Mountain Adventure Challenge (The M.A.C)

Summary

The Mountain Adventure Challenge is a 2 day Mountain Backpacking event in the Lake District for West Lancashire Explorer Scouts and Scout Network.

It contributes to the overall Scouting programme by meeting the needs of the Outdoors and Physical Recreation programme zones.

This Year's Event (2012)

Entries are now open. Visit the M.A.C Event page for more details including booking forms.

Programme Achievement

Counts towards training for the Expedition element of :

Chiefs Scout Platinum Award, Chief Scouts Diamond Award, Queens Scout Award Duke of Edindurghs Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards
Counts Towards the Explorer Scout Mountain Activity badge
Nights away

The Event

After a detailed kit inspection, teams are provided with the Grid references of a series of checkpoints on Saturday morning from which they compile a detailed route card. They then walk this route and camp at a rough campsite. Here they spend the night and compile Sundays route from another set of grid references. Sunday is spent walking the return leg back to the event centre.

Teams visit each checkpoint in turn and arrival times are recorded by checkpoint staff. The checkpoint staff do not assist the teams but check that they are fit to continue. A system of staff sweep teams is used to ensure all teams are safe. Staff are made up of mountain authorised and qualified leaders.

The classes

There are four classes:

Bronze is the same as the silver class except that the strength and stamina requirements are reduced as the bulk of the heavier overnight gear will be transported to the overnight camp.

Please note this class still requires mountain skills and experience and so is beyond DofE bronze.

Silver pitched at Platinum/Diamond and Bronze/Silver award levels and targeted at Explorer Scouts.

Gold pitched at Queens Scout Award and Gold DofE award levels and targeted at Network.

Gold plus pitched at mountaineer network members. This will be nominally the gold route but with optional unmanned controls between the main manned controls. Visiting these gains extra points, but they will be discreet and off the beaten track. These will be pitched at ML navigation standard.

Fit and competent explorers can participate in the Gold route for a greater challenge. Novice Network members can participate in the Silver route in order to build experience.

Points Allocation

Teams are marked on:

Route planning, Route completion, Timings, Equipment, Speed, Campcraft, Menu, Emergency procedures

The winner of each course will be the team with the most points. All teams receive a certificate. There will be a trophy for the winning team in the Silver, Gold and Gold+ classes. Only explorer Scout teams are eligible for the Silver trophy.

Teams

Teams will be of 4 or 5. Teams with members over18½ wil be classed as Network. Minor team changes on the day will be allowed provided that all required personal de