Scout-led…The scouts elect their leaders and these leaders, not the adults, decide what to do at meetings and what trips to take during monthly patrol leader council (PLC) meetings. Scouts learn group dynamics and leadership through the rigors of outdoor adventures. A Senior Patrol Leader is elected by the entire troop for a six-month term.

Adult-mentored…The Assistant Scoutmaster Corps includes 12 fully-trained adults with a combined scouting experience of more than 100 years! Every ASM is Youth Protection Trained; we follow these rules fully. Our ASMs take training in Wilderness First Aid, Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat. Assuring the scouts’ safety is the adult scouters’ primary responsibility.

“The Shack”…is a 5-acre parcel near the NW end of Bollinger Canyon Road that Troop 834 scouts have enjoyed exclusive use of for more than 25 years. Two buildings on the property include storage space for the (extensive) troop gear collection and a meeting room for each patrol, as well as a main meeting room for the whole troop, a kitchen and an office for the scoutmasters.  Directions to The Shack are available here.

The Troop Parent Committee…manages the financials and The Shack. Every parent is asked to do some task for the troop; there are several TPC roles that, though crucial, are not time consuming.

Canoes…Troop 834 owns 11 canoes plus a trailer, paddles, and life jackets (required to be worn at all times while canoeing). Interested scouts learn the basic skills on lakes. Canoeing builds teamwork and communication. Once trained, we navigate the many rivers in Northern California.

Wolfeboro…Week-long summer camp near Arnold is the scouts’ favorite outing of the year!

Friday Nights – Our scouts want to hang out even outside of troop meetings. We host Friday Night at The Shack where we hang out, play games, and just have fun – no scouting required.