Jamboree on the Trail is this May 12th. It’s the day before Mother’s Day. It is also an unofficial International Scouting event. As with all things Cool, it started up in Canada and progressed around the world. For the past several years I have tried to make this event happen for the Pack. Last year, I was at Gilwell Field for Woodbadge 2011. The year before just did not happen since I forgot.
This year, I put it on the calendar and made it happen through the Cubmaster Hike program that I started. The first hike was great. The Elk Rock Island hike will be on the Willamette River in Portland, OR. With the description of “The island represents part of an ancient volcano that erupted about 40 million years ago. The large, jagged rocks (Waverly Heights basalt) found throughout the island were formed by lava flows, and may be the oldest exposed rock in the Portland area. The island contains seven distinct habitats, including wetlands, forests and grasslands.” I figured that this hike will be very cool. What boy wouldn’t want to hike on a volcano and lava flow!
So, what does Jamboree on the Trail or even just getting outside for a hike really do? First, it gets everyone OUTSIDE into Nature, in a place that you might not have gone to before! It’s different. This gets back to the book “The Nature Principle” by Richard Louv. Through that book and websites, this program of Cubmaster Hikes is helping me get myself outside as well as my family. Again, I go over Leave No Trace principle and get to point out plants, animals and other objects that the boys might not know about.
What else does this do for your Cubscout program? It could count for a Hiking Beltloop, Cubscout Outdoor Activity, Naturalist Activity Pin, Geologist Pin or Beltloop, the Leave No Trace award, Geology, Geography beltloops and many more. Another item that this will help with is the Journey to Excellence for your unit. If you offer a quality program, for your Unit, it will keep Scouts, and attract others to it.
So, go out and have fun. Find a place that you have not gone to, or a place that is your favorite and invite the Den or Pack to come along.
