Last Frontier Council 2010 Jamboree Blog

Announced this year and reviewed at the closing arena show, The Summit – Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve is a tremendous gift that will fulfill many functions including:

• The future home of jamborees
• A Philmont style High Adventure base for the East coast
• A national leadership training center and more

In a previous post (Why feet get tired at jamborees), I compared Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom with some of our council properties alongside Fort AP Hill, site of the 2010 jamboree.  I selected  the Magic Kingdom as a reference to help understand the places that produce tired feet and compare it to Jamboree and  council properties.

How big is the Bechtel family donation? Let’s compare the above map set to the proper scale to the new site. (click to enlarge)

It’s big alright.  Philmont is bigger but this property is large enough to house a jamboree, a high adventure base and a national training center with room to spare. Here’s the plan for the layout of the 2013 Jamboree site at the north end of the reserve. (click to enlarge)

Here’s this 2013 map plan overlaid upon the property.  It fits with lots of room elsewhere.

So what about your feet?  That was the important question. “Will my feet feel better at the 2013 jamboree?”  To answer that question, let’s compare the 2010 and 2013 property maps side by side to scale.

Good news, future Jamborees will be more compact.  The subcamps, scout village, action centers and merit badge midway will be closer.  The trek to the arena show will end up shorter.  The encampment may feel more impressive because you will be able to survey more of the jamboree in one view from certain vantage points.

I think your feet will like it.

Here’s a mockup of the 2013 jamboree site I modeled with mapping software.  The image below is roughly the same overhead view as the 2013 Jamboree map in a previous post.  Scouts at the Jamboree got to see a 3D view of the site in a virtual reality appliance.  Here are a few observations I can offer with regular mapping software.

This image below is from the top of the Arena Area (pink) which is placed on a natural amphitheater on a hillside.  You are looking North.  The blue lake sits at stage level.  Along the hillside across the valley sits Regional Camp “B” (green) where you can survey the campsites of what will be thousands of tents.  Atop the hill sits the National Scout Center HQ (lavender) with a hilltop tower and the Center for Leadership Excellence.  The Scout Village (light green) sits to the right with displays, the Merit Badge Midway, Buckskin Games and a BMX course.

Here’s the view from the Adult Staff camp (brown).  You are looking southwest.  Your view commands most of the Jamboree.  The Arena (pink) sits across from the lake (blue).  The Scout Village (light green) and it’s activities awaits.  Regional Camp A (dark green) would be easily visible as you turn your head to your left.  Just a peek of it’s green outline is shown on this view.  Your elevation is the same as the National Scout Center HQ (lavendar).  Regional Camp C (dark green) sits the farthest away only 1.5 miles as the crow flies.  It’s a 200 foot vertical drop from your elevation to the lake.

There will be areas on this new site that one can witness a “sea of scouts” in views not easily seen in past jamborees except by air.  The landscape design should impress all with a panorama of Scouting at its finest.

The average high of your campsite for July and August is 78° F.   Nights get down to 58° F.  If as a parent you wish to experience the Jamboree as a adult,  consider a troop leadership position or a staff job for 2013.

Stay tuned to LFCJambo.org for 2013 Jamboree participant sign ups and staff and leader application information in 2011 – 2012.