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As the name indicates, you’d expect the facilities and programming to be geared towards Scout aged youth or older. However during our fall planning meetings with our Cub Pack, one of the top items was to ‘camp on an island’. Knowing the challenges of taking younger youth on an adventure that required a whole host of skills, we as Scouters set out looking for a location that would fulfil the island park but still put us in a location that was safe and had some additional supports should we need them (i.e. not out in the Algonquin backcountry). One of our Scouters being a former HSR staff brought the idea of taking the Cubs north for the week - we could in fact camp on an island and have programming available but also the flexibility to go on day hikes or just hang out on site if we choose. 

We had nothing to lose by enquiring if in fact Cub Packs could attend HSR, and to our surprise we were greeted with a warm welcome and ‘We’d love to have you here’. With the wide range of activities there are certainly some geared more towards the older youth like Riflery, Climbing and Repelling so we did not add those to our week's activities, but did make the stop while at camp to show the youth what they can look forward to if they come back as a Scout. 

Once we had the OK to move forward, as a group we talked with the families and explained what a week away at camp would look like. For a lot of our Cubs they had only ever been away for 2 nights, and we were looking at 7 nights plus everything else that went along with it (like loading the barges, setting up camp and actually living together as a Pack for a week). With Scouters, parents and youth all on board the next step was how are we going to fund our adventure. With less than 8 months until camp we had to set a budget that included registration and our food costs. Thanks to the Grizzy Den Grant along with help from our group we ran a few different fundraisers to help cut the overall cost down. All youth were able to fund over 80% of their trip by the end of June. 

The second part to a week away at camp was assessing the skills of the youth that would be joining us. Having seasoned youth and some that were in their first year we needed to work on bringing everyone up to approximately the same level in a short period of time. With the canoe being our main mode of transportation we put a lot of emphasis on paddle skills both on and off the water. We planned 2 canoe skills Saturdays with the focus on not only being able to paddle but also what to do if your canoe flipped. We planned/attended 5 camps leading up to HSR and used all the same gear that would be travelling with us, exposing the youth to everything it would take as a group to have a great week. We took various meals from all the previous camps and worked with the youth to plan a menu taking into account safe food storage and activities throughout the week ie:some days we wouldn’t be back on the site for lunch, or having a backup meal due to the weather. We spent a meeting going over how to pack a bag for camp, reviewing the pack list and how important each thing was. We reviewed basic first aid skills and each youth made a personal first aid kit that could be carried in their day packs. 

As Scouters we did all of the equipment prep, we organized and stored food based on what would be needed when both in the freezer and dry bins, we also packed extra activities (slack line, ring toss, card games and simple craft supplies). We made list after list to ensure that we had everything we needed and then some before loading up both trailers and heading out. A tip shared with us was to pack using totes whenever possible, this was a total game changer for us! Not only was the gear protected against the elements, but it made loading the trailer and then the barge so much easier. 

Arrival at camp was chaotic to say the least - you are in a central parking lot with all the other groups preparing to head out for their week as well, but the staff were organized and helpful and it wasn’t long before we were on the barge heading to our site. Watching our Cubs take in every second of the trip across the lake, we knew it was just the beginning of what was to become an unforgettable week. 

We spent the week hiking, canoeing, exploring and just generally enjoying the outdoors. While we had a few hiccups throughout the week, all the planning ahead of time helped to make them small and manageable. Our Cubs participated in badge training, regatta and camp wide campfire. While the regatta was aimed at Scouts and Vents, our Cubs had no problem jumping in there and giving it their best. 

Overall, it was a lot of learning, planning and preparing - but we left Haliburton with a date in mind for summer of 2025. Having one week under our belt as Scouters will certainly help this year as we are posed to take a larger group of Cubs back to Pal Point for what I’m sure will be another memorable week 

Hello Scouters!

If you’ve never camped at HSR before, preparing meals to feed hungry Scouts and Scouters may seem to be a daunting task, there is no pizza delivery on the lake!  It is completely doable though to have great meals.  We have even made French fries and Eggs Benedict at camp, for a group of 30!

My first suggestion, is cook any meats you’re bringing with you, and freeze them.  Chicken, souvlaki, ground beef or stew beef for chili, can be pre-cooked, and just browned over the fire. We also like to make pulled pork for first night camp.  This saves greatly on cleanup at camp, and reduces the risk of spoilage.  The frozen meats also help keep your other fresh food cold, without needing as much ice.

Consider dividing your chilled and fresh foods into two coolers, one for the first half of the week, and one for the second.  Tape the second one shut with duct tape all the way around, write “Open Wednesday” on it, and keep it in a shady spot.  It will stay cold (dependent on weather and the cooler, this is not guaranteed).

For mornings when you have early activities, a quick breakfast of a bagel and spread, a piece of fruit, and some trail mix, provides energy for the canoe trip to H dock.  If you will be away from your site all day, have each camper make themselves a sandwich to take, and some snacks.  To change things up, we sometimes bring lunch fixin’s to H dock and make the lunches there, so the sandwiches don’t get so squished and soggy.  Hard boiling some eggs, and bringing them in the carton, provides a “side” with some staying power.  Finish off with a trip to the Trading Post for a treat!

When you get back from afternoon activities, a snack break including some fruit drink, and salty chips, helps replace electrolytes lost in sweating, and fends off heat stroke.  Kind of like sports drinks, but cheaper and with fewer plastic bottles.

The Country Store is a great help!  They stock a variety of groceries including bread, cereals, milk, eggs, bacon, chicken, ground beef, fresh fruit and vegetables, canned goods, drink mix, marshmallows, and have the best Nanaimo bars in multiple varieties.  You can replenish your ice, propane, naptha, paper goods and trash bags.  In addition, you can place orders, which will be picked up in town, and arrive at the store the next day for pickup.  You can even pre-order before you arrive, and pick up on Monday.  

It’s great to know you don’t have to bring everything with you, and can be flexible about meals as you go through the week.  This is how we decided to tackle French Fries and Eggs Benedict, with input from the campers and being able to get our ingredients for these meals later in the week.