I have helped plan 3 different scout trips to the BWCA when our oldest was in scouts. After a gap of 5 years or so, I am back in scouting with my youngest and I am the SM.

There is a gap in our troop where we have only a few boys in 8th or 9th grade. The older boys don't seem interested in a rugged high adventure trip. Our first and second year scouts are probably a little too young to do a back country BWCA trip.

What suggestions do you have? I was thinking of a group campground near the BWCA and do day trips. The group sites book up fast like the Fall Lake sites and the Lake Vermilion sites. I was thinking about:

Crescent Lake

or

East Bearskin

Any other ideas?

I don't know where you're located or your tolerance for travel within the 10 hours allowed for by the Guide to Safe Scouting but Sylvania Wilderness in Watersmeet, MI or the Turtle Flambeau Flowage near Mercer, WI are places I'd consider taking younger scouts....

When I took a couple crews to the BWCA my requirement was one or more of swimming, canoeing, wilderness survival, or lifesaving merit badge & had to have been a Boy Scout for a year. The crews were entirely incoming 7th and 8th graders & we did opposite directions on a loop from Snowbank to Knife. Everyone had a great time.

I'd suspect on future trips I would have a similar set of requirements for youth in a crew.

We are from Sioux Falls.

For next summer, most of the Scouts that would go will be incoming 7th and 8th graders. Most have or will have life saving, swimming MB and canoeing MB by next summer.

It just seems like the Scouts were a little older for canoe trips when my oldest son was in the troop.

Maybe I should rethink this and encourage the scouts to think about bwca next summer.

I think with those skill sets amongst your Scouts they'd be able to handle a BWCA trip. You're the SM so you'd be the best judge of their abilities.... =)

TomP

I coordinate trips to the BWCA for our troop. To participate we require the Scout to be at least First Class and be a Swimmer, as that is defined by BCA. These requirements help separate out the younger scouts. That said, age is not the only factor.

Our last trip was to Shell Lake and we stayed on Con Island. So a mid-level intensity trip, especially if the scout had not portaged or paddled before. One hard portage and a few not so hard. There were a couple of scouts with us that had physical limitations, but that was not a hindrance. Rather than portaging canoes or packs, they portaged all the light cumbersome items such as paddles. I was impressed with how each of them took pride in "helping" out.

If you are concerned about the physicality of BWCA trips, your plan makes sense. You could also find option that have limited portages such as Wood Lake or the number lakes. Putting in at Lake one, is a walk from the parking lot to the lake - about 100 feet.

Good Luck.