Phat:

I said I started with Scouts - but as a leader, when my son joined up. I tend to agree with you - moreso since, around here, it's degenerated to being all about numbers: number of kids enrolled, number of dollars raised, number of child-abuse-awareness and drug-awareness presentations held, etc. Those things are important, but as a result the kids don't get out a whole lot.

I took over the backpacking program for the troop (back in the late 70s) when I only had a year's experience. I did the trips the same as my predecessor. My pivotal moment was when, after a fairly strenuous day, I overheard a kid say, very softly to his buddy, "I'm never going backpacking again." I knew a different approach was needed, in trip selection, gear, and training. So, I did some reading (enter St. Colin) and talking to others, and radically overhauled the way we ran it - and got severely criticized as a result! (Despite the fact that my new program produced the first 4 guys to earn the backpacking merit badge in over 20 years. I still hike regularly with one of those guys.) Shortly thereafter, we parted ways.

So, like I said, I started with Scouts - I just didn't stay with them. I still run the occasional backpacking trip for local troops - if they're willing to give up the insistence on 30 pound packs and following the merit badge handbook. But, mostly as a result of this forum, I've not lost hope. There are a lot of troops, particularly in the west, that do it right (because of, or despite, current official policy, I can't say.) Many of their leaders are the Scouter on this website.

Not sure what the point of this post was - maybe I can clarify it later - but it felt good to find someone who might understand.