Powder Keg: Bring the Adventure Home

Are you looking for Adventure and how to add Excitement to your Unit's activities? Powder Keg (formerly Powderhorn) is for you! Experience 3 days of action-packed activities and learn how you can bring exciting high adventure programs to your home unit. At Powder Keg, you “learn by doing” as you try each activity first-hand knowledge and practical resources to provide a challenging and fun outdoor program for the adults and older youth in your unit.

Learn from experts on how to arrange equipment, facilities, guides, instructors, and MORE!

Who Can Participate?

Powder Keg is open to any youth who is at least 14 years of age (or 13 and has completed eighth grade, if part of a Venturing crew) or any adult registered in the BSA. Participants may register as an individual or with members of their unit. If a unit wants to remain together as a crew during the Powder Horn course, the group must supply two-deep adult leadership as required by Youth Protection guidelines. The maximum crew size of eight still holds, whether it is made up of a group of individuals or a unit team.

Participant guidelines

• Must be a registered youth or adult member of Scouting America.
• Youth must be 14 years of age (or have joined a Venturing crew if 13 years of age and completed eighth grade).
• Youth must have completed the unit’s version of leadership training (Introduction to Leadership Skills for Troops, Ships, or Crews, etc.). National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) is recommended for youth participants and youth staff.

• All participants must complete Safe Guarding Youth Training.
• Adults must be trained for their position.
• Meet the physical requirements contained in the Annual Health and Medical Record physical in a backcountry environment.
• May have attended previous Powder Keg courses as a participant or staff.

Youth Participant Guidelines

Powder Keg is open to any youth who is at least 14 years of age (or 13 and has completed eighth grade, if part of a Venturing crew) or any adult registered in the Scouting America. Participants may register as an individual or with members of their unit. If a unit wants to remain together as a crew during the Powder Keg course, the group must supply two-deep adult leadership as required by Safe Guarding Youth guidelines. The maximum crew size of eight still holds, whether it is made up of a group of individuals or a unit team.

What will I learn at Powder Keg?

*Archery *Shooting sports *Skeet shooting *Black powder *Wilderness canoe expedition planning *Geocaching *Mountain biking *Hunting & Fishing *Climbing & Rappelling *Project COPE *Scuba *Physical Fitness *Astronomy *Backpacking and More….

Note: Powder Keg is “challenge by choice”; this means no one has to participate in any activity which he or she may feel uncomfortable doing.

Learning objectives

• Provide a robust outdoor program using a variety of resources.
• Identify local resources and consultants for high-adventure activities.
• Apply the health and safety requirements of the Scouting America to outdoor programs.
• Apply the rules and regulations of the Scouting America as they apply to outdoor programs.

Cost

$249 in-council/ $259 out of council Discounted Fee: Due by February 28, 2026

$299 March 1, 2026

Course fee includes food, materials, shirt, patch and site fees.

The first 48 FULLY PAID participants will have priority for course acceptance.