Hiking Club
Hi and welcome to the Pack 73 Hiking Club information page.
The purpose of the Hiking Club is to encourage our Cubs and their families to explore our local area, enjoy the outdoors and most of all to have fun!
Pack 73 invites all its Cub Scouts to join and be active in the outdoors, learn about the environment, practice “Leave No Trace,” and learn about their local area. If your child joined Cub Scouting to explore the outdoors, learn how to use a map and compass, experience camping and go hiking in unique places, then the Hiking Club is for them!
As your Cub Scout Learns the guidelines for Leave No Trace, how to Trek Safely, how to use a compass, and learn the history of their local area, they will get credit for their hikes and earn the symbol of the Pack Hiking Club, the HIKING STICK.
The Hiking Club will try to plan a monthly hike, but the hike will not interfere with other Pack activities or events. The hikes will be from 1-5 miles and could be in the woods, in a park or even an urban hike to explore ours or another area town. The Pack also encourages our leaders and parents to volunteer to plan and lead a hike. (if you have an idea for a hike or want to lead us to your families favorite hiking spot, just let anyone on our Pack Committee know or join us at our next monthly committee meeting.)
RULES
- All Scouts MUST have a parent or guardian with them on the hike.
- Scouts are encouraged to carry the Cub Scout Six Essentials
- Family members are encouraged to attend (like siblings, cousins, etc.) but not your four-legged family members (dogs are not allowed on our hikes)
- Only registered members of the Pack can earn the Rewards
- Be prepared to have a fun time.
BENEFITS
- OUTDOOR ORIENTATION: survey responses say that Scouts want more outdoor activities.
- MOTIVATION: beads and hiking sticks encourage the Scouts to participate.
- EXPERIENCE: hiking will prepare the Cubs for Scouts BSA by being comfortable in outdoor situations.
- RECRUITMENT: hiking sticks are a positive incentive for new Scouts.
- PACK PARTICIPATION: Scouts enjoy the outdoors and look forward to earning their hiking stick and it’s decorations.
- SAFETY: Scouts on the trail learn the buddy system which helps them be safe in a variety of situations.
- RESPONSIBILITY: the Cub is responsible for carrying what they need for a successful hike.
- ADVANCEMENT: Outdoor activities provide opportunities for Scouts to learn and meet Cub Scout requirements.
REWARDS
While just experiencing the outdoors is a reward in itself, the Cubs in our Pack have the opportunity to receive an award for going on these hikes. Rewards will be awarded at the next Pack Meeting following a hike.
- After every hike the Cub will earn a BLUE bead. If the Scout brings his or her Six Essentials, they will get a YELLOW bead.
- After the FIRST hike, they will receive a small lanyard to hold the beads. The lanyard can hang from their belt loop when in uniform or hang from a hiking stick.
- After THREE hikes the Scout will earn a hiking stick.
- After FIVE hikes the Scout will earn a paracord handle wrap.
- After TEN hikes they will earn a feather for their hiking stick.
- Every FIVE hikes after TEN, they will earn an additional feather.
- If they complete FIVE hikes in one Scouting year (Summer – Spring) they earn the World Scouting Crest medallion.
Cubs are welcome to add other decoration for personal accomplishment to their stick too. I.E.: We visit Valley Forge; they can swing into the gift shop and purchase a VFNHP medallion for their stick. Or if they hike at Camp Ware, they can get a Horseshoe Scout Reservation medallion from the trading post. They can also add a medallion for their current earned rank in Cub Scouts.
STATISTICS:
Hikes: 3
Miles: 7
Total Miles (miles x cubs who hiked): 30