rank ADV; 2: Camp Planning; 3: Game Night (Spring Break); and now we need to round out our month with some Merit Badge work.
We do not have a badge planned for this week, so we will try and finish up a few outstanding merit badge items.
Mr Petree has Indian Lore, if you all remember that one! I can finish up (if you bring in your work) some Emergency Preparation, some Crime Prevention items. If there is a Merit Badge you would like to start (as an individual or a Troop-PLC) let me know and we will get it going next month.
April will look something like this:
1: Rank ADV
2: Merit Badge
3: Camp Prep – 5W’s still to come. (also this may be rearranged depending on adult supervision availability and weekend planning)
4: Game Night
Also, PLC will need to come up with a plan for camping in April and some merit badges to throw on the calendar. I know we did this in the before times, but now we need to rehash it and get it going.
Lastly, on Wednesday night, Pack 166 is having their crossover ceremony. We will be there to receive two Scouts (one has been with us for a couple of months, and the other visited us a couple weeks ago.
Foothills Elementary School at 5:30pm. Class A uniforms, please! Lets get as many of us there as possible. I know I will be there, which means at least one of the PLs will be there!
Talk to you all tomorrow,
Dan
Troop,
Enjoy the break this week and get some Family fun in wherever you may be!
While you are “resting” from Scouting this week, take a moment to think about the Merit Badges you want to complete at camp this summer (if you are attending).
Take a look at the Program guide I sent out a week or two ago (there is a post on the site) and select and rank in order of preference up to 15 merit badges/classes. Please either email th list or write it down and bring it to Scouts next week. I have only two lists, and we will need to get those from you so we can select our choices before they fill up.
See you next week.
Dan
Troop,
As we (mostly) always do the meeting after a campout, we are having a game night. This one is going to be focused on competetive gaming. We will sort it out and have a game system or two to choose from to play a friendly competition.
From your SPL:
Tomorrow night we will be playing Jackbox and other video games for a game night! Please meet in the church at 7:00pm and if you would like to participate, please bring a phone, computer, tablet, or any device that can access an internet browser. We will be required to stay only in the main church area and to maintain social distancing we will use the projectors. See y’all tomorrow. -Mark
I forgot to tell you to bring sleds and winter/snow sport type stuffs.
See you at five!
Troop,
I spent some time down on Fort Carson earlier today and did a site visit to our camp location (map below). After coordinating with the Directorate of Emergency Services (DES), and the Fort Carson Emergency Operations Center (EOC), as well as the Butts Airfield Staff (2miles down the road from our campsite), they all agre the storm is hitting more north than originally thought. The current forecast as of 1245hrs, is 2″ tonight, 5″ tomorrow, and another 1″ on Sunday for Fort Carson.
So, as it stands, we have the required amount of Scouts to have a campout, and will be moving forward with it.
5PM tonight, we will link up at Gate 1 Visitor Center to get vehicle passes. Current, DL, Registration, Insurance required.
Then we will move to our camp location to set up. We will have fun until Sunday around 9am, or whenever you and your family decide to break camp.
If at any time the weather is a safety concern, we will assess and make a determination as to continue outdoor activities. As this is a Family outing, Families can always make the call on their own.
Once you take the left fork in the road, there is a right turn in to the camp area. There are supposed to be four tent platforms, but I only found three. Pick one and set up! I planned to take the area directly to the right as you come into the clearing. These sites are pretty rought and need some tending, but we will make it work.
See you tonight,
Dan
Troop,
Here is a link to the Cris Dobbins Camp Program Guide. Please check it out and on page 10 is a list of merit badges they are offering (also pasted below).
This is what they suggest: select up to 15 merit badges. Prioritize them in the order you want to take them. You will likely get top 5, but we need to have a few back up options in case the classes are full or whatever.
Bring your selections to the next meeting, or email them to me so we can get you registered for the badges you want.
In years past camps have suggested for First Year campers to take the Eagle Bound classes. My recommendation is to take the actual merit badges and not those. We can take care of the Rank requirement stuff within the Troop. Aslo, because MB opportunity is lower due to covid, get these ones while you can sort of thinking.
Here is the list:
Troop,
The weather looks to be pushing a little to the north of Fort Carson, which means the snow isn’t going to hit as hard as we thought it was going to. the current forcast (Thursday morning) is:
I will make contact again with Fort Carson Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to verify the status and all that and make a quick post of the results.
Here is the plan again:
We will meet up at the Gate 1 Visitor Center at 5pm.
I will sponsor everyone onto the installation. Parents please bring DL, Ins, and vehicle registration (all must be current).
After the pass is granted, we can either convoy or go individually to the camp site. If it is early enough, we can head straight down 115 to Gate 6. Enter the gate, and take an immediate right into Camp Carson.
Gate 6 closes at 6pm, so if we dont have the time, we will have to go through the installation. We will make that determination tomorrow night.
Let me know if there are any questions, comments or concerns.
Make sure you sign up!
Dan
Troop, Just want to be clear on the latest on BSA Stance on COVID exposure. Here is the pre-screening form we are required to use by BSA plicy.
Again, this form is required to be filled out (parents can do it) and brought in with the Scout, this will be combined with the event permission slip (linked here: BSA Parent Permission Form (.pdf/488K) from our site).
Dan
Parents:
Here are the details for access to Fort Carson.
Who: All Campers/Parents/etc.
What: Bring Valid DL Insurance, and vehicle registration
When: 5pm Friday, 12 March 2021 (adjustable if needed)
Where: Fort Carson Gate 1 Visitor Center, 6012 Nelson Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80902
Why: To obtain access to Fort Carson for the Weekend Camping trip.
The format is s follows: I will have to sponsor any non-DOD ID card holder onto the installation. We will all link up at gate one, we will go in the visitor center with all your documentation and get vehicle passes. This will grant you access to the post and all that. Once you have your pass, you can head out to the camp site. Either through the post, or Down HWY 115 to Gate 6 (it closes at 6pm on Fridays). No need to wait for everyone, unless you want to.
Weather forecast: They are saying up to a foot in areas of the city this weekend. We may need to adjust our activities! It’ll still be fun!
The Scouts will make the final decision on our trip, with safety input from adult leaders. Just to be clear, if we only get Scouts for this campout, we will have another Family Camp at a later date. Still moving forward with this event though!
The PLC tonight (3/8/21) will throw some ideas around.
Talk to you soon,
Dan
Troop,
We decided to camp at Fort Carson’s Camp Falcon. This is a rustic camp with some fire rings and trees. This will be a family oriented camping trip, open to all Family members. Because this is a family trip, we usually “car camp” and do some hiking and other fun stuff near the campsites. Archery, Sling shots, baggo, pioneering, and stuff like that. Since you all wanted to do some orienteering, we will do that as well. That being said, if you have a family tradition while camping, you are more than welcome to bring it along and teach it to us! Bring your books too, so we can sign off on rank advancement.
Since this is a family camp, Families will be responsible for food items (plus-covid rules apply, so no food sharing between families). We will not host any community meals this time. Which means, no Intra-patrol cooking competition (sad face). However, this does not mean you cannot get credit for rank advancement for the meal planning, budgeting, and purchasing of food. If your family is coming, plan, budget and buy the food that will sustain you and your family for the weekend, then prep that food and eat it. This will earn you the credit for rank advancement (adult leaders will verify with parents this was completed within the requirements).
Go ahead and sign up and we will see you there!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4AADA829A7FE3-fort
Directions from the Church (ignore the right turn at Wilderness Rd; turn left onto Fort Carson)-stand-by for change in directions-we may need to go through gate 1 and traverse the entire post to get to where we are going, for now, here are the basic directions (more to follow):
************************************************************************I am working on getting everyone access to the installation for the camping, so please be prepared for additional information. If you have access to the post (military, DOD, etc.), please let me know in your sign up. If you need access, please let me know that as well, I need to get a memo with everyone’s name on it who will be on post to the access control guys as soon as possible. ************************************************************************
Dan
Troop,
Today marks three months and just under three weeks before summer camp.
The Troop just laid out nearly $2500 for the Scouts who are signed up via the Sign-Up Genius site:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0c4aada829a7fe3-summer1
There are a few Scouts who need to drop some funds into their accounts so we can submit the next payment at the end of the month. I beleive once we get the funds paid in full, we can check out and reserve the Merit Badges you all would like to take while at camp.
A note from the Troop Treasurer: (y’all need to pay up)
Individual scout statements were emailed out earlier this month. Several scouts have a negative balance because of the annual BSA recharter and troop dues. If you did not receive a scout statement or to make payment arrangements, please contact Carrie at cmack_26@hotmail.com.
For those who are interested in attending summer camp, $337.50 was due this week. The troop just paid a deposit of nearly $2500, so your individual payments are necessary to cover this expense. Please coordinate with Carrie to make payment arrangements, if you haven’t already done so.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Dan
Troop,
This coming week’s meeting is the first of the month, and that means uniform inspection and Rank ADV. There are a lot of Scouts who need to get stuff signed off in their handbooks by Scout leaders, then Adult Leaders.
We are allowed to be inside the church. There are rules that come with this access. We can be in the Sanctuary, (and no other room) and we will need to end a few minutes early to wipe down and sanitize any surfaces we touched/used and all that (restroom, etc.). We will have a duty roster set up for the cleaning responsibilities.
We also need to plan our first camping trip for the year! In years past, we have held a Family Camp at the Great Sand Dunes or another location. I would like to keep the tradition of the first campout of the year as a Family Camp
Here is the rub: Spring Break is (for most Schools) is 21-27 March. This means, our camping weekend for this month would be 12-14 March.
So, the PLC on Monday night will brainstorm ideas and bring them to the rest of the troop on Tuesday night for a final decision on where we will go camping. So, if you are part of the PLC, bring some ideas to the meeting tomorrow so you are not fumbling through making those decisions.
–Think of good places to do a Family Campout.Past Camps: Dinosaur Death March, Sand Dunes, etc.
–Also, we can think of other places that are new to us as a troop to explore like: Royal Gorge, Paint Mines, or somewhere your family may be familiar with. Come up with some ideas and bring them to the table.
I guess that is enough for now, talk to you guys later!
Dan
GAMEDAY takes place on Saturday: NO MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT!
Troop,
It was decided that Gamenight was supposed to be over at Battlefield, on Saturday; however, Battlefield is temporarily closed. Bummer. The secondary event was decided to be Summit. They have laser tag, bowling, and an arcade. I think most of us have been there. The link is below.
As always with our game nights, siblings and friends are invited, as are anyone you know who might want to join Scouts!
The plan: Summit at Interquest
Date/Time: Saturday, Feb 27, 12pm Noon.
There is NOT A meeting tomorrow night, so enjoy the evening with your family!
Dan
Troop,
Fortunately for us, we live in a great place that affords us the opportunity to get into nature without going too far. Below is the map for tomorrow’s hike.
We will link up at the Main Ute Valley Parking Lot near Eagleview Middle School at 1000am. We will wait for those who have signed up (total of 14 people – Scouts and adults), then step off no later than 1015. The route is just under 6 miles, all the way to I-25 and back. We will have a lunch stop when we reach I-25 and there is a Geocache we will search for when we take that lunch break. We should be back to the parking lot by 1pm or so (give or take a few minutes).
Here are some rule that we need to ensure we are following:
-masks are required when we are within short distance of each other (while out on the trail, if you are away from each other, you can remove them, but make sure you are wearing them when we are close)
-Uniform: (you can wear the Field Uniform (Class A) or a Class B t-shirt/sweatshirt. Since this is a Troop Activity, you should represent the Troop and yourselves by wearing a uniform. If you wear a Class B, you can also wear a neckercheif, if you so desire. If you have a BSA hat, of course that is also allowed.
****REMEMBER THAT YOUR SCOUT HANDBOOK IS PART OF YOUR UNIFORM AND SHOULD BE WITH YOU WHEN YOU ARE CONDUCTING SCOUTING ACTIVITIES.****
-10 essentials (modified list below)(must bring your daypack with this stuff in it)/extras are fine, but you bring it, you carry it.
1. Pocket knife
2. Rain Gear (your call – 20% chance of rain tomorrow H42, L18)
3. Trail Food – Scouts were supposed to plan a lunch on the trail
4. Flashlight (your call-hike is in the middle of town, during daylight
5. Extra clothing (at the minimum-socks)
6. First-Aid kit (must bring personal kit minimum)
7. Sun Protection-clothing, hat, sunscreen
8. Map and compass (phone, GPS, etc.)
9. Fire kit (your call-we wont be using it)
10. Water (at LEAST a liter, more is better)
-Geocaching MB work: we will be hiunting for caches along the route, so if you have the equipment (GPS, Phone with app, etc.), bring it along so you can participate and we can finish up that badge for those of you working on it.
This hike will actually start the Hiking MB for many of you, so make sure you are ready for it! After all the admin stuff, and first aid demonstration stuff, there are a bunch of hikes that are required (5mi, 3x10mi, 15 mi; and a 20 miler). The first five have to be completed in order, the 20 miler can be done at any time. A five mile hike is also required for Second Class Rank Advancement (3b).
Lastly, if you need to demonstrate some skills or knowledge for Rank Requirements, I know that at least one PL will be there to get stuff signed off in your book along the route. I will also be there, to bless off on some stuff too.
Or you can click this link to get the route details:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/fri-19-feb-2021-22-19-dcf6070?u=i
Sorry for the long post,
Dan
Troop,
We will have our first in-person meeting of the year tomorrow night. We will be at the barn, because we have not received clearance to be in the church yet.
Here are a couple ground rules:
-masks are mandatory
-keep your distance
We will have a warming fire because the weather tomorrow is supposed to be pretty chilly, although compared to yesterday, it will be like a heat wave!
The content of tomorrow’s meeting will be finalizing our Ute Valley hike and going over / inspection of your 10 Essentials, so make sure you bring your day pack with it properly loaded out. If you have questions about what is needed, check your Scout handbook for the official list. We will adjust our packing needs based on our final route and the weather (may not need extra clothes and stuff like that). However, still bring it fully loaded.
See you tomorrow,
Dan
Troop, read below, we can meet again in person. We will be at the barn on Tuesday. I hope it will be warmer than Sunday will be. Holy cow, brace for impact on the weather!
It’s Time to Restart Unit Meetings, Day Activities and Outings in Pikes Peak Council!
Colorado has authorized El Paso County to move to Level Yellow (Concern) as of 9am Saturday 6 February 2021.
- Unit meetings, day activities, and overnight activities allowed with groups of 25 people or less including adults.
- Use of outdoor venues maximized for all unit/family/household-based activities.
- Indoor activities should be avoided if at all possible. Use of the social distancing calculator is required to determine capacity for any indoor activity.
- As of 6 February 2021, El Paso, Park, Teller, Kit Carson, and Elbert Counties are all at level Yellow (Concern)
- As of 6 February 2021, Lincoln and Cheyenne Counties are now at level Blue (Caution).
It is incumbent on each and every leader to ensure all meetings and activities are conducted in a safe manner with all required COVID mitigation measures in place. Youth Protection criteria take precedence in all activities. Prior to commencement of meetings and any further activities or outings, the unit leadership team shall:
- Review all of the guidelines and resources available at http://www.pikespeakbsa.org/News/SAFERestart
- Review records to ensure completed forms for all parents and scouts are on file with the unit:
- Consent & Hold harmless
- Parent-Guardian guidelines acknowledgment forms
- Unit Certification Form (Submit this form only to Council if not done previously).
- Incorporate the Council and Colorado guidelines, BSA SAFERestart checklist, and BSA Health Screening Checklist into all meetings, activities, and outings
How this COVID level affects your unit:
- Under level Yellow, unit-level outings, activities and meetings with 25 person limits may resume including adults, socially distanced and no interaction between cohorts. The limit for Blue Level counties is 50.
- Transport to and from events should not exceed the 10 person/2 household limit. Families are encouraged to transport their own youth only to and from events.
- Unit meetings will now adhere to the same limits as unit outings and activities (Group sports and camps, 25 person limits for Yellow and 50 for Blue levels).
- Implement the BSA SAFERestart Checklist and BSA Health Screening Checklist for all unit meetings and activities
- Review all of the contents of this page and the posted materials as well as refer to the state and respective county guidelines for planning.
- For unit planning, District/Council Indoor and outdoor activities are limited to 50% capacity but no higher than the number determined by the distancing calculator and/or the percentage of the published capacity limit for the venue and in the Colorado COVID level restrictions table.
- Whenever possible, consider retaining a virtual component to meetings and activities for inclusion of any ill, high risk or otherwise restricted youth.
- Implement the BSA Digital Safety and Online Scouting Activities for safety guidelines for using online forums for any virtual or hybrid in-person/virtual events and meetings.
How this affects your unit activities as well as district and council activities and events:
- Unit/event leadership should continue to monitor state and county health sites for the most current information and potential changes, then exercise sound judgment for adapting or canceling unit events.
- Ensure family transportation to/from outing location (no unit carpooling).
- Transport should be limited to the 10 person/two household limit shown under personal gathering size
- Individually prepared meals
- Individual tent use for outings
- Units with scheduled outings at Glen Aspen or Camp Alexander can continue as long as all activities remain outdoors and group size limits are adhered to.
- Mandatory mask usage
- Minimum 6’ social distancing at all times
- For Yellow and Blue Level Counties, maximize outdoor activities and minimize indoor activities.
Guidelines for Pikes Peak Council Units, district and council for meetings activities and events remains per the Colorado six level restriction guide.
- Event and Unit leadership should reference the Colorado COVID 19 Dial Dashboard (https://covid19.colorado.gov/data/covid-19-dial/covid-19-dial-dashboard) for the current status of their county and the chart below to determine the capacity for their event.
- The limits apply for indoor event only up to the limit determined by the social distancing calculator at: https://covid19.colorado.gov/distancing-calculator . In most cases, the actual indoor limit will be lower than the Protect our Neighbors, Safer at Home or Stay at Home category limit depicted.
- Utilize the Groups Sports and Camps row for longer duration, primarily outdoor events (overnight camping, all day events, outings/events at Camp Alexander or Glen Aspen, etc)
- District and Council event coordinators utilize the indoor or outdoor event rows for district/council events. Note that event limits are to be determined using the social distancing calculator up to the limit of the current phase for your county
- Guided events, such as Ice Climbing at Camp Alexander, utilize the Outdoor Guided Services line.
- Incorporation of a virtual (Zoom or other) capability for joining events should be considered whenever possible to ensure inclusion for individuals/families who are not able or not comfortable with participation in group venues.
- COVID-19 resources for Commissioners (and units) can be found here: https://www.scouting.org/commissioners/covid-19-resources/
Troop,
Here is the sign up for the hike on the 20th.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4AADA829A7FE3-utevalley
Remember to bring your daypack with your 10 essentials. Wear comfy sboots/shoes, because I think the route will be about 5 miles (give or take).
Here is the write up from the signup:
We will be hiking through Ute Valley on 20 Feb. We are starting out at the Main parking lot near Eagleview Middle School at 1000am. We will ensure everyone who is supposed to be there is there, and we will do a quick PCC/PCI (Pre-combat Checks/Pre-Combat Inspections) for your 10 essentials and we will step off no later than 1015am. Our route will take us up the main trail and all the way over to I-25 and back. We may adjust the route as necessary. We are planning to be done by 1pm.
Not only will be be hiking to get a little back in shape, we will be starting the Hiking Merit Badge, and continuing with the Geocaching Merit Badge. So, make sure you are wearing comfy shoes/hiking boots. This trek is the beginning of our “more involved” treks we will be doing this spring/summer/fall.
10 essentials are required, as with all of our outings. Comfortable day pack with your gear is also mandatory, so you can carry your stuff.
For Geocaching, we will have to find a few caches along the way, so if you have the app, make sure you download some caches.
Dan
Troop,
Sorry about the late post. We are still on Discord for the meeting tonight. I hope to get us outside next weekend for the hike through Ute Valley to work more on the Geocaching MB and start the Hiking MB. We will talk a litte about that tonight.
Dan
