General Requirements

(download a PDF version)

Introduction

These General Requirements are an integral part of the Requirements for all High Adventure Awards obtained through the High Adventure Team. Specific requirements are to be included with the specific awards, i.e. distances, hiking hours, conservation hours, conditioning requirements, etc.

(These requirements are also contained in "TREK AID 100", along with complete requirements for each individual award.)

1. Changes or Exceptions

Requests for changes, exceptions, modifications, or waivers of requirements for High Adventure Awards shall be made in writing, in advance of the planned activity, to the High Adventure Team of the council sponsoring the award. No other organization or individual is authorized to change requirements.

2. Award Must be Earned

Awards shall only be awarded to individuals who have completed all requirements. They shall not be given for assistance rendered or as a consolation prize. It is recommended that leaders and participants review referenced Trek Aids for more current and complete information.

3. Recipients Must Be Registered Members of Scouting America

Only currently registered members of Scouting America are eligible to receive High Adventure Awards.

4. One Award Per Participant

In general, only one award per participant may be earned on one outing, unless stated in writing in the award requirements. Example: The San Diego-Imperial Council "High Sierra Indicator Segments" and the Western Los Angeles County Council "14,505 Club Mt. Whitney Climb" may be earned with other awards as part of a long-term trek.

5. Scheduled Outings

Awards may be earned only on scheduled outings of registered units or district or council functions.

6. Permits Required

Permits may be required for the outing to be eligible for High Adventure Awards. These include permits such as Wilderness Area, Dispersed Area, Primitive Area, National Park, Camping, Fire Use, Overnight Use, and Bureau of Land Management Access. It is the intent that units meet and comply with the various Agency Requirements for a particular area.

7. High Adventure Trained Adult Leader Required

At least two adult leaders, age 21 or older, are required for all outings. To earn High Adventure Awards, there shall be at least one adult leader, certified by the High Adventure Team as having current High Adventure Leader Trek Training or Water Trek Training (SDIC), as appropriate, or equivalent from another council, in attendance throughout the outing.

8. Must Carry All Equipment, Food and Water

Scouts and Scouters shall carry all of their equipment, food and water plus their share of group equipment on the outing. The use of motorized or mechanized equipment or pack animals disqualifies all users. This also applies to riverine outings and forbids a tow by power craft other than as needed to reach the starting point of the trek. Resupply is permitted for backpacking treks longer than a weekend. Permission for exceptions should be obtained in advance of the outing. Water caching is permitted for any trip where water cannot be sourced naturally. The safety of the scouts and leaders is paramount on all treks.

9. Scheduled Backpack Time

Scheduled backpack time is defined as that time actually backpacking on the planned route. It does not include side trips, day hikes, fishing, etc. Scheduled backpack time is used as a more equitable method of determining qualifying effort in the mountains or rough terrain. The general formula is two miles per hour of backpacking plus one hour for every 1,000 feet of elevation gain. For example: A 15-mile backpack equals 7-1/2 hours of scheduled backpack time. If the trek also climbed from 9,000 to 10,000 feet in elevation, an allowance of one hour would be added, making a total of 8-1/2 hours of scheduled backpack time.

10. Familiarity with Trek Aids and Hike Aids

Outing leaders, youth and adult, should be familiar with the San Diego-Imperial Council Trek Aids, and the Greater Los Angeles Area Council Hike Aids. For cycling activities be familiar with the Orange County Council Bike Aid.

11. High Adventure Award Form

The council High Adventure Award Form must be completed, including the names of all those qualifying for the award, before submission to the Scout Service Center. The form is used for all applicable awards, including National and other Councils. Any Council Award Form will be recognized by other Councils with High Adventure Teams. When award review (such as itinerary, menu, etc.) is required before the outing, the approval must be made by the specific council that offers the award, not the award participant. Follow this link for some tips on filling out the form.