Cub Scout Hiking Belt Loop and Pin

[AlabamaDan]

Finally, the cub scouts have a belt loop and pin for hiking!  But, it has a few things I could use help with.  I want to use this to kick off a hiking habit in my cub scout den.  9 year olds.

One of the requirements is to learn seven different trail signs.  Anyone know what this might be?

[Cuffs]

Trail signs... that could be a lot of things...

Blazing?  the AT is a white 2" x 6" rectangle, the BMT is a white diamond... 

Signage?  The brown square sign with the stick figure hiker on it?

Nature signs?  Turkey or deer tracks?  Identify the animal by the scat?

Wow, Ive asked a couple others, this could be alot of things....

[Mountain Dog]

I agree with Cuff, could be a lot of meanings.  But to follow through with her thoughts,
1.  Know the difference in what double blazes mean.  Depending on how they are positioned, three different meanings are possible.
2.  Carirn along the trail.
3.  Prints (differences between canine and felines), dear, hog, bear, etc.
4.  Scat, Know the difference between cayote, dog, raccoon, bear, etc.  Dogs get a lot of blame for raccoon.

[Cuffs]

this topic has bugged me since reading it and ive been searching for answers since...

I did stumble on "traditional scouting trail signs" here...  http://www.kudu.net/outdoor/skills/b-p/signs.htm

whatcha think?

[Rob]

Bearleader67 may be a good source to help you on this one.

[WolfVanZandt]

Hey - I remember that one. Trail signs are standard markers that are placed by the trail to convey messages to others that come along - like an arrow made out of twigs of two rocks of different sizes to say, "I went this way." Those used to be in theh Boy Scout handbook. As watered down as it's becomje, I don't know if it's still there or not.

Cuffs is right and came up with the website, also.

[AlabamaDan]

I thought about those things.  The stacked rocks, using rocks for making directions, etc. is something I've read about in old scouting books.  But that's not really used is it?

[WolfVanZandt]

Well, that's almost certainly what they're talking about - unless they've modernized things and use homing chips now....

[Cuffs]

I thought about those things.  The stacked rocks, using rocks for making directions, etc. is something I've read about in old scouting books.  But that's not really used is it?

From the scouts Ive encountered on the trail, they all hike together, no one gets separated, so I dont think theres a great need for the signs.

When I hike with others, we dont hike hip to hip, we get strung out along a trail as much as a mile apart.  I have encountered areas where the trail disappears or is difficult to follow.  After scouting the trail, I will leave these types of trail signs for those that are coming up the trail behind be so they dont have the same difficulties.  So, yes, they are still used to some extent... (at least by me and those that I hike with)

[Cuffs]

Gotta love OMSP with their signage!

Thinking of more remote areas....  no man-made signage, the scouts trail signs have come in handy for me in areas like Cohutta Wilderness, the BMT and the like.  Also in areas where the man made signage has been knocked down or removed... I really find it funny when I see someone has tried to put up a fallen sign but they have no idea what way the arrows should be pointing!

[AlabamaDan]

So Cuffs, those things are still used in the back country?  I was thinking of just talking about blazing and such, but wasn't going to spend much time on such unless it's still used today. 

[Cuffs]

I cant say that is used by all or even many...  I do know that the great folks I hike with use it for ourselves.  If I get out of camp early, and later run into a piece of trail that is difficult at best to locate or forks, I know that I will put down a cairn or stick arrows to indicate which way I went.  I have had this done for me, and know that I greatly appreciate it as I would have missed a turn...

[AlabamaDan]

Dan, your Cub Scouts won't get the opportunity to choose whether they want to use it or not if you don't tell them about it.  I think it is a great idea to learn the Scout signs and I am going to make sure my Boy Scouts know them.

I agree.  I think I've decided I'm just going to teach them all of the signs they might see:  paint blazing, flag blazing, axe blazing, cairns, sticks and all the way down to the little official signs one might see.

[WolfVanZandt]

Don't forget semaphore!

[AlabamaDan]

Don't forget semaphore!

Funny!  We camped on a battleship a while back and I was going to have a class on that, but no one would step up and I was doing too much already.  Seriously on all those other trail signs, you never know when they might see one I guess and besides that's part of the fun.

[WolfVanZandt]

I was actually joking but my old Boy Scout handbook actually does have some semaphore in it.

One thing that I like for outing is sign language - it's quiet and it can be used at some distance - especially if there are binoculars involved. The Scouts have their own flavor (which is probably the same used in the military - at least it bears a strong resemblance to that used in military movies...). But American Sign Language (Amslan) is more complete and utilitarian.

[AlabamaDan]

I've taught my kids that when we hike they can move on ahead as long as they stay in sight.  Sometimes hiking in the smokies that would be actually a good way off.  What I taught them was to look back every few mins and hold up their hiking staff to signal they're ok.  We had signs for "ok keep going" "stop and wait" and "come back."