Troop Web Site
Upcoming Troop Events
Troop Web Site
Upcoming Troop Events
A field guide to the patrol-led outdoor program
Troops 88 and 2088 in San Francisco get outside two weekends a month. Patrols pick and host the trips. A High Adventure Team takes on the hardest ones. An AI planning workflow turns each trip idea into a finished event page.
Fellow Scoutmasters, take whatever fits your troop. The program model, the trip lists and the planning files are free to copy.
For Scoutmasters and outdoor chairs Golden Gate Area Council
The model Scouts pick the adventure, adults run the logistics
We are scout-led and adult-guided. Patrols choose where to go and what to do. Assistant Scoutmasters handle permits, drivers, money and paperwork. Trips get messy sometimes, and we let them. A scout who forgets rain gear learns more from one damp afternoon than from any packing lecture.
Monthly rhythm
A default, not a rule. Families can plan their calendars around it.
- 1st weekend: daytrip.
- 2nd weekend: service project.
- 3rd weekend: overnighter.
- 4th and 5th weekends: open for summer camp, council events and High Adventure Team trips.
The host cycle
A different patrol hosts each month.
- Theme: the patrol's ASM asks the patrol for a theme.
- Vote: the ASM brings back a short list and the patrol votes.
- Book: the ASM books permits, sites and drivers.
- Plan: the patrol plans the activities for each day.
- Lead: the patrol supplies the acting SPL for the trip.
The annual host rotation
Each patrol hosts one daytrip and one overnighter a year. With five patrols, that fills ten of the year's trip weekends. High Adventure Team trips, summer camp and council events fill the rest. The master spreadsheet in Downloads lays out the rotation and dates every planning step back from each trip date.
Lead times
Permits set the calendar. The patrol plans each trip with its ASM about two weeks before the permit or reservation window, so the adults book a plan the scouts already chose.
Overnighter schedule
6½
Plan with the scouts6½ months out. The host patrol picks the trip.
6
Secure permits6 months out. Adults book permits and campsites.
2w
Trip planning meeting2 weeks out, at the Wednesday troop meeting. Patrols pick grubmasters, tent buddies and quartermasters.
1w
Gear safety check and pack weigh-in1 week out, at the Wednesday troop meeting.
Go
The trip
Daytrip schedule
3½
Plan with the scouts3½ months out. The host patrol picks the trip.
3
Book it3 months out. Adults get any reservations or permits, or buy tickets.
Go
The trip
Difficulty levels
Every trip carries a difficulty level, and the level decides who can sign up. We classify by our own table, never by the AllTrails label. AllTrails calls the Skyline Watershed Ridge Trail Moderate, but at 11.7 miles it is Advanced as a hike for us.
| Hiking and backpacking | Criteria | Prerequisite | Pacing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Under 10 miles and under 500 ft of gain per mile | None for day hikes. Beginner backpacking: one 8-mile hike done, a pack that fits, and positive Scout spirit. | 2 mph uphill plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climb, 3 mph downhill. Add one-sixth for breaks. |
| Intermediate | Under 10 miles with 500 to 700 ft of gain per mile, or a 3 to 4 day backpack | A previous troop backpacking trip | 2 mph uphill plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climb, 3 mph downhill. Add one-eighth for breaks. |
| Advanced | 10 miles or more, over 700 ft of gain per mile, or 5 days or more (summer camp excluded) | High Adventure Team membership | 2 mph uphill plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climb, 3 mph downhill. Add one-twelfth for breaks. |
| Cycling | Criteria | Prerequisite | Pacing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Day ride under 20 miles and under 1,500 ft of total gain, on pavement, bike path, gravel or fire road | Any bike in good working order, and a helmet | 10 mph uphill, 12 mph downhill. Add one-twelfth for breaks. |
| Intermediate | Any singletrack mountain bike trip | Set by the trip lead | 10 mph uphill, 12 mph downhill. Add one-twelfth for breaks. |
| Advanced | Any multi-day bike trip | High Adventure Team membership | 10 mph uphill, 12 mph downhill. Add one-twelfth for breaks. |
| Snowshoeing | Criteria | Prerequisite | Pacing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | Under 5 miles and under 500 ft of gain per mile | Winter Camp Awareness training | 1 mph uphill plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climb, 1.5 mph downhill. No break time added. |
| Intermediate | Under 5 miles with 500 to 700 ft of gain per mile | Winter Camp Awareness training | 1 mph uphill plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climb, 1.5 mph downhill. No break time added. |
| Advanced | 5 miles or more, or over 700 ft of gain per mile | Winter Camp Awareness training and High Adventure Team membership | 1 mph uphill plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climb, 1.5 mph downhill. No break time added. |
Snowshoe pace is half the hiking pace, so the mileage limits are half the hiking ones. The slower speed already covers rests. Four miles and 1,500 ft up to camp takes 4 hours 45 minutes. A winter overnight can move a trip up one level.
On every pace, round each segment to the nearest 15 minutes. Add a 30-minute lunch whenever the day crosses noon to 1 PM. Backpacking days that start in camp start hiking at 9:00 AM.
Parents, forms and two-deep leadership
- Daytrips: parents are welcome. They go on the RSVP with their scout.
- Overnighters: parents are welcome as registered adult leaders with current Safeguarding Youth Training, which BSA insurance requires. They do not need to be Assistant Scoutmasters.
- Two-deep leadership: two registered adults at every event. When girls attend, one of those adults must be a registered woman.
- Medical forms: Parts A, B1 and B2 for every trip. Add Part C for trips over 72 hours. A Friday-to-Sunday weekend runs about 48 hours, so it needs only A, B1 and B2.
- Permission slips: required whenever a scout attends without a parent.
Carpools and gas money
Every trip leaves from one fixed meeting point. Riders pay their driver a flat share of the gas:
Our gas formula
((round-trip miles ÷ 25 mpg) × $5.50 per gallon + highway tolls + parking fees) ÷ 4 riders, rounded up to the next $5.
A 200-mile round trip burns 8 gallons, or $44. Add $8.50 in bridge tolls and $10 for trailhead parking, and the car costs $62.50. Split four ways that is $15.63, so each rider pays the driver $20. Towing a trailer drops the estimate to 15 mpg and uses multi-axle toll rates.
We add one-sixth to every Google Maps drive time for group stops. A 3-hour drive goes on the itinerary as 3½ hours.
Advancement Two pathways from first hike to high adventure
Scouts climb two ladders side by side: a three-season track for hiking and backpacking, and a winter track for snow. Both belong to the whole outdoor program, not to the High Adventure Team. Every step is an outing or training already on our calendar.
Three-season track
1
8-mile hikeThe first long day. It opens beginner backpacking.
2
Double Dipsea hikeThe Dipsea Trail from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach and back, about 13.7 miles. Outside Marin, pick any 13-mile hike with sustained climbs.
3
Beginner backpacking tripOne night out, carrying everything. Prerequisite: the 8-mile hike, a pack that fits, and positive Scout spirit.
4
Intermediate backpacking tripA harder route or a 3 to 4 day trek. Prerequisite: a previous troop backpacking trip.
5
High AdventureThe summer trek. Prerequisite: High Adventure Team membership.
Winter track
1
Winter Camp AwarenessTraining required before any snow trip. Ours runs each December.
2
Overnight snow car campingA plowed winter campsite next to the cars. At Sugar Pine Point State Park, scouts build and sleep in their own snow shelters.
3
Overnight advanced snowshoe tripSnow backpacking: everything carried on snowshoes to a backcountry camp. Our Mariposa Grove trip climbs 4 miles and about 1,500 ft to camp among the giant sequoias.
4
Klondike DerbyThe council's multi-night winter camporee over Presidents' Day weekend at Tahoe Valley Campground. Patrols compete on winter skills.
The Camping, Hiking and Backpacking merit badges overlap with both tracks. The merit badge crosswalk in Resources maps every shared requirement.
Next level scouting The High Adventure Team
The High Adventure Team, HAT for short, is a year-round patrol for scouts who want harder trips. Our reason for it: older scouts need bigger goals, or they drift away from the troop.
A patrol on top of a patrol
- Members stay in their home patrol and join the HAT patrol as well. A HAT member still camps, cooks and leads with their home patrol.
- A cowboy-hat rocker patch, worn above the home patrol patch, marks membership.
- HAT elects its own patrol leader, like any other patrol.
- The HAT patrol plans the HAT outings. An adult HAT Coordinator handles the logistics, the same split as every patrol and its ASM.
The HAT rocker, worn above the home patrol patch
Joining
A scout joins after two benchmarks, both done without complaints:
- The Double Dipsea at a 2 mph pace.
- An intermediate or advanced backpacking trip.
What HAT runs
| Trip type | When |
|---|---|
| Summer high adventure | A week-long backpacking or paddling trek each July |
| Multi-day trips | Three-day weekends through the year: caving at Lava Beds over Labor Day, an 8-lake loop over Rockbound Pass in Desolation Wilderness in October |
| Winter snowshoe trips | Dewey Point, the Peter Grubb Hut and the Mariposa Grove |
| Advanced activities on troop campouts | Year-round. The troop picks Beginner and Intermediate activities, and HAT runs its own Advanced activity from the same camp. |
Gates by trip type
- Snow trips: Winter Camp Awareness training.
- Advanced and High Adventure trips: HAT membership.
Starting a HAT in your troop
- Pick two entry benchmarks your scouts can reach in one season: a long day hike at a set pace, and an intermediate backpacking trip.
- Name one adult as HAT Coordinator to handle permits, drivers and gear.
- Have members elect a HAT patrol leader.
- Choose a patch members wear above their patrol patch.
- Put HAT trips on the master calendar next to the patrol rotation. Start with one three-day weekend trip.
Choosing when and where to go
Big trips start with the season. The tables below rate each month by weather, fire, bugs, wildflowers and berries for regions in California and across the country.
Seasonal suitability by region
Use the suitability tables below to determine the best months for planning your High Adventure trips. Suitability is based on natural risk factors (Weather, Fire, Pests) versus positive factors (Wildflowers, Wild Berries).
California Regional Adventure Suitability
| Region | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Sierra (Tahoe, Plumas) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) | Expert Winter(Deep Snow) | Poor(Wet Snow) | Poor(Mud/Snow) | Good(Mosquitoes) | Excellent(Wildflowers) | Good(Wildfire Risk) | Optimal(Berries) | Very Good | Fair(Cold/Snow) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) |
| Central Sierra (Yosemite) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) | Expert Winter(Deep Snow) | Poor(Snowmelt) | Poor(High Water) | Fair(Mosquitoes) | Very Good(Mosquitoes · Wildflowers) | Excellent | Optimal(Berries) | Optimal | Fair(Cold Storms) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) |
| Southern Sierra (Sequoia, Whitney) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) | Expert Winter(Deep Snow) | Poor(Snowmelt) | Poor(High Water) | Fair(Snow/Ice) | Very Good(Mosquitoes · Wildflowers) | Excellent | Optimal(Berries) | Very Good | Fair(Cold/Snow) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) |
| Southern Cascades (Trinity Alps) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) | Poor(Deep Snow) | Fair(Snow/Mud) | Good(High Water) | Optimal(Wildflowers) | Good(Heat, Bugs) | Poor(Wildfire Smoke) | Fair(Wildfire Smoke) | Good(Cold Rain) | Fair(Rain/Snow) | Expert Winter(Snow/Cold) |
| Redwood Empire (North Coast) | Fair(Heavy Rain) | Fair(Heavy Rain) | Good(Rain) | Very Good | Optimal(Wildflowers) | Optimal | Optimal | Optimal(Berries) | Optimal | Good(Rain) | Fair(Heavy Rain) | Fair(Heavy Rain) |
| SF Bay Area (Point Reyes, Coe) | Good(Rain/Mud) | Very Good | Optimal | Optimal(Wildflowers) | Very Good | Good(Summer Fog) | Fair(Inland Heat) | Fair(Inland Heat · Berries) | Good(Heat/Fire) | Very Good | Good(Rain) | Good(Rain) |
| SoCal Desert (Joshua Tree) | Very Good | Optimal | Optimal(Wildflowers) | Optimal | Good(Heat/Bees) | Poor(Heat) | Dangerous(Extreme Heat, Floods) | Dangerous(Extreme Heat, Floods) | Fair(Heat, Floods) | Optimal | Very Good | Very Good |
US Regional Adventure Suitability (Outside CA)
| Region | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast (BWCA, Maine, ADK) | Expert Winter(Deep Cold) | Expert Winter(Deep Cold) | Poor(Mud/Ice) | Poor(Mud Season) | Fair(Black Flies · Wildflowers) | Poor(Severe Bugs) | Good(Mosquitoes) | Excellent(Berries) | Optimal | Very Good | Poor(Cold/Rain) | Expert Winter(Ice/Snow) |
| Rocky Mtns (Wind River, MT, CO) | Expert Winter(Avalanche Risk) | Expert Winter(Avalanche Risk) | Expert Winter(Snow) | Poor(Mud/Snow) | Poor(Runoff/Mud) | Fair(Snow, Bugs) | Very Good(Mosquitoes · Wildflowers) | Excellent(Berries) | Optimal | Fair(Cold/Snow) | Expert Winter(Snow) | Expert Winter(Snow) |
| Pacific NW (Olympic, San Juan) | Poor(Heavy Rain) | Poor(Heavy Rain) | Fair(Rain) | Good(Rain) | Very Good | Optimal | Optimal(Wildflowers) | Optimal(Berries) | Very Good | Good(Rain Begins) | Poor(Heavy Rain) | Poor(Heavy Rain) |
| Southeast (Everglades, GA, FL) | Optimal | Optimal | Optimal | Good(Bugs Start) | Fair(Yellow Flies · Berries) | Poor(Heat, Bugs) | Poor(Heat, Bugs) | Poor(Heat, Storms) | Poor(Hurricanes) | Good(Storm Risk) | Very Good | Optimal |
| Mid-Atlantic (New River, C&O) | Poor(Cold/Wet) | Poor(Cold/Wet) | Fair(High Water) | Very Good(Wildflowers) | Optimal | Good(Heat/Ticks) | Fair(Humid, Bugs · Berries) | Fair(Humid, Bugs) | Optimal | Optimal | Good(Cold) | Poor(Cold) |
| Ozarks (Buffalo River, MO) | Fair(Cold) | Fair(Cold) | Good(Rain) | Optimal(Wildflowers) | Very Good | Fair(Chiggers) | Poor(Heat, Chiggers) | Poor(Heat, Chiggers) | Very Good | Optimal | Good(Cold) | Fair(Cold) |
| Southwest (Zion, Moab, Grand) | Good(Cold) | Good(Cold) | Very Good | Optimal(Wildflowers) | Good(Gnats) | Poor(Heat/Gnats) | Dangerous(Heat, Floods) | Dangerous(Heat, Floods) | Fair(Floods) | Optimal | Very Good | Good(Cold) |
Resources Trip ideas and advancement tools
Our trip lists are Bay Area specific, so they work as-is for a Golden Gate Area Council troop. The Permit column tells you which trips need the longer lead time.
Daytrip ideas
Use this list to brainstorm your patrol's next local adventure.
| Season | Activity | Permit | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any | Cooking | Y | Cooking competition at any picnic ground |
| Any | Cycling | N | SF Ferry Building to GGB to Sausalito return by ferry boat |
| Any | Cycling | N | Angel Island circumnavigation |
| Any | Cycling | N | Cross Marin bikeway from Platform Bridge road through Samuel P Taylor to Inkwells out and back |
| Any | Cycling | N | Half Moon Bay Coastal bikeway from Pillar Point Harbor out and back. Optional crab from boats. |
| Any | Cycling | N | Coyote Hills bikeway loop |
| Any | Cycling | N | Crystal Springs bikeway. Optional extension to Pulgas Water Temple via Canada Road. |
| Any | Hiking | N | Stinson Beach, Steep Ravine trail, Matt Davis Trail. Snacks at beach shack. |
| Any | Hiking | N | Cascade Falls to Laurel Dell loop |
| Any | Hiking | N | SF Presidio Trail, 8 miles in the city, with a patch |
| Any | Hiking | N | Rim Rover Mission Peak |
| Any | Hiking | N | Rim Rover Mt Tamalpais |
| Any | Hiking | N | Rim Rover Mt Wittenberg |
| Any | Hiking | N | Pacific Skyline Council Camps Historic Trail |
| Any | Hiking | N | Boulder Creek Scout Reservation Redwood Historic Trail |
| Any | Hiking | N | Boulder Creek Scout Reservation Nature Trail |
| Any | Hiking | N | Redwood Regional Challenge program |
| Any | Hiking | N | Marin Hiking Trail Award Point Reyes |
| Any | Hiking | N | Marin Hiking Trail Award SF Bay Trail |
| Any | Hiking | N | Marin Hiking Trail Award Mt Tamalpais |
| Any | Hiking | N | Marin Hiking Trail Award Big Rock Ridge |
| Any | Hiking | N | Marin Hiking Trail Award Mt Burdell |
| Any | Hiking | N | Marin Hiking Trail Award GGNRA |
| Any | Hiking | N | SVMC Monterey Bay Trekkers Wilder Ranch |
| Any | Hiking | N | SVMC Monterey Bay Trekkers Point Lobos |
| Any | Hiking | N | SVMC Monterey Bay Trekkers Pico Blanco |
| Any | Hiking | N | SVMC Monterey Bay Trekkers Garland Ranch |
| Any | Hiking | N | SVMC Monterey Bay Trekkers Elkhorn Slough |
| Any | Hiking | N | SVMC Monterey Bay Trekkers Nisene Marks |
| Any | Hiking | N | SVMC Monterey Bay Trekkers Fremont Peak |
| Any | Hiking | N | San Francisco tiles mural stair walk |
| Any | Hiking | N | Monterey Historic Trail patch |
| Any | Hiking | N | San Francisco Zoo |
| Any | Hiking | N | Oakland Zoo |
| Any | Hiking | N | Lost Coast of Sonoma Beach Hike (one way shuttle) |
| Any | Museum | N | Hyde Street Pier Historic Ships |
| Any | Museum | N | USS Potomac, Jack London Square |
| Any | Museum | N | Blackhawk Automotive Museum, Danville |
| Any | Museum | N | Aerospace Museum of California, McClellan AFB |
| Any | Museum | N | Castle Air Museum, Castle AFB |
| Any | Museum | N | Hiller Aviation Museum |
| Any | Museum | N | Mars Center NASA Ames Moffett Field |
| Any | Museum | N | Pacific Coast Air Museum, Santa Rosa |
| Any | Paddling | N | Elkhorn Slough out and back sea otter safari |
| Any | Pioneering | N | Build pioneering projects at any park |
| Any | Trains | N | Amtrak to California State Railroad Museum |
| Any | Trains | Y | Western Pacific Railroad Museum, drive a train |
| Any | Trains | Y | Roaring Camp to Boardwalk |
| Any | Ziplining | Y | Sonoma Canopy Tours Ziplines |
| Any | Indoor Rock Climbing | Y | Local climbing gym |
| Spring/Fall | Camping/hiking | Y | Rim Rover Pinnacles High Peaks Trail |
| Summer | Paddling | N | Cosumnes River canoeing, 1 day |
| Summer | Paddling | N | Mokelumne River canoeing, 1 day |
| Summer | Paddling | N | Stanislaus River, canoeing, 1 day |
| Summer | Paddling | N | Yuba to Marysville, canoeing, 1 day |
| Summer | Paddling | N | Feather River, Oroville to Wildlife Refuge, 1 day |
| Winter | Civic exploration | Y | Climb the City Hall dome: you need to be sponsored by a Supervisor |
| Summer/Fall | Beach | N | Pescadero Beach cleanup, Pescadero Marsh Hike, beach picnic/play |
| Summer/Fall | Beach | N | Muir Beach cleanup, Pirate Cove Hike, beach picnic/play |
| Summer/Fall | Beach | N | Año Nuevo cleanup, Elephant Seals, beach picnic/play |
| Summer/Fall | Beach | N | Sculptured Beach cleanup, beach picnic/play, tidepools |
| Spring/Fall | Caving | Y | Black Diamond Mine |
| Spring/Fall | Climbing | N | Indian Joe Caves, Sunol RW |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | Rim Rover Mt Diablo |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | Rim Rover Mt St Helena |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | SVMC Monterey Bay Trekkers Pinnacles |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Anderson Marsh State Historic Park |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Black Diamond Mines hike and mine tour |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Briones Regional Park |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Fages Historic Trail |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Goat Rock Cow Mountain |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Las Trampas Regional Wilderness |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Mt Diablo State Park |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Mt Konocti |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Mt St Helena |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Robert Louis Stevenson State Park |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Cache Creek Redbud to Baton Flats |
| Spring/Fall | Hiking | N | MDSC Highlander Patch Snow Mountain Wilderness Eagle Peak |
| Spring/Summer/Fall | Climbing | N | Castle Rock State Park Rock Climbing |
| Spring/Summer/Fall | Cycling | N | Skyline National Trail, mt biking 35 miles, Wildcat to Chabot |
| Spring/Summer/Fall | Rock Climbing | N | Sonoma Coast SB Rock Climbing |
| Spring/Summer/Fall | Rock Climbing | N | Mt Tam Rock Climbing |
| Spring/Summer/Fall | Rock Climbing | N | Berkeley Cragmont/Indian Rock/ Mortar Rock Climbing |
| Summer/Fall | Rafting | Y | American River Rafting |
| Summer/Fall | Rafting | Y | Truckee River Float |
| Summer/Fall | Rafting | Y | Tuolumne River Rafting |
| Summer/Fall | Rafting | Y | Merced River Rafting |
| Summer/Fall | Rafting | Y | Stanislaus River Rafting |
| Summer/Fall | Rafting | Y | Trinity River Rafting |
| Summer/Fall | Surfing | Y | Surf School (adventure out, club ed, richard schmidt surf school) |
| Summer | Hike and swim | N | Coyote Creek Cave (hike 2 miles and swim/float through the cave) |
Overnighter ideas
Note the required permit status when planning your timelines.
| Season | Activity | Permit | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring/Fall | Camping/hiking | Y | Rim Rover Pinnacles High Peaks Trail |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | ? | Luther Pass Campground to Dardanelles Lake. Map and compass off-trail loop. |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | ? | Glacier Meadow TH to Warren Lake via PCT loop around Castle Peak |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | ? | Lakes Basin, Jamison Mine to Wade's Lake to Maiden Lake loop. |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | N | Grouse Ridge Campground to Five Lakes Basin loop |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | Y | Gianelli TH to Burst Rock to Chewing Gum Lake or Y Lake Meadow |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | Y | Saddlebag Lake to 20 Lakes Basin loop |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | Y | Upper Blue Lake to Grouse Lake via Granite Lake |
| Summer/Fall | Camping/paddling | Y | Gualala Point Regional Park. Canoe Gualala River estuary |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | Y | Laurel Lake Trailhead to Edith & Genevieve Lakes |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | Y | Agnew Meadows, Shadow & Garnet Lakes |
| Summer/Fall | Camping | Y | Manresa or Sunset State Beach Campgrounds. Beach play. |
| Summer/Fall | Paddling | Y | Skunk Train Tracks to Kayaks. $$$ |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | ? | Tahoe NF, Beyers Lake loop, 3 days |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | ? | Ishi Wilderness, Deer Creek Canyon, 14 miles, 3 days |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | Y | Pinecrest, Gianelli Cabin to Upper Relief Valley, 16 miles 2 days |
| Summer/Fall | Backpacking | Y | Lassen, Summit Lake 10 miles, 2 days |
| Winter | Camping | Y | Camp Hi-Sierra winter camping |
| Winter | Camping | Y | Camp Marin-Sierra winter camping |
| Winter | Camping | Y | Camp Pahatsi winter camping |
| Winter | Camping | N | Sugar Pine Point winter camping |
| Winter | Camping | Y | Pinecrest Group Camp winter camping |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Blackwood Canyon |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Donner Summit |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Yuba Pass |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Echo Lake |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Taylor Creek |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Carson Pass |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Hope Valley |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Iron Mountain |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Meiss Meadows |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Lake Alpine |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Round Valley |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Spicer |
| Winter | Camping | N | SNO-PARK Sonora Pass 108 |
| Summer/Fall | Camping/paddling | N | Canoe from Monte Rio boat launch to Willow Creek Environmental Camp |
| Fall/Winter | Backpack/Snowshoe | Y | Sierra Club Huts (Tappan Lodge: Grubb, Ludlow, Benson, Bradley) |
| Fall/Winter | Backpack/Snowshoe | Y | Frog Lake Backcountry Huts |
| Fall/Winter | Backpack/Snowshoe | Y | Robbs Hut, Van Vleck Bunkhouse, Loon Lake Chalet |
| Fall/Winter | Backpack/Snowshoe | Y | Calpine Lookout |
Camping, Hiking and Backpacking merit badges
This section is written to scouts. Share it with yours as-is.
These three merit badges overlap more than any other set in Scouting. The same campsite, the same stove and the same topo map show up in all three. Work them together and one trip can move three badges forward. Below is every shared requirement in one table, the key points you should be ready to explain, and a trip log you can fill in as you go.
Read this before you count a trip twice
- Hiking merit badge hikes do not double count toward other merit badges. Your five hikes may count toward rank advancement, but Scouting America states they cannot be used for any other merit badge. A 10-mile Hiking hike cannot also be a Backpacking trek day. If you already took a hike that you want credit for but didn't get your trip plan approved before the hike, submit a trip plan for a future hike that the troop can do.
- Backpacking trips can double count for camping nights. Backpacking trips can also be split up into individual hikes if needed as long as they are not double counted.You still have to do each badge’s own planning and reporting separately.
- Camping nights from Summer Camp. The first summer camp counts for all 6 nights. Thereafter, each summer camp, including NYLT, Jamboree, etc., counts for 2 nights each.
- Always check Scoutbook for your current requirements. The text below was taken from scouting.org on 8 August 2026. Requirements change: hiking, camping, backpacking.
Shared requirements crosswalk
Every requirement across all three badges, grouped by what it actually asks you to know. The last column is the short version: the points a counselor is listening for. It is a study prompt, not a script. You still have to explain it in your own words.
| Topic | Camping | Hiking | Backpacking | Key points to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLANNING, SAFETY AND JUDGMENT | ||||
| Hazards: anticipate and respond | 1a | 1a | 3c, 3d | Terrain, weather, water, wildlife, other people, own fitness. Anticipate – prevent – mitigate – respond. Emergency response plan: who is in charge, where the trailhead and hospital are, how to summon help, who stays with the patient. |
| First aid for outdoor injuries and illnesses | 1c | 1b | 1 | Hypothermia · frostbite · heat exhaustion and heatstroke · dehydration · altitude sickness · insect stings · tick bites · snakebite · blisters · hyperventilation. Hiking also adds sunburn and sprained ankle. |
| Weather awareness and foul-weather prep | 1b | – | 7 | Check forecast before and watch sky during. Rain shell and dry layers, no cotton. Lightning: off ridges and lone trees, spread out, crouch. Know the turnaround point and the bail-out route. |
| Crew size, organization, duty roster | 4a, 4b | – | 3a, 3b | Backpacking crew roughly 4 to 12; never fewer than four; two-deep adult leadership. Assign navigator, cook, first aid, sweep. Camping: patrol duty roster rotating cook, cleanup, water, fire, latrine. |
| Written trip or trek plan | 3, 7a | 4 | 9a, 11a | Route and map, daily schedule, roster, food list, gear list, safety and emergency plan, budget. Leave a copy with someone staying home. Backpacking 11a also requires a budget. |
| Prehike / pre-trip inspection | 5e | – | 9b | Boots broken in, rain gear, full water, first aid kit, Scout Basic Essentials, pack fit and weight, food, permits, med forms, weather check. |
| OUTDOOR ETHICS AND SANITATION | ||||
| Leave No Trace Seven Principles | 2 | 2b | 4a | Plan ahead and prepare · travel and camp on durable surfaces · dispose of waste properly · leave what you find · minimize campfire impacts · respect wildlife · be considerate of others. |
| Outdoor Code | 2 | 2c | 4a | Clean in my outdoor manners · careful with fire · considerate in the outdoors · conservation minded. |
| Human waste, trash, personal cleanliness | 6b | – | 4b | Cathole 6 to 8 in. deep, 200 ft from water, trail and camp. Pack out toilet paper and all trash. Wash and dump greywater 200 ft from water, no soap in streams. Hand sanitizer before every meal. |
| Water treatment and hydration | 6b | – | 5a, 5b | Two methods: boil 1 min (3 min above 6,500 ft) · filter (0.2 micron) · chemical tablets · UV. Clear water can still carry Giardia and Crypto. Drink before you are thirsty; pale urine; add electrolytes and salty snacks. |
| Choosing a campsite | 6c | – | 4c | Established or durable surface, 200 ft from water and trail, level and well drained, no dead limbs overhead, off ridgelines and flood paths, wind and shade, separate cook and sleep areas, permission or permit. |
| Conservation / service project | 9c | – | 11b | Approved in advance by the landowner or land-managing agency (Backpacking: also your counselor). Trail repair, erosion control, invasive removal, planting, cleanup. Camping: alone or with others. |
| NAVIGATION AND FITNESS | ||||
| Topo maps, compass or GPS, staying found | 3 | – | 6a, 6b, 6c | Contour lines, interval, scale, declination. Orient the map; fix your position at three separate points by triangulation or GPS. Stay found: track handrails and checkpoints. If lost, S.T.O.P. – Stop, Think, Observe, Plan. Stay put, three whistle blasts. |
| Physical conditioning | – | 3 | – | Aerobic means sustained elevated heart rate and breathing. Build weekly mileage gradually, add hills, then add pack weight. Train in the boots and socks you will hike in. Three or more days a week. |
| CLOTHING, GEAR AND PACKING | ||||
| Clothing and layering | 5a | 2a | – | Three layers: wicking base, insulating middle, wind and rain shell. No cotton. Add and shed layers to avoid sweating. Hat and gloves; sun shirt and sunscreen in heat. |
| Footwear and foot care | 5b | 2a | 1 | Broken-in boots fitted with hiking socks; heel snug, toes free. Wool or synthetic socks plus a dry spare. Stop at the first hot spot: moleskin or tape. Never dry boots by the fire. |
| Care and storage of equipment | 5c | 2a | – | Clean and fully dry before storing. Bags stored loose or hung, not stuffed. Tents dried to prevent mildew and UV damage. Fuel stored outside living space. Boots cleaned and conditioned after each trip. |
| Essentials list | 5d | 4 | 2a | Scout Basic Essentials: pocketknife · first aid kit · extra clothing · rain gear · water bottle · flashlight · trail food · matches and fire starters · sun protection · map and compass. |
| Cutting pack weight and bulk | – | – | 2b | Share crew gear · repackage food out of cans and boxes · multiuse items · no duplicates · lighter shelter and bag · trim packaging · right-size the pack · refill water instead of carrying it · weigh everything · leave the luxuries. |
| Packing, shouldering, adjusting the pack | 5e, 7b | – | 9c, 9d | Heavy items high and close to the spine; sleeping bag at the bottom; rain gear, lunch and first aid on top. Waterproof bags inside. Loosen straps, knee-lift and swing on, hip belt on the iliac crest first, then shoulders, load lifters, sternum strap. |
| Internal vs. external frame packs | 6d | – | – | Internal: hugs the back, better balance on rough or off-trail ground, sheds brush, hotter and harder to pack. External: cooler back, carries heavy or bulky loads high, easy access and lashing, snags in brush, tippy on scrambles. |
| Tents: types, pitching, care | 6a | – | – | A-frame · dome · wall or cabin · tarp or tepee · bivy. Ground cloth tucked fully under. Stake out and guy the fly. No flames, no shoes, no food inside. Dry completely before storage. |
| Sleeping bags and ground beds | 6e | – | – | Down: lightest and warmest, useless when wet, costly. Synthetic: heavier, still warms when damp, cheaper. Match the temperature rating to the season. Store uncompressed. Insulating pad underneath; clear and level the spot, head slightly uphill. |
| STOVES, FOOD AND COOKING | ||||
| Stoves and fuel safety | 8a, 8b | – | 8a, 8b | Canister propane/butane: push-button, no priming, poor in cold and at low fuel. Liquid fuel (white gas): cheap, strong in cold, needs priming and pumping. Alcohol and solid tabs: simplest, slowest. Fill and light outside the tent, on level ground, cool before changing canisters, store spare fuel upright and away from camp and food. |
| Menu planning and cooking on the trail | 8c, 8d | 4 | 8c | Plan by person, by meal, by day. Camping: cooler and fresh food work; Camping 8c needs two breakfasts, three lunches, two suppers. Backpacking and float trips: light, calorie-dense, one-pot or no-cook, low water demand, no cans or glass. |
| Food storage and kitchen sanitation | 8c | – | 8d | Bear bag or canister, 200 ft downwind of camp, 12 ft up and 6 ft out on the branch. Never food in the tent. Hot soapy wash, rinse, sanitizing rinse, air dry. Strain and scatter greywater well away from water. |
| OUTINGS AND WRITE-UPS | ||||
| The required outings themselves | 4a, 7, 8d, 9a, 9b, 9c | 4a–4e | 9e, 10, 11b | Use the companion Trip Log workbook. Camping needs 20 nights plus two activity options; Hiking needs four 10-mile hikes and one 20-mile hike; Backpacking needs a 2-mile shakedown, three 3-day/15-mile treks, and one 5-day/30-mile trek. |
| Post-trip reports and journals | – | 5 | 11c | Hiking: one short report per hike – date, route or map, weather, what you saw, what was hard and how you handled it, what you learned. Backpacking: a daily journal on the 30-mile trek – day-by-day activities, what worked, what to change next time. |
| Closing reflection | 10 | – | – | What camping taught you about personal health and safety, survival, public health, conservation and citizenship, and how the Scout Oath, Scout Law and Scout spirit apply to outdoor ethics. |
A dash means that badge does not ask for this one. Requirement text retrieved from scouting.org on 8 August 2026.
Camping requirement 9(b): pick two
On any of your camping experiences you must do two of these six, with proper preparation and qualified supervision. Tell your patrol ASM which two you are going for so the trip can be built around them.
- Hike up a mountain, gaining at least 1,000 vertical feet.
- Backpack, snowshoe or cross-country ski at least 4 miles.
- Take a bike trip of at least 15 miles, or at least four hours.
- Take a nonmotorized trip on the water of at least four hours or 5 miles.
- Plan and carry out an overnight snow camping experience.
- Rappel down a rappel route of 30 feet or more.
Written trip reports and journals
The writing trips people up more than the miles do. Here is exactly what each one needs.
| Which one | What it must contain |
|---|---|
| Hiking 4 | Map route, clothing and equipment list, and a list of items for a trail lunch. Approved by the counselor or a designee before the hike starts. |
| Hiking 5 | The date, a description or map of the route, the weather, interesting things you saw, and any challenges you had and how you overcame them. It can include something you learned about yourself, the outdoors, or the people you hiked with. |
| Backpacking 9(a) | A plan with a schedule for a patrol backpacking hike of at least 2 miles. |
| Backpacking 11(a) | Driving directions and itinerary to get to the hike, map of the hiking route, a daily itinerary including hiking and driving times, a food and equipment list, a safety and emergency plan, and a budget. |
| Backpacking 11(c), on trek | A daily journal: a day-by-day description of your activities, notes on what worked well, and thoughts on improvements for the next trek. |
| Camping 3 | A written plan for an overnight trek showing how you get to your camping spot using a topographic map plus a compass, a GPS receiver, or a smartphone GPS app. |
Track your progress
Merit Badge Trip Log
One row for every trip the three badges require, grouped by badge, with columns for the trip name, the dates, your miles and nights, and a checkbox for the plans and reports. Make your own copy, then send it or bring it to a counselor meeting.
Packing and paperwork
Gear and packing rules
- The basics: Scout Basic Essentials, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, toiletries and a reusable mess kit.
- No cotton: it holds cold sweat and leads to hypothermia. Synthetics or wool only.
- Footwear: trail runners for dry hikes, real snow boots for snow. Waterproof hiking boots do not keep feet warm in snow.
- The scout packs the pack: 10 to 20 percent of body weight, 30 percent at most. Label every item.
Medical form mistakes
- Leaving the non-prescription medication Yes or No box blank. This is the most frequent error.
- No date for the last tetanus shot.
- No official immunization record from the doctor attached.
- No copy of the insurance card, front and back.
Planning tools How we plan a trip with AI
We plan trips with an AI assistant and a set of prompts that carry our planning rules. Any capable AI tool works. The AI does the research, the math and the formatting. With these prompts, one outdoor coordinator handles 20 or more trips a year, and each plan is more thorough than we managed by hand. Every drive is checked in Google Maps at the real departure time. Every toll and parking fee is counted. Every link on the event page is tested. Every trip gets a Safety Minute.
Cautions using this workflow
These prompts accelerate the planning. They do not replace an experienced outdoor leader, who stays responsible for planning a safe trip. That leader chooses a route the scouts can handle, checks every fact against its source, and makes the safety calls before and during the trip.
An adult decides at four points
- Intake: the adult approves any unknowns before planning starts.
- Fact check: nothing is written for scouts until the adult confirms the research summary.
- Voice and name: the adult picks the description's voice and the event name. The AI never picks.
- Publish: the adult pastes the page into TroopTrack. The AI never posts.
Ground rules
- Keep youth personal data out of the AI. Use patrol names and headcounts, never scout names, medical details or contact information.
- Classify difficulty by your troop's table, never by the AllTrails label.
- Confirm permits, closures and fire restrictions on the land manager's website before you publish.
- The Guide to Safe Scouting outranks anything the AI writes.
The steps
Step 0 builds your Troop Profile once, and you give it to the AI at the start of every planning session. Step 1, the trip orchestrator, runs the remaining steps in order. The whole plan lives in a single file, so a trip can be planned over more than one evening. Each trip also gets one tracker page that fills in as the steps finish: the checklist, the integrated itinerary, the trip description, the costs and the open items. Any leader can open it and see where the trip stands. Click any step below to open its stand-alone prompt, fill in the brackets, and paste it into your AI tool.
0Troop profile Prompt ▾
One file with your troop's details like meeting point, gas formula, patrols, difficulty tables and website rules. Every step reads it. Build it once.
Help me build a Troop Profile: one Markdown file that holds my troop's details, so every trip-planning prompt can use them.
Interview me one section at a time. Where I say "use the default," fill in the default shown.
1. Troop: number, council, district, meeting place and meeting night.
2. Carpools: meeting point (place name and street address), carpool sign-up link, satellite tracker link, riders per car (default 4).
3. Gas money: mpg (default 25, or 15 when towing), price per gallon (default $5.50), highway tolls and parking fees included, rounded up to the next $5. Group drive buffer (default 1.1666).
4. Patrols: patrol names, the adult leader for each, and the host rotation.
5. Difficulty: hiking, backpacking, cycling and snowshoe levels, each with criteria, prerequisites and pacing. Snowshoe mileage limits are half the hiking ones.
6. High adventure: membership requirements, and which trips require membership.
7. Policies: medical forms, permission slips, parents on daytrips and on overnighters.
8. Payments: who collects trip fees and how.
9. Website: platform, whether it strips style tags, brand colors, fonts, and the image style for event banners.
Keep youth names, phone numbers and medical details out of the file.
Write the finished profile as one Markdown file with a heading per section.
Interview me one section at a time. Where I say "use the default," fill in the default shown.
1. Troop: number, council, district, meeting place and meeting night.
2. Carpools: meeting point (place name and street address), carpool sign-up link, satellite tracker link, riders per car (default 4).
3. Gas money: mpg (default 25, or 15 when towing), price per gallon (default $5.50), highway tolls and parking fees included, rounded up to the next $5. Group drive buffer (default 1.1666).
4. Patrols: patrol names, the adult leader for each, and the host rotation.
5. Difficulty: hiking, backpacking, cycling and snowshoe levels, each with criteria, prerequisites and pacing. Snowshoe mileage limits are half the hiking ones.
6. High adventure: membership requirements, and which trips require membership.
7. Policies: medical forms, permission slips, parents on daytrips and on overnighters.
8. Payments: who collects trip fees and how.
9. Website: platform, whether it strips style tags, brand colors, fonts, and the image style for event banners.
Keep youth names, phone numbers and medical details out of the file.
Write the finished profile as one Markdown file with a heading per section.
1Trip orchestrator Prompt ▾
Runs steps 2 to 11 in order passing relevant information between steps, keeps the plan in one notebook file, and stops at each adult verification gate.
Plan a Scouts BSA troop outing with me, start to finish. Read my Troop Profile first for our meeting point, gas formula, difficulty tables and website rules.
Trip intake:
- Working title: [TITLE]
- Dates: [START DATE] to [END DATE]
- Destination: [PARK, TRAILHEAD OR CAMPGROUND]
- Activity: [ACTIVITY, OR "UNDECIDED, BRAINSTORM OPTIONS"]
- Fixed time: [DEPARTURE TIME, OR AN ACTIVITY START OR FINISH TIME]
- Stops on the drive: [STOPS OR NONE]
- Permits, reservations or outfitters: [DETAILS OR NONE]
- Host patrol: [PATROL]
- Riders per car: [DEFAULT 4]
Run the steps in order: brainstorm and scout vote (only if the activity is undecided), activity pacing, travel planning, Safety Minute, trip description, hero image prompt, event page and link check, then the website card.
Keep the whole plan in one notebook file, and show me the planning tracker after every step.
Stop for my approval at four points: unknowns at intake, the fact check of the research summary, the description voice and event name, and before anything is published.
Mark anything you cannot confirm as TBD. Never guess a fact, a time or a price.
Trip intake:
- Working title: [TITLE]
- Dates: [START DATE] to [END DATE]
- Destination: [PARK, TRAILHEAD OR CAMPGROUND]
- Activity: [ACTIVITY, OR "UNDECIDED, BRAINSTORM OPTIONS"]
- Fixed time: [DEPARTURE TIME, OR AN ACTIVITY START OR FINISH TIME]
- Stops on the drive: [STOPS OR NONE]
- Permits, reservations or outfitters: [DETAILS OR NONE]
- Host patrol: [PATROL]
- Riders per car: [DEFAULT 4]
Run the steps in order: brainstorm and scout vote (only if the activity is undecided), activity pacing, travel planning, Safety Minute, trip description, hero image prompt, event page and link check, then the website card.
Keep the whole plan in one notebook file, and show me the planning tracker after every step.
Stop for my approval at four points: unknowns at intake, the fact check of the research summary, the description voice and event name, and before anything is published.
Mark anything you cannot confirm as TBD. Never guess a fact, a time or a price.
2Activity brainstorm Prompt ▾
Optional. Create a list of 20 or more activities specific to the destination, sorted by difficulty for scouts to choose from.
Research outdoor activities for a Scouts BSA troop at [DESTINATION] in [MONTH OR SEASON].
- Find at least 20 activities specific to this place, not generic camp games.
- Group them as Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced using this table: [PASTE YOUR DIFFICULTY TABLE].
- For each one: a two-sentence description a 12-year-old can follow, with exact distance and elevation gain, and one source link.
- Use AllTrails and the land manager's website first, then trip reports.
- Never guess a trail metric. If you cannot verify one, say so.
- Leave out safety warnings. The adults screen for safety separately.
- End with a short list of typical scout outing activities that fit this place.
- Find at least 20 activities specific to this place, not generic camp games.
- Group them as Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced using this table: [PASTE YOUR DIFFICULTY TABLE].
- For each one: a two-sentence description a 12-year-old can follow, with exact distance and elevation gain, and one source link.
- Use AllTrails and the land manager's website first, then trip reports.
- Never guess a trail metric. If you cannot verify one, say so.
- Leave out safety warnings. The adults screen for safety separately.
- End with a short list of typical scout outing activities that fit this place.
3Scout vote Prompt ▾
Creates a pass-the-phone voting ballot page for the host patrol to select from the brainstormed activities.
Build a one-page voting ballot for my patrol from this shortlist: [PASTE SHORTLIST].
- Scouts pass one phone around at a troop meeting. Each scout taps their picks, submits, and hands the phone on.
- Group the options by [DAY OR TIME SLOT], and let each scout pick [NUMBER] per group.
- Leave off anything every scout does anyway, and name it in a note at the top.
- Save each ballot so I can see a tally of the picks later. No names needed.
- Scouts pass one phone around at a troop meeting. Each scout taps their picks, submits, and hands the phone on.
- Group the options by [DAY OR TIME SLOT], and let each scout pick [NUMBER] per group.
- Leave off anything every scout does anyway, and name it in a note at the top.
- Save each ballot so I can see a tally of the picks later. No names needed.
4Activity pacer Prompt ▾
Based on the miles, elevation gain, and stops, this create the activity portion of the itinerary.
Build a timed agenda for this activity.
- Activity: [HIKE, BACKPACK, BIKE, SNOWSHOE OR PADDLE]
- Route: [MILES], [ELEVATION GAIN AND WHERE IT FALLS], [LOOP, OUT-AND-BACK OR POINT-TO-POINT]
- Stops: [VIEWPOINTS, SWIM HOLE, NONE]
- Fixed time: start at [TIME], or finish by [TIME]
Pacing rules:
- Hiking and backpacking: 2 mph uphill plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climb, 3 mph downhill. Add one-sixth for breaks at Beginner, one-eighth at Intermediate, one-twelfth at Advanced.
- Snowshoeing: 1 mph uphill plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climb, 1.5 mph downhill, no break time.
- Cycling: 10 mph uphill, 12 mph downhill, add one-twelfth for breaks.
- Paddling: Beginner 2 mph on flat water and 3 mph on a river; Intermediate and Advanced 3 and 4 mph. Add one-sixth for breaks on flat water, one-twelfth on a river.
- Round each segment to the nearest 15 minutes.
- Add a 30-minute lunch if the day crosses noon to 1 PM.
- Backpacking days that start in camp begin hiking at 9:00 AM.
Show the math, then the agenda as one line per time.
- Activity: [HIKE, BACKPACK, BIKE, SNOWSHOE OR PADDLE]
- Route: [MILES], [ELEVATION GAIN AND WHERE IT FALLS], [LOOP, OUT-AND-BACK OR POINT-TO-POINT]
- Stops: [VIEWPOINTS, SWIM HOLE, NONE]
- Fixed time: start at [TIME], or finish by [TIME]
Pacing rules:
- Hiking and backpacking: 2 mph uphill plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climb, 3 mph downhill. Add one-sixth for breaks at Beginner, one-eighth at Intermediate, one-twelfth at Advanced.
- Snowshoeing: 1 mph uphill plus 30 minutes per 1,000 ft of climb, 1.5 mph downhill, no break time.
- Cycling: 10 mph uphill, 12 mph downhill, add one-twelfth for breaks.
- Paddling: Beginner 2 mph on flat water and 3 mph on a river; Intermediate and Advanced 3 and 4 mph. Add one-sixth for breaks on flat water, one-twelfth on a river.
- Round each segment to the nearest 15 minutes.
- Add a 30-minute lunch if the day crosses noon to 1 PM.
- Backpacking days that start in camp begin hiking at 9:00 AM.
Show the math, then the agenda as one line per time.
5Travel planner Prompt ▾
Based on starting point, intermediate stops, destination, and travel dates/times create the travel portion of the itinerary.
Plan the carpool drive for this trip.
- Meeting point: [ADDRESS]
- Destination: [TRAILHEAD OR CAMPGROUND]
- Departure: leave at [DAY AND TIME], or arrive by [TIME]
- Return: leave at [TIME], or 30 minutes after the activity ends at [TIME]
- Stops: [PERMIT STATION, LUNCH, NONE]
Rules:
- Check every leg in Google Maps with Depart at set to the real weekday and time. Never estimate a drive. Use the top of the "typically" range.
- Multiply each drive time by 1.1666 for group travel, then round to the nearest 15 minutes.
- List every bridge toll, road toll and parking fee, with its source.
- Gas money: ((round-trip miles ÷ 25 mpg) × $5.50 per gallon + highway tolls + parking fees) ÷ 4 riders, rounded up to the next $5.
- Start the activity 30 minutes after each arrival, and load cars 30 minutes before each departure.
- Give every stop its Google Maps place name and street address.
- Meeting point: [ADDRESS]
- Destination: [TRAILHEAD OR CAMPGROUND]
- Departure: leave at [DAY AND TIME], or arrive by [TIME]
- Return: leave at [TIME], or 30 minutes after the activity ends at [TIME]
- Stops: [PERMIT STATION, LUNCH, NONE]
Rules:
- Check every leg in Google Maps with Depart at set to the real weekday and time. Never estimate a drive. Use the top of the "typically" range.
- Multiply each drive time by 1.1666 for group travel, then round to the nearest 15 minutes.
- List every bridge toll, road toll and parking fee, with its source.
- Gas money: ((round-trip miles ÷ 25 mpg) × $5.50 per gallon + highway tolls + parking fees) ÷ 4 riders, rounded up to the next $5.
- Start the activity 30 minutes after each arrival, and load cars 30 minutes before each departure.
- Give every stop its Google Maps place name and street address.
6Safety Minute Prompt ▾
Four to eight trip-specific risks, each with its BSA-preferred mitigation measures.
Write a Safety Minute for this trip: [DESTINATION], [ACTIVITY], [DATES].
- List 4 to 8 risks specific to this place, activity, season and drive. Skip generic risks unless this trip sharpens them.
- Pair each risk with a one-line mitigation, and name the BSA program it comes from: Guide to Safe Scouting, SAFE Checklist, Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, Climb On Safely, Trek Safely, Hazardous Weather, Winter Camp Awareness or Wilderness First Aid.
- Use only mitigations those programs prescribe. If you are unsure one does, say so.
- Check the land manager's alerts page for closures and fire restrictions.
This is a reminder for the adult leaders, not a full risk assessment.
- List 4 to 8 risks specific to this place, activity, season and drive. Skip generic risks unless this trip sharpens them.
- Pair each risk with a one-line mitigation, and name the BSA program it comes from: Guide to Safe Scouting, SAFE Checklist, Safe Swim Defense, Safety Afloat, Climb On Safely, Trek Safely, Hazardous Weather, Winter Camp Awareness or Wilderness First Aid.
- Use only mitigations those programs prescribe. If you are unsure one does, say so.
- Check the land manager's alerts page for closures and fire restrictions.
This is a reminder for the adult leaders, not a full risk assessment.
7Trip description Prompt ▾
This in an intermediate validation step for a human to check the progress accuracy. Then a rewrite for scouts as the audience.
Write the trip description for [TRIP] at [DESTINATION] in three parts. Stop after Parts 1 and 2 and wait for me.
Part 1, written for me: two short paragraphs from AllTrails, the land manager's website and 3 to 6 recent trip reports. First, what we are doing and what it is like: terrain, views, effort and highlights. Second, why it is a great trip for scouts. List your sources. Every fact must trace to a source.
Part 2: offer six voices for a scout audience, each with a one-sentence sample opener: Mission Director (objective and conditions), Scout Engineer (the physics of the challenge), Futurist Explorer (wonder), The Creator (energy and payoff), The Legend (mystery and history) and The Guide (a friendly camp counselor).
Part 3: rewrite the confirmed summary in my chosen voice for scouts ages 11 to 17. Keep it mostly about being there. No logistics: no dates, times, costs, gear or meeting places. State each fact once. Then suggest an event name of three to six words, plus two alternates.
Part 1, written for me: two short paragraphs from AllTrails, the land manager's website and 3 to 6 recent trip reports. First, what we are doing and what it is like: terrain, views, effort and highlights. Second, why it is a great trip for scouts. List your sources. Every fact must trace to a source.
Part 2: offer six voices for a scout audience, each with a one-sentence sample opener: Mission Director (objective and conditions), Scout Engineer (the physics of the challenge), Futurist Explorer (wonder), The Creator (energy and payoff), The Legend (mystery and history) and The Guide (a friendly camp counselor).
Part 3: rewrite the confirmed summary in my chosen voice for scouts ages 11 to 17. Keep it mostly about being there. No logistics: no dates, times, costs, gear or meeting places. State each fact once. Then suggest an event name of three to six words, plus two alternates.
8Hero image Prompt ▾
Create an image prompt with the trip name and subtitle in the troop's style for the webpage.
Write an image-generation prompt for a 16:9 banner for this trip.
- Event name: [EVENT NAME]
- Subtitle: [3 TO 6 WORDS]
- Scene: scouts [ACTIVITY] at [DESTINATION], with [KEY GEAR]
- Style: [YOUR TROOP'S STYLE, FOR EXAMPLE A 1930s NATIONAL PARK TRAVEL POSTER WITH FLAT SILKSCREEN COLORS, BOLD OUTLINES AND TEXTURED PAPER]
- Put the scouts in action in the foreground, with the landscape large behind them.
- Render the event name and subtitle exactly as written. No date anywhere in the image.
- Output the prompt text only.
- Event name: [EVENT NAME]
- Subtitle: [3 TO 6 WORDS]
- Scene: scouts [ACTIVITY] at [DESTINATION], with [KEY GEAR]
- Style: [YOUR TROOP'S STYLE, FOR EXAMPLE A 1930s NATIONAL PARK TRAVEL POSTER WITH FLAT SILKSCREEN COLORS, BOLD OUTLINES AND TEXTURED PAPER]
- Put the scouts in action in the foreground, with the landscape large behind them.
- Render the event name and subtitle exactly as written. No date anywhere in the image.
- Output the prompt text only.
9Event page Prompt ▾
Creates a comprehensive event page for the trip for use on the calendar event.
Build the event page for this trip from my event page template: [PASTE THE TEMPLATE OR NAME THE FILE].
- Trip description: [PASTE]
- Activity and difficulty: [ACTIVITY], [LEVEL]
- Integrated itinerary: [PASTE]
- Gas money line: [PASTE]
- Fees: [AMOUNTS OR TBD]
- Host patrol and adult leaders: [NAMES]
- Permits or outfitter waivers: [LINKS OR NONE]
Rules:
- Keep only the sections that apply. No gear inspection unless it is a backpacking, snow or water overnighter. No tent or meal lines for a daytrip.
- Medical forms: Parts A, B1 and B2; add Part C for trips over 72 hours.
- Match prerequisites to the activity: a swim test for water, Winter Camp Awareness for snow.
- [IF YOUR WEBSITE STRIPS STYLE TAGS: put all CSS inline.]
- Mark anything unknown as TBD, and list the TBDs at the end.
- Trip description: [PASTE]
- Activity and difficulty: [ACTIVITY], [LEVEL]
- Integrated itinerary: [PASTE]
- Gas money line: [PASTE]
- Fees: [AMOUNTS OR TBD]
- Host patrol and adult leaders: [NAMES]
- Permits or outfitter waivers: [LINKS OR NONE]
Rules:
- Keep only the sections that apply. No gear inspection unless it is a backpacking, snow or water overnighter. No tent or meal lines for a daytrip.
- Medical forms: Parts A, B1 and B2; add Part C for trips over 72 hours.
- Match prerequisites to the activity: a swim test for water, Winter Camp Awareness for snow.
- [IF YOUR WEBSITE STRIPS STYLE TAGS: put all CSS inline.]
- Mark anything unknown as TBD, and list the TBDs at the end.
10Link check Prompt ▾
Every link and image on the event page, opened and verified.
Check every link and image on this event page: [PASTE THE HTML OR THE PAGE URL].
- Open each one and report where it lands: OK, broken, or the wrong page.
- Flag link text that shows a different URL from where the link goes.
- Flag placeholders: empty links, "#", TBD and example.com.
- Check that the trailhead link, map link and image match this trip.
Report one line per link, then list what to fix.
- Open each one and report where it lands: OK, broken, or the wrong page.
- Flag link text that shows a different URL from where the link goes.
- Flag placeholders: empty links, "#", TBD and example.com.
- Check that the trailhead link, map link and image match this trip.
Report one line per link, then list what to fix.
11Website card Prompt ▾
Customize the website for this trip. Will need specific customization for your webpage.
Add this trip to the Upcoming Adventures section of our home page: [PASTE THE PAGE HTML].
- Card image: [IMAGE URL]. Card link: [EVENT PAGE URL].
- Caption: [DATES], [EVENT NAME], [DESTINATION].
- Keep the cards in date order, next trip first, and copy the existing card markup exactly.
- After the trip, move the card to Recent Adventures, newest first, and point it at the photo album: [ALBUM URL].
- Card image: [IMAGE URL]. Card link: [EVENT PAGE URL].
- Caption: [DATES], [EVENT NAME], [DESTINATION].
- Keep the cards in date order, next trip first, and copy the existing card markup exactly.
- After the trip, move the card to Recent Adventures, newest first, and point it at the photo album: [ALBUM URL].
Downloads Files to copy
Every file lives in a public Troop 88 Google Drive folder. Links marked Copy make your own copy in your Google Drive. The AI planning files carry no Troop 88 details: your own go into the Troop Profile.
Program templates
Patrol-Led Outdoor Program master Google Sheet
A 52-week host rotation. Each trip date carries its scout planning date, permit date, tent and meal meeting and gear inspection. Includes the three-day holiday weekends.
A 52-week host rotation. Each trip date carries its scout planning date, permit date, tent and meal meeting and gear inspection. Includes the three-day holiday weekends.
Carpool sign-up Google Sheet
Seat sign-up for up to 10 cars, plus a gas money calculator with highway tolls and parking fees.
Seat sign-up for up to 10 cars, plus a gas money calculator with highway tolls and parking fees.
Merit badge trip log Google Sheet
One row for every trip the Camping, Hiking and Backpacking merit badges require.
One row for every trip the Camping, Hiking and Backpacking merit badges require.
HAT patch artwork SVG
Our cowboy-hat rocker, ready to adapt for your own team.
Our cowboy-hat rocker, ready to adapt for your own team.
AI planning kit
Troop Profile template Markdown
The one file that holds your troop's details. Every prompt uses it.
The one file that holds your troop's details. Every prompt uses it.
Event page template HTML
The TroopTrack event page that the step 9 prompt fills in. All styles inline.
The TroopTrack event page that the step 9 prompt fills in. All styles inline.
Scout vote page template HTML
The pass-the-phone ballot for step 3. Votes save on the phone.
The pass-the-phone ballot for step 3. Votes save on the phone.
Example planning tracker HTML
A finished tracker from one of our day rides, names removed.
A finished tracker from one of our day rides, names removed.
Questions, or a better way?
Email Eric Peabody, Outdoor Program Chair and High Adventure Team Coordinator for Troops 88 and 2088, at ericmpeabody@gmail.com. This guide is a Wood Badge ticket project, and feedback from other troops goes into the next version.