Troop 230
Eagle River,  Alaska
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Departure date: July 29, 2008. Return date: Aug 10, 2008; approx 6pm

Departure time: Meet at 8am at the Lions to depart

Special Requirement: Bring a bag lunch to be eaten on the first day of the car trip

Wear: We will depart in a full class "A" Scout Uniform, and we will represent Troop 230, and the Boy Scouts of America as we interface with the public during the trip down to Whitehorse. We will be crossing into a foreign country, and clearing customs, and its imperative that every single scout going have a full uniform with neckerchief when we depart. All scouts should also have a Troop 230 T-shirt, which will serve as our uniform on many days. The uniform is important--in the car we will wear our uniform, and we will have pictures days during the trip where it will also be the thing to wear. The nylon zipoff uniform pants are perfect for this trip.

Pack two bags: #1 is a car bag, which should contain some snacks and a bag lunch for the first day, as well as stuff you will need during the day. Keep your rain gear in this bag, so if we stop somewhere and it is raining you will have it to put on. #2 is your main clothing bag which should be packed in a "dry bag". Dry bags are specifically made for canoe trips and are totally waterproof if they are closed and sealed properly. Everything that goes in the canoe should be in a dry bag, including the sleeping bags and clothing items. During the car trip, during the day these dry bags will be locked in a pickup truck and will not be available until we reach the campsites in the evening.

Electronics: Electronics such as games and MP3 players can provide entertainment during the two day drive to and from Whitehorse, Canada. If brought, they MUST have the scouts name on them. These items tend to be expensive and small, and high value items can be lost and experience has shown that they get ruined easily on a canoe trip (wet). If left in an unattended vehicle for ten days they can also end up getting stolen. Cell phones will work in Canada but primarily only in the town of Whitehorse. That said, international roaming charges can be very high depending on the specifics of the plan you have. Consequently, I do not recommend that the boys bring them.

Required Items: *Optional +Worn

Advancement Opportunities: We will be working on the BSA 50 Miler Award, parts of the Canoeing Merit Badge, and have the opportunity to work on a multitude of requirements for Camping, Wilderness Survival, as well as many other badges scouts choose to bring with them. If scouts complete a rank we can accomplish a board of review if they have their Boy Scout Handbook with them.

OTHER INFORMATION ON THE TRIP:

This expedition is our high adventure trip  for the summer, and is for boys in the troop who have shown they have the skills and demonstrated proficiency to undertake a trip of this magnitude.   Last summer we hiked the Chilkoot Trail, and ended our adventure on the shores of Lake Bennett, where the gold minors spent the winter of 1898 building boats and dreaming of gold in the lands north of their location.   When the ice went out in the spring, they headed off towards Whitehorse, traveling down the swift and mighty Yukon all the way to Dawson City.   This year we are continuing their journey, and will canoe almost 300 river miles as we follow their adventure.     We are taking a maximum of 24 people to the Yukon from July 29 through Aug 10. Total cost of this expedition has been set at $540, which will cover the camping fees, canoe rentals, chartered transportation ferry service, fuel for the drivers, and the food. This price is a good value, especially considering the high cost of fuel. This is a 1600 mile trip into a foreign country (Canada) and those going will be canoeing down the mighty Yukon River from Whitehorse towards Dawson City, and we will paddle all the way down the infamous Lake LeBarge, where Robert Service wrote his story about the "Cremation of Sam McGee."     

           After nine days on the river, we will end at Tatchun Creek after running the infamous "Five Fingers Rapids."  This trip is going to be way cool, and if you are mature enough and have the experience to make this kind of a trip then it is definitely time to get your name on the list!    For more than a week we will travel hundred of miles through pristine wilderness and untouched and unspoiled beauty, away from any road and far from any civilization.    You will swim and play and laugh and have fun like never before, and you will have the chance to see the remains of the old cabins that the minors used during the Klondike gold rush, see the old stumps from the trees they cut down, and look at the ruins that they left behind.    You will even get to see one of the original steamboats, still sitting on a remote island, where it was dry docked for repairs that never came.    It sits today as a testament to a time and a place long past and today can only be imagined.    This is a historic trip, and right out of the pages of yesterday.   On this trip, if you have what it takes, you will experience scouting at its very best, and without question, you will live a trip that you will never forget.   The Yukon river flows at 7 knots, and all scouts going will have to have the ability to handle a canoe and make it go where they want it to.    It is highly recommended to have the canoeing merit badge and everyone has to have passed the BSA swimmer’s test. 

   Take this link to see pictures from the last expedition down the Yukon River (2004)--->PICTURES

Specifics:
    Cost:  $ 540
    Customs:  Everyone going must have proof of US citizenship.   We will be crossing an international border and clearing customs twice.  If your son will have any medications they must be in their original container and if they are a prescription then they cannot be expired and the name on the bottle must match the name of the individual carrying the medication.    One of the following set of documents is required (no exceptions):
        OPTION #1:  US PASSPORT that has not expired
                                                    or
        OPTION #2:  RAISED SEAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE SHOWING US CITIZENSHIP
                                PLUS A GOVERNMENT ISSUED PHOTO IDENTIFICATION CARD.  
                                Examples:  Military ID card, Alaska drivers license or permit, Alaska Youth ID card    
     Permission SLIP:  A special permission slip is required for this trip and will be handed out at the troop meetings.   It can also be downloaded right here by taking this link--->PERMISSION SLIP 
    What to bring:  Make sure you have good raingear, two water bottles, sleeping bag and ground pad in waterproof
            container.   A detailed discussion of required and recommended items will be passed out at the troop meeting.  All gear should be put into "dry bags" which are available at Wallmart and most outfitter stores.  A drybag is designed to keep all of your gear dry even if your canoe fills with water.   If you own a water filter or a lightweight stove, please contact the scoutmaster and let him know.   
    What to leave at home:   Expensive items and items that get damaged when wet.  Cell phones will not work on the Yukon River.   They will work in Whitehorse but the international roaming fees can be huge.      I recommend that scouts do not bring them.    Please remember that this is a canoe trip, and things tend to get wet; electronics can get ruined.   Digital cameras should be carried in waterproof containers.
    Communications:  We will be carrying an Iridium Satellite Telephone and will check in with a designated adult on a nightly basis as we travel through the Yukon.   That individual will put out an email to the group on a regular basis.   This communications window will be after we are in camp, and I will plan to check in sometime after 930pm before we go to bed at night.  Important messages can be passed at that time.   

   For 2008, there is no specific minimum age, but you have to be able to handle a trip of this magnitude and have the skills to do it.   Younger scouts with parental participation might be able to go on a case-by-case basis.   If you have questions, contact the scoutmaster.