| The Summer Camp week begins each Sunday in July at 12noon with troop arrival and ends each Saturday by 9am after troop check-out and departure. This fantastic, one-week resident camping experience can be coupled with a scenic 1, 2 or 3 night backcountry trek (before or after a camp session) in the beautiful and rugged Tahoe National Forest. Click this link to view or download the 2024 General Program Schedule with camp map. Although some details may change during the course of the Summer, this gives you a good idea of what the week will look like. Merit Badge Sessions Merit badge class sign-ups take place Monday morning in the assembly area (MB Madness!). Many merit badges are drop-in style where a Scout does not need to sign-up for a particular time to work on a badge but brings his signed blue card to the class instruction. Others are scheduled, meaning the Scouts sign-up on Monday morning to participate in a particular session. See Chapter 4 of the Leader's Guide for more about this unique camp tradition. Special Features Sunday --- Evening Chapel Interfaith Service Monday --- Opening Campfire Night (Staff) Tuesday --- Theme Day; wear your costume! Wednesday --- Jamboree Cooking ALL Day! Thursday --- Troop's Own Program Night Friday --- Evening Camp Awards Ceremony and Closing Campfire Night (Troops & Staff) All week long . . . "Scout Olympians" theme --- Outdoor dining under the pines --- Crystal-clear alpine Chubb Lake --- Nature Trail hike around the lake --- Scenic Sierra views on granite ridges Please be mindful . . . Camp Marin-Sierra is nestled in a scenic natural valley (Emigrant Gap) among the forested rocky granite ledges on the Western Slope of the Sierra Nevada. Your attention to Leave No Trace Principles and proper Outdoor Ethics behavior will contribute toward maintaining our beautiful setting for generations to come! | Program Areas Camp Marin-Sierra features an extensive Aquatics program centered around the Chubb Lake waterfront. Activities include swimming, lifesaving, BSA Mile Swim, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing, rowing and small-boat sailing. All participants are required to submit to the standard BSA Swimmer's Test on Sunday afternoon during Troop check-in. The Marksmanship (Shooting Sports) program consists of the Rifle, Shotgun, Archery and Tomahawk-throwing ranges. Free shoot and merit badge work is done on the range, and all Scouts and adult leaders receive the range safety orientation on Sunday afternoon. Scouts also have the opportunity to earn an NRA safety certificate from a certified NRA Instructor. To participate in shooting sports or climbing, parents must be sure to sign the Minor Activity Release Form in advance. Ecology/Conservation (Nature), HandyCraft and ScoutCraft Skills offer all Scouts many options to explore topics of interest and hobbies, and to earn merit badges. Refer to the Leader Guide for the listing of difficulty level of each merit badge, any age or rank recommendations, and any pre-requisite requirements. The Trail-to-First Class area has a comprehensive schedule geared toward guiding newer Scouts through the challenging requirements of rank advancement from Scout and Tenderfoot to Second Class and First Class. It has both scheduled times to work on particular requirements but is available for drop-in work as well. Scoutmasters and ASM's are strongly encouraged to review the checklist above and work with their younger Scouts in this area. Trail-to-Eagle (Path of Enlightenment) general knowledge classes are offered to older Scouts who have perhaps earned most of the regular camp-type merit badges. This is a great way to bring the older Scouts to camp to help with troop leadership and to jump-start them on their push to Eagle advancement. These are some of the most popular classes for older youth. Rock-climbing is held on sizeable granite walls, cliffs, and overhangs on the Western edge of Camp Marin-Sierra. Scouts can complete a 40-80ft sheer or overhanging rappel or take their first steps in learning to rock climb on layered granite cliffs. Numerous different climbing routes provide all skill levels a thrilling yet safe experience! After several years of closure, we are excited to once again offer some of the best Summer Camp climbing opportunities in Northern California! Marin Council is proud to have well-equipped COPE facilities. This unique forested program area with low and high COPE courses challenge individuals, patrols, and troops. Project COPE is designed to teach an understanding of individual comfort zones, teamwork skills, self and group assessment and increase team confidence and competence. From a week long, in-depth, challenging team and personal experience to an evening patrol activity, there is something to for everyone on the COPE course. It is challenging and fun for both youth and adults. Due to extensive winter storm damage dropping large timber in the site, as well as the additional sanitation requirements of our CoViD pandemic response, we have not re-opened our COPE area and special events since 2020. We hope to see you back here in 2025 with an awesome team and facilities! |
