Useful Links

Scout-type sites:

My scouting Web-site ( Adult Online Training Site ) - https://my.scouting.org/

Bill Hart District web-site - http://billhart.bsa-la.org/

Western Los Angeles Council - http://bsa-la.org/

Scouting Forms ( Including Annual Medical Forms ) - http://www.scouting.org/forms.aspx

Merit Badge Page - http://usscouts.org/usscouts/meritbadges.asp

Guide to SAFE Scouting - http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/Guide to Safe Scouting

Leave No Trace - http://www.lnt.org/programs/principles.php

For Trip Planning:

Good mapping page - https://mappingsupport.com/p2/gissurfer.php, zoom to the forest you want, and change the pull-down menu to be a topographic view.

California fire map - http://www.calfire.ca.gov/general/firemaps

Eastern Sierra trail permits (Inyo Wilderness) - https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/inyo/passes-permits/recreation

Tide tables for coastal hiking - https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/noaatidepredictions.html?id=9411340&legacy=1

Mountain weather forecast - https://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Mount-Whitney/forecasts/4418

CalTrans mountain road status - http://dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/mtnhwys.htm

Which hospitals carry rattlesnake antivenom - https://www.crofab.com/Treatment-With-CroFab/Locate-CroFab?lat=36.6060444&long=-118.0628654&address=Lone%20Pine,%20CA,%20USA

Frosty Chalet, Lone Pine California - No website, but this is our traditional post-trek must-eat location

Good Books!:

  • Andrew Skurka – The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide. Andrew has hiked some incredible distances, is Scouting friendly, and preaches ultralight backpacking. Despite being ultralight he reminds everybody that ultralight packing does not mean stupid light packing (don’t leave behind essentials or items necessary for the conditions of the trip).

  • Colin Fletcher - The Complete Hiker/Walker – One of the original guides to outdoor gear and skills. Being a classic, and growing up reading this from the den bookshelf, we had to reference it.

  • Mike Clelland – Ultralight Backpackin' Tips. Enjoy the trail more, save your knees, and make a fun pastime of assessing what you really need and don’t need in your pack

  • Charles Houston, M.D., GOINGHIGHER, Oxygen, Man, and Mountains. Ready for the more advanced topics on altitude effects. More for adults than Scouts.

  • John Vonhof - Fixing Your Feet, Good resource on understanding, prevention, and treatment of blisters as well as various foot ailments

  • Tyson & Chelland - Glacier Mountaineering, Great expert tips for advanced skills Scouts probably won’t need to use on most outings, fun user-friendly graphics

Favorite Gear - Congratulations, we like your gear after beating it up on outings!:

REI (closest store is Northridge) - https://www.rei.com/

Big Agnes (lightweight high-end gear) - https://www.bigagnes.com/

Alps Mountaineering (our car camping tents, Scout friendly pricing on raingear and tents) - http://www.alpsmountaineering.com/

Tent Pole Repair (nuff said) - https://tentpoletechnologies.com/

Mountain Hardware (high-end clothing, mid-price) - https://www.mountainhardwear.com/

Bear Vault (good price/volume bear canisters) - https://bearvault.com/

Primus Stoves (Scout friendly pricing, our Patrols use these)) - https://primus.us/collections/stoves

MSR Stoves and Filters (We prefer these at high elevation) - https://www.msrgear.com/

Black Diamond (our helmets, good headlamps) - http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/homepage

Katadyn (Base Camp water filters good for low elevation Scout trips) - https://www.katadyn.com/us/us

Deuter (Good backpacks) - https://www.deuter.com/CA/ce/index.html

Sea to Summit (lightweight gear) - https://seatosummitusa.com/

Romney's Kendal Mint Cake (summit celebration cake, a mountaineering tradition we enjoy, yummy) - https://www.mintcake.co.uk/

Skratch Labs (hydration and recovery drink mixes) - https://www.skratchlabs.com/

Luci LED camp lanterns (our Patrols use these) - https://mpowerd.com/collections/shop

NOLS (best Wilderness First Aid course, pricey, so unfortunately more for adults than Scouts) - https://www.nols.edu/en/coursefinder/courses/wilderness-first-aid-WFA/

Outdoor Research (good reasonably priced gloves, clothing) - https://www.outdoorresearch.com/us/en/country

Prana (great adult leader hiking pants) - https://www.prana.com/

Backcountry.com (goat worthy, higher-end namebrand items) - https://www.backcountry.com/

Moosejaw.com (higher-end namebrand items) - https://www.moosejaw.com/

Coleman Stoves (Patrols use these for car camping trips) - https://www.coleman.com/coleman-stovesandgrills-stoves/

Goal Zero Solar Panels (We see more of the Scouts using these on long road and canoe trips and treks) - https://www.goalzero.com/shop/solar-panels/