Introduction
A weekend in the great outdoors. What could be more fun for a group of Webelos Scouts and their parents? It is a chance for adventure, for growth, and for parents to spend quality time with their sons. The outdoor program is an important part of the Scouting program. For the experienced Scout leader planning a Webelos weekend trip is no problem. The logistics of meals, campsite, campfire, and program are done with little effort. Now what about the rest of us? This guide is for those who could use some help. It provides a plan for a fall or spring Webelos weekend camp out at Quail Hill Scout Reservation.
The first decision in planning a camping trip is where to go. The location depends on a number of factors. How far do you want to travel? What type of facilities do you need? Do you want a well developed camp site or a wilderness outpost? How many people are going? What are the skills of the Scouts and their leaders? For Webelos Scouts we can make some basic assumptions. The Scouts will have limited skills and equipment so a wilderness outpost is probably not a good idea. A cabin in a well developed camp that has a fire ring and latrines might be an attractive facility. Quail Hill Scout Reservation (QHSR) is an attractive facility for a Webelos camp out.
QHSR offers both cabins and wooded sites. Depending on the site you can even have flush toilets rather than latrines. Most sites have a fire ring for a campfire and water is available nearby. Another important aspect is the type of activities available. QHSR has a wide variety of activity areas including; BB and Archery ranges, fishing pond, nature trail, a pool, and plenty of open space. This makes it easy to design a memorable program.
Another important decision is how long. At a minimum you want to have at least one night. While a typical Boy Scout overnight will be two nights one night should be sufficient for Webelos. If the trip starts Saturday morning and ends by lunch on Sunday that provides plenty of time. This duration can also provide some flexibility to accommodate other activities such as sports, or religious services. Some Webelos might come after lunch on Saturday or have to leave right after breakfast on Sunday. However, the camp out should not just become a sleepover.
Accommodations
The most likely site to camp is Webelos lodge. It is located at the edge of the activities field. It is building E on the camp map. The cabin can accommodate 20 people and has a porch area for cooking and activities. There is also space nearby for setting up tents to meet the Outdoorsman pin requirements. There is a latrine and a flush toilet as well as city water nearby. The nearest parking is in the lower parking near area W2. It is a two minute walk so a rolling cooler and a small wagon is a good idea. There is also a fire ring nearby for a campfire.
The cabin has bunks that consist of a set of springs. These springs are not compatible with air mattresses. There are mats for each bunk. Put a foam pad on top of that and it you can get a good night’s sleep. That assumes of course that no one snores too loudly, always a concern on a Scout trip. The cabin has two rooms. The adults can sleep in one room and the Webelos in the other
The other cabin is Devlin Lodge which also holds 20 and has spring bunks with mats. It is located at the end of the road into camp, building M on the map next to Lass Lodge. Lass Lodge is where the camp masters are located and where you check in. It has a flush toilet and there is a latrine located down the road past the Lodge. Water is available at a spigot behind the cabin. This cabin is more centrally located as it is across from the BB and archery ranges as well as a large pavilion. This cabin will also have more traffic going past it since the trading post is also located in Lass Lodge. One issue with the cabin is that it is one large room. There are not separate sleeping areas for adults and the Webelos.
Both cabins have a wood stove for heat in the winter. Wood is readily available around the camp. The ranger can also sell you cut and split wood if you don’t want to be bothered. One thing you can not do is bring your own wood. There are issues with bugs in the wood. However, your camp outs are probably going to be in the fall or spring and probably all you will need for heat is a pot of hot water, some hot chocolate mix, soup, and coffee. Both cabins also have at least two picnic tables.
Schedule/Activities
The first activity in the campout is to check in with the camp masters or ranger. They will walk you through the site and check all the equipment. They can also show you were to get the half barrel, fire buckets, ash bucket and shovel. They will collect any outstanding fees. Make sure to have a copy of the roster of all adults and Scouts attending. You should also have copies of everyone’s medical form.
Next the Webelos and their parents will arrive and set up camp. Each Scout should show what gear they plan to use for the trip. This is for requirement 1 of the Outdoorsman pin. Each Scout should set up their gear in either the cabin or if they brought it in their tent. Everyone should pitch in and get all the common gear set up. This would include the kitchen gear and getting all the food to the site.
Once camp is set up we need to review safety and general rules. For example the buddy system, Scouts should never go anywhere by themselves. They must always be with a buddy. This includes the latrine in the middle of the night. Also, what’s the procedure for people leaving the camp site? As the leader you need to know where everyone is. How do you want to handle if someone does not want to be part of the group activities? Also, any other safety rules should be reviewed. Things like handling hot pots, fires, sanitation, etc.
One activity you can introduce at this time is a scavenger hunt that happens over the entire weekend. Make a list of things such as leaves, bugs, feathers, pieces of bark etc that the Scouts have to find during the entire weekend. You can even add some landmark clues, such as the names of certain building or the orienteering symbol at certain locations. The orienteering symbols are small plaques with a letter and number that are located all over camp.
The first activity is centered on fire building. Have Scouts collect some firewood. They should only collect wood that is already fallen. They should only collect wood that can be broken by hand. Review the three types of fuel used in a fire and the different types of fires. Make sure to cover the log cabin that you will build for tonight’s campfire. Discuss fire safety as required for Outdoorsman requirement 7. Note the leader might want to bring some dryer lint for tinder.
After this it is time for lunch. Two Scouts should organize lunch under the supervision of an adult. The rest of the Scouts can work on getting water, and filling the fire buckets.
The afternoon’s first activity will be a 3 mile hike. The red dot trail runs all the way around the camp. Before going on the hike the leader should review with the boys what they should bring on the hike. Check for boots, appropriate clothing, water, etc. Along the hike you can identify plants and trees and look for animals. For example, you want to point out poison ivy for Requirement 7 of the Naturalist pin.
For the second activity it is a good time to go over the three basic knots; square knot, two half hitches, and the taunt line hitch. If someone has a tarp you can show the boys how each of these knots can be used to put up the tarp. You can also use this time to go over other Scout skills such as First Aid. One fun thing is to teach the various ways of carrying an injured Scout. You can break the group up into teams and they can have races.
After all these activities some free time is a good idea. Bring a football, soccer ball or a Frisbee.
It is now time to start dinner. See the Food section for some pointers. There should be two boys as cooks and two boys for clean up. All the other boys and adults should be working on getting firewood for the campfire.
After dinner and clean up it is time to get ready for the camp fire. The boys should be working on their skits, stories, and songs. This is something they could be working on at the den meetings in advance. The adults should be building the camp fire in the fire ring. If the fire ring was used for dinner then the coals may still be hot. Be careful. The camp fire usually uses a tepee type of fire built inside a log cabin. Make sure to use lots of tinder and kindling. Good fire starters are things like dryer lint or a small candle. Make sure you enough wood before the fire is lit and that it has been broken up. All the wood can be less than an inch in diameter so no saws or axes are needed.
During the camp fire everyone should have a chance to perform. The adults can also participate by telling stories or leading a song. During or after the camp fire you might want to have some snacks. Keep the snacks simple so that there is not a lot of clean up required. For example, cookies, apples, or even pudding.
At the end of the camp fire one important thing is to make sure that the camp fire is out and that all the coals are cool. Use the water from the fire buckets and then stir the coals. There should be nothing glowing or smoking when you are done.
By 10 pm everyone should be ready for bed. Make sure to review the buddy system for the latrines and what time is everyone getting up in the morning. The real issue here is at what time they can start making noise. There is nothing worse than being woken up by some kids who start playing around early in the morning when you want to sleep.
On Sunday morning rise and shine is at 7:00 am. The cooks and his assistant should start breakfast by 7:30. Clean up starts at 8:30. Once people are done with breakfast clean up they can start packing up their gear. They can put it back in the car but leave a day pack out with water and anything else they need for the rest of the morning. When the cabin is emptied it needs to be swept. The area around the cabin needs to be checked for trash. If the ashes need to be shoveled out that should be done as well. Once the area is completely ready it can be inspected by the camp master. This has to be done before you leave to get your deposit back.
By 9:30 everyone should be ready for another activity. This might be a good time to review the Leave no Trace principles. Discuss how the campsites and facilities at Quail Hill are high impact areas. How would the camp be different if it had followed the Leave No Trace principles? Another option would be to do a small conservation project. Check with the ranger the week before and he will find an appropriate project. This might take up the next hour or so.
Around 10:00 take a walk along the Nature trail and work on tree and plant identification. Bring a book for identifications. This can help with some of the Forester pin requirements.
By 11:00 everyone should be ready to go.
Food
As discussed previously this weekend camp out will start on Saturday morning and end before lunch on Sunday. That implies that we need to plan lunch, dinner, and breakfast. In addition, we will probably want to have a snack after the camp fire. Before we go into possible menus there is an important question to consider. How involved should the Webelos be? There are three options; the Webelos do nothing because all the food is prepared in advance and at most it just needs to be heated, the Webelos do very little because the adults do most of the work, or the Webelos help do the cooking and help with the clean up. While the choices are up to trip leader the Webelos will get the most out of the last option.
Before we go into specific menus there a few things to consider. The first is food allergies, which can be severe. The most common allergy is peanuts, followed by lactose intolerance, and shellfish. The next concern is dietary restrictions such as kosher, halal or vegan. You need to check with the participants before planning the menu.
Let’s begin with lunch. The easiest lunch is nothing more than sandwiches, some fruit, and a drink. This works great in the spring while in the fall you can add some Raman instant noodles or hot chocolate for something warm. Two Webelos can set up a simple buffet line and be responsible for making sure everyone gets something to eat. They can also make sure that any trash is cleaned up right away.
So what do we need for lunch? For sandwiches a good estimate is about a quarter of a pound of meat or cheese per sandwich and an average of 1.5 sandwiches per person. That provides an estimate for how many loaves of bread to get. Sliced bread is easier than rolls unless they are pre-sliced. It is also cheaper. It is usually a good idea to get at least two types of meats such as turkey and bologna. For fruit a big bag of apples always disappears quickly. Any unused apples can be used for a snack later in the afternoon or after dinner. If you really want, one or two cookies can be added. Just provide portion control. If you are going to do hot chocolate get the individual packets and some hot cups. This means you just have to heat up some water. And if you are going to do the soup some plastic spoons are needed.
For drinks everyone should have a water bottle so there is no need for cups except maybe for the hot chocolate. If you use napkins as plates and maybe a plastic knife for mayo there should be no dishes to wash which is always a good thing.
For dinner the menu will depend on what you have to cook on. For example, what if you don’t have a stove? Then you might use a charcoal fire in a half barrel or in the fire ring. In that case you could barbeque and do foil wrapped potatoes in the coals. If you want to do something more adventurous you can do a chicken or salmon in foil. Just take defrosted meat, add some seasonings and wrap it up in a piece of foil. Make sure the foil is very tight by folding the edges over multiple times.
A variant on this is the classic pocket stew. Dice up stew meat, potatoes, carrots, onions and any other vegetables you want into small pieces. Take 15” piece of heavy duty foil and fold in half. Now fold the two edges over multiple times to make a pocket. Fill the pocket with the ingredients and the fold the top edge to seal the pocket. Put the pockets right into the hot goals and cook. Each person can make their own pocket. The exact cooking time will depend on the size of the pocket and the heat of the fire. You can eat right out the pocket so no plates required.
If you have a propane stove there are many options. The simplest thing is to get a griddle and make some type of chicken. Make sure the chicken is fully defrosted before you get to camp. Also you want to make sure the pieces are thin so that they cook quickly. If you buy the family pack chicken breasts then you might have to cut them in half before cooking. One chicken breast before slicing for each person should be enough. A typical dinner might be salad, chicken, carrot sticks, dinner rolls, butter, and some drink mix. The salad and carrots will require no preparation if you buy them pre-cut. In this menu the Webelos can help grill the chicken.
Other options if you have a big pot might be spaghetti and meatballs. If you have some pans you can do tacos. However, both of these require more clean up. Whatever you do just keep it simple. The Webelos will have more fun if they can get involved.
After dinner the evening activity is a camp fire. This is a time for songs, skits, stories, and showmanship. It can also be a time for roasting marshmallows, smores, and some hot chocolate if it’s cold. Other snacks could be cookies, puddings, and any left over apples. If you want to get the griddle dirty you can even do pizzas on an English muffin or bagel. You need to use a piece of foil over the top to keep the heat in.
After a good night’s sleep everyone likes a nice breakfast. Again the choices will depend on what cooking gear you have. If you do not have a stove then it’s probably a cold breakfast or if you can at least make hot water there is always oatmeal or eggs in a bag. If you have a stove and a griddle then the choices are wide open. Eggs, pancakes, French toast are all possible. Before you buy that bacon check you dietary requirements and think about grease. Bacon grease is no fun to clean up. Another choice might be heat and serve beef patties.
Another thing to think about is clean up. To eliminate utensils you can make an egg sandwich. Start by heating up the brown and serve patties and put them in a foil pocket to stay warm. Make fried eggs on the grill. Open up an English muffin and put on the eggs a patty and a piece of cheese. Plan on about one and half to two sandwiches per person.
There are two major things to remember about meal planning. Always plan on hungry people, you can always bring home any extras. And always think about the details do not forget the condiments, dressings, or some other small thing. So given the menu discussed above Appendix 2 shows what will we need for a group of 4 Webelos and 4 adults.
Clean Up
After each meal the kitchen area and any dirty dishes need to be cleaned up. Any left over food will attract animals. It is no fun to find a skunk or raccoon having their dinner under your picnic table when you want to sit there. Let’s start with trash. Any leftover food should be put in a cooler that latches. The trash should get collected and placed in the dumpsters at the end of the day. No trash should be left in the cabin overnight. Also, no one should have any food or trash in their tents. I like to keep any extra food in the car.
Now the dishes. One thought is that you will use paper or plastic and have very little to wash. Note however please do not bring foam plates and cups. They take up lots of space in the trash and if they blow away they make a big mess. The other thought is that everyone will bring utensils and a plate. Either way you still have to wash any utensils used in cooking. The accepted practice for washing dishes is to have three buckets. These are usually are the rectangular basins that are only a few inches deep. The first bucket has hot water and a dime sized drop of liquid soap. The second bucket has warm rinse water. The third bucket has water with a drop of bleach or a sanitizing tablet. You wash everything in the first bucket, rinse in the second and then dip in the third. One key thing is that you try not to cross contaminate water from one bucket to the next. Usually one person washes and a different person rinses and sanitizes. Let the dishes air dry and you are good to go. So we need the following supplies in addition to a way to boil water.
Buckets: 3
Liquid Soap
Bleach
Scrubbing Pad
Usually the cooking gear is washed first and then everyone washes their own personal gear. After everything is washed it is just left on the table to air dry.
Now when you are all done with the dishes the first bucket might contain some food particles. So you do not want to dump this water near your campsite as it will attract animals. So go at least 50’ away and then dump the buckets. Even better is to dump the water through a piece of screen and then throw away the captured food particles.
Cooking Equipment
The most common cooking equipment for a weekend camping trip is the classic propane “Coleman” stove. The stove uses either a small propane cylinder or a larger tank used for a barbeque grill. Just make sure that you have the correct hoses and fittings to match the gas source and the stove. Note that liquid fuels are not allowed in camp.
For the actual cooking a large pot with a lid for boiling water and a griddle are needed. You will also need a ladle, spatula, hot gloves, and matches.
For the pocket stews you need a bag of charcoal and a half barrel or a fire ring. The half barrel can be obtained from the Ranger. It will come with a few concrete blocks for getting it off the ground. You will also need to get two large buckets from the Ranger. These are fire buckets and should be filled with water before the fire is lit. There may also be a bucket for the ashes.
One other piece of cooking equipment is a container for water. This is typically a five gallon jug. For a typical weekend trip you might bring two containers. These containers should seal so that the water stays clean. These containers can be find at most outdoor stores for less than $10 each.
Personal Equipment
Appendix 3 has a list of gear that each person should bring. In terms of clothing the key is to have clothes that are appropriate for the weather. If it is going to be cold then you want to dress in layers so that you can adjust the clothing to the level of activity. No matter what the weather everyone should bring a spare set of clothes in case they get wet or stained.
On important issue is boots. While most of the camp trails are well defined the grass can be damp and sneakers will just soak up the moisture. Walking around in wet shoes and socks is not pleasant. A pair of boots will prevent wet and possibly cold feet. This is also a reason why bringing extra socks is a must.
Another important issue is rain gear. While no one plans on having it rain it might. Just because it rains it does not mean that the activities will not go on. Also it may rain during an activity. Therefore, everyone should bring some type of rain gear. A rain jacket and pants is best but a poncho will work. The problem with a poncho is that the rain can get underneath it.
Everyone should have a day pack to carry their water bottle, Webelos handbook, some toilet paper, and maybe their rain gear.
All of the personal gear should fit in a back pack that can be carried in from the parking lot.
One last issue about accommodations is sleeping bags. Many adults and Webelos will have some type of sleeping bag. If you expect the weather to be chilly you might want to remind the parents that not all sleeping bags are created equally. If they think it is not going to be warm enough they can send along an extra blanket to put inside or heavier pajamas. By the same token for a spring camp out you want to make sure no one brought a sleeping bag rated for 0 degrees and then wonders why they are hot all night.
Now what about if they do not have a foam pad and a sleeping bag? No problem, just bring some cardboard and a blanket. The trick is to fold the blanket in half and sleep inside it. You need to have some insulation both under and over you.
Common Gear
We have already discussed the gear needed for cooking and clean up. Some additional gear that might be needed includes toilet paper, first aid kit, camera, and lanterns.
For the activities a variety of gear will be needed depending on what you choose to do. In general you want to bring ropes, field book, and plant identification books. For the campfire you might bring a song book, book of skits or stories.
A key thing is to work through the entire schedule and review what materials will be required.
Conclusion
The key to a successful camp out is planning. A good plan means that you know what you are going to do when and that you have all the materials required. It also means that you have backup plans in case the weather or the Scouts do not cooperate. Think about what you will do if the weather turns bad. How will you work in the Scout who wants to come late or one who needs to leave early?
This guide was designed to help your camp out planning it is not a substitute for the training class Outdoor Leader Skills for Webelos Leaders. Also, remember to use your resources. If you have a Den Chief he can be a great help and may be able to help you borrow gear from his Boy Scout Troop. Look through the Webelos book for other activities. The Boy Scout hand book has examples of knots, and first aid skills. The Field book or a nature guides can help with plant and animal identification. The BSA web site has a nice handout with a Webelos den overnight check list at http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/34-50.pdf. And finally do not forget to fill out your tour permit and keep a copy of the Guide to Safe Scouting handy.
The most import thing is to remember that the real goal of a Scout event is fun with a purpose.
Appendix 1
Schedule
Saturday
9:00 am Leader arrives and checks in with camp masters
10:00 am Scouts and parents arrive. Set up camp
11:00 am Collect wood and review fire building
12:00 pm Lunch
1:00 pm Red dot trail hike
3:00 pm Scout skills
4:30 pm Free time
5:00 pm Dinner
6:30 pm Clean up
7:00 pm Prepare for camp fire/free time
8:00 pm Campfire
10:00 pm Lights Out
Sunday
7:00 am Rise and shine
7:30 am Breakfast
8:30 am Clean up, pack up
9:30 am Leave No Trace discussion
10:00 am Plant and tree identification
11:00 am Depart
Appendix 2
Menu
Cold cuts: 1 lb. turkey, 1 lb. ham, 1 lb. bologna
Cheese: 32 individual wrapped slices
Bread: 2 loaves family sized.
Condiments: Mayo, mustard in squeezable containers
Napkins: One large package
Apples: 5 lb bag
Water: 2 Gallons
Drink Mix: Optional
Raman Noodles (for fall): 8
Spoons (For the soup): 8
Large Garbage bag
Dinner: Pocket Stew
Cut all ingredients into small cubes. This can be done in advance or the Webelos can do it there.
Chicken or beef: about 3 lbs
Potatoes: 4
Carrots: 4
Onion: 1
Peppers: 2
Aluminum Foil: One roll
Water: 2 Gallons
Drink Mix: Optional
Spoons:
Plates:
Large Garbage Bag
Charcoal or Wood for fire
Hot Gloves
Tongs: For getting the pockets out of the coals
Napkins:
Cutting board: As required
Sharp knife: As required
Take two pieces of foil about 15” long. Put the two pieces on top of one another. Fold in half and start folding in three edges. Make lots of small ½” folds. You want to make sure that all edges are very tight so nothing leaks. The pocket should be about 6” X 8”. Fill each pocket with the desired amount of each ingredient. Make sure to leave enough room to fold up the last edge. One note you need adult supervision here to make sure everyone gets some. Put the foil pockets right into the coals of a fire. They should need about 10 minutes on each side. You can always throw them back in for more time if they are not done.
One comment on timing, you want to start the fire and get the coals ready before the Scouts start on the pockets. Remember you want to cook on coals not flames.
Breakfast: Egg Sandwiches
Eggs: 18
English Muffins: 16
Beef Heat and Serve Breakfast Patties: 16
Cheese Slices: 16
Foil: As needed
Spatula:
Butter or non-stick spray
Coffee: Brew in the cup never instant.
Hot Chocolate (Optional)
Milk: Half Gallon
Napkins
Large Garbage Bag
Cups
Sugar
Tea (if anyone wants it)
On the griddle cook patties until they are browned. Put them aside in a foil pocket. Make individual fried eggs. On each English muffin put one egg, one patty and a slice of cheese. Note that this is an easy meal to clean up. There should only be the griddle, spatula, and a few cups. If you boil enough water then you will have hot water for both the coffee and the clean up.
Appendix 3
Personal Equipment
Personal Equipment
Sleeping bag or blanket
Foam Pad or Air Mattress if in tent
Cardboard for bunks
Tent (Optional)
Pillow
Flashlight
Boots
Socks
Underwear
Pajamas
Extra shirt, pants or shorts depending on weather
Hat type depends on weather
Gloves if needed
Jacket type depends on weather
Sneakers
Plate
Cup
Utensils: knife, fork, spoon
Water Bottle
Day Pack for hike
Rain gear
Soap
Small Towel
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Toilet Paper
Watch
Webelos Handbook
Do not bring:
Electronics of any type
Knife
Expensive jewelry
