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Cub Scout Camping Guidelines
Introduction
The Grand Canyon Council, BSA, is dedicated to ensuring that our Scout programs continue to provide safe and exciting learning experiences for Scouts and leaders of all ages. To ensure the safety and positive experiences for our Scouts and Scouters, Grand Canyon Council, BSA, has established the following guidelines and best practices for its members’ participation in Cub Scout camping activities consistent with Boy Scouts of America policy.
Unit Coordinated Cub Scout Camping
- Cub Scout camping is a family-centric program.
- The unit committee should approve all camping and outdoor activities conducted by the pack.
- Youth Protection Guidelines and the Guide to Safe Scouting must be implemented throughout the program.
- Supervision of camping activities must include qualified, registered, adult leadership.
- At a minimum, one leader present is current in Hazardous Weather Training. It is recommended that all leaders complete this training every two years.
- Additionally, at a minimum, Cub Scout Packs and Webelos / Arrow of Light Dens who camp overnight must have a BALOO trained leader present. BALOO training is recommended for all Cub Scout leaders.
- GCC recommends that at least two adults are BALOO and Hazardous Weather trained, in the event that one becomes sick or is unable to attend.
- Any pack camping conducted without a BALOO trained adult will result in the loss of future camping privileges and BSA liability and accident insurance coverage may not be available.
- Parents or guardians are responsible for supervision of their Scouts and children.
- Cub Scout pack unit coordinated camping is limited to single overnight experiences.
- With the exception of Webelos/Arrow of Light Dens, individual dens are unable to organize overnight camping events. Certificates of liability insurance will not be provided for pack overnighters with only one participating den. If your entire Pack consists of only one den, please contact the council program team for guidance on how to proceed.
- Local council approval is needed for unit-coordinated overnight camping activities involving other units not chartered by the same organization. Units that wish to host events involving other units that do not share the same charter partner must have approval from their council. This includes events for packs, troops, crews, and ships from Grand Canyon Council or another BSA council.
- Cub Scout camping is limited to their council’s designated locations with appropriate facilities. These include council-owned or managed facilities; council-approved developed sites such as national parks, state, county, and regional parks; or council-approved privately owned campgrounds. The Grand Canyon Council is always looking for new camping opportunities for its Cub Packs. If your site is not listed on the approved camping location list, then the Pack Overnight Campout Site Appraisal Form must be completed at least two weeks prior to the camping trip by a BALOO trained adult and submitted to gcc.program@scouting.org for approval.
- Cub Scout youth may tent with a parent or guardian as outlined in Scouting’s Barriers to Abuse. Separate tents are required for male and female leaders — married couples may share a tent. Youth who are not siblings and are sharing a tent must be of the same gender and no more than 2 years apart in age.
- Cub Scout youth should attend the camping event with their parent(s)/ guardian(s).
- Lions and Tigers must have their adult partner present to take part.
- For all other ranks: only in exceptional circumstances, a Cub Scout whose parent or legal guardian cannot attend a unit overnight camping trip may participate under the supervision of another registered adult member of the BSA, a parent of a Cub Scout who is also attending. The unit leader and a parent or legal guardian must agree to the arrangement, and all Youth Protection policies apply. At no time may another adult accept responsibility for more than one additional “non family member” youth.
- Lions, with their adult partner, may participate in child-parent excursions, pack overnighters and council-organized family camping.
- Tent camping is to be conducted in fair weather conditions only — where the temperature is consistently above freezing (32 degrees Fahrenheit) day and night.
- In the event of bad weather, it is recommended that Cub Scouts do not go camping instead of dealing with severe weather. This recommendation is based on the outdoor skills taught at this level of the Scouting program.
- Organized activities should be planned for Scouts. In some cases, non-members (siblings) may participate if the event is structured accordingly to accommodate them. Activities must be age- and skill-appropriate for all participants.
- Permission slips are required, for all youth, including siblings even when the parents/guardians are attending the function. Please use the BSA Activity Consent Form to fulfill this requirement.
- Annual Health and Medical Record Parts A and B are required for all participants.
- When staying in tents, no youth will stay in the tent of an adult other than his or her parent or legal guardian.
- Where separate toilet facilities are not provided for men and women, separate times for male and female use of outdoor pit toilet (latrine) facilities should be scheduled or posted, or “in use” signs and procedures should be practiced. This practice must be followed whether or not the pack is supplying the facilities.
- Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat training and policies must be followed at all times during any water related activities. Refer to the “Age Appropriate Guidelines to Scouting” document, in the Guide to Safe Scouting.
- Archery and BB gun Activities are restricted to day camps, Cub Scout/Webelos Scout resident camps, council-managed family camping programs, or to council activities where there are properly-trained supervisors and all standards for BSA shooting sports are enforced. Archery and BB gun shooting are prohibited in unit-led activities.
Cub Scout Cabin Camping
In addition to the guidelines listed above, all the following points apply when Cub Scout camping is conducted in cabins:
- There are no temperature limitations when cabin camping— temperature limitations only apply for tent camping however, forecasted weather conditions must still be observed.
- Cabin camping privacy is required as stated in Youth Protection Guidelines as well as these specific guidelines for GCC-owned properties:
- Male and female adults require completely separate sleeping facilities, separated by a permanent wall and door.
- The following facilities have separate sleeping quarters within the same building:
- Camp Geronimo
- R-C Scout Ranch
- Heard Scout Pueblo
- Other facilities do not have separate rooms for males and females — in these cases, your unit will be required to reserve two separate facilities, one for males, one for females.
- Adult leaders may sleep in the same cabin room with Scouts of the same gender if there are 2 or more adults and 4 or more youth, all of the same gender in the same cabin room. Adults and youth of different gender may not share a room.
Webelos and Arrow of Light Den Coordinated Campouts
Only Webelos and Arrow of Light dens may conduct den coordinated campouts. Den camping only includes the Webelos or Arrow of Light youth. In addition to the guidelines listed above, all the following points apply:
- As with pack coordinated campouts, the Webelos/Arrow of Light must have a BALOO trained adult leader in attendance and all Youth Protection policies apply.
- Each Scout should attend with their parent(s) or guardian(s). A Webelos or Arrow of Light Scout whose parent or legal guardian cannot attend a den overnight camping trip may participate under the supervision of at least two registered leaders. The leaders and a parent or legal guardian must agree to the arrangement, and all Youth Protection policies apply.
- It is recommended that the Webelos Scouts be under the supervision of a parent or guardian; the council will accept a ratio of up to 4 Scouts to 1 adult.
- Siblings are not allowed to attend (unless they are registered in the Webelos/Arrow of Light den(s) participating).
- Webelos/Arrow of Light Dens may participate and camp at a Scouts BSA troop unit campout. All Cub Scout camping requirements still apply, including the den must have a BALOO trained adult leader in attendance and all Youth Protection policies apply.
Click here for a list of pre-approved Cub Scout camping locations.