About Troop 1

Overview

For over 100 years BSA Troop 1, Altadena CA, has delivered life enhancing scouting experiences to youth from throughout the San Gabriel Valley.  In 2019 Troop 1 enthusiastically welcomed girls as one of BSA’s first “linked troops”, offering its unique blend of scouting to all boys & girls in the area.  What makes Troop 1 so special?  A great group of scouts, of course!  A few additional features of our troop stand out as well:

An emphasis on Scout Led.  Stop in at any of our troop meetings.  You won’t see adults directing the show, just the scouts.  Frequently chaotic?  You bet.  But we’ve found the best way to instill the pride and responsibility of leadership is to place the scouts front and center of the program.  Troop 1 scouts own the spectrum of troop operations from calendaring to preparation to delivery.  Adults are in the background, either among our Scoutmaster Corps – where our fully trained cadre offer discrete guidance and provide safety oversight – or among our Troop Committee which provides necessary administrative and logistical support.

Robert Baden-Powell, Scouting’s founder, said “the Patrol Method isn’t just one way to run a troop.  It’s the only way” and Troop 1 adheres to his admonition.  We’ve found the small-group dynamics at work in Baden-Powell’s system not only offers the optimal blend of opportunities for both leadership and followership, but also promotes peer-group ownership of the program as a whole.  And what better way to enjoy the benefits of scouting than with one’s buddies?  This is what makes it so fun!

Troop 1 promotes a vigorous Outdoor Program, with monthly backpacking or base-camping overnighters.  Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains, Troop 1’s home at St. Mark’s Church in Altadena provides the perfect launching pad into the great outdoors.  Several U.S. Forest Service campgrounds and trail-camps are all within an hour’s drive as well as our own BSA operated Camp Trask above nearby Monrovia.  During the summer months Troop 1 extends its program to the Sierra Mountains, where experienced scouts enjoy weeklong backpacking excursions into the Western or Eastern ranges.  Every couple of years the most experienced scouts look forward to visiting Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, where they lead 10-day backpacking or weeklong cavalcade (horsebound) treks.  And of course, all scouts are encouraged to attend annual weeklong Summer Camp at one of several BSA resident camps throughout Southern California.

Community Service is also a hallmark of the Troop 1 program.  Our Andrew Blackwood Memorial Blood Drive annually provides the City of Hope with its highest volume of donations of any privately-run event.  And Troop 1 can frequently be seen supporting local events such as the Altadena Library Used Book sale, the Pasadena Heritage Colorado St. Bridge Party, and refurbishment at the Pasadena Playhouse.  As with any BSA Troop, our scouts have delivered hundreds of projects to the community required to fulfill their advancement to Eagle Scout.

Of course, training is key to succeeding in our program.  Local day-hikes provide Troop 1 scouts with map & compass navigation skills, wildlife identification, and an understanding of the importance of carrying a hiker’s “10 Essential” safety systems.  These day-events also provide our more senior scouts, whose participation in varsity sports, band, robotics, etc. we welcome, with opportunities to stay engaged with scouting during times of peak performance in other aspects of their lives.

We’re so very proud of Troop 1 scouts and the Troop 1 program.  Please come join us and we can experience the magic of scouting together!

For information on joining Altadena Troop 1, visit our Contact Page to send the Scoutmaster a message.