Sabattis Adventure Camps Adirondack Trek Program

Boy Scout Troops/Venturing Crews

 Unbelievably Awesome Adirondack Light weight Canoe and Backpack Treks!

Imagine yourself here:

• Lightweight Kevlar Canoes

• Canoe, Backpack and Fishing Treks!

• 6 million acres of wilderness to explorer -

 The Adirondack Park, NY

• 43 Mountains (over 4,000' to climb), 1500 miles of backpack trails and 1000 miles of canoe routes.

• Base at Sabattis Adventure Camp in the heart of it all (Guides/Equipment/Hot Showers)

• Top notch trained Adirondack Voyageur Guides equipment and food. 

• Scouts/Venturers LOVE Adirondack Treks - memories of a lifetime

• Best way to prepare for a Philmont Trek.

• Coach bus service available from northern NJ areas

• We do all the planning and logistics which makes it EASY for our adult leaders.

"In the eyes of a Scout on a Sabattis Adirondack Trek" Movie click here

  

        Sabattis Adventure Camp provides opportunities weekly for up to a hundred miles of wilderness trekking dependent upon the ability level of the participants. Canoeing or backpacking in accordance with the Outdoor Code and the Leave No Trace philosophy will ensure a Trek that will be both educational and fun.

All this, when combined with the Adirondack Experience, will make this a trip to remember.

Trek Table of Contents

50 miler Award	Training/Preparation for a Trek
Base Camp Information	Trek Guide
Equipment & Recommendations	Trek Openings/Fees/Trek Connections
Fishing Licenses	Waterproofing
Qualifications for all Treks	Weather
Registration for Treks

Full Trek Guide:

        Sabattis Adventure Camp Trek Guide

Notes from 3/13/10 Trek meeting

Trek Openings/Fees:

        Trek Availability - 2010

        Trek Fees

 

Registration:

         Trek Reservation Form

 

        Please contact the Camping Services Department to get linked up with another smaller unit if your unit wants to link with another one. Also see the Trek Availability Guide.

 

Trek Connections:

        Do you need more participants for a trek?  Check this page out to view other units who are looking to link with another unit to go out on trek.   Sabattis Trek Connections.

 

Fishing Licenses

        According to the NY Department of Environmental Conservation - anyone 16 and over will be required to have a Fishing License to fish on state lands.

 

        Licenses can be purchased at:

       

        Online:                        N.Y. State Online License System (DECALS)

 

        Tupper Lake, NY:      Raquette River Outfitters

                                          1754 State Route 30

                                          518-359-3228   

 

        Long Lake, NY:         Hoss's Country Corner

                                          Corner of Route 30/28N

                                          (518) 624-2481                     

         

Get a chance to canoe in a Kevlar Canoe!

Sabattis offers a full service trek program. All of our treks are approved under the strict regulations of the New York State Health Department, the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Boy Scouts of America. Sabattis Adventure Camp’s Trekking Program holds certificates from both the New York State Health Department and the Boy Scouts of America. All of our treks hold permits from the Department of Environmental Conservation. Sabattis Adventure camp has the ability to provide your group with backpacking food, transportation to and from the trail heads, Department of Environmental Conservation permits, midpoint food drops when necessary, Kevlar canoes, paddles and PFDs, canoe-trailer portaging service when needed (or possible), and a hot shower at the end of your trek! All of our Adirondack Trek Guides are trained by the Boy Scouts of America's National Camping School.

You get all this plus bus transportation from northern New Jersey at about a quarter of the cost for a Philmont or Northern Tier trek.

A 50-75 mile Adirondack Trek should be looked upon as a graduation exercise, testing what the participants have learned from troop camping. Careful planning and preparation are required if one is to meet the challenges of health, safety and comfort when facing the diverse weather, terrain and water conditions of the Adirondacks. Coping successfully with the elements using only what one carries on one’s back can be an exhilarating experience for both adults and scouts who have never tested themselves before. The participants return to camp at the end of the treks with greater self confidence and increased leadership ability.

 

Why go on a Sabattis Trek?

·        Enjoy the real nature setting

·        Add a challenge to your senior scouts

·        Scouts will build cohesion between each other – building a successful troop program

·        A BSA trained Voyageur that goes with you makes it fun!

 

Troops can participate in the trekking program in one of three ways:

Full Troop Participation:

The ideal situation is for a troop to attend Sabattis Adventure Camp for one week or longer. The underage (less than 13 years old) scouts remain in camp working on merit badges and their camping and trekking skills while the older and more experienced scouts spend the week on trek. This is the best of all situations for the scoutmaster and his assistants. It is not uncommon for about a third of the troop to go on trek. Some troops send a group up a week early to go on trek. When they return, they spend the following week relaxing in camp with the rest of the troop while they work on merit badges and participate in other programs

Split Troop Participation:

The troop splits with one group attending another scout camp while the older scouts participate in a trek out of Sabattis. This works well for those troops having a number of scouts attending summer camp for the first time while they also want to provide a challenge to the more experienced scouts.

Philmont-type Treks:

Many troops use Sabattis as a trek base camp without participating in the regular summer camp program. These troops or groups arrive at Sabattis and are assigned transient camp sites where they spend the day of arrival checking in and preparing for their trek. The participants are away from camp for the remainder of the week, returning to camp in time to clean up and pack for the trip home. Some groups are provisional units formed of a few boys each from different troops under leaders appointed by the District or Council. This is an excellent way of providing older and more experienced scouts with a special program better suited to meet their age and skill level requirements

Trek Qualifications:

Treks are governed by the rules and regulations of the New York State Board of Health, Department of Environmental Conservation and by The Boy Scouts of America.

 

The number of participants is limited to control environmental impact at the many campsites and along the trails. Canoe treks may have no more than 12 participants (11 scouts and scouters and 1 Voyageur). Those groups backpacking the High Peaks Wilderness areas may have no more than 8 in their group (7 scouts and scouters and 1 Voyageur). Only one adult (over 21) participant is required on treks since our Voyageur can serve double duty as the second adult –thus satisfying the BSA “two deep leadership” requirement.  Note: you will need to provide two-deep leadership for
Saturday and Sunday while in base-camp.  If you have questions about this requirement, please contact Camping Services. Also, there are camping sites limited to 6 (Saranac Lake) or 9 (Lows Lake) people and if your group must split up you will need additional adult leaders. If your canoe group has 10 or more participants including the Voyageur, a permit must be obtained from the DEC Ranger in the area in which the trek is planning to camp, Sabattis Adventure Camp staff will obtain this permit for your group. Check with the Trek Director for additional information/clarification.

 

Because of these rules and regulations, it is of the utmost importance that the Camp administration knows where your trek is going at least two weeks before the camp season begins. (Camp staff usually reports the last full week of June, so let us know who the adult(s) leading the group will be and about your proposed route by June 15^th at the latest—June 1^st would be even better!)

 

Minimum/Maximum Number of Participants:

Sabattis Adventure Camp requires a minimum of six (6) participants (not including a Voyageur) on all treks.

If you choose to go backpacking, you need either six or seven participants (not including a Voyageur—he would make 8).  (The DEC’s maximum of eight in a group in the High Peaks areas plays a role here.)

Canoe treks may have from six to eleven (11) participants (not including a Voyageur—he would make 12). (The DEC’s maximum of 12 on the canoe routes plays a role here.)

(Those treks that are combinations of paddling with a day hike are considered canoe treks since you will be camping in the canoe areas.)

Units having less than the minimum may be consolidated to with another unit or have individual trekkers attached to it to bring it up to the minimum/maximum numbers.

 

Age Requirement:

All trek participants must be 13 years of age or older.

 

Did you know?      

 

Hamilton County, NY where Sabattis is located - is the least populated county east of the Mississippi River

Medical Forms:

All trek participants, regardless of age, must submit a current Annual Health and Medical Record (this form must be filled out and signed annually by a licensed physician) to the camp Health Officer upon arrival at Sabattis Adventure Camp in order to participate in any trek activities. A copy of this form will be carried on the trek by the Voyageur in case of emergency.

There can be no exceptions to this rule.

 

Please make sure that the Annual Medical Record form is completely filled out for both youth and adult members before coming to camp:

• All areas completely filled out

• Doctors/Parent or Guardian signature

• Immunization Record has dates

• Health Care Practitioners signature and date

• Last physical was within ONE year of the date going out on Trek

Swim Tests:

In the case of canoe treks, all participants—scouts and adults—must pass the BSA swim test. There are no exceptions to this rule.   This test consist of jumping into water over your head feet first, leveling off, swimming 75 yards/meters with at least one turn using a strong stroke on your stomach or side, then swimming 25 yards/meters using a resting back stroke (not a racing stroke, it must have a pause or glide in it i.e. the elementary back stroke) and finally demonstrating the ability to float for approximately a minute.  If the adult leaders are unable to pass the swim test your trek will be cancelled without refund, you may stay and participate in the regular camp schedule.  If a scout is unable to pass the test the camp administration will try to place the scout with a troop in camp for the week.   Everyone should be certain that they can pass the swim test prior to arriving at camp. 

 

Personal flotation devices (PFDs) will be worn at all times while in the canoes and may only be removed when on shore.

 

Equipment:

The camp will supply canoes, PFDs, paddles, food, and transportation to drop-off and from pick-up sites as well as any arranged portages. In addition, our Voyageurs will have cooking stoves, cooking gear, bear bags and lines, water jugs, water purification tablets and other reasonable equipment for use by the trek group.

 

Troops must supply their own personal gear including tents, sleeping bags and packs. (See the equipment checklists for more details. Anything listed under Group Gear can be provided by Sabattis Adventure Camp—but feel free to bring your own)

 

Use the following equipment lists as a base line from which to pack.  Prior to embarking on trek, your Voyageur will be conducting a “Shakedown”.  During the Shakedown, everyone will be expected to empty their packs while the Voyageur makes recommendations on specifically what to bring and what not to bring.  Your Voyageur has a wealth of outdoor experience at his or her disposal, so his or her recommendations may differ slightly from the equipment lists. 

 

The ultimate goal is to bring exactly what you need; no more, no less.  Please don’t be offended if you are asked to leave something behind; there is generally a good reason for not bringing it on trek.

 

 

Group Gear

This gear can be provided by Sabattis Adventure Camp but feel free to bring your own.

 

First Aid Kit

2 Adirondack Canoe Maps and/or topographic maps of the trails you will be hiking*

1 dining fly

1 bear bag

1 bear bag rope

Cooking pots and pans

Cooking utensils

2 backpacking stoves

2 fuel bottles (with fuel)

Water purification tablets and/or filter

Camp trowel

 

* You might want to purchase some of these maps in advance to help plan for your trek.

Waterproofing:

          Waterproofing your gear can be done in two ways:

             1.     Using your frame pack – all clothes and equipment should be stored in the frame pack with each area of the frame pack packed in a ZipBloc bag .  Two gallon ZipBloc bags work best.  Make sure you bring extra ZipBloc bags.  The frame pack can be stored inside a large heavy duty contractor bag and tied on the top.  Please bring an extra contractor bag as a spare.

             2.      Wetbags – Large Wetbags can be used to store your gear while on canoe Treks.  Clothes should be placed in ZipBloc bags to protect them.  Make sure you bring extra ZipBloc bags.

 

50 Miler Award:    Application can be found here

Weather:

          The weather at Sabattis Adventure camp can range to clear and sunny in the 80s to clear and cool at night with lows sometimes in the 40s.   Please check the weather prior to coming to camp.  Long Lake, NY zip code is 12847.

Training and Preparation:

Fundamentals of Trek Preparation by Mighty Mike

All participants must attend an in-camp briefing on rules and procedures prior to trek departure.

 

It is strongly recommended that all scouts going on a canoe trek have the Canoeing Merit Badge or equivalent canoe experience. Trekkers (scouts and scouters) planning to head into the High Peaks should be in good physical condition. Even carrying just your daypack, climbing any one of the top ten High Peaks can be trying. Attempting to do several in a few days can be a strenuous experience.

 

Any Questions, please contact the Sabattis Trek Director.