Summer Camp
This page has been updated with as much info as we know for the 2018 Summer season.
This page provides resources for Scouts joining the Troop’s annual Summer Camp excursion to Camp Wah-Tut-Ca – and their parents.
Accommodations
The Troop will be staying in our usual Summer campsite, Passaconway. This site provides canvas tents up on platforms that are about 10 feet square. Each text comes with two camp cots, so Scouts will be doubling up.
The campsite also has a fire ring for campfires, a restroom, and a wash-up station.
This site is about as close to the center of Wah-Tut-Ca as you can get, making it an easy walk to most areas in camp.
(Remember how canvas tents work — if it’s raining, don’t touch the inside of the test walls or ceiling. That breaks the water seal where you’ve touched and water will start coming in.)
What to Bring
For the most part you can follow the “Tent Camping – Summer” list on our standard Camp Packing List. Remember that Scouts are packing for 7 days and 6 nights, so bring enough changes of clothing for the whole week. Mr. Penney has also provided a packing list, which you can find here.
Scouts won’t need to bring ground sheets or sleeping pads, since the platforms and cots are provided.
Other things to bring:
- Some sort of trunk to keep the Scout’s belongings in.
My sons have all used this one, available from Walmart for $20, but anything that seals shut and is waterproof will work. This one is a good size and and be stored underneath the Scout’s cot easily. - Swimsuit, and a towel or two.
The waterfront is a very popular area at camp. - A full set of toiletries: shampoo, soap, washcloth, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc.
Toothbrushing and simple wash-up can be done in the campsite. The camp showers are an easy walk from the site. - Snacks.
Scouts will be fed breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the dining hall (Robinson Lodge), but won’t have access to the kitchen when they get hungry between meals, so send them with some snacks to share with their tent-mate and friends. - Spending money.
Scouts will have access to the Trading Post to purchase snacks, cold beverages, and other items. In addition to the snacks, the Trading Post also has a “mini-Scout-Shop” that offers Wah-Tut-Ca branded patches, t-shirts, hoodies, hats, etc. Parents can check the pricing while dropping Scouts off at camp. - Mosquito-proofing
Mosquitos are a fact of life at night at camp. Your Scout will want to arrive prepared to mosquito-proof his sleeping area. Bring the materials listed below and more experienced Scouts and parents will be happy to help your Scout get set up.- Box-shaped mosquito netting big enough to cover the cot (available at the Scout Store)
- 4 dowels long enough to hold up the netting (also available at the Scout Store)
- 4 tennis balls. A hole is poked in the ball and the balls are put on top of the dowels to stop the dowels from tearing the netting. (available at any dollar store)
Directions to Wah-Tut-Ca
The Wah-Tut-Ca Scout Reservation is at:
292 Blakes Hill Road
Northwood, NH 03261
It’s been our experience that most GPS devices and applications will try to bring you to this address by means of some back dirt roads, so we also have our own driving directions to Wah-Tut-Ca.
Merit Badges and Advancement
There are a lot of opportunities at camp for Scouts to work on advancement and to work on earning Merit Badges. In particular, Summer Camp offers opportunities for many Merit Badges that are more difficult to earn at other times of the year. You can find a list of Merit Badges being offered at Wah-Tut-Ca this year here. (Under the “WTC” column.) Scouts might want to review the list to help them plan for what they’d like to do at camp.
Times to Know About
Here are some important dates and times to be aware of:
- Saturday 14 July, 11:00AM to 1:00PM
Mr. Penney will be at the Troop 49 Garage with the trailer. He’ll need Scouts to help load Troop gear into the trailer. Scouts can also load their personal gear into the trailer at this time. Mr. Penney will have the trailer at Passaconway Sunday morning, saving any Scout who loads his gear today from having to carry it to the campsite tomorrow. - Sunday 15 July, 11:00AM
Arrive at Wah-Tut-Ca. Remember that the first meal served at the dining hall will be dinner, so either bring a bag lunch or pick up something to eat on the way. Camp Staff (generally Boy Scouts and Venture Scouts) will direct you where to park, and if it’s your first time at Wah-Tut-Ca, they’ll cheerfully direct you to find Passaconway. You will have to walk from the parking lot to the campsite, so you’ll need to carry any gear that wasn’t loaded into the trailer in advance.
All Scouts will take the Boy Scout swim test on Sunday, so Scouts should either arrive wearing their swim trunks, or change into them once they’re at camp.
I usually stay around to help Scouts get their mosquito netting set up, and then through the last check-in with the Health Lodge (just in case I missed a signature some place on the forms). After that, the Scouts are usually eager for their parents to give them some space. - Wednesday 18 July, 6:00PM to 9:30PM
While officially known as “eat in site” night, we sometimes also refer to Wednesday as “Family Visit Night”. Dinner on Wednesday is the one meal not provided in the dining hall. As is the new Troop 49 tradition, Patrols will compete in an “Iron Chef”-style cook-off where they must use the special ingredients. They will be judged on use of the ingredients, creativity, presentation, and deliciousness of their meal. The winning Patrol earns the right to the coveted Silverish Coffee Pot. There’s no requirement to show up right at 6:00PM — get there when you can. Just know that parents who are there earlier are more likely to be asked to sit in on the panel of judges… - Saturday 21 July, 10:00AM
Arrive at Wah-Tut-Ca to bring your Scout home. Be prepared for a tired and dirty Scout who smells like a campfire. Your Scout will likely either talk non-stop during the drive home about how much fun camp was, or sleep through the entire drive home because he is exhausted from how much fun camp was.
Visiting Wah-Tut-Ca
As the parent of a Scout at camp, you’re welcome to come up and visit the camp any time you’d like to, although my advice would be to restrict your visit to Wednesday night. If you’re visiting, you’ll need to sign in at the Service Center (the building right next to the parking lot) where they’ll give you a bracelet that indicates you have permission to be in camp. Remember to sign out when you’re leaving.
You will not need to sign in when dropping off on Sunday or picking up on Saturday.
In Case of Emergency
If something comes up and you absolutely MUST get in touch with your Scout, your best bet is to try calling Mr. Penney or Mr. Cyr’s cell phone, as they’ll be up at camp all week.
If that doesn’t work, you can try calling the Camp’s phone at (603) 942-5233.