Senior Scout Hike Challenge

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The Challenge

Form a Patrol, select a Patrol Leader, plan, organise and carry out a 3-day, 2-night overnight hike and camp out under the stars, or in separate tents, or a hut ensuring the locality is safe. The hike requires a minimum of 4 senior Scouts who need to complete a number of tasks.

The route should be at least:

  • 40km if on the flats or undulating paths. This is defined as a route where you never gain more than 600m on any one day.
  • 25km if in the mountains where conditions are more trying. This is defined as a route where you gain more than 600m on any one day.

Complete the mandatory tasks and a selection of the optional tasks and you will qualify for the Senior Scout Hike Challenge event badge.

Mandatory Tasks

basa hikeComplete the tasks 1,2, 3, 4 and 5 below as a Patrol:

  1. Summit a 2000m peak or reach a suitable challenging destination. Scouts should wear a Scouts South Africa purple shirt at this peak or destination, take a selfie or video clip and post on Instagram or Facebook.
  2. Cook one supper from raw ingredients e.g. Spaghetti Bolognese.
  3. Add hashtag #seniorscoutchallenge2020 and @SAScout to all your social media posts that revolve around the Senior Scout Hike Challenge.
  4. Ask the SCOUTS SA Facebook and/or SCOUTS SA Instagram admins to review your social media posts with a view to them being shared at www.facebook.com/SAScout or https://instagram.com/scoutssa
  5. Take at least 5 action photographs (can be taken with your phone) and email them to natasha.kayle@scouts.org.za to potentially be included in SSA’s promotional materials.

Optional Tasks

Choose 6 out of the below 8 tasks and complete as a Patrol:

  1. Research the history of the area you hike in and post a short historical account on Instagram or Facebook to embellish your photographic posts.
  2. Make a negative plaster cast of an animal footprint that you find on the hike.
  3. Make a positive plaster cast of the animal footprint you created in task 2.
  4. Using a GPS preferably, or a cell phone, post a track of your route on Instagram or Facebook OR using a 1:50,000 hardcopy or softcopy topographical map, plot the route you hiked and post on Instagram or Facebook.
  5. Place photographs of your activities, people, interesting views on Instagram or Facebook.
  6. Create a login at inaturalist.org and join the Scouts SA project by clicking on “Join” at https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/scouts-south-africa. You must complete task 7 or task 8 below.
  7. Photograph five different indigenous flowering plants and upload to inaturalist.org where they will be identified. Add the Scouts SA project to each observation.
  8. Photograph five different animals (mammals, birds, reptiles, invertebrates, etc.) and upload to inaturalist.org where they will be identified. Add the Scouts SA project to each observation.

General Info

Honeydew Scout Group Drakensberg HikeAll the SCOUTS SA Covid-19 protocols, safety precautions and documentation needs to be completed. Check the SCOUTS SA website for the latest updates at https://www.scouts.org.za/members/covid-19-info-for-members/.

Date:

The Challenge starts on 1 December 2020 and lasts until 24 January 2021.  This means that the hike, social media posts, etc. must be completed by 24 January 2021.

Who can join the hike:

  • The Challenge is for senior Scouts over the age of 14½ and the hike needs to be sufficiently challenging for this age group.
  • Rovers and Scouters may form their own all-adult team and complete the challenge and earn the badge.

Registration:

Scout Patrols comprising a minimum of 4 Scouts or 4 adults should register their intention to take part in the Senior Scout Hike Challenge with the RTC Scout Programme or Regional Coordinator Land Activities in the Region.

Planning should be approved by the Troop Scouter and then submitted for Regional approval to RTC Scout Programme or Regional Coordinator Land Activities in the Region.

How to claim your badge:

Your word is your honour. The Senior Scout Hike Challenge badges will be available at the National Scout Shop by the end of January 2021. Scouters may purchase them on behalf of participating Scouts and Rovers. This event badge is to be worn on the uniform in accordance with the SCOUTS SA Uniform Policy.

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