Scout Programs...
The Great Adventures

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From John Bowen, President,
High Plains Outdoor.

Scout and Youth Group Oriented Adventure Learning Modules

We would like to present a series of modules specially designed for Scouts, Navigators, Venturers or other qualified youth groups that we can offer to you at very special cost. The way we can afford to work at this price is that we will have your group to provide all your transportation, and the food for the trips.

This allows us to save you a great deal of money that we don’t offer to regular “civilian” clientele.

We will also help you with free or inexpensive places to camp. These camping areas will be “wilderness” style camping, with no facilities. We can also help you with more established RV camps complete with toilets, water etc, and also help with motels in the area as necessary.

Each of our modules can come as a one day instructional situation where you acquire hands on skills, and get to use them. The instructor/guides are highly trained, professional, and familiar with Scouting. All equipment will be furnished.

Climbing Module A: This module includes basic beginning climbing at the famous Vedauwoo Recreation Area. We start with mountaineering knots, safety, equipment use and misuse and basic climbing protocol and technique. Everyone is taught both climbing and belaying (we back up our student belayers with prussics). Finally we will teach “lowering” and rappelling techniques, and safety. We will also go over top rope anchors (what to look for) and planning climbs. After instruction, each participant will do several climbs, involving face/friction, crack climbing, and mixed. BSA ‘Climb on Safely’ can be offered as well.

Note: Climbing is a dangerous recreation and can lead to serious injury and death. Completion of these modules will provide familiarity with the procedures of climbing, but will not qualify you to set up your own top rope climbs. Much more training is necessary.

Though backpacking is a very easy recreation for you to do yourselves, we can provide instruction in setting up and executing a short trip using equipment that you bring. This will include types of gear, good sources for gear (we can also help you acquire good inexpensive gear…Sierra Trading Post www.sierratradingpost.com a Scouting Friendly company is literally just down the road.) food planning, route planning, safety considerations and emergency situations.

After the training/planning session, we can guide you through a local alpine or lower elevation backpacking area.

On the other hand, we can also just provide you with a series of areas that you can go to yourself.

Peak Bagging Module: For this module, we will discuss route finding for Class 3 and Class 4 climbs of gentle but high mountains. Emphasis will be placed on planning, timing, weather and light gear and appropriate clothing (we can provide a list for you before you come). Instruction in safety considerations, recognizing siroche (high altitude sickness) and what to do about it will also be emphasized.

We will then hike a 13er! (an alpine mountain higher than 13,000 feet above sea level).

Rafting Module A: The first day will consist of training in all aspects of whitewater rafting or kayaking, techniques, safety, planning, food, gear and boatmanship to introduce the student to planning and participating in their own ‘private’* whitewater trip. This will be a condensed version of what professional guides are taught. Students will be introduced to “reading” rapids and the dynamics of swift water. We will also cover river hazards and how to identify them. Safety instruction will include self rescue, boat and bank based rescue techniques, and boat recovery techniques. Emphasis will be placed on staying out of dangerous situations. Students (those who wish) will be expected to “read a rapid” and then navigate the rapid with a guide/coach behind them. At low water conditions, we can use inflatable kayaks, and we can also teach beginning hard deck kayak techniques.

Using the methods learned in Module A, the students will run the river they practiced on with the guides on board (to provide guidance only). The students will also be expected to provide the pre-trip safety lecture, and set up and present the lunches just as if they were actual commercial boatmen.

BSA Safety Afloat can be presented.

*private trips are defined as ‘non-commercial’ do-it-yourself trips. Anyone can buy a commercial trip, and High Plains Outdoor does offer this type of trip for $65 per person per day should you be interested in this option. (Note: The Rocky Mountains have been undergoing a drought for the last 4 years, and at present El Nino has not cooperated. Although the Upper Colorado River will be floatable, there may not be much whitewater. We do offer this trip with Inflatable Kayaks instead of rafts).

Technical Mountaineering Module A: For those who have taken the climbing module. These modules have limited enrollments of 3 or 6 students only. Here we will discuss the techniques and planning necessary to tackle a multi-pitch mountaineering module. (As this is NOT a top-roped climbing module, professional guides will provide the “lead” for all climbs). Students will learn more mountaineering techniques and safety considerations. A short multi-pitch climb will be presented. Mountaineering Module B: Students will plan and execute a multi-pitch climb with our professional guides as leads. Note: Climbing is a dangerous recreation and can lead to serious injury and death. Completion of these modules will provide familiarity with the procedures of climbing, but will not qualify you to set up your own top rope climbs. Much more training is necessary. Orienteering Module A: For this module, all the techniques of orienteering in rough terrain will be taught and practiced. Use of map and compass and all the techniques will be covered such that the student will be able to participate in an actual Orienteering Match, in addition to being able to navigate in the outdoors. A short course will be followed in the afternoon. Orienteering Module B: An actual multi mile orienteering course will be presented. Students will go in groups of 2 or 3 depending on age. High and Low Angle Rescue (1 day): This course consists of learning the rescue techniques involved in rock climbing, mountaineering, and rescue from wilderness situations. All aspects of high and low angle rescue are presented and discussed, including stabilizing the victim, packaging, knots and rope techniques, safety considerations and equipment necessary. The student will learn enough to knowledgably take part in a rescue. HPOI certification is provided. Cost $100/person. Wilderness First Aid Module and costs (2 days,16 hours): This is a classroom module and costs $65/person, it is an American Red Cross certified course. 5 student minimum. (No other costs for guides as above are required, regular cost for this module is normally $105 per person.) This module is a full blown wilderness first aid course covering all the techniques, equipment, procedures and improvisation, rescue, and decision making that are necessary for an emergency in the outdoors where EMS is more than four hours away. We will also concentrate on how not to get in trouble. The use of the Automatic Electronic Defibulator (AED) will be presented. The participants will receive American Red Cross certification for this course. We highly recommend this course to all. Cost of all activities except Wilderness First Aid: For BSA units, the cost for groups of students to make these as available as possible is as follows for the above listed modules, except where otherwise stated in module descriptions: Participants (adult/scout) Cost per day for group 4-7 (1 guide) $260 8-14 (2 guides) $360 15-21 (3 guides) $460 22-28 (4 guides) $560 This company is an established guiding and teaching organization with a perfect safety record and is permitted throughout the Medicine Bow National Forest and on the North Platte and Upper Colorado Rivers. It is the only outfitter in the Northern Rocky Mountain region to offer a learn-it then do-it trip allowing you to try out these excellent forms of high adventure recreation. Contact us! or High Plains Outdoor Institute 1522 Barratt,  Laramie, WY 82070 1-405-205-6527 | 1-307-742-0932 john@hpoiadventure.com All or part of this operation is conducted in public land under special permits from the BLM and USFS. HPOI is an equal opportunity service provider operating under permits from the Medicine Bow and Routt National Forests.