You can still register for next year because BSA high-adventure bases are #Open4Adventure

This summer, crews are back at all four national high-adventure bases, backpacking the rugged trails of Philmont Scout Ranch, sailing to beautiful islands at Sea Base, paddling the tranquil lakes at Northern Tier and conquering the ropes courses at the Summit Bechtel Reserve.

If you and your Scouts want to take part in one (or more) of these life-changing experiences, you can still do so in 2022. And it doesn’t have to be a summer trip. The high-adventure bases offer fun treks during other seasons, too. The Find Your Adventure page is your portal to your next adventure.

National high-adventure opportunities differ from your traditional summer camp experiences. Instead of focusing on merit badges and rank advancement (although you can still do that), Scouts make memories by trying activities they might not normally get to do.

Looking ahead

If you want to see what’s new for 2022, we highlighted what each base has planned in our High-Adventure Week series.

The Summit has new treks planned, involving ATVs, bike-packing, backpacking and more. Scouts who choose the ATV trek drive Polaris ATVs for four days across a variety of terrain, including gravel and mud. They’ll also intentionally get stuck in mud holes, so they can learn different techniques and how to use gear to get out. Those wanting a two-wheel adventure can pedal more than 50 miles, both on the pavement and on the trail. The “bikepacking” trek includes a couple of challenging climbs of about 1,000 vertical feet.

Scouts can also choose a 50-mile inflatable kayak trek on the New River, including tackling intense Class IV rapids. Other treks feature a combination of activities, like the Pack N’ Paddle Experience, which includes 40 miles of hiking and whitewater rafting, or the Summit Experience, which features ziplining, climbing, skateboarding, shooting sports and more.

The Sea Base offers multiple adventures, focusing on scuba-diving, sailing and STEM. One of the newest adventure activities puts Scouts at the forefront of helping save one of the world’s most beautiful ecosystems: coral reefs, which have been dying on a massive scale for the last few decades. Scouts can work at Sea Base’s coral nursery, fragmenting coral into tiny pieces. This method stimulates the coral to grow faster, so it can be planted in the ocean.

Northern Tier will be celebrating its 100th anniversary with new treks and special awards. One of the treks was first done by 15 Eagle Scouts in 1930. You can read about how Minnesota troops recently conquered it in the March 2021 issue of Scout Life. If Scouts are from certain councils, complete the Charles L. Sommers Trek or the Paul R. Christen Trek or finish a 100-mile canoe trek, they can earn the Paul Bunyan Award, a participation patch last handed out 50 years ago.

After being closed last year because of the pandemic, Philmont is back open with backpacking, horsemanship and STEM options for exploring the New Mexico wilderness. Not only can crews explore the beautiful backcountry, but they’ll be learning teamwork and leadership skills along the way.

Find your adventure at any one of these bases here.