Wish I could have made the trip

Are you going to the banquet? I am going to walk the room yelling for a Bmac04 until you fess up.

Are you highly familiar with Dime Box?

proc said:

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ursusguy said:

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Slightly off topic, does anyone remember the Pepper Mill in Graford? I don't remember why, but for some reason they banned boy scout summer camp staff (ok, we hit on the waitresses). Then it got amended to Constantin was allowed, but Worth Ranch staff were not.....and how they could determine one way or the other I don't have a clue.

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When did this occur?

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I think I ate a CFS there in '95.

purplehayes said:

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San Isabel Scout Camp outside of Rye, CO.

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I came here to post this.

I should be there. Not super familiar with Dime Box other than driving through it about 100 times.

I have a third vote for San Isabel in Rye CO. Not sure where you are, but from Bryan we had to overnight in Amarillo and make it a two day trip. The weather is beautiful and a much needed break from the Texas heat.

We are going to Constantin this summer. Two years ago we went to Kerr in OK, everything is so spread out, but they have good bathroom and shower facilities.

ursusguy said:

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I'd be interested in checking out Ben Delatour Scout Ranch, up near Red Feather Lake in Colorado. Never been to camp there, but it was cool and really pretty when I got to tour the place.

Granted, when I was touring the camp it was because National sent me up from Philmont for 2 days to help them beef up their bear procedures following a minor bear attack.

Just a point of reference---Texas troops going out of council to bear country is really annoying. Make sure your kids strictly follow bear procedures. At Philmont and Colorado council camps, if there is a campsite bear incident, one of the first questions that generally pops up is "Is it a Texas crew?". I am really not kidding about that.

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Late to the thread but I have to echo this. I was a Scoutmaster or Asst in Colorado for 8 years and have been to most of the Boy Scout camps in Colorado. They are all a great change from the Texas (or Oklahoma) heat, and each one of them see many troops from both states each summer. Understanding and practicing proper bear protocol is essential. And don't cut down the aspen saplings to make hiking staffs!

Camp Alexander - Pikes Peak council, Colorado Springs
Peaceful Valley - Denver Area Council
San Isabel - Rocky Mountain Council, Pueblo
Ben Delatour - Long's Peak Council, Greeley
Steve Fossett Spirit of Adventure Ranch (SOAR) - Western Colorado Council, Grand Junction
Spanish Peaks - Santa Fe Trail council, Garden City, KS

I would recommend any of them, but my favorites for program for the Scouts were Camp Alexander and Peaceful Valley. Favorites for environment - they are all gread but especially add Spanish Peaks.

Regardless, if you want to go to Colorado, better get busy and make your reservations soon - they fill up quickly.

As a Scout myself, I loved Worth Ranch and my troop went there every summer. Haven't been there in more than 50 years.

Well, just as a follow-up, we decided to go to BTSR. The schedule for most of the boys is busy in July so we really needed a June week, and they had availability the last week of June. We looked hard at Camp Wehinahpay but they only have twelve slots per week for high adventure, and no guarantee that you will get them before registering. You have to register and then sign up for high adventure at the same time the merit badge registration opens.

Any recommendations on the high adventure at BTSR? Cavalcade is closed but Mountain Man, Calvary, and the treks are open. They also have SCUBA - might have a couple boys do that.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice!

Chipotlemonger said:

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Side note: Not a suggestion for the OP but scouts in general once you have an older group. Head up to the Northern Tier. Most memorable and exciting thing I did camping-wise as a scout.

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My parents & several other guy's parents from my duration in scouts all go every year on a canoe trip together up there.

Tailgate88 said:

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Well, just as a follow-up, we decided to go to BTSR. The schedule for most of the boys is busy in July so we really needed a June week, and they had availability the last week of June. We looked hard at Camp Wehinahpay but they only have twelve slots per week for high adventure, and no guarantee that you will get them before registering. You have to register and then sign up for high adventure at the same time the merit badge registration opens.

Any recommendations on the high adventure at BTSR? Cavalcade is closed but Mountain Man, Calvary, and the treks are open. They also have SCUBA - might have a couple boys do that.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice!

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You will enjoy BTSR. Went there one year with our troop - the Scouts loved it. We camped at Balmorhea State Park on the way in - swimming in that pool is always a pleasure. We also made the McDonald Observatory run prior to getting into camp - we used the time they allot for that hiking around instead. If your older Scouts like backpacking - I'd do the trek. Heard it was a blast, but we didn't have anyone do it.

How did no one recommend Camp Karankawa on the shores of beautiful Lake Mathis? We have large caliche pits to play in, muddy water to swim in, and the weather is always a comfortable 100 and humid.

Oddly enough, I never met an out of council troop at Camp Karankawa...

Pro Sandy said:

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How did no one recommend Camp Karankawa on the shores of beautiful Lake Mathis? We have large caliche pits to play in, muddy water to swim in, and the weather is always a comfortable 100 and humid.

Oddly enough, I never met an out of council troop at Camp Karankawa...

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We went there one summer back in 90's with our troop from the Houston area... Our troop always had a regular summer camp intended more for younger campers and at least one high adventure trip (usually more). Depending on the year, those could have been grouped together or done separate with high adventure trips to multiple Northern Tier/Philmont type places

That camp wasn't much to talk about back then, not sure how it ever ended up getting picked. The water front back then was pretty terrible, but I did get my windsurfing merit badge there, oh yeah!

dmart90 said:

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Tailgate88 said:

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Well, just as a follow-up, we decided to go to BTSR. The schedule for most of the boys is busy in July so we really needed a June week, and they had availability the last week of June. We looked hard at Camp Wehinahpay but they only have twelve slots per week for high adventure, and no guarantee that you will get them before registering. You have to register and then sign up for high adventure at the same time the merit badge registration opens.

Any recommendations on the high adventure at BTSR? Cavalcade is closed but Mountain Man, Calvary, and the treks are open. They also have SCUBA - might have a couple boys do that.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice!

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You will enjoy BTSR. Went there one year with our troop - the Scouts loved it. We camped at Balmorhea State Park on the way in - swimming in that pool is always a pleasure. We also made the McDonald Observatory run prior to getting into camp - we used the time they allot for that hiking around instead. If your older Scouts like backpacking - I'd do the trek. Heard it was a blast, but we didn't have anyone do it.

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Glad to hear that report. We are planning on Balmorhea as well! Thanks!

I was really really fortunate in my time in scouts to be able to do a lot of high adventure camps (Philmont, Rayado, Sea Base Keys, Northern Tier). Philmont is a special place that I feel every scout should eventually experience, but I would recommend any of those. Unfortunately they usually have a pretty long waiting list and Philmont takes a lot of preparation.

Other than the high adventure camps, my favorite summer camp was Buffalo Trails. I went to other 'nicer' and more scenic camps but for whatever reason I loved my time at Buffalo Trails.I don't remember much from my time there, but there was a day we hiked up to this spring fed watering hole (the Notch?) that was surrounded by cliffs. Swimming and jumping off of those cliffs in that cold spring water in the middle of the summer has always stuck with me and remains one of my favorite memories.

Man I've been out of touch with scouts for some time now but that's sad to hear Camp Strake closed, but it sounds like it was for the best. Urban encroachment would've taken away from it a bit and it sounds like BSA profited a lot from it. Just sad to hear that place got turned into a waste water treatment plant. Crazy to hear about El Rancho Cima. I spent a lot of time there, the death marches were always fun. I think I did my brotherhood stuff there too. Man this talk is bringing up a lot of memories.

I sound like an old, but is Northern Tier what used to be the Charles Sommers Canoe Base?

Quick google check says yes . . or partially yes. Looks like Northern Tier has three different bases, with Charles L Sommers being one of them. All three look awesome.

proc said:

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I sound like an old, but is Northern Tier what used to be the Charles Sommers Canoe Base

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Yes - every patch I have from our 2001 voyage says Charles L Sommers or CL Sommers on it

I have enjoyed reading this topic. I had no idea that there were so many options for summer camp. My troop out of Houston alternated between Strake and Cima my entire scouting career. I was on staff at Strake for the summers of 72 and 73. It is suprising that both of these places are now just memories. It sounds like there are some awesome choices now.

Not sure what trek we did when we went but I'll tell you that the first two days were the worst experience I've ever had. Day 3 rolled around and we just decided to change our entire trek. I don't know what it was but I guess the planning just wasn't great. I hope that y'all have a better experience than we did! Make sure to choose what y'all do carefully.

IYACYAS12 said:

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Not sure what trek we did when we went but I'll tell you that the first two days were the worst experience I've ever had. Day 3 rolled around and we just decided to change our entire trek. I don't know what it was but I guess the planning just wasn't great. I hope that y'all have a better experience than we did! Make sure to choose what y'all do carefully.

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I would appreciate more details on this. We have a few boys thinking about the five day trek.

Here is an article on the new Camp Strake:

http://m.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-area-Boy-Scouts-of-America-post-shows-off-10983125.php