Tag Archives: outdoor programs

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Registration Is Now Open for OAC Events in June 2021

The Outdoor Adventure Club event is kicking off the 2021 summer season with a mountain hiking adventure in June! Choose between Echo Lake and Chicago Lake at the base of Mt. Evans or Seven Bridges in North Cheyenne Cañon near Colorado Springs. Along the way, we’ll work on parts of the Trail Adventure badge and Outdoor Skills patch, play fun trail games, and take some time to cool off by the water! The cost is $40/per Girl Scout. You can also use Cookie Credits for this event or apply for an opportunity grant.

Dates:

  • Echo Lake Option One: June 12
  • Echo Lake Option Two: June 13
  • Seven Bridges Option One: June 12
  •  Seven Bridges Option Two: June 13

This event is open to all Girl Scouts in 6th – 12th grade to register individually. Find registration instruction here: https://girlscoutsofcolorado.wixanswers.com/en/article/outdoor-adventure-club-registration-faqs

The Outdoor Adventure Club (OAC) is a Girl Scouts of Colorado staff-led program for older Girl Scouts, offering monthly high adventure activities such as mountain biking, rock climbing, white water rafting, and skiing. Visit the Outdoor Adventure Club website for more information: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/outdoors/outdoor-adventure-club.html

Questions? Email inquiry@gscolorado.org.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

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OAC April 2021 Events: Registration is Now Open

Registration for the Outdoor Adventure Club Magic Sky High Ropes and Climbing events opens on Thursday, February 11, 2021 at 9 a.m.

On April 10 or April 11, OAC girls will spend a full day at Magic Sky Ranch participating in high adventure activities. Half the day will be spent at the high ropes course and the other half of the day will be spent climbing at the cliffs near the lake. Register and learn more using the links below:

For more information about the Outdoor Adventure Club (OAC) and future events, check out these links:

Questions? Email inquiry@gscolorado.org.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

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Snow Badge Spectacular: Registration Open Now

It’s winter and that means it’s time to get out and earn your Snow badge! Join the GSCO Outdoor Program team and Sandra Clark, Marketing Manager at The North Face, on a webinar on Wednesday,  February 10, 2021 from 5 – 6 p.m. to learn more about how to plan, prepare, and train for you outdoor adventure. We will walk you through the steps of the Snow badge and give you special tips, tricks, and resources to help you earn your badge. We know that each level of the Snow badge covers different snow sports, so we’ll be sure to cover each one, including snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and downhill skiing/snowboarding.

To learn more and to register: https://www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org/en/events-repository/2021/feb10_snow_badge_spe.html

We will be recording this webinar and posting it to the GSCO YouTube channel for those that are unable to make it to the live event.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She was at the can send in her story here.

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Winter Wonders

Submitted by Tehya B.

Metro Denver

Arvada

My name is Tehya and I am working to earn GSCO’s Get Outdoors Challenge patch! I did an eight-mile hike, built a snowman, and helped a neighbor shovel. I also went to zoo lights and on a winter scavenger hunt.

I am strong and courageous in my adventures. I use my skills to help others and change the world.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

Archive

Troop Days at Camp: Registration for Winter and Spring is Now Open

Girl Scouts of Colorado’s Troop Days at camp in fall 2020 were such a hit that we are excited to offer them for winter and spring! Once again, troops can visit select GSCO properties and participate in a half or full day of staff-led programs.

Visit Twisted Pine in Genesee or Hamp Hut in Colorado Springs and spend a half day connecting with your troop and building outdoor skills with programs in archery, teambuilding, guided hikes, and outdoor skills. Programs are available from 9 a.m. – noon or 1 – 4 p.m. Fees are $15/ girl and adults are free.

Visit Tomahawk Ranch near Bailey or Sky High Ranch near Woodland Park and spend a full day with lunch included enjoying the beautiful camp properties! Troops can participate in programs ranging from wizarding magic to barnyard exploration to adventure survival and curious clues! Registration includes cold lunch for all guests, and the opportunity for parents/ caregivers who are driving girls to enjoy refreshments and WiFi in our dining hall while the troop is experiencing and participating in program. Tagalongs/siblings are welcome, however must always be supervised by parent/caregiver and will not be allowed to participate in camp activities. Fees are $45/Girl Scout, free for adults. (Sky High Ranch is also offering a shortened and lower cost Sunday option).

Visit Meadow Mountain Ranch and spend a full day in outdoor exploration programs around the property, building outdoor skills, and hiking through meadows. Parents/caregivers who are driving girls may relax in the lodge while the troop is participating in programs. Lunch is not provided. Fees are $35/girls and free for adults.

Read all about the program options, pricing, and dates here. For more information on the registration process, COVID -19 safety guidelines, and what to expect on program review our Troop Day Programs FAQ’s here.

Questions? Email property.reservations@gscolorado.org.

Coming Soon: Meadow Mountain Ranch will soon be available for Girl Scout groups to use for day hikes, and the Nature Trail and accompanying patch program. We are currently monitoring fire conditions in the Meadow Mountain Ranch area, but look for a blog post with the details on how to reserve the Meadow Mountain Ranch Nature Trail when it opens for troop and Girl Scout group use later this month!

NOTE: Given the developing and quickly changing nature of COVID-19 in our communities, GSCO reserves the right to cancel any Troop Day program at any point if there is a concern for the health and safety of staff or participants. Additionally, as we head into the winter season, if the weather makes road travel to camp unsafe or is determined to be unsafe for participants to be outside, we also reserve the right to cancel a program. If we need to cancel a Troop Day program, all registered participants will be given a full refund and we will work with the group leader to reschedule the program.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

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Activity Approval Form

At the beginning of each Girl Scouting year, Girl Scouts of Colorado and Girl Scouts of the USA review our volunteer/program policies, Volunteer Essentials, and our safety policies, Safety Activity Checkpoints. These resources are here to not only communicate our policies, but to ensure every adult member and girl are prepared and safe. It is the expectation of every volunteer to review these resources every year. The 2020 version of Safety Activity Checkpoints includes a new section on key components of an Emergency Action Plan, clarification of which activities require approval by GSCO and updated guidelines on general Girl Scout program safety.

In the same light of ensuring girl safety, we have a new process at Girl Scouts of Colorado for council approval for activities, events, and trips held by troops and service units. The Activity and Event Approval Form must be completed at least 30 days prior to your event, activity or trip. Activities that require prior approval include any:

  • Troop or service unit hosting a money earning event or activity.
  • Troop or group overnight or travel experience.
  • High-risk activity that requires approval per the Safety Activity Checkpoints.

This new process for Activity and Event Approval goes into effect for any activities taking place after December 15, 2020.

What are Safety Activity Checkpoints?

Safety Activity Checkpoints (SAC) is a resource that provides safety standards and guidelines for general Girl Scout programs and specific activity areas. SAC includes information on required volunteer certification, adult volunteer to girl participant ratios, emergency plan templates and guidelines for specific activities. SAC includes activity chapters on everything from bicycling to camping to horseback riding to rock climbing! Each activity chapter includes a resources to help troops plan the activity and specific safety guidelines around equipment, instructor experience/training, limited to Girl Scout program levels that can participate and if approval from GSCO is required before your troop or Girl Scout group can do the activity. You can review the 2020 version of Safety Activity Checkpoints here!

Why do some activities require approval by GCSO?

In Girl Scouts we want to ensure that girls are participating in activities that are developmentally appropriate, progressive, and of course safe. By requiring the approval of some of the more “high-risk” activities girls can participate in, Girl Scouts of Colorado can make sure the group has the proper insurance, have taken the necessary leader training, is taking the necessary safety precautions, and is properly prepared for the activity. It is in no way meant to limit a girls experience, rather our goal is the increase the amount of fun, safe experiences girls can participate in.

What is the activity and event approval form? How do I know if my activity needs approval?

This is a form that troops, Service Units and other Girl Scout groups in Girl Scouts of Colorado will need to complete 30 days prior to any activity that needs approval. Activities that require approval are:

  • Any troop or service unit hosting a money earning event or activity.
  • Extended overnight/trip (3+ nights) or any trip out of the state of Colorado.
  • Any high-risk activity that requires approval per the Safety Activity Checkpoints. You can determine if your activity needs approval by reading the activity specific chapter, or by looking at the “Activities at a Glance” chart on p. 21 of Safety Activity Checkpoints.

What is the timeline for activity approval and how will I know I am approved?

Please complete the form 30 days prior to your activity. Depending on the type of activity you are planning, you may not need to wait for additional GSCO approval after your submission. Upon completion of the form you will receive an email indicating if additional staff approval will be required for your activity. If additional approval is required, you will be connected via email from a GSCO staff notifying you of your approval within 10 business days of your submission.

Still have questions? Reach out to us at inquiry@gscolorado.org.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

Archive

Listen Now: Trail Adventure Kickoff Webinars

Thank you to all who joined Girl Scouts of Colorado live for the Fall 2020 Trail Adventure Kickoff webinars! We hope you learned something new and are excited to work on your Trail Adventure badge.

You can view the recordings by following the links below:

Girl Scouts who complete all of the requirements to earn their Trail Adventure badge by February 1, 2021 are eligible to receive the badge and a Girl Scout bandana for FREE*. Use this online form to request your free badge and a GSCO bandana: https://gscolorado.formstack.com/forms/trail_adventure_badge_request_form_fall_2020

Additional resources are also available to help you earn your Trail Adventure badge! Download these activity and resource packets.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

 

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Girl Scouts Get Outdoors Challenge

Submitted by Marie Merrill-Exton

Southwestern CO

Pagosa Springs

How are you spending your fall?

Sage from Pagosa Springs is taking on the Girl Scouts Get Outdoors Challenge. Sage has visited a Colorado state park, helped harvest corn from the garden, learned about and explored the fall leaf colors, and visited a national wildlife refuge. Sage said, “it’s a really fun way to stay connected to Girl Scouts and get outdoors”.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

Archive

Troop Days at Camp: New Outdoor Programs Offered at GSCO Properties

Starting September 12, 2020, troops can visit select GSCO properties and participate in a half or full day of staff-led programs!

Visit Twisted Pine in Genesee or Hamp Hut in Colorado Springs and spend a half day connecting with your troop and building your outdoor skills with programs in archery, Trail Adventure badge, guided hikes, outdoor art, and others. Programs are available from either a 9 a.m. – noon or 1 – 4 p.m. Fees are $15/ girl and adults are free.

Visit Tomahawk Ranch near Bailey or Sky High Ranch near Woodland Park and spend a full day with lunch included enjoying the beautiful camp properties! Troops can participate in programs ranging from Wizarding or Fun at the Farm to Life Sized Games, Camp Fun Day and Adventure/Survival! Registration includes cold lunch for all guests, and the opportunity for guardian/parent(s) who are driving girls up to enjoy refreshments and WiFi in our dining hall while the troop is experiencing and participating in program. Taglongs/siblings are welcome, however must always be supervised by parent/guardian and will not be allowed to participate in camp activities. Fees are $45/Girl Scout, free for adults.

Visit Meadow Mountain Ranch and spend a full day in outdoor exploration programs around the property, building outdoor skills, and hiking through meadows. Parents/guardians who are driving girls up may relax in the lodge while the troop is participating in programs. Lunch is not provided. Fees are $35/girls and free for adults.

Read about all the program options here!

For more information on the registration process, COVID -19 safety guidelines and what to expect on program review our Troop Day Programs FAQ’s here.

Questions? Email property.reservations@gscolorado.org.

We want to hear how your girl is using her Girl Scout skills by taking initiative, caring for the community, and Girl Scouting at home. She can send in her story here.

Archive

Girl Scouting at home: Encourage-MINTS, Accomplish-MINTS, and Excite-MINTS

Girl Scouts of Colorado Camp Staff encourages you and your family to share positive attributes about yourself and others as part of an activity called “Encourage-MINTS, Accomplish-MINTS, and Excite-MINTS!”

Step One:  Find a comfortable place to relax with your family.

Step Two: Distribute to each person as many mints as there are people in the room. For example, if there are five people in the room, each person gets five mints. If you don’t have mints, that’s okay! You can use other candy, tokens, or nothing at all. The point of this activity is the senti-“mint.”

Step Three: Take turns as each person gives an encouragement, accomplishment, or excitement.  After you do, give the person a candy mint as a representation of your Encourage-MINT, Accomplish-MINT, or Excite-MINT.

Examples:

Encourage-MINT

Encourage a loved one to do something for themselves. Afterwards, give them a mint.

“Because you deserve a break, I encourage you to take a bubble bath sometime this weekend! Here is your mint!”

Accomplish-MINT

Shout out of an accomplishment of a loved one. Afterwards, give them a mint.

“Thanks for cooking dinner for the family, it was so delicious! Here is your mint!”

“You did great on that school assignment. Here is your mint!”

Excite-MINT

Share in someone else’s excitement you know they have experienced or will experience. Afterwards, give them a mint.

“I am so excited that you love playing basketball. Here is your mint!”

“I am so excited for our trip in December! Here is your mint!”

This program can also be done virtually, so be sure to  send virtual MINTS with Girl Scout sisters or other loved ones!