Boy Scouts of America

Snow Sports Merit Badge

Snow Sports
Merit Badge

Boy Scouts of America Merit Badge Hub

Boy Scouts of America
Merit Badge Hub

SnowSports

Snow Sports Merit Badge Overview

Skiing and snowboarding are the fastest and most thrilling ways to travel on foot in snow country. These sports also provide the physical benefits of fresh air, rhythmic action, and strenuous exercise. Many games and contests give snow sports variety and added rewards.
Snow-Sports_merit-badge-overview

Snow Sports Merit Badge Requirements

The requirements will be fed dynamically using the scout book integration 110
1. Do the following:
  • (a) Explain to your counselor the hazards you are most likely to encounter while participating in snow sport activities, and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
  • (b) Discuss first aid and prevention for the types of injuries or illnesses that could occur while participating in snow sports, including hypothermia, frostbite, shock, dehydration, sunburn, fractures, bruises, sprains, and strains. Tell how to apply splints.
2. Do the following:
  • (a) Explain why every snow sport participant should be prepared to render first aid in the event of an accident.
  • (b) Explain the procedure used to report an accident to the local ski patrol or local emergency personnel.
3. Explain the international trail-marking system.
4. Discuss the importance of strength, endurance, and flexibility in snow sports. Demonstrate exercises and activities you can do to get fit for the option you choose in requirement 7.
5. Present yourself properly clothed and equipped for the option you choose in requirement 7. Discuss how the clothing you have chosen will help keep you warm and protected.
6. Do EACH of the following:
  • (a) Tell the meaning of the Your Responsibility Code for skiers, snowboarders, and snowshoers. Explain why each rider must follow this code.
  • (b) Explain the Smart Style safety program. Tell why it is important and how it applies to participants at snow sport venues like terrain parks and pipes.
  • (c) Explain the precautions pertaining to avalanche safety, including the responsibility of individuals regarding avalanche safety.
7. Complete ALL of the requirements for ONE of the following options: downhill (Alpine) skiing OR cross-country (Nordic) OR snowboarding OR snowshoeing.
  • Downhill (Alpine) Skiing Option
  • (a) Show how to wax and maintain your skis and use/maintain your release bindings. Explain the international DIN standard and what it means to skiers.
  • (b) Explain the American Teaching System and a basic snow-skiing progression.
  • (c) Discuss the five types of Alpine skis. Demonstrate two ways to carry skis and poles safely and easily.
  • (d) Demonstrate how to ride one kind of lift and explain how to ride two others.
  • (e) On a gentle slope, demonstrate some of the beginning maneuvers learned in skiing. Include the straight run, gliding wedge, wedge stop, sidestep, and herringbone maneuvers.
  • (f) On slightly steeper terrain,show linked wedge turns.
  • (g) On a moderate slope, demonstrate five to 10 christies.
  • (h) Make a controlled run down an intermediate slope.
  • (i) Demonstrate the ability to ski in varied conditions, including changes in pitch, snow conditions, and moguls. Maintain your balance and ability to turn.
  • (j) Name the major ski organizations in the United States and explain their functions.
  • Cross-Country (Nordic) Skiing Option
  • (a) Show your ability to select, use, and maintain equipment for cross-country skiing in safety and comfort.
  • (b) Discuss classic, skating, touring, and telemark skis.
  • (c) Discuss the basic principles of waxing for cross-country ski touring.
  • (d) Discuss the differences between cross-country, backcountry/ski touring, ski mountaineering, and downhill/telemark skiing.
  • (e) List the items you would take on a one-day ski tour.
  • (f) Demonstrate the proper use of a topographic map and compass.
  • (g) On a gentle, packed slope, show some basic ways to control speed and direction. Include the straight run, traverse, side slip, step turn, wedge stop, and wedge turn maneuvers.
  • (h) On a cross-country trial, demonstrate effective propulsion by showing proper weight transfer form ski to ski, pole timing, rhythm, flow, and glide.
  • (i) Demonstrate your ability, on a tour, to cope with an average variety of snow conditions.
  • (j) Demonstrate several methods of dealing with steep hills or difficult conditions. Include traverses and kick turns going uphill and downhill, sidesteps, pole drag, and ski-pole 'glissade'.
  • Snowboarding Option
  • (a) Discuss forward-fall injuries.
  • (b) Show your ability to select the correct equipment for snowboarding and to use it for safety and comfort.
  • (c) Show how to use and maintain your own bindings, and explain the use of the different binding methods. Explain the need for leashes.
  • (d) Discuss the four types of snowboards. Demonstrate how to carry a snowboard easily and safely.
  • (e) Demonstrate how to ride one kind of lift and explain how to ride two others.
  • (f) Demonstrate the basic principles of waxing a snowboard.
  • (g) Do the following:
  • (1) On a gentle slope, demonstrate beginning snowboarding maneuvers. Show basic ways to control speed and direction. Include the sideslipping maneuver.
  • (2) On slightly steeper terrain, show traversing.
  • (h) On a moderate slope, demonstrate an Ollie, a nose-end grab, and a wheelie.
  • (i) Make a controlled run down an intermediate slope.
  • (j) Demonstrate your ability to ride in varied conditions, including changes in pitch, snow conditions, and moguls. Maintain your balance and ability to turn.
  • (k) Name the major snowboarding organizations in the United States and explain their functions.
  • Snowshoeing Option
  • (a) Name the parts of a snowshoe.
  • (b) Explain how to choose the correct size of snowshoe.
  • (c) Describe the different types of snowshoes and their specialized uses. Discuss factors to consider when choosing a snowshoe.
  • (d) Explain how to properly care for and maintain snowshoes.
  • (e) List the items you would take on a one-day snowshoe hike.
  • (f) Describe areas that are best for snowshoeing. Discuss some advantages and dangers of backcountry snowshoeing.
  • (g) Discuss the benefits of snowshoeing.
  • (h) Demonstrate the most efficient ways to break trail, climb uphill, travel downhill and traverse a slope.
  • (i) Demonstrate your ability, on a 2-mile snowshoe hike, to cope with an average variety of snow conditions
  • (j) Demonstrate the proper use of a topographic map and compass

Get the Snow Sports Merit Badge Pamphlet

Choose from downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing to earn the Snow Sports merit badge, and have some major FUN and exercise while you are at it!

Discover more about "Snow Sports"

Life Scout Paul Lehmann and his sister Ann, a Second Class Scout, stood at the top of the slope. It was Paul’s fourth time visiting Devil’s Head Ski Resort near Merrimac, Wisconsin, and he had all the confidence in the world. “I had gone down most of the hills before,” says Paul, 14. “All the beginner green and blue ones, and also the orange-marked terrain park. Even three of the advanced black-diamond hills.” “But I hadn’t,” laughed Ann, 11. “It was my first time. All I could think was, ‘Wow, we don’t have hills like this where we live in Illinois!’” With people waiting in line behind her, Ann jammed her right foot down to lock her ski boot in place and squinted against the glaring sun pouring down the slope. Leafless oak and aspen trees marked the left and right boundaries of the run, while a wide ribbon of pure white snow ran between them. After some encouragement from other Scouts, Ann nodded and pushed herself out of the gate. The wind stung her face and watered her eyes, but she kept on her feet as she raced down. She was skiing! FROM PRACTICE TO PERFORMANCE Boys Troop 9 and girls Troop 2019, both of Champaign, Illinois, were spending the weekend at Devil’s Head to earn the Snow Sports merit badge. Many of the requirements were checked off in troop meetings before the ski trip. But before they could earn the badges, the Scouts first needed to step out into the cold. “We did a lot of activities to prepare for the trip,” says Makenna West, a 13-year-old Second Class Scout. “We layered up the Scouts with all they would need to survive time in the snow. This gave them the chance to see how it felt to move around with unfamiliar gear.” “But it’s one thing to read about it, and another to do it!” says Daniela Stewart, a 12-year-old Tenderfoot Scout. One of the toughest requirements was to “make a controlled run down an intermediate slope and demonstrate short-, medium- and long-radius parallel turns, a side slip and safety stop to each side and traverse across a slope.” “Keeping things under control when you’d never skied before wasn’t easy,” 11-year-old Tenderfoot Scout Curtis Hanson says. “We managed the turns and stops, and after I got to the bottom of the hill, all I could think was: ‘I want to do it again!’” THE VALUE OF EXPERIENCE Skiing is a centuries-old way to travel. In the late 1800s, innovations to skiing equipment popularized downhill skiing for fun and competition, though the sport didn’t catch on in the U.S. until the 1920s and 1930s. Ski resorts opened up all over the country, and now millions of people enjoy them each year. Devil’s Head has been a skiing destination for Troop 9 for the past few years. “Most of the older guys had been there before, and they gave a lot of advice to help keep us safe,” 11-year-old Scout Addison Dyer says. “Some guys took some good tumbles. You kind of chuckled when someone fell and cheered when they got up. We rated the falls like in the Olympics. Nobody got a perfect 10, but they came close.” Tumbles will happen — skiing requires balance and proper technique. Supporting each other during a shared experience is important, especially for those who are trying something new. Snow sports can be strenuous; you need to be physically fit. END OF THE RUN By day’s end, everyone was tired but happy. Their time on the slopes wrapped up with only a few sore muscles, and they gathered at the bottom of the hill to trade jokes and stories before heading inside to roaring fires, pizza and a heated swimming pool. Through careful preparation, solid teamwork and a dash of bravery, the Scouts finished their time at Devil’s Head. “And everybody earned their Snow Sports merit badges,” Ann says. “I didn’t try any of the double-black runs, but there’s a whole lot more skiing I want to do.” “And next year you can teach me a few new tricks!” Paul says. SNOW SPORTS MERIT BADGE Downhill skiing isn’t the only winter sport you can do to earn the Snow Sports merit badge. You can also try cross-country skiing or snowboarding. For any activity, make sure you wear a helmet and stay in designated areas. FOR YOUR SKI TRIP Here’s how to be ready for your own trip to the slopes. 1. Exercise. Stretch every day for 5-10 minutes. Go jogging three times a week for at least a mile. To help build those hill-climbing leg muscles, skip the elevator and take the stairs. 2. Prepare. Brush up on your first aid. Make sure at least one person in your party has a good first-aid kit and knows how to use it. Dress in layers. If you wear only one thick coat, you will become very uncomfortable. Don’t forget the little things! Hand sanitizer, extra batteries and a pack of playing cards can come in handy. 3. Where to Go? There are more than 200 ski resorts in the U.S. This means wherever you live, it shouldn’t be too far to get to one. Each resort has its own specialties. Some feature challenging runs, while others cater to first-timers. Pick the one that best matches your abilities and interests. Most resorts offer discounts on lift tickets, rooms and equipment rentals if you have enough people in your party. So try to take your friends!
Snowboarding has been carving out its place on the powder ever since 1965, when a Michigan engineer fastened two skis together for his daughters and forever gave the world a new way to travel downhill. While alpine skiing had been an Olympic sport since 1936, snowboarding wouldn’t join the Winter Games until 1998 — 62 years later. As the world watched snowboarding blast onto the scene in Nagano, Japan, Don McChesney surely must have been smiling. For years, McChesney, then the director of the BSA’s Boy Scout Division, had been receiving letters from Scouts and Scouters about snowboarding. The crux of these letters: “Why isn’t there a merit badge for it?” “We shared these letters with members of the national advancement committee, and they took serious note of it,” McChesney told Scouting magazine in 2001. The BSA had offered the Skiing merit badge since 1938, with Scouts able to complete the requirements through either downhill (alpine) or cross-country (nordic) skiing. But snowboarding? No such recognition was available. That is, until the introduction of the Snow Sports merit badge in January 1999. The badge, which replaced the Skiing merit badge, could be earned in one of three ways: downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding. (Snowshoeing was added as a fourth option in 2016.) Let’s pause here for one moment to point out that the Snow Sports merit badge slid onto the scene in 1999 — just one year after the sport’s Winter Olympics debut in Nagano. And the Skiing merit badge snowplowed into the BSA’s offerings in 1938 — just two years after downhill skiing became a sport in the Winter Olympics. These two badges, each released at the pinnacle of their sport’s popularity, demonstrate how the BSA responds to the times. Even as our movement upholds the timeless values that families appreciate, we still adapt to the ever-evolving needs and interests of modern young people.
Put on a heavy coat and head to the nearest patch of fresh powder. As of Jan. 1, 2016, there’s now a fourth way to earn the Snow Sports merit badge. Snowshoeing joins downhill skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding as options for earning this elective merit badge. The new requirements, which you can see here, took effect on Jan. 1, 2016. Scouts who started work on the Snow Sports merit badge before Jan. 1, 2016, may continue working using the previous requirements. The update to the Snow Sports merit badge is indicative of the BSA’s commitment to improving its crop of 136 existing merit badges. I’ve already blogged about the changes to the Eagle-required Cooking merit badge for 2016 and beyond. In future posts I’ll blog about changes to the Photography merit badge and the Lifesaving merit badge, but you can see those new requirements right now right here.

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Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.