Test your skills in 10 emergency scenarios
Test your first aid and emergency response skills with scenarios designed for a First Aid Meet.
Outdoors
Keeping warm on a cold night in an igloo
When done right, an igloo can keep you nice and cozy – even on the coldest winter night.
How to Prevent and Treat Blisters
Here are tips for how to avoid getting blisters and how to treat them.
Forms for planning your outing’s itinerary
Paperwork? For an outing? When it comes to the outdoors, keeping good paperwork is part of Being Prepared. Download our templates to help you get started.
How to Set Up a Tent
Before leaving for your trip, be sure you're comfortable setting up -- and taking down -- your tent.
How to Treat and Purify Water
VIDEO: Three easy ways to treat water so it's safe to drink.
Use the Moon and a Watch to Find North
VIDEO: The moon can tell you where the sun is, and once you know the sun's position, you can use your watch to find north.
How to Use a Map and Compass
VIDEO: Learn about aiming, taking a bearing and other compass tips and tricks to improve your orienteering.
How to Care for Hiking Boots
VIDEO: Boots are super important on the trail. So take care of your footwear, and it'll take care of you.
5 Snowboarding Tips from Gold Medalist Red Gerard
Olympic gold medalist Red Gerard shares tips to help you become a better snowboarder.
17 Tasty Dutch Oven Recipes
Here are some favorite Dutch oven recipes from our pals Tim and Christine Conners and their book, The Scout’s Dutch Oven Cookbook.
How to Read a Topographic Map
Topographic maps tell you about the terrain where you’ll be traveling, but learning to read topo maps takes a little practice. Here are a few tips.
How to make sturdy wooden snowshoes
Trekking through snow is loads of fun, until you get stuck in knee-deep drifts. Sturdy snowshoes will keep you near the top of the snow’s surface.
Winter Warriors
Scouts in Minot, N.D. know plenty about winter camping. They experience it for much of the year.
How to Identify Stars in the Winter Sky
Here's an easy way to trace your way from one winter constellation to another.
Ultralight Backpacking Sample Gear List
When practicing the art of ultralight backpacking, every ounce counts. Here is a sample packing list from a backpacker who participated in an ultralight trek last summer based out of the Montana Council’s Montana High Adventure Base.
Create an emergency pack or kit
Instructions for creating a family emergency kit, a major disaster preparedness kit and a personal emergency service pack.
8 Fishing Knots to Know
Can you imagine going fishing without knowing how to tie an improved clinch knot? Or a double surgeon's loop? Neither can we.
How to Clean and Care for Your Gear
It's important to keep your outdoor gear clean and in good working order. Gear Guy tells you how.
How to stay clean on the trail
Gear Guy tells you what you need to do to stay clean in the outdoors.
Pro Angler Demonstrates 5 Ways to Cast Your Fishing Line
Improve your fishing with these casting tips from a professional fisherman.
Two Keys to Successful Fastpacking
It's possible to carry less weight and still have everything you need (or at least everything you really need) on a backpacking trip. Here's how.
12 Tips to Help You Sleep Well on the Trail
Gear Guy is here with tips to help you get a good night's rest on the trail.
How to build a bug board
They might annoy us or amaze us, but there's no question about it: Bugs are an essential part of the natural order of things. Here's how to make your own nature museum to display them.
How to beat the stink when camping
Going without a shower on a long camping trip? Here are 7 hygiene tips to keep you healthy and relatively clean.
How to go fishing at night
Fishing after dark takes skill. Here are tips to help you catch your limit.
How Well Would You Do on This Camping Quiz?
Ready to put more "outing" into "Scouting"? You will be, once you ace this quiz on camping basics.
Gear checklists for your next trip
Need to know what you need to bring on your next trip? Here are gear checklists and expert tips for all kinds of outdoor adventures.
How to maintain your bike
Maintaining your bike is your responsibility, both for your safety and that of the friends you ride with. Luckily, tuning up your bike isn't as hard as it might seem when you first try. Here's how to maintain some of the components on your bike.
Catch and release fishing tips
Here are a few tips for ensuring the fish you catch have the best chance of survival.
Make your own mailbox stove
Looking for a unique and fun way to cook for your troop? Do what this North Carolina troop does: Cook in a mailbox.
8 Great Historic Hikes
By exploring a historical trail, hikers can follow in the footsteps of the trailblazers who carved their own paths through the American wilderness.
Properly Portaging Your Canoe
Technique is more important than sheer strength when lifting your canoe.
Calls for climbers and belayers
When climbing or rappelling, it's very important for the person on the rock to communicate well with his belayer. To do this, they use "calls." Here are some of the generally accepted signals for belaying climbers and rappellers.
Build a flagpole, table or chair for your camp
With the right pioneering skills, you can create all kinds of contraptions that come in handy at a campsite.
Unusual But Effective Cooking Methods
Bread baked by mailbox? Fish roasted on a stick? North Carolina Scouts show off their unusual -- but effective -- cooking skills.
Fun games to play in the snow
Staying safe on a winter outing is hard work, but that doesn't mean there won't be time for fun. Here are a few activities we came up with. Can you think of more?
How to avoid frostbite
Frozen flesh won't kill you right away -- but the pain might make you wish you were dead. Know the symptoms and how to treat them.
How to tie basic fly-fishing knots
Fly fishermen depend on knots and must know how to tie several different knots properly. Here's how to tie some of the more common fly-fishing knots.
Take an All-Star Tour of the Night Sky
Hunt the night sky for heroes, beasts and more and have a party while you're at it!
Basic First Aid Treatments for the Trail
No matter how well-prepared you are, injuries can strike anywhere on the trail. Know what to do when they strike. The next time you see one of these five common problems, you can spring into action.
Choosing the right fishing lure
Which lure is right for catching a fish? Check out these descriptions of some common lures and then go out and give it a try.
How to avoid altitude sickness
Thin air can put a deadly squeeze on your brain and body. Know the symptoms of altitude sickness and how to treat them.
10 Steps to Start Fishing
Learn how to catch fish with these simple and easy steps!
How to Find True North Without Using a Compass
Here are several techniques you can use to find true north if you're lost in the woods.
How to Paddle a Canoe Using Different Paddling Strokes
Use these paddling techniques on your next canoeing adventure.
Tips to help you build a fire
Use these four simple steps to help you build a fire at your next campout.
Lost in the Woods! Now What?
These important tips can help you get found if you get lost.
Keep your gear dry when canoeing
Nothing’s worse than a soaked sleeping bag or a wet change of clothes after a day in the canoe. Here are some quick tips to keep all your stuff dry.
How to Fish in a Stream Pool
In stream fishing, 90 percent of the fish are found in 10 percent of the water. Here’s how to find out where that is.