Iron Horse District Trail to Troop

Trail to Troop is a campout designed to introduce 4^th and 5^th- grade Scouts to the many outdoor adventures of Scouting. This awesome weekend event includes patrol-method camping and Scout activities. On Saturday morning, dens compete in  Scout skills (first aid, fire building, camping skills, archery, BB guns, catapult building, games, knots) and during the afternoon local troops teach basic Scouting skills. The dens are judged on den flag and yell, resources, leadership, teamwork, skill demonstration, and Scout spirit. Awards will be presented at the closing campfire followed by an Order of the Arrow Call-Out Ceremony. 

Learn more about the transition to Scouts BSA and information to help assist Scouts as they make the important decision on which troop to join and questions to ask troops at shacbsa.org/webelos. Find area troops at shacbsa.org/join-troop.

Registration

Registration is a two-step process. Registration is typically completed by the unit leadership.

Part 1: RSVP:  Every unit needs to RSVP by September roundtable to let the event staff if you are attending. Estimated numbers are provided to the council so the district can reserve the appropriate number of campsites and program areas for the event.

Step 1: RSVP

Part 2: Payment:  The fee is $25 per pack and $150 per troop.  There is no program or provisions for siblings. There is no onsite registration. Council refund policy.

Step 2:  Payment

What to Bring

Personal gear:

• Sleeping bag
• water bottle (canteen, Nalgene, Camelback)
• Jacket, raingear, hat
• Extra change of clothes
• Mess kit and cup
• Personal items
• Field uniform (Scout uniform) and activity uniform (Scout t-shirt)
• Hand sanitizer
• Folding chairs
• Annual Health and Medical Record (Part A & B for any Scouting event) for every person attending
• Daypack to carry gear
• Wagon, optional

Den gear:

• Tents with ground cloth
• Water containers for hauling water
• Cooking gear and meals: Friday night snack, Saturday/Sunday breakfast, non-cooking lunch, and Saturday dinner. 
• First-aid kit (required – one per pack is acceptable)
• Trash bags
• Patrol skit or song
• Activities for downtime (e.g., sports equipment)
• Optional items: marshmallows and sticks, raised firebox & wood (if you want a fire), five-gallon bucket and shovel (to remove all ashes and unused wood), glow sticks, Scout Handbook, canopy

Tentative Schedule

Order of the Arrow (OA) Call-Out Ceremony

​​​The Order of the Arrow is the national honor society of Scouting America. Colonneh Lodge is the Sam Houston Area Council's Order of the Arrow Lodge. The Order of the Arrow (OA) recognizes Scouts and Scouters who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law in their daily lives. This recognition provides encouragement for others to live these ideals as well. Arrowmen are known for maintaining camping traditions and spirit, promoting year-round and long-term resident camping, developing leaders, and providing cheerful service to others. OA service, activities, adventures, and training for youth and adults are models of quality leadership development and programming that enrich, support, and help to extend Scouting to America's youth.

Following the campfire, a traditional OA Call-Out ceremony will take place to recognize those youth and adults from troops, crews, and ships in the district elected to the OA. 

• Scoutmasters, crew advisers, and Skippers should encourage candidates to attend Trail to Troop to be called out. Many unit leaders choose to let the candidates be surprised when their names are called.
• Once each year, a troop, crew, or ship may hold an election to elect eligible youth members to become members of the Order of the Arrow. Adults (age 21 or older) who meet the camping requirements may be selected following nomination to and approval by the lodge adult selection committee. A special call-out ceremony is being held during the camporee for Order of the Arrow candidates. Candidates are not required to participate in a call-out ceremony but must complete an Ordeal within one year of their election, in order to become a member of Colonneh Lodge. If a candidate does not attend an Ordeal within one year, then the candidate has to be re-elected by their unit.

Photographs    

Notice!  Please be advised that promotional videotaping/photography may be in progress at any time at an event. Your entrance constitutes your agreement that the council and district have the right to reproduce your likeness in videography/photography for promotion (e.g., publications, internet, newspaper).

Scouting Safely

​​​Scouting America's Commitment to Safety is ongoing, and the safety of our youth, volunteers, staff, and employees cannot be compromised. Scouting America puts the utmost importance on safe and healthy environments for its youth membership. The Sam Houston Area Council takes great strides to ensure the safety of its youth as well as the adult volunteer leadership that interacts with them. 

Guide to Safe Scouting policies must be followed. All participants must follow youth protection guidelines at all Scouting events. Highlights include:

• Two-deep leadership on all outings is required.  
• One-on-one contact between adults and youth members is prohibited. 
• The buddy system should be used at all times. 
• Discipline must be constructive.

Health and safety must be integrated into everything we do, to the point that no injuries are acceptable beyond those that are readily treatable by Scout-rendered first aid. As an aid in the continuing effort to protect participants in Scout activities, the National Health and Safety Committee and the Council Services Division of the National Council has developed the SAFE Checklist of safety procedures for physical activity. These points, which embody good judgment and common sense, are applicable to all activities. 

*About Medical Record: Scouting America requires all participants to bring an Annual Health and Medical Record to every Scouting event. The Scouting adventures, camping trips, and having fun are important to everyone in Scouting—and so is your safety and well-being. Completing the Annual Health and Medical Record is the first step in ensuring you have a great Scouting experience. Completing a health history promotes health awareness, collects necessary data, and provides medical professionals with critical information needed to treat a patient in the event of an illness or injury. It also provides emergency contact information. Please download the form and have it with you at all Scouting events for every member of your family.  

^Closed-toed shoes are highly recommended for all Scouting events. Many of our outdoor venues have snakes and sticks that can injure toes. Many of our activities include active games, so shoes that Scouts can run in (e.g., tennis shoes) are recommended.

Youth Protection Guidelines     Guide to Safe Scouting      SAFE Checklist      Enterprise Risk Management

Contacts

For questions, contact the Trail to Troop chair or district activities chair.