A Scoutmaster's Blog

When the Boy Scouts of Melrose Area Troop 68 first attended a week of summer camp at Many Point Scout Camp in the late 1980s the staff had to quickly reopen a campsite that had not been used for awhile. The troop had signed up later than they should have and all the usual campsites had been filled. The camp decided to reopen the Tyler campsite in the Buckskin Camp for the troop. Even though it was at the end of the trail of campsites, far from any others, the troop liked it and stayed at the site for several years.

The troop changed campsites in 2006. The walk was getting too long, about a half mile from the campsite to the dining hall, for some of the aging adult leaders so we decided to reserve a camp right smack in the middle of Buckskin Camp. Seton was located at the top of a small hill near the lodge and trading post. It was also near the shower house which was nice. The Seton Campsite was smaller than Tyler but that was alright since the troop had gotten smaller over the years. The site was just the right size for a troop with eight to ten Scouts in attendance.

The troop used the Seton campsite for the next 19 years, except for the two years the troop stayed in the Ten Chiefs Camp. The site served our needs quite well so at the end of our week stay in 2024 we reserved it once again for the following year. We thought we were all set until I received a phone call a few weeks later stating that Troop 68 could not stay in the Seton campsite for 2025. The camp had plans to remake the site into the staff quarters area. We would have to choose a new site.

Needless to say, the adult leadership of Troop 68 was not very happy to hear this. It made us a bit upset that they did not tell us this while we were at camp making our reservation for 2025. We felt that since we already made our reservation and they should plan to move the staff in 2026. We liked Seton. We did not want to move, but we had no choice in the matter.

They told me which sites were still available, which was not many to choose from. We chose the Beard campsite, which was still somewhat centrally located. I did not recall ever having visited that site but we discovered it was one of the campsites in Buckskin that had a screened shelter. Neither Tyler nor Seton had a shelter. We thought that a shelter would be nice to have for those rainy days.

When we arrived at camp on Sunday, July 13, 2025, we noticed there was more parking area than Seton had to park our trailer. We also discovered the latrine was at the bottom of the hill where the campsite was located. It was going to be a long steep climb to get from the main road to the campsite. Not a problem for the Scouts, but not as much fun for this scoutmaster who is getting up there in years.

The Beard campsite itself was pretty nice. It was much bigger than the Seton site which allowed the Scouts to camp away from the adult leadership. The shelter was very nice and we spent most of our evenings in there trying to stay away from the mosquitoes. We also discovered there was a back trail that lead to the trading post and shower house. We liked that. Once again though, it was a steep trail.

The troop did a little work on the steep trail to the campsite during the week, trying to make the steps more even and equal in size. It did help. We have plans to improve it more next year. We are also thinking it might be nice to have a bench near the campsite’s fire ring. We had done the same in the Seton Campsite. Of course, we will have to ask permission before making these campsite improvements.

I have a feeling that the Beard campsite may become our new tradition while at Many Point Scout Camp. The Scouts enjoyed the site and it will give us more room as the troop tries to expand its membership. I also enjoyed the site but was not a fan of the long hillside trail to get to it. I may have to work out and exercise more before next year’s week at camp.

The Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 performed two skits during the Buckskin closing campfire at Many Point Scout Camp on July 22, 2022, to the enjoyment of the audience. This one, The Radio Airwaves skit, depicts what could happen if your radio stations keep overlapping each other on the way to camp.

This skit has been a favorite of the Scouts of Troop 68 since we first saw it performed at a campfire program in the 1980s. It is a timeless skit that allows five five to participate in the performance.

I have recently been going through my archives of video footage taken while at Scout camps and recently came across my film of the Buckskin Camp’s opening campfire program on July 12, 2009. I have edited it into a few videos and placed them on the Melrose Scouting Productions channel on YouTube. Watch them and relive a bit of Scouting from a decade ago.

The Bottomless Lake song may have been new to the Boy Scouts at this Many Point Scout Camp summer camp campfire, but they sang good and loud by the end of it.

The Boy Scouts of Troop 68 have been attending a week of summer camp at Many Point Scout Camp every year since the early 1990s. They enjoy the program and the staff at the Buckskin Camp. This year, 2019, will be the first year they will change camps as they attend the Ten Chiefs Camp which is located south of the Buckskin Camp. That means the Scouts will not be eating in the Buckskin dining hall this summer. They will be eating their meals in their campsite.

Part of the fun of the Buckskin dining hall is the songs lead by the camp staff before heading into the building to eat. The staff does a great job getting the Scouts fired up and singing.

As I start posting Scouting videos online again I thought I would begin with a video featuring the MPSC staff leading the troops in songs before a few meals. This video was recorded during Troop 68’s stay in June 2017. The video is approximately 20 minutes long. Maybe it will give your troop a couple of ideas for their next campfire program.

The video can be seen at: https://youtu.be/c6IEdWK_t90

Don’t be afraid to subscribe to the Melrose Scouting Productions YouTube channel to receive notifications when videos are uploaded.

Six Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 are now attending summer camp at Many Point Scout Camp in northwestern Minnesota. They left Sunday morning with Scoutmaster Dave and Jason, a father of one of the Scouts. They were all pretty excited about going to camp again. The older Scouts are hoping to get to spend a night in one of the two tree houses found at Many Point. (I found out earlier today that they would get their wish Thursday night.)

I am planning to go up to camp Thursday morning and spend the rest of the week with the troop. During every year that I was the scoutmaster I spent at least one week on a long term camp with the Scouts, either a week at summer camp or two weeks at a high adventure camp like Philmont Scout Ranch. I may not be the scoutmaster anymore but it just does not feel like summer if I do not go to summer camp for at least one day. I have to have fun for at least one day, if not two.

Unfortunately, I see the weather forecast says I may get a little wet once I arrive at camp but, oh well, that is a part of what camping is about. I will pack my Gore-Tex rain gear and umbrella, and make the best of it. It is not like it will be the first time it has ever rained while I was camping. And it probably will not be the last.

The Boy Scouts of Melrose Troop 68 have completed their weeklong summer camp for the year. Once again, the troop went to Many Point Scout Camp which is located northwest of Park Rapids in Minnesota. Only four Scouts of the troop attended camp because the older boys will be going on a high adventure trip this week.

Three adults spent a week at the camp, two fathers and Eymard, our 89 year old assistant scoutmaster. I believe this was Eymard’s 27th year attending summer camp, and his 24th or 25th year at Many Point. I did not spend the week at camp but did take one day off work to visit the troop, and it was a full scheduled Thursday that I picked to spend with the boys.

I arrived at camp an hour later then I had planned. I forgot it took 2.5 hours to get there. For some reason I was thinking it was only going to take two hours. I walked into the Seton Campsite at the Buckskin Camp at 10:00 that morning. I was not to worried about missing anything though. I knew the Scouts had merit badge sessions in the morning and would be scattered around the camp. I took a few minutes to chat with Eymard and Dave, the dad who was there for his second year of camp, to see how things were going before I grabbed my camera and started the hunt to find the Scouts. Jason, the other dad and first time camp attendee, was checking out the older boy program camp.

I discovered I was not the hunter, or at least not a very good one. The Scouts found me. As I walked past the old handicrafts lodge, which I now call the gaming lodge since it is the location of the Chess and Game Design merit badges, I heard someone yell my name. As I turned around I saw three of the four Scouts standing in the doorway inviting me into the lodge to see what they had been doing. I quickly discovered all four Scouts were in the building working on the Game Design merit badge.

As the next merit badge session began, the boys separated as they headed to three different classes. I visited each class and took a few pictures of each of the Scouts. After all, that was my unofficial job, troop cameraman. It was funny when one of the Scouts made a comment that now someone will be taking pictures during camp. I guess he thought the dads had been a little lax in this area. But than, in their defense, I am well known for taking lots of pictures. I do mean lots of pictures. I went home after that one day of camp with nearly 180 pictures. Yeah, maybe I take too many, but you know, everyone likes to look at them later.

We did not eat lunch in the dining hall. Instead, we grabbed bagged lunches because we were going on a field trip. We were going to spend the afternoon at Itasca State Park, which is located only 45 minutes from camp. It was time for the Scouts to see the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River. There would be a lot of photo taking opportunities for me.

We arrived back in camp the the 4:00 merit badge session. There was a little free time after that session to goof around and chat. Then it was time to retire the colors and head to supper at the dining hall. After being well fed the Scouts did some merit badge homework and attended some of the  open programs. When the boys started coming back to the campsite about 8:30 we prepared to start a fire for making s’mores. I had stopped on the way to camp that morning to pick up the ingredients.

Unfortunately, I was not able to stay around to enjoy the campfire. I had to go to work the next morning. I left camp at 9:30 that evening to start the long journey home. I walked into my house at midnight, tired, but glad I had spent a day at camp. I had a good time, and it looked like the boys and adults were having a great time.

This week nine Boy Scouts from Melrose Troop 68 are attending summer camp at Many Point Scout Camp in northern Minnesota. I was there with them from Sunday through Wednesday and I can tell you, they are having a blast, even though the weather could be a little less humid and a little dryer. It rained almost every day I was there.

The adult leaders gather every Wednesday at the Buckskin dining hall for a leader’s recognition dinner. The camp leaders tell us about the new programs and additions to the campsites, and they also play a video made from pictures taken earlier in the week. The pictures is this year’s video highlighted the adults who attended MPSC with their troops. Dave, a father of one of our Scouts, and I both made it into the video. We were both surprised by that. Neither of us knew that our photo was taken. I was playing lacrosse with the Scouts while Dave was watching the boys play gaga ball.

The team at Many Point have posted the video on their Youtube page. Here it is for you to enjoy. It is a little over three and a half minutes long.