2009 Ogden Area Scout-o-rama held at Fort Buenaventura

The 2009 Ogden area Scout-o-rama was held at Fort Buenaventura on May 15-16. Nearly 2,000 Scouts and adult leaders attended an event organized and executed by phenomenal committee of volunteers.

Highlights of this years Scout-o-rama included:

• kayaks, canoes, and row boats
• rifle range
• archery range
• tomahawk range
• Apache helicopter
• blacksmith

Many units participated by having a booth at the event. Old or young, fun was had all! Special thanks to Paul Bissell, 2009 Scout-o-rama chairman and his amazing committee for arranging for and executing a well planned and organized Scouting event!

Thanks to all units who participated with a booth, or set up something like a Monkey Bridge for other to participate in.

In addition, units were able to camp inside of the park, whereas in previous years, troops had been asked to camp outside of the park. This was a pleasant change for many this year.

In 2010, the Scout-o-rama will be a council-wide event. As a part of the centennial of the Boy Scouts of America, the council will be hosting a Jamborall at the Weber County Fairgrounds and Golden Spike events center next year. A more detailed schedule of events and dates will be announced in June.

Your unit should plan on attending this top-class event!

Camp Hunt: A True Jewel for Scouting

By Josh Haacke

We all have favorites. We have a favorite flavor of ice cream, favorite color, time of year, and etc. Most Scout leaders have a favorite Scout camp. For me, my favorite is Camp Hunt.

Having served as the camp director for a number of years, I have heard a lot said about Camp Hunt - good and bad. The busy highway is always the biggest complaint, but the water is the biggest complement. Year in and year out, I have witnessed the camp filling to capacity with eager young Scouts, despite the busy road. Camp Hunt has served them well!

I learned early on that Scout camps are not Scout camps without wonderful staff members and willing youth to learn and be taught. Despite the busy road that Camp Hunt sits on or even the lake it sits next too, the heart of Camp Hunt are the generations of wonderful people who have helped to make it a Scout camp - youth and adult!

Camping at Hunt is different. No whispering pines and quaking aspens there! Camp Hunt is a beach camp. . .and the campsites are closer together. In total, only 13-14 acres make up the camp. compare this to the 400+ acres that make up Camp Bartlett. Yet, Camp Hunt has been able to offer everything that other camps like Bartlett offer.

What separates Camp Hunt from the rest of the summer camps is Bear Lake. No other Scout camp in the Trapper Trails council has a waterfront quite like the one at Hunt. Nestled on the west shore of Bear Lake about 1 mile from the Utah/Idaho state line is a jewel of a camp: Camp Hunt. For nearly 75 years (Camp Hunt will celebrate 75 years as an official Scout camp in 2010), tens of thousands of Scouts have experienced summer camp at Hunt. Since the early days of the Scouting movement, Camp Hunt and Bear Lake has served the Scout youth of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. Note below the simple portrait captured in 1918 of a Scout troop on Bear Lake.

If you have never been to Camp Hunt, you should go! If you have been before, go again! Either way, you will not be disappointed by what greets you: a magical experience!

Wilderness First Aid Course Completed

The Trapper Trails Council conducted its first Wilderness First Aid Course on April 18th and 25th. Doctors Norm Bos and Chuck Bean attended the Philmont Training Center in the Fall of 2008 and became certified to conduct the course. They recruited 10 other physicians, dentists and other medical professionals to help teach subjects that covered a wide-variety of medical emergencies that can arise in the back country.

34 students learned the basic principles of assessing medical problems, providing treatment and deciding if patients needed to be evacuated for further emergency treatment.

The course lasted 16 hours over two Saturdays and was hosted by The Tanner Clinic in Layton, Utah. Because of the personal expertise of the presenters, the instruction was interesting and informative. The class was even visited by a couple of “Docs” skilled in providing treatment out in the “sticks”.

After the success of this pilot course, we are planning on offering other courses. Please watch the council web page and flyers at roundtables for information on other opportunities to participate.

If anyone is interested in going to Philmont and being trained to conduct this training, please contact Josh at 801-479-5460. We would especially like others in the medical profession to provide these trainings in different areas of the council—making wilderness first aid training available to more Scouters who are leading groups into the back country.

James E. West Fellowship Honor Given To Council Volunteer

On May 8, 2009, the Trapper Trails Council presented the James E. West fellowship award to local council volunteer Herschel Hester. Herschel is a dedicated Scout leader, representing the Catholic church tirelessly on the council relationships committee.


The James E. West fellowship award is is an National BSA Endowment recognition award. Encouraging gifts that endow local Scouting is one of the best ways to ensure that the council can continue to offer outstanding programs while growing to meet the needs of the youth and communities it serves. The West Fellowship award is available for gifts of $1,000.00 and up in cash or marketable securities to the council endowment fund. The gift must be in addition to - and not replace or diminish - the donor's annual support of Friends of Scouting.

James E. West was the first Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America, and he served in that position for more than three decades. If an institution is truly "the lengthened shadow of one man," it is more than fitting the the BSA honor James E. West's contributions to Scouting in such a significant way.

Thanks to Herschel for his efforts; and congratulations to him in receiving this honor.

Rare Venturing Youth Leader Award Bestowed Upon Local Venture

At the Executive Board Dinner held on May 8, 2009, the Trapper Trails Council recognized Cade Walker for his superior achievements in the Venturing Program. Cade is a member of Crew 427, based out of Tremonton, Utah.

The VENTURING LEADERSHIP AWARD recognizes Venture youth and adults who have shown exceptional dedication and given outstanding leadership and service to Venturing while exemplifying the Venturing Code. The award is presented in 3 categories: Council, Regional, National.

Cade has performed his duties in an exemplary manner. He has demonstrated outstanding leadership skills, selfless dedication, and steadfast determination to spreading Venturing throughout the community. His ability and devotion reflect great credit upon him, his parents, the Trapper Trails Council, and the Boy Scouts of America.

In addition to the Venturing Leadership Award, Cade has also earned the Religious Life Bronze Award, and Venturing Gold Award. He is close to earning the highest award in Venturing, the Silver Award.

The Trapper Trails Council is honored to present the Council Venturing Leadership to Cade, and congratulate him on this honor.

Annual Scout Night At The Ball Park Announced

Scouting and baseball - two American legends will come together on July 10, 2009.

Scout units are encouraged to register early for this year's Scout Night with the Ogden Raptors! During the game, participants will enjoy hot dogs and drinks and on-field activities. After the game, Scouts will be able to get player's autographs, run the bases, and camp overnight on Lindquist Field. Participants will enjoy watching Disney's "The Sandlot" on the big screen - a fitting tribute to the spirit of inner-city youth and baseball.

Register now! Tickets range from $11-$13.50. Sign-up at your local Scout Service Center; registration ends on July 3.

To download a registration form, go to www.trappertrails.org and click on the "Ogden Raptors Scout Night at the ball park" link

For questions, contact Jeremy at 801.475.7497 or jeremy.bell@scouting.org

See you there!

Powder What?

POWDERHORN. What is it? It is a high octane training designed to help adult leaders safely conduct outdoor activities of a fun and challenging nature. It provides an introduction to the recourses needed to successfully lead their youth through a program of outdoor adventure. This course is based upon the Ranger requirements giving participants an exposure to some outdoor/high adventure activities and not a certification event. Even though the course is based upon the Ranger program, it is still useful for any adult involved in delivering a unit-level high adventure program.
Learning Objectives
After completing the Powder Horn course, you can expect the following outcomes:
Ø Introduction to the skills necessary to operate their outdoor program and the various certifications necessary and how to obtain those certifications
Ø Knowledge of how to identify local resources and consultants for high adventure activities
Ø Detailed knowledge of the Ranger Award and associated Silver Award requirements.
Ø Knowledge of the health and safety requirements of the Boy Scouts of America as they apply to outdoor programs.
Ø Knowledge of the rules and regulations of the Boy Scouts of America as they apply to outdoor programs

Come and give Powder Horn a try! This year's course runs from June 29-July 4 at Camp Bartlett. It is an awesome training expereince. With questions regarding Powder Horn, contact your local council service center.

Camp Keisel: A Versatile Camp For Nearly 90 Years

Camp Kiesel is a magical place nestled at the bottom of a steep canyon about 25 miles east of Ogden, Utah. Originally established as a resident Boy Scout camp, Kiesel has served the Cub Scouts for most of its existence. For over 80 years, Camp Keisel has served Scouting youth!

Last year, Camp Keisel served nearly 12,000 Cub Scout youth and just over 1,400 Cub Scout units, not to mention the large number of Scout troops, Varsity teams, and Venture crews who used the facility for an overnight camp or winter camp experience.

Because of its proximity to civilization, facilities, and set-up, Camp Kiesel hosts multiple adult leader trainings on an annual basis.With the combination of the natural beauty of the mountains that surround the camp, the canyons that make up the camp, and nearby Causey reservoir Camp Kiesel also serves as an ideal training facility.

Regardless of your reason in coming to Camp Kiesel, you will not be disappointed by the experience that will greet you: a meshing of the grand history and bright future of Scouting.

2009 Camp Season Preparations Underway

The huge task of making the 2009 season a success has been underway for nearly a year now. Staff selections and training has taken place, program materials have been checked, repaired, cleaned or replaced, and projects at several of the council camps are well under way. These are all in preparation for the upcoming camp season, which begins in a little less than one month.

This week, a crew from the Trapper Trails council went to Camp Hunt to begin the replacement of the floor in the lodge kitchen. For any who have seen the the Camp Hunt kitchen floor can attest to the fact that it has been in desperate need of replacement. Thanks to a generous donation, the old tile floor will be replaced with a new ceramic tile floor this next week. In order to be prepared for the new floor, all of the kitchen appliances had to be removed, and the old floor had to be torn out.

After several hours of heavy labor, the old kitchen floor was removed, making way for the new floor.

Other major camp projects include: a new water system at Camp Keisel, new state of the art drain field at Camp Bartlett, and the fort upgrade at Camp Fife. All of the council camps are in need of the time of generous individuals (time and/or money) to help with ongoing projects to make our council camps even better!

For more information on helping at any of the Trapper Trails Council camp facilities, please contact Bill at 801-479-5460.