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Outdoor Skills
A Backpack Camping
Expedition
Ages 11-13
If you enjoy being outside, hiking, camping out, and learning in
nature with a small group of like-minded friends, then this program is for you. Check-in is Sunday
between 2:00 and 3:00 PM. The program ends with a family
program Friday from 2:00-2:30 PM.
The goal of Outdoor Skills is to learn how to have an enjoyable and
safe outdoor
experience with others through responsible decision-making and using
skills appropriate for natural conditions. The week will be spent
learning and practicing outdoor living skills, in the forests of the
W. Alton Jones Campus and the adjoining Arcadia Management Area.
Sunday through Tuesday morning will be spent on the W. Alton Jones
Campus. Sunday is devoted to moving in and meeting and getting to
know your fellow campers, junior counselors and counselors in your
Outdoor Skills field group. Sunday night also includes an “all
camp” campfire activity so you will meet and see other campers
and counselors in Earth Camp for the week. You will sleep in rustic
screen houses near the Poor Farm Base Camp, which has a bathhouse
nearby, and you will eat your meals in the dining hall through
Tuesday
breakfast.
On Monday and Tuesday you will learn skills that will help
you have meaningful outdoor experiences with little impact on the
natural environment. You will also learn skills that will help you
prepare and plan for your two-day backpacking trip such as:
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Map and compass reading
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Food preparation and storage
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Fire building
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Environmental hazards
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Dealing with Weather
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Using tents
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Using backpacking equipment
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Leave-no-trace camping techniques
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Basic ecology
Group-building activities will help you to get to know the other campers
in your group as well as your Counselors. This
is important since working together, good communication and understanding
each other’s needs is critical when in the backcountry. You
will have opportunities to swim, canoe if time permits and participate in some of
the all camp games, activities and campfires.
You will also learn how to pack all of the necessary equipment,
food and clothing for a two night backpacking trip. Your counselors
will teach you about backpacks: how to pick a pack that fits you
properly, adjust it for your size, pack it properly, put it on without
falling over and methods to stay comfortable when you hike.
On Tuesday morning you will head out on the trail, hiking and
taking in the scenery! Your backpacking trip will be a group effort.
As you hike it is important to help and encourage each other and
work together to find the trail. At the end of each day, when you
arrive at the campsite, everyone will share in the responsibilities
of setting up tents, cooking and cleaning up after supper. While
camping out along the hiking route, the group will practice leave-no-trace
camping techniques. This involves camping in a manner that little
mark is left on the land when you leave. Food is cooked over small
camp stoves, and pots and dishes are washed away from water sources
to avoid polluting. Other leave-no-trace practices include carrying
out trash, using biodegradable soap and properly disposing of human
waste. It is important to be as sensitive as possible to the natural
areas that you will visit.
Your hike will include two nights camping out and backpacking in the
Rhode Island forests of the 14,200-acre Arcadia Management Area and
the 2,300-acre W. Alton Jones Campus. Your backpack hike of 2-4
miles each day will include some of
Rhode Island’s nicest scenery. Some highlights include Step
Stone Falls, the Falls River, and Penny Hill. If the weather
is hot your group may even decide to enjoy a cool wade at the
falls. Your group will hike
back to camp on Thursday afternoon in time to get ready for dinner
in the dining hall and the closing campfire.
On Friday you and your group will help put away all of the equipment that
you used, and you will have a chance to reflect on the week, wrap-up
and have closing activities. After lunch, there is some time to
spend with new friends before the family program begins at 2:00. Sign-out
and goodbyes follow at 2:30 PM as the week comes to a close.
You are welcome to bring a backpack from home but it must fit
you and have adjustable shoulder straps and a hip belt.
Otherwise Alton Jones can provide a backpack for you. In
addition to the Earth Camp Packing List, here are a few items to
highlight or add:
__Sleeping pad for backpacking
__Sleeping bag with stuff sack for it to fit into
__2 Water bottles (one liter each) with tight sealing lids
__Rain gear (preferably jacket and pants)
__Warm clothes--it can get pretty cool at night even in summer
__Lightweight non-cotton clothes such as Underarmour shirts and
polyester shorts
__2 pairs of Wool or Smartwool hiking socks
__Bowl and spoon (or mess kit) for eating (preferably not metal)
__Trash bags and Ziplock bags to pack clothes and sleeping bag
in to keep it dry if it rains
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