Lake Erie Council, BSA

• You should take BALOO in order to host pack campouts. Your pack must have at least one adult with BALOO training in attendance.
• Any adult who has completed YPT can attend. It doesn’t have to be a pack leader like the Cubmaster or Den Leaders. In fact, it helps to have committee members or parents be trained too!
• We recommend at least three adults from each pack be BALOO-trained at any given time. If you are the only BALOO-trained person in your Pack, you can never get sick or take a vacation from being that designated person. Always have a backup or three so the Pack won’t have to cancel their outing due to your schedule.

• The prerequisite online modules through My.Scouting.org (Hazardous Weather & BALOO Prerequisite Training) take about two hours to complete.
• The weekend course arrival time is 8am on Saturday, and lasts through approximately 12pm on Sunday.

• Tools for planning and executing outdoor activities and campouts, such as…
  • Aims & Purpose of Cub Scouting
  • Planning
  • Equipment
  • Lunch Prep
  • Campfire Planning
  • Campfire Demonstration
  • Health & Safety (Guide to Safe Scouting)
  • Fun Programs using the Round-Robin Method
  • Flag Etiquette
• And, of course, many Outdoor Skills
  • Stoves
  • Lanterns & Fire Safety
  • First Aid & Sanitation
  • Nature Hikes & Games
  • Cub Scout Cooking
  • and more!

• 36+ hours of hands-on outdoor experience with the topics listed above
• A take-home binder full of helpful information and activities
• Great food (all meals for the weekend are provided)
• Time dedicated for program planning, and an actual plan for your next pack campout
• Networking with other adult scouters (no kids)
• Fun!

• Yes, you should bring everything on the supply list. It also makes a great starting point for your personal camping supply kit.

• We will be outside for a vast majority of the time, so check the forecast and prepare for the weather. (What’s Plan B if it rains? Plan A, except wet!)
• If severe weather unfolds, we will adjust plans accordingly.

• Depending on what you’re missing, we recommend asking your pack or the troop that your pack is associated with to borrow gear.
• Questions on a particular item? Feel free to contact the BALOO training team.

• You’re not alone! We often have first-time campers attend and succeed. This is a safe way to break in both your gear and yourself.
• Please reach out to the BALOO training team with specific questions.

• Yes. However, food is not provided for Friday dinner or Saturday breakfast. Please indicate your plan for early arrival on your registration.

• No. They training syllabus is tightly packed and you must complete the entire training to graduate. We learn from the moment we arrive to the moment we leave.

• Yes. Council-organized overnight events cover the BALOO requirement with trained event staff to assist your pack.
• If your pack adds an overnight element to a day-only council event, then your pack is responsible for having a BALOO-trained leader in attendance.

• Go camping! Share the knowledge, and encourage others to attend BALOO.
• When you move on to Scouts BSA, consider taking the Scoutmaster Basic Training for more advanced skills.

• Don’t worry! We offer BALOO at least four times per year, generally the third weekend in March, April, September, and October.
• You can also take BALOO from neighboring councils. Just make sure that you submit your completed training record to our council office to have it added to your training profile.

• We have held several safe and successful BALOO courses during COVID, and you can see our specific accommodations (including a reduced course size) on the registration page.