Outdoors and Adventures
2021–2022 was all about getting outside and back to nature. This is where Scouting thrives; around the campfire, on the trail, in the backcountry or even in the local park. Adventure this year was all about getting out to Scout and learning by doing and the outdoors provided Scouts with a plethora of great Adventures!
'Survivorman' Les Stroud
This Year, Scouts Canada announced the appointment of award-winning Canadian outdoor adventurer and survival expert, Les Stroud, best known as TV's Survivorman, as our new Chief Scout. Les was officially welcomed in November during a special investiture ceremony at Camp Samac in Oshawa; Les Stroud joined a group of excited Scouts in participating in a sneak peek of The Claim the Flame Challenge.
As Chief Scout, Les Stroud continues to serve as an ambassador for Scouts Canada nationally and internationally; attend major events including jamborees and award ceremonies; share his outdoor expertise through interactions with Scouting youth, Scouters, and parents; and serves as a role model to motivate and inspire young members to pursue adventure, discover their interests and put their best foot forward on the trail and in life.
Camp Samac Wins Award for Best Summer Camp
This year, our Camp Samac, located in Oshawa/Whitby (Ont.), won three (3) Readers' Choice Awards (3) for the three nominations it received:
Best Kids Camp
(Diamond / 1st Place)
Best Summer Camp
(Diamond / 1st Place)
Best Kids Activity
(Gold / 3rd Place)
These awards are given out by region across Ontario. Nominations for these awards open annually for the public to show their show their "appreciation and vote for the businesses, people, and service providers, who make the community great.
Last summer, the camp welcomed 1136 Day Campers & 112 Senior Programs participants over the course of nine weeks in July/August 2022 — helping more youth to safely discover the outdoors, make friends and develop character and confidence.
Kudos to all the hard-working crew at Camp Samac for providing such an incredible Scouting experience to all the families this summer.
My son had a fantastic week. We have nothing but wonderful things to say. I will be taking advantage of the early bird offer next year, and I'll be registering him for multiple weeks. According to me, his experiences were worth every penny. I'm also very thankful for your Covid protocols. As immunocompromised, I appreciated it SO much. Thank you, and I hope the rest of the summer goes well.
I wanted to thank you both once again. My son had a huge cry last night, and he is moping around this morning. He is going to miss it so much! I think he finally found something he really could enjoy -aside from his video games. Thank you for being able to find the right buttons and for letting him see he could do the things he didn't think he could do.
Camps Statistics
96% agreed property was prepared to accommodate Covid-19
94% would return to this or another Scouts Canada property
Over 2,500 bookings at our properties in the 2021-2022 Scouting year.
Over 2,000 participants (2,005) in summer camp programming at Camp Samac, Camp McLean and Adventureland held at Woodland trails including day camp, counsellor in training (CIT) and Leadership Training (LT). 97% sold out.
Wilderness Rendezvous 50th anniversary
2021–2022 marked the 50th Anniversary of Wilderness Rendezvous (WR). WR is a nine-day Scout camp located in the West Block of Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park in Saskatchewan Council. Wilderness Rendezvous provides the opportunity for youth to connect with nature in an environment rich with plants, animals, and birds of Saskatchewan, which is also one of the few native areas of the province and a natural phenomenon untouched by the glaciers of the past. Youth hiked, utilized skills and survival techniques for backcountry camping, and lived in this area, exposed to ideas and techniques that will help preserve the land for future years. Youth improve their outdoor skills and expand their general Scouting skills and knowledge in a collaborative, trusting, and supportive environment. Skills including orienteering, map and compass reading, foraging, teamwork, and basic survival knowledge are integral to their success during this 9-day Adventure.
This year included the 3rd Annual Wilderness Rendezvous Hiking Challenge. The objective of the challenge is to encourage everyone to get outside and get hiking. The goal for each participant was to hike a total of 25 kilometres (a minimum hike of 2 kilometres). Once registered, participants enjoyed health and fitness, quality family time, bragging rights and, best of all, a commemorative badge! Hikers put on their boots and trudge the trails across Canada: Sutherland Falls in British Columbia, Birds Hill Provincial Park in Manitoba, Cougar Caves in Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Trent Ridge in Alberta, and the Giant Trail in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park in Ontario…
Speaking of sleeping giants……Dan Tapley Story
A giant came to life when Scouter Dan Tapley (1st Paris Group) and his son, Chase, decided to take on the Giant Trail. Choosing epic hikes was born from a camping tradition that started several years ago, where Dan would take his son and a friend's son camping. They typically chose camping areas where next-level hikes could be found. In the past, that was The Crack in Killarney or Track and Tower in Algonquin Park. Having never been to Lake Superior and with The Giant being one of the tallest cliffs in Ontario, this seemed like just the place to hike and participate in the Wilderness Rendezvous Hiking Challenge.
The most amazing part of the hike was sitting on top of The Giant and looking out over Lake Superior and the surrounding area. Absolutely stunning! like any good adventure, the pictures pale in comparison to the experience, and like any good Scout, Dan and Chase were prepared for the most “challenging” part of the hike. While descending, Dan tripped and face-planted into the ground. Being prepared is what Scouts are, and so they had first aid supplies at the ready to dress the gash on his forehead and continue their descent. A return to the beginning is the hallmark of any successful adventure. Mission accomplished!
Hiking, in general, has been something Dan and Chase typically do on a Saturday when Dan’s wife is working. One of the most inspiring things to come out of a hike would be last year when they learned a family cat had passed away while they were camping. Chase was very quiet on the trail the next day. Dan continued to check in when Chase finally threw his hands up in the air and said, "I'm OK, but sometimes I just need to hear the sound of the woods." It was at that moment that Dan realized the hike was helping Chase more than he ever could.