Specialty Camps
Specialty Camps at Camp Somers
Our specialty camps are one-week resident camps held at Camp Somers in Stanhope, NJ. We gladly welcome all boys and girls entering grades 6-12 at any of our specialty camps! We have 4 exciting programs to choose from.
Aquatics
Aquatics camp is an in-water adventure where Scouts experience off site kayaking and motor boating adventures. Scouts will learn the basics of sailing, kayaking, and rowing while traveling to different lakes and rivers in Northern New Jersey. While focused on fun aquatic activities, Scouts will also work on earning small boat sailing, rowing, kayaking, and canoeing merit badges as well as earning the BSA stand up Paddle boarding award. Every day you will have the opportunity to be in the water.
Backwoods Engineering
Do you love to lash?
Do you want to learn how to build challenging towers, bridges, catapults, and more using nothing but sticks, rope, pioneering tools and your own hands?
Are you interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics?
Do you just want to have fun?
Backwoods Engineering Camp is a week long STEM experience for those who are interested in building and accomplishing tasks beyond the normal Scouts BSA program. This is an individual sign-up - so come by yourself or bring a friend. Over the course of the week, the group will build trestle bridges, a signal tower, a catapult, a cable-stayed bridge, and rafts using spars and ropes. Participants will learn the principles of stable structures, stress, and load distribution. You will also learn about the six simple machines, how to use them, and how they permeate every aspect of our daily lives.
Campers will form their own camp troop and patrols for the week and will also participate in camp wide and fun activities at Camp Somers. We provide the leadership, campsite, meals, and fun. You provide the enthusiasm! Check out the Backwoods Engineering summer camp FAQs as well as our Backwoods Engineering resources and weekend programs HERE.
Climbing
Climbing camp is a week long adventure that gives campers the opportunity to develop their skills and take their climbing to the next level. Experiences will include some of the best natural rock climbing in New Jersey as well as artificial walls, learning to belay and rappel. Scouts BSA participants over the age of 16 will have the opportunity to earn BSA Climbing Instructors in Training certification, the first step in becoming a BSA climbing instructor.
Shooting Sports
Improve your marksmanship skills in a fun and safe environment. Rifles, shotgun shooting, archery, competitions, NRA Marksmanship program and more. Become totally immersed in shooting sports. Earn your rifle, shotgun, and archery merit badges. Work towards becoming a sharpshooter and attaining NRA certification. During the week you will have hands-on experience with different firearms and different scopes as well as target archery.
Sunday's focus will be on safety. Attend safety orientation, learn the range rules as well as firearm cleaning and maintenance. On Monday you will begin qualifying for NRA ranks. The afternoon will focus on rifles with different scopes and in different positions. The focus on Tuesday is shotgun and archery. You will have an opportunity to try your hand at Laporte archery which is like skeet shooting but you will use your bow and arrow. See if you can hit the target midair! On Wednesday we'll head over to Camp Wheeler to work with the larger caliber guns including the muzzleloader. On Thursday and Friday, you pick your own program! Pick any area or you can choose to attend the NJDEP Hunter Safety Course. Every day the action continues into the evening when we'll have a blast at the other camp program areas!
Financial Assistance
Adventureships are available to help families who need help covering the camp costs.
Forms
BSA Annual Health and Medical Record – Medical forms may be submitted to camp at a Camp Orientation, or turned in on the first day of your child’s week of camp.