Age: 16-18
The Junior Guide program is the final step in outdoor learning. This program will build an outdoor heritage, offering the fun and friendships of traditional camp activities, combined with comprehensive team building and leadership skills course. The student will put all of his/her previous education and skills to practice in the field and will fine tune their ability to function in a variety of outdoor situations. Junior Guide candidates become self-sufficient, cooking their meals, planning and going on mini-expeditions (day hikes and canoe trips). At the end of the course, campers who have demonstrated a positive attitude, desire to learn, and pass a final written and practical exam are awarded the prestigious Junior Guide patch. The Junior Guide starts with several sessions of trip planning for a one week expedition into the wilderness. Camping along the shores of a predetermined waterway the students will improve camp craft, canoe handling, and survival skills while growing and working as a team. For 6 days, the group puts their skills to the test, returning to the starting point with a new sense of confidence and self-reliance. This course will focus on:
- Backpacking and hiking
- GPS navigation
- Map and Compass
- Advanced wilderness first aid
- Canoes, paddling, portaging, loading, and safety
- Expedition planning
- Outdoor cooking
- Outdoor tool making
- Advanced hunting techniques
- Advanced fishing techniques
- Fundamentals of leadership in the outdoors
This final course in outdoor skills and leadership is excellent preparation for NH Guide training. This extensive program is a demanding training course which prepares students to excel in the outdoors. To pass the test, candidates must demonstrate competence in outdoor skills and knowledge including canoe handling and safety, shelter and fire building, map and compass, topography, first aid, back country cooking, camp and woods craft skills, and plant and wildlife identification. Set yourself apart from the crowd, make friendships for a lifetime, and earn the right to wear the Junior Guide patch!