HIKING
- Show that you know first aid for injuries or illnesses that could occur
while hiking, including hypothermia, heatstroke, heat exhaustion, frostbite,
dehydration, sunburn, sprained ankle, insect stings, tick bites, snakebite,
blisters, hyperventilation, and altitude sickness.
- Explain and, where possible, show the points of good hiking practices
including the principles of Leave No Trace, hiking safety in the daytime and
at night, courtesy to others, choice of footwear, and proper care of feet
and footwear.
- Explain how hiking is an aerobic activity. Develop a plan for
conditioning yourself for 10-mile hikes, and describe how you will increase
your fitness for longer hikes.
- Make a written plan for a 10-mile hike. Include map routes, a clothing
and equipment list, and a list of items for a trail lunch.
- Take five hikes, each on a different day, and each of 10 continuous
miles. Prepare a hike plan for each hike.*
- Take a hike of 20 continuous miles in one day following a hike plan you
have prepared.*
- After each of the hikes (or during each hike if on one continuous
"trek") in requirements 5 and 6, write a short report of your
experience. Give dates and descriptions of routes covered, the weather, and
any interesting things you saw. Share this report with your merit badge
counselor.
________
*The hikes in
requirements 5 and 6 can be used in fulfilling Second Class (2a) and First Class
(3) rank requirements, but only if Hiking merit badge requirements 1, 2, 3, and
4 have been completed to the satisfaction of your counselor. The hikes of
requirements 5 and 6 cannot be used to fulfill requirements of other merit
badges.
BSA Advancement ID#: 61
Source: Boy Scout Requirements, #33215E, revised 2002
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