Off to the Summit

This summer, 40,000 Boy and Venture Scouts are boarding a plane and heading to the 2013 National Jamboree in West Virginia.

The Jamboree is the first major event at a brand-new Scout camp, the Summit Bechtel Reserve (SBR), that has been under construction for the past two years. Newly completed, the 10,600 acre high adventure camp is now readying itself for an influx of Scouts as everyone arrives on July 15th for the start of the ten-day Jamboree.

And this Jamboree is going to be bigger than ever before. With practically every high adventure activity that can possibly be imagined, participants will find it hard to visit everything before the week is up. The site boasts several pools for scuba and swimming, a manmade rock climbing arena, and a gigantic canopy tour, where zip lines zigzag through a forest. There are also archery ranges, two mountain bike areas, a skate park, and BMX tracks scattered through the activity areas. Dead smack in the middle of the camp is the Scott Summit Center, which contains smaller activity areas for visitors to the Jamboree, and the giant arena for the two stadium shows that the entire Jamboree contingent will attend.

This year, the local Boy Scout Council, Pacific Skyline, is sending a troop and two Venture Crews to the National Jamboree. Venturing is a co-ed portion of Boy Scouting, and this year is the first Jamboree in which Venture Crews are participating. Pacific Skyline Crew F203 and Crew F403 are off to a new adventure!