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Summer Camp

For the past decade, Troop 19 has attended Boy Scout summer camp at Canyon Camp located in Northern Illinois. This extended camping experience takes place in June over the course of a week, is open to all scouts and is one of the highlights of the Scouting year.

Canyon camp is an old fashioned scout camp, with platform tents and bunks, and a dining hall. It offers a combination of activities suitable for younger and older Scouts. In addition to a first year camper program, and a first class emphasis, the camp provides a wide range of merit badges in scoutcraft, shooting, nature, and waterfront activities. Canyon Camp has an Outdoor Wilderness League for experienced Scouts and Scouters that can include rapelling, CPR, a canoe trip, and team building exercises.

Read about: Summer Camp 2002, Summer Camp 2000
 View: Our Web Photo Album of Pictures from Canyon Camp 2005

 

Advancement at Scout Camp

First Year Scouts are encouraged to take:

  • Swimming
  • Cooking (requires a list of meals planned with food prices - please bring with)
  • Environmental Science or a Craft-type badge (leather worker, etc.)
  • First Class Emphasis program.  (5-mile hikes are offered, compass work, etc... many of the requirements up through first class.)
  • Canyon Ranger program (program intent is to familiarize 1st year scouts with the program areas of the camp).

We know that Archery and Rifle Shooting look interesting, but those are difficult merit badges for first year scouts and there are open times to do shooting.  To shoot guns may require some extra money for the ammunition. 

Second Year Campers and older (Some merit badge items have items that need to be done before or after camp... please see www.meritbadge.com for information)

  • Canoeing
  • Camping (need 20 nights camping - 6 of which can come from a Summer Camp - may need a frame pack or borrow one)
  • Lifesaving
  • Nature
  • Pioneering
  • Wilderness Survival (sleep outside overnight!)
  • The craft merit badges
  • Citizenship merit badges
  • Astronomy

Boys 14 and older (adults included) can do the OWL program which teaches team problem solving, outdoor skills, things like rappelling and will tackle the high ropes course at Univ. of Wisconsin-Platteville.  If participating in the high ropes course, there is a transportation cost of $20.  Also, please consider Scout Lifeguard training.

Merit Badges Available at Scout Camp
Scouts can complete many merit badges while at camp. Many merit badges can be completely in their entirely while at camp; others require that the scout complete some paperwork at home either before or after camp.

Arts and Handicraft merit badges have additional fees of   $5.00 - $15.00 for Kits. Shot Gun Merit Badge has an additional charge for ammunition (3 Shots for $1.00).

For more information about which merit badges are being offered this year at camp, see the Canyon Camp Merit badge page.

For more information about merit badges, see www.meritbadge.com.

Other activities at camp
Free time to swim, hike, nap, canoe, finish merit badges, shooting, etc.  Scout competition Friday night.  Vespers.  Midnight swim, midnight hike.  Order of the Arrow callout.  Skits.

PARENTS can attend camp on Wednesday evening for supper and the Order of the Arrow calling out ceremony.  Visitor's meal is $5 for adults, $3 under 12. (Actually, you can visit anytime, but Wednesday night is when scouts can officially show merit badge work areas, etc.)  Arrive after 5:00, dinner from 6:00-6:45.  If staying for the Order of the Arrow ceremony you should bring a lawn chair and flashlight.

Directions
Take I-39 to Hwy 20 West.  Go through Stockton.  Watch for signs, which accompany a turn right on Canyon Park road.  Turn left on Townsend road/Scout Camp road.  Enter camp by Apple River.  There is a tiny hotel in Stockton.  Otherwise, Galena is 20 miles away.  Between Rockford and Stockton there are a couple other hotels.  It is a 3 hour trip each way.

We return to Normal Saturday late afternoon...hard to judge time since we need to check out of camp, etc. with all the other troops.  Sometimes we go to Galena for lunch, fudge, etc.

You can send camp mail to:

Boy's name, Troop 19
Canyon Camp BSA
4856 East Townsend Road
Stockton, IL  61085

For emergencies, you can call the Camp Director at 815-492-2175.  The camp does have a Chaplain and medic.

 

 

 

Camp Physical
All scouts and adults who are attending camp must bring a competed scout physical to camp. Boys should use the Class 1 & 2 physical form. This physical is good for three years, but canyon camp requires that parents update and sign the scout's medical history each year. Adults should use the Class 3 physical form. This physical is good for one year.

Medications
All medications, including over the counter, need to be in a baggie or bag with scout name, troop 19, and directions identified and given to the camp medic.  Inhalers and bee sting medication can be kept by the scout.  If a scout needs medication, they go to the medic.

Money at Scout Camp 
Scouts will need to have money for lunch up on Sunday, and lunch coming back at the end of the week.  Scouts will also need money for souvenirs from the Trading Post, which also sells flashlights, pins, patches, t-shirts, pop, candy, ice cream, etc.  It is a good idea to bring small bills for the trading post. In addition, some of the merit badges for crafts require $5 - $15 for materials, as do the shooting merit badges for ammunition (25 cents a shot).  See the list of Merit Badges offered at camp more more information.

If you wish, you may give an envelope with your scout's money (name and beginning amount) to a responsible adult going along.

Packing
You should pack two bags.  A big duffel bag or Frame Pack (a duffle bag is preferred) to pack in the trailer with your clothes and equipment for the week), and a smaller day pack with what you will need on Sunday before your larger pack is unloaded.  The smaller pack should have everything you need on Sunday upon arriving at camp (see below).  For first timers, note that we take a group picture first, then check medications with the camp medic, then do swim test, THEN get into our campsite.  Then we have dinner, and after dinner, merit badges are explained by camp staff, and we officially sign up then.  After that, is opening campfire.

Smaller daypack for Sunday should have:

  • Swimsuit and towel
  • Water bottle with water
  • Scout book
  • List of merit badges that you want to take (have an alternate in case times conflict)
  • Money
  • Medications.

 

Your Pack for the Week should have:

  • Bug Repellent
  • Sun Screen.
  • Flashlight and extra batteries.
  • Personal Bathroom gear (toothbrush, etc.)
  • Mess Kit
  • First aid stuff (minus over the counter drugs)
  • A watch is a good idea. Bells are rung to announce important times but a watch helps.
  • Rain gear (poncho! It always rains at camp!)
  • Extra Shoes.  (Some merit badges such as canoeing will require you to get your shoes wet in order to practice swamping a canoe and getting back in while in the river.)
  • Extra Socks.  Please.  PLEASE.
  • Sleeping bag and pillow.  We sleep on cots in a 2-man platform tent. 
  • Extra money.
  • Belt
  • Boy Scout and troop t-shirts are encouraged.
  • Coat for cool nights.
  • Shorts for warm days.
  • Baggy long pants and button down long sleeve shirt for swimming merit badge.
  • Paper or Notepad and pencils or pens for merit badge notes.  Some merit badges require a one page report. 
  • Book to read or cards.
  • Merit Badge specific items (see below)
  • Twine for a clothesline. VERY helpful to dry out clothes.
  • Duct Tape
Any snack food will be kept in the troop trailer so we don't attract raccoons or hungry scouts from the next campsite.  Again, you can buy snacks at the canteen during designated hours.

 

 

 

 

 
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