Over the five program days of the 2017 National Jamboree, 30,000 Scouts and Scouters will hike up Garden Ground Mountain to the "Summit of the Summit", where they will spend a day experiencing an exciting program. This is the opportunity for jamboree participants and OA staff to experience high adventure in West Virginia's wilderness.
As a part of Operation Arrow, Arrowmen will serve as Trek Guides that will lead contingents on this day of high adventure. The Trek Guides program is the best opportunity for tried-and-true adventurers in the Order of the Arrow to give back to Scouting, and attend the largest gathering of Scouts in the nation.
Along the trail, Trek Guides will lead their contingent in trail-side chats to facilitate conversation with hikers about the rich West Virginia wilderness and how sustainability has helped shape the Summit Bechtel Reserve into the high adventure base it is today. As Arrowmen give back to the environment they love at BSA high adventure bases through OA High Adventure, so too will they give back to SBR as Trek Guides.
Ryan Jones, assistant jamboree vice chief for Trek Guides during Project 2013 and OA Triple Crown Award recipient, said the following about his adventure at SBR:
"My time at the Summit Bechtel Reserve reminded me of my time at Northern Tier for OA Wilderness Voyage and Philmont for OA Trail Crew. The people I met and the relationships I built while hiking through the beautiful West Virginia wilderness changed my life. I had a blast serving at this high adventure base, and made life-long friends while doing it."
Slots for Operation Arrow are filling fast, and we are now over 40% full! If you are interested in joining the Trek Guides staff, or one of the other OA staffs, please visit the Operation Arrow website. There you will be able to register and find all the information you need. If you are unable to commit just yet to Operation Arrow, please fill out this Google Form, and a member of the Operation Arrow Marketing & Promotions Team will reach out to you to answer your questions.
Trek on!