All Merit Badges and most activities at camp have sign-ups available through Blackpug. Sign-ups open on May 1st (except for outbounds and certain special activities, which open on June 1st) for Troops that have paid their reservation balance in full. Not all programs have sign-ups. If a program advertised on the Leader Portal does not have a sign-up, assume that no sign-up is necessary rather than that program is not happening. For a guide on how to sign up for Merit Badge classes and other activities, please see the Resources & Downloads page.
Scouts can adjust their registrations into the start of camp. At camp, if a scout decides they wish to change to a different class or join an activity they had not signed up for, they should go to the class or activity they want to go to! When they arrive, they’ll need to inform the staff member in charge that they are a new student or participant. We will take care of the back end.
Generally, there are no capacity constraints for Merit Badge classes. In the unlikely event that a class size exceeds what the instructor can handle, we will move staff members around to meet the needs of each class. There are a few classes that cannot exceed capacity for safety reasons.
There are four programs with size caps: the Metalwork Merit Badge class, the Advanced Climbing class, as well as the Colter’s Trek and Kayaking outbounds. Participation in the Metalwork and Advanced Climbing classes are decided by lottery, while the outbounds are first come, first serve.
For the Metalwork and Advanced Climbing lotteries, all scouts who wish to enter the lottery will be placed on the waitlist. Scouts should select another class at the same time in case they are not successful in the lottery, and doing so will not affect their lottery “standing.” We will conduct the lottery before the start of class and inform the scouts of the results. Successful scouts will need to cancel the other class they are registered for at the same time, while scouts who were not may want to rearrange their schedules.
Scouts on the waitlist for the outbounds will be informed via Blackpug if space opens on the trip.
Some classes and activities have an associated fee that covers the additional cost of materials or outside provider fees. These fees can be paid in Blackpug either before or at camp. If a scout is on a waitlist for a Merit Badge or activity, they do not have to pay any applicable activity fees unless they enter the program. If a scout decides not to continue in the class after Monday, we can process refunds for them.
Scouts in some classes, mainly those in the Handicraft area, will need to purchase a kit from the Trading Post to complete the projects required for those Merit Badges. The costs of these kits vary; the approximate cost is listed on Merit Badge Schedule. Scouts should wait until after their first class to purchase these items so they know exactly what to purchase and you are sure they will stay in the class.