SCOUT 2005 HIKE APPLICATION

	COMPETITION PATROL SCOUTHIKE is the name given to the Annual hiking event organized for Scouts from all over the State. It is held early in November each year and utilizes three basic State Forest areas, rotating annually. SCOUTHIKE 2012 is to be held in the Tallarook State Forest on the weekend of 25th, 26th , 27th May November, 2012 It has the two-fold purpose of providing Scouts who have not or do not have the opportunity to regularly go hiking and a novel approach as an introduction to hiking and lightweight camping. Further it provides a competitive basis for Scouts and Patrols who have been hiking to compete for the perpetual trophy. Every Patrol receives a SCOUTHIKE Pennant and every scout receives a SCOUTHIKE Badge. A third purpose, which cannot be forgotten, is that it is our aim to encourage Scouters to get involved in assisting their scouts to increase their knowledge base in the area of hiking and lightweight camping. The selected area is divided into six compulsory campsites with some twenty-four activity points spread in between. The aim of each Patrol is to hike and to participate in as many activity points as possible before reaching their set campsite on the Saturday and again on the Sunday before reaching the Final Parade Area. The activities are centred around a theme which provides the basis for SCOUTHIKE each year and involve some scouting knowledge (based around the Targets and Challenge system) and some fun ones based on the theme. SCOUTHIKE 2012 theme is " OLYMPICS ". The encouragement therefore, to scouts and Scouters, is not only to increase their knowledge base on scouting requirements. (i.e. Lightweight Camping, Hiking, Map Reading, Compass Reading, Estimation, First Aid, Construction, etc.) but to provide a basis of a theme to which the scouts can extend their general knowledge horizons and participate in an activity which is aimed at both physical and mental improvement. A great amount of detail is entered into to ensure the success of the hike and it involves not only qualified First Aid personnel to be in attendance, but also amateur radio operators and 4WD vehicles which ensure that Search and Rescue and Assessing Teams situated at the Headquarters site know the whereabouts of every Patrol to within the approximate hour each day. Every person, campsite and activity site is asked to ‘Dress-Up’ to the theme each year in order to not only increase the fun aspect of the week-end, but to compliment the factual information which is presented to the scouts concerning the theme. All metropolitan scouts are bussed into the hike area on Friday evening and home again on Sunday – returning to the specific departure points that are designated. General times are: Departure – 7.00 p.m. Friday ● Final Parade – 2.00 p.m. Sunday ● Return to Departure Point – 5.00 p.m. Scouts from country Victoria and Interstate are to provide their own transport with a Leader in charge of each Patrol or group of Patrols.	LEARNER PATROL This is to give younger Scouts, who have previously been thought to be too young, a chance to try out Scouthike. The major difference between Learner Patrols and Competition Patrols is that Learner Patrols camp both nights at the same Sleep Point and on the Saturday only hike with a day pack and participate in activities. On Sunday they have to carry their full pack to the finish point and can do activities. Learner Patrols will be operating reduced hours on Saturday i.e. starting later and finishing earlier. Learner Patrols must have a Leader / Rover hiking with them at all times. Competition Patrols will hike as normal with full packs, change Sleep Points and do not have a Leader hiking with them. Learner Patrols. How it will work: The Patrol will be sent paperwork similar to ‘Competition’ Patrols; but they will have a distinctive Patrol number and their Passport will be a different colour. They will travel in the buses with the other Patrols. They will have packs with the same gear as the other Patrols, except they must also have a day pack, which is to be packed in their hike pack. After arrival at the Sleep Point on Friday night they will set up their tents. On Saturday they will do Activities (see the notes below) and will be scored in the normal fashion. They will return to the same Sleep Point that night.
		Saturday Saturday morning they leave their tents erected; leaving their sleeping bag and sleeping mat behind. On Saturday they only carry a day pack each. The day pack will have lunch, water bottle and parka. The Patrol will have a compass and a First Aid Kit. They will also have Scouthike maps and their Passport. They will also be accompanied by a Leader who will hike with them. They plan their own route, to return to the same Sleep Point. The route needs to be checked properly by Sleep Point staff to make sure they are not over ambitious. They cannot leave the Sleep Point before 8:00 a.m. and they must be back in the Sleep Point by 3:30 p.m. Learner Patrols who book in at their Sleep Point by 3:30 p.m. are eligible for 100 Bonus Points. During the day If they arrive at an Activity at the same time as a ‘Competition’ Patrol, the ‘Competition’ Patrol will have priority and will go first. By starting later and finishing earlier they should miss the rush hour at the nearest Activities. ‘Competition’ Patrols must not be held up by Learner Patrols.
		Sunday On Sunday they will pack up all their gear and hike, with their full packs, to the Finish Point doing Activities on the way. They cannot leave the Sleep Point until 8:00 a.m. They are again accompanied by a Leader who hikes with them. When the Learner Patrol books in at the Finish; and if the whole Patrol is in correct uniform and they book in before 1:30 p.m., they are eligible for 100 Bonus Points. When they get on the buses to go home they will receive their Scores Sheet, a Competitor Pennant for the Patrol and a Scouthike Badge for each member of the Patrol
	The cost is $60.00 per head for all Metro Region Scouts , (plus 100 Bonus Points, if received before 4th May ) this covers the cost of bus transport to and from the hike area, pennants for each Patrol, badges for each person involved, toilets and water as well as some other administration costs. etc. Country Region or Interstate Patrols pay $40.00 per head Cheques are to be made out to "Scouthike" Post to : 5 Stanhope st Surrey Hills Vic 3127 Direct deposits can be made to " SCOUTHIKE " Westpac Bank BSB 033-112 Account number 25-3409 [please use your troop and patrol name as identification]	The cost is $60.00 per head for all Metro Region Scouts , (plus 100 Bonus Points, if received before 4th May ) this covers the cost of bus transport to and from the hike area, pennants for each Patrol, badges for each person involved, toilets and water as well as some other administration costs. etc. Country Region or Interstate Patrols pay $40.00 per head Cheques are to be made out to "Scouthike" Post to : 5 Stanhope st Surrey Hills Vic 3127 Direct deposits can be made to " SCOUTHIKE " Westpac Bank BSB 033-112 Account number 25-3409 [please use your troop and patrol name as identification]
	All Patrols who participate must come completely self-sufficient with regard to adequate clothing and footwear, tentage and catering provisions. All maps and other relevant information is given to the scouts upon their arrival at the hike area on Friday evening. Patrols must consist of a minimum of four (4) members and a maximum of seven ( 7 ) members All information and details are emailed or posted to the Patrol Leader who then must communicate with, and organize, the Patrol. It is therefore now up to you to enthuse as many Scouts and Scouters to give SCOUTHIKE a go. The fun of the week-end is not only there for the scouts, but for Scouters too. Just ask someone who was involved last year.	All Patrols who participate must come completely self-sufficient with regard to adequate clothing and footwear, tentage and catering provisions. All maps and other relevant information is given to the scouts upon their arrival at the hike area on Friday evening. Patrols must consist of a minimum of four (4) youth members and a maximum of seven ( 7 ) youth members plus one leader or Rover. All information and details are emailed or posted to the Patrol Leader who then must communicate with, and organize, the Patrol
	Applications CLOSE Friday 4th May	Applications CLOSE Friday 4th May
Enquiries-Don Cuff, 5 Stanhope Street, Mont Albert, Vic, 3127. Telephone 9898 2332