Scouting America 182 Family · Russellville, AR
182 Crew 182Venturing · Russellville, AR

Crew 182 · Venturing

High Adventure

Scouting America’s national high adventure bases

Four bases, a lifetime of stories

Scouting America runs four national high adventure bases: Philmont Scout Ranch, Florida National High Adventure Sea Base, Northern Tier and the Summit Bechtel Reserve. Each one offers expeditions of a week or more led by trained staff, and Venturing crews like ours can book a trek of their own. Here’s what each base offers, who can go and how to get ready.

Checked October 2026 on each base’s official website. Programs, age rules and fees change every year, so always confirm on the official site before your crew commits.

The Tooth of Time, a granite peak rising above forested slopes at Philmont Scout Ranch
The Tooth of Time, Philmont’s best-known landmark. Photo: Dustimagic, public domain

Cimarron, New Mexico

Philmont Scout Ranch

Scouting America’s largest national high adventure base covers 140,177 acres of rugged mountain wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo range of northeastern New Mexico, with camps from 6,500 to 12,441 feet.

What you do
Backpack between staffed and trail camps, with programs such as rock climbing, black powder rifle shooting, blacksmithing, burro packing, horseback riding, gold panning, chuckwagon dinners and living history. A Philmont Ranger guides your crew for the first three days on the trail, and every crew does three hours of conservation work to earn the Arrowhead Patch. Horseback Cavalcade treks, individual treks and fall and winter programs are offered too.
Program length
12-, 9- or 7-day backpacking treks (Cavalcade: 8 days). Sessions run from early June to early August.
Who can go
Youth must be at least 14, or 13 and have completed 8th grade, by the time the trek begins. Crews are 8–12 people, including at least three adult advisors age 21 or older.
Booking
Reservations open October 1, two years ahead, first-come, first-served: 2028 treks opened October 1, 2026. A $250 non-refundable crew deposit is due at booking.
Fees
Per participant, adults included: $1,830 (12-day), $1,740 (9-day) or $1,525 (7-day) for 2028; $1,780 / $1,680 / $1,460 for 2027. As posted October 2026.
Philmont crew treks Official website
Two-story sailing and scuba dormitories under palm trees at Sea Base in Islamorada, Florida
Sailing and scuba dorms at Sea Base, Islamorada. Photo: Caidengagner, CC BY-SA 4.0

Florida Keys · Bahamas · U.S. Virgin Islands

Florida National High Adventure Sea Base

Sea Base’s original base sits on Lower Matecumbe Key in Islamorada, Florida. Adventures also run from the Brinton Environmental Center on Summerland Key, from Marsh Harbour in the Bahamas and from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

What you do
Live-aboard sailing, scuba diving (including certification courses), snorkeling the only coral barrier reef in North America, ocean kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, marine science and coral restoration — or the Out Island Adventure, camping on primitive Big Munson Island.
Program length
Most adventures are 6 days/5 nights or 7 days/6 nights. Seasons run February–April, May–August and December.
Who can go
13 by arrival for scuba, Out Island, Bahamas and St. Thomas programs; 12 for the Florida sailing and multi-adventure programs (Sea Base strongly recommends a parent or guardian with 12-year-olds). Everyone must be classified as a Scouting America Swimmer within a year of arrival; scuba has extra medical rules.
Booking
Booked by crew, first-come, first-served; crew sizes range from 4–6 to 18–20 depending on the adventure. 2027 registration opened January 15, 2026, with a $350 non-refundable fee per crew.
Fees
Priced per crew, not per person: for 2027, Coral Reef Sailing is $11,160 for a crew of up to 8. As posted October 2026.
Sea Base adventures Official website
Canoes pulled up on a rocky shore of a calm, pine-lined lake in the Boundary Waters
Canoes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Photo: Chad Fennell, CC BY 2.0

Ely, Minnesota · Atikokan, Ontario

Northern Tier

Northern Tier’s flagship Charles L. Sommers Canoe Base sits on Moose Lake about 20 miles outside Ely, Minnesota, and has outfitted Scout canoe expeditions since 1941. A second base in Atikokan, Ontario, reaches northern Quetico and Canadian Crown Lands.

What you do
Wilderness canoe treks through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Quetico Provincial Park: paddling, portaging, fishing and camping on the water every night between your first and last nights on base, with a Northern Tier interpreter along to help. Northern Tier supplies the canoes, packs, tents, cooking gear and food. In winter, Okpik programs teach cold-weather camping, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing, and dog sledding trips are offered too.
Program length
Summer treks from Ely are 7 or 10 nights; from Atikokan, 8 or 10 nights. Your first and last nights are spent in a cabin on base.
Who can go
14, or 13 and completed 8th grade, by arrival (some autumn and individual programs differ). Ely crews are up to 8 people, and at least one adult per crew must hold current Wilderness First Aid and CPR certification.
Booking
First-come, first-served by arrival date: 2027 summer registration opened January 14, 2026, and 2027–28 Okpik winter registration opened October 1, 2026. A $350 deposit secures your trek.
Fees
Priced per crew: a 2027 Ely 7-night trek is $7,675 in peak season ($10,970 for 10 nights); crews arriving August 1 or later get off-peak pricing. As posted October 2026.
Northern Tier canoe treks Official website
The CONSOL Energy Wingtip Bridge, a curving steel footbridge over a wooded ravine at the Summit Bechtel Reserve
The Wingtip Bridge at the Summit Bechtel Reserve. Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, public domain

Glen Jean, West Virginia

Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve

The Summit is home to the Paul R. Christen National High Adventure Base and the National Scout Jamboree. More than 13 miles of the property borders New River Gorge National Park and Preserve.

What you do
Whitewater rafting and paddling on the New River, rock climbing, zip lines, mountain biking and BMX, canopy courses, skateboarding, shooting sports and ATV trails. Crews choose a High Adventure Experience: the Summit Experience (a taste of every venue), the New River Experience (50+ miles of whitewater paddling and camping), Pack and Paddle (40+ miles of hiking and rafting), the Marksman Experience or the Polaris ATV Experience.
Program length
High Adventure Experiences are 7 days long and run in summer (June and July).
Who can go
13 for the Summit Experience; most other experiences require 14, or 13 and finished 8th grade, and the ATV Experience requires 14. Check the program page — age exceptions are not made. Every reservation needs at least two adult leaders and a majority of youth.
Booking
First-come, first-served, not a lottery. 2027 registration is open, with a $250 deposit due at registration.
Fees
For 2027: Summit Experience $1,275 and Marksman Experience $1,400 per person; New River Experience $10,000 per 8-person boat. As posted October 2026.
Summit high adventure Official website

Can’t fill a whole crew? Philmont’s Trek Match, the Summit’s and Sea Base’s Scout Connections pages, and Northern Tier’s individual programs help Scouts and Venturers join other crews.

Planning a trek

A national high adventure trip takes a year or more to plan. Our youth officers lead the planning, with the adult advisors coaching along the way.

Reserve early

All four bases currently book first-come, first-served — none uses a lottery — and popular dates fill fast.

  • Philmont opens reservations October 1, two years ahead.
  • Sea Base and Northern Tier opened 2027 summer bookings in mid-January 2026.
  • The Summit’s 2027 booking is open now.

Have backup dates ready, remember that deposits are non-refundable, and ask whether your local council is organizing a contingent you could join.

Health form & physical

Every participant, youth and adult, needs the Annual Health and Medical Record (AHMR):

  • Parts A and B, plus Part C, a pre-participation physical by a licensed health-care provider, which is required for events longer than 72 hours.
  • Each base has its own version of the form with a risk advisory. Use that version and share the advisory with your provider at the physical.
  • An AHMR is valid through the end of the 12th month after the exam, so schedule physicals to cover your trip dates.
  • Backcountry bases enforce height and weight limits (for example, a 295-pound maximum at Sea Base and Northern Tier).

Train for it

Philmont crews hike 5 to 12 miles a day with 35–50 pound packs at 6,500 to over 12,000 feet, and Philmont recommends starting a consistent fitness program at least 3–6 months before your trek: cardio such as hiking, jogging, biking or swimming, plus core, leg and upper-body strength.

Paddlers should train for long days and portages (Northern Tier crews typically travel 10 to 15 miles a day), and Sea Base requires a swim test.

Shakedown hikes

Before the big trip, take the crew on practice outings with exactly what you’ll carry: full packs, broken-in boots, the tents, stoves and trail food you plan to use.

Shakedowns reveal blisters, overweight packs and missing gear while there’s still time to fix them, and they give the crew practice working as a team. Look for places close to home on our Adventure Map.

Fund it

Build a budget early: base fees (adult advisors pay too), travel, gear and spending money. Each base collects a deposit and then installments on a set schedule, so plan fundraisers ahead of each due date.

Unit fundraisers must follow Scouting America’s money-earning guidelines; check with the crew committee first. Philmont offers need-based scholarships, and many councils offer camperships.

Pack smart

Start with the Crew 182 packing list and add your base’s equipment list from its official website.

Check what’s provided before you buy: Northern Tier supplies canoes, packs, tents and cooking gear, and Philmont rents backpacks at base camp.

Prepare the adults

Every adult must be current on Scouting America’s Safeguarding Youth training.

Northern Tier requires at least one adult per crew certified in Wilderness First Aid (a 16-hour course) and CPR, and Philmont runs an Advisor Skills School for adults leading a crew.

Crew packing list Open the Adventure Map

Photo credits

All four photos were cropped to 3:2 and resized for this website. Our adapted version of the CC BY-SA 4.0 photo is shared under the same license. The photos show the bases and their surroundings; they are not pictures of Crew 182.