That's a really interesting article. Somebody really should compare those stats to the general population. That many fatalities (and what must also be a higher injury rate behind it) seems really high.

For a few years, I had thought boy scouts were getting better (compared to the 70s & 80s). They had better leadership and usually had taken training hikes in preparation for their multi-day Sierra hikes. The last 2 years, though, I've run into a lot of problems with groups. It's definitely poor leadership.

And, I shouldn't be so naive I guess, but what really pisses me off about these disorganized scout groups I run into is how easily and casually they lie to me about whatever it is I'm contacting them on (group size, permit etc). I mean, if scouts are going to be so self-righteous as to ban gays and non-believers from their lofty moral height, then the least they should do is live by their principals, but they absolutely don't. One day, I had the leaders of 4 seperate groups lie to me. They all got citations, of course, but I was really annoyed with scouting that day.

Happy to see someone take kids out but they really need to work on their leadership.

George

None of the views expressed here in any way represent those of the unidentified agency that I work for or, often, reality. It's just me, fired up by coffee and powerful prose.