Tetons Venture Crew

Troop 45, Daniel Webster Council, BSA

April 1998 - August 1998

The goal of this venture crew is to summit the Grand Teton in Wyoming during the first week of August, 1998. Because this trip will require a good degree of technical skill and good physical conditioning, there will be quite a few requirements for the members of the Venture Crew to ensure that every member of the summit team is fully prepared by August. Furthermore, since one unprepared member could jeopardize the success of the whole team while on the mountain, we will have an additional review just before we leave for Wyoming.

In July (specific date to be determined later), there will be a readiness review board for each member of the Venture Crew conducted by Dr. Brown and Mr. Noel. The purpose of this review board will be to make sure that all of the requirements listed below have been met. Additionally, the review will also include an oral exam covering the contents of the Troop 45 Mountaineering Manual and may ask Crew members to demonstrate critical skills (such as knots used in mountaineering). All Crew members must pass this board in order to be part of the summit team.

 

Requirements:

Advancement Requirements:

Each member of the Venture Crew must have earned the following by the end of July:

Skills Requirements:

All the skills contained in the Troop 45 Mountaineering Manual must be demonstrated to either Dr. Brown or Mr. Noel. There will be a checklist covering all the skills in the manual (similar to a blue card for merit badges) for each Venture Crew member that must be completely signed off by the end of July. Because other requirements such as Climbing Merit Badge focus more on sport climbing than on mountaineering, these skills must be passed off separately from any other advancement.

Physical Requirements:

This trip will require a lot of sustained physical activity at high altitude. Good aerobic conditioning is a must, both to overcome the mountain and the effects of the thin air. Strength training is not nearly as much of a concern - individual Crew members will be able to assess their own strengths and weaknesses as we progress. It will be the responsibility of each member of the Venture Crew to train appropriately (such as by running, cycling, hiking, rowing, swimming, etc.), although our training trips in July will stress backpacking and other forms of sustained aerobic activity. The final shakedown trip for the Venture Crew will be hard. It is designed to test physical conditioning as well as technical skills, and successful completion of the shakedown trip will be required.

Training Trip Requirements:

There is a schedule of Venture Crew training trips attached to this document. Currently, there are six trips planned in addition to the final shakedown trip. Members of the Venture Crew should attend every training trip possible. Absences must be for good reason and approved by either Dr. Brown or Mr. Noel. An absolute minimum of four trips will be required by each member of the crew, not including final shakedown trip. If additional training trips are scheduled, they can be counted towards this minimum of four. The final shakedown trip is mandatory.

Troop Participation Requirements:

Troop 45's policy on Venture Crew activities explicitly states:
Venture is a BSA program for older scouts. It operates within the regular troop structure and is not a substitute for normal troop functions and activities. . . . Venture participants are assumed to have made good progress in the regular troop program - merit badges, summer camp, outings - both in terms of advancement and participation. Venture Scouts are required to maintain an active involvement in regular troop activities.

Members of the Venture Crew are assumed to be old enough and responsible enough to take on the additional duties of preparing for a serious task such as mountaineering without neglecting their other obligations to the troop.

Equipment Requirements:

There is a list of personal equipment for this trip attached to this document. Although it is based in large part on the equipment list contained in the Troop 45 Mountaineering Manual, there are some differences specific to this trip. Group gear (such as ropes) will be provided by the troop.

Training Trip Schedule:

This is the current schedule for training trips for the Tetons Venture Crew. This schedule is subject to revision, and we may add additional trips if possible (trips that are added later and are not shown on this schedule will not be required, but it would be unwise to miss any opportunity to train). Specific times and meeting places will be arranged shortly before the trip.

Saturday, April 25:

Holt Trail on Mt. Cardigan: We will be scouting technical climbs for a future overnight trip. (Hiking / Technical climbing)

Saturday May 2:

Winslow crags in the afternoon after Greenup. (Technical climbing)

Saturday May 16:

Spring Morning or Winslow crags in the afternoon after the Pancake Breakfast. (Technical climbing)

Saturday June 13:

Day trip to Franconia Ridge (Hiking / Technical climbing)

Saturday June 27 - Sunday June 28:

Holt Trail on Mt. Cardigan: Technical climbs with a bivouac on the mountain over Saturday night. (Hiking / Technical climbing / Overnight)

Saturday July 11 - Sunday July 12:

This is a regular troop backpacking trip, but is considered a training trip for the Tetons Venture Crew for the sake of testing physical conditioning. The Tetons Venture Crew may have some additional activities on this trip. (Hiking / Overnight / possible technical climbing)

Saturday July 25 - Monday July 27:

Required Shakedown Trip: This will be a strenuous, two-night backpacking trip to Pinkham Notch that will cover some hard terrain and allow us a chance to do technical climbing as well. We will climb Huntington's Ravine and will probably be camping around Spaulding Lake one night. Note that this trip is immediately after summer camp. Venture Crew members at camp the week before this trip will be leaving directly from camp for this trip. Remember that this trip is designed to test aerobic conditioning that will be necessary at higher altitudes and successful completion of this trip is required for members of the summit team. (Hiking / Technical climbing / Overnight)

 

Personal Equipment List:

Note that there will be assigned group gear for this trip (such as ropes) that will not appear on this list. Please keep this in mind while packing, and keep it light!

Clothing:

Personal Equipment:

Cooking Equipment:

Camping Equipment:

Technical Equipment:

Required:

Optional, but Recommended: