Keeping Teenage Boys Happy in the Wilderness

Question:

It is finally here, we are taking our Boy Scout troop in the AT thru the GSMNP. We feel we have planned well and our gear is up to speed. The only question now is how to keep teenage boys motivated to complete the 76 miles? Any suggestions as to how convince them to keep digging? I have some ideas but wanted to get some from you all. I love the magazine and read it monthly, have used it as reference several times in the past. Keep up the great work!

Submitted by – Brian

Answer:

Dear Brian, When my candy-starved kids were little, Skittles did the trick. I would dole out a few every 10 minutes or so. Once they hit the teenage years, it gets a bit more complicated. To get some ideas, I consulted my friend, BACKPACKER Northwest Editor, Mike Lanza. He posts stories and images about his adventures, many with his family, at his blog, TheBigOutside.com. His book, Before They’re Gone–A Family’s Year-Long Quest to Explore America’s Most Endangered National Parks, won honorable mention in the 2012 National Outdoor Book Awards. Mike came up with some great tips: -Having a group of boys is a good start: With friends around them, they will be less inclined to whine. Emphasizing that everyone feel free to speak up right away about any potential problems, like a hot spot on a foot that could become a blister.

That gives you a window into setting a rule: They should speak up if they have an issue, but no whining. -These are teenage boys, so carry more food than you expect to need and feed them frequently. That will stave off most problems. Plan a short break every 60 to 90 minutes for snacks, or remind them to eat (and drink) while hiking. -When dissension threatens, find a swimming hole for a break, or invent games to play on the trail that will distract them from the effort of hiking.

Try the “rhyming game,” where you start with one word and everyone has to come up with a rhyming word until all but one player is eliminated. Have them invent a word game, like a contest to name song titles of their favorite bands. -Give out a daily prize (candy bar, or being relieved of that night’s kitchen cleanup duties) to whoever identifies the most wildlife. -If you have boys who hike at really differing paces, have leaders separate into faster and slower groups, so you don’t punish the fast as well as the slow by forcing them to stay together. -Assign duties that give them a sense of pride in responsibility. Teach them how to read the map and let them take turns leading. In camp, assign who gathers wood and builds the campfire or lights and monitors the cook stoves. Assign the most desirable duties by choosing boys who demonstrated leadership that day on the trail by staying positive, carrying extra group weight, arriving in camp early to help set up tents, etc. -And, of course: Tell ghost stories around the campfire after dark, while roasting marshmallows or s’mores.