COPE & Climbing

Patriots’ Path Council is proud to offer COPE, climbing, and zip line challenges for individuals and groups. You don’t need to be a member of Scouts BSA to enjoy our outstanding programs! We offer activities at Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation in Stanhope, NJ and Winnebago Scout Reservation in Rockaway, NJ. Both camps are accredited by the Boy Scouts of America.

Nestled between Mount Allamuchy State Park and Stephens State Park, Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation is one of a few Scouts BSA camps on the east coast that has natural rock climbing. With almost a thousand acres of property, there are climbing areas to meet any groups’ ability level. The camp boasts one of the most extensive COPE courses in the region.

COPE

Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience (COPE) is an exciting outdoor program that strives to develop teamwork, communication, trust, self-esteem, problem-solving, decision making and fun in a group setting. This is the perfect opportunity to get youth leaders together and develop great troop teamwork.

Initiative games, low-course challenges, and high-course experiences await all participants. Our course includes a climbing and rappelling tower as well as a zip line and 25 low-course events. Participants climb, swing, balance, jump, rappel and think of solutions to a variety of activities. Most participants do much more than they thought they were capable of doing. Unit leaders are encouraged to participate.

Project COPE is an activity that attracts and holds the interest of older boys in Scouting. It is perfect for Venturing crews and Explorer posts. It offers a variety of stimulating activities designed to meet the needs of today’s youth who are seeking greater challenges to their physical and mental abilities. The underlying goals of a project COPE course are consistent with the methods of Scouting. Group activities help promote personal growth. Other Scouting methods are incorporated into the program. COPE provides an opportunity for every participant to achieve success as an individual member of their patrol or team.

COPE Schedule

COPE sessions are normally available on weekends from September through November (weather permitting) and reopen April through June. Please contact us as far in advance as possible to check availability. COPE programs are conducted at other times with advance reservations based on the availability of COPE facilitators. Please contact us as far in advance as possible. The minimum group size is 10 participants.

COPE Participation

Our COPE program is open to Scout and non-Scout youth groups as well as corporate and community organizations. Please provide a roster of participants when you arrive at the COPE facilities. Non Scouts BSA groups must comply with our Group Usage policy.

Participants in the full COPE program must be 13 years old as of January 1st of the year of participation or have completed the seventh grade. We can provide age appropriate programs for groups as young as fifth grade.

More Information

Climbing

Climbing offers the chance to expand personal boundaries, problem solve and test yourself. Before the end of the day, climbers find out just what they can do. Quite often, it’s more than they ever dreamed possible. Climbing can foster self-esteem, teamwork, communication, and adventure.

Participants can go rock climbing through council-run programs or unit-run outings. Council-run programs include summer camp, council and district events, or PPC’s climbing sessions. Bring your youth to Mt. Allamuchy Scout Reservation (MASR) where we provide instructors, gear, and training for you to learn how to climb and rappel, work on the Climbing merit badge, or just have fun climbing! Unit-run outings include going to climbing gyms, hiring guides, or running your own climbing outing. For all unit-run climbing outings, units need to follow the 8 points of Climb On Safely. That includes having Qualified Supervision (a Climb On Safely trained leader) to run the outing and having Qualified Instructors (gym staff, climbing guides, or a BSA Level II Climbing Instructors) to run the climbing.

The Patriots’ Path Council offers BSA Climbing Instructor (CI) training. A Level II Climbing Instructor is qualified to run outdoor top-roped rock climbing and rappelling programs. CIs can supervise and teach Scouts basic climbing fun in Ground School, to select and rig a rock climbing site, and to take Scouts climbing and rappelling on rock crags. PPC Level II CIs are also allowed to run their unit climbing activities at Mt. Allamuchy Scout Reservation (MASR).