Girl Scouts

NorthStar Adventure at Dutch Springs offers a wide range of activities for Girl Scouts as they progress through their Journeys and advance to new levels in Scouting.  NorthStar Adventure and our staff follow all Girl Scout Safety-Wise guidelines and standards in all of our Fun Patch Programs, both here at our facility and our traveling programs. We are an approved vendor with Eastern PA, Heart of PA, Nation’s Capital Area, Central Maryland, Central, South, Northern, Heart and Shore of NJ, CT, Heart of the Hudson and Suffolk County. If your council is not listed here, please let us know. We are happy to work with all councils to earn approved vendor status.

All programs require a minimum of 8 scouts. If you have fewer than 8 scouts we can accommodate your troop by pairing you with other troops already on-site. Fees are based on the number of scouts attending and we offer discounts if your troop is pursuing multiple badges. Adults are free. Reservations are required and we typically we ask for 2-3 weeks lead time. Most programs run 3 to 4 hours or approximately a half-day. Please call or email us for current pricing.

Merit Badge Programs

Adventure Sports

The Adventure Sports badge focuses on climbing courtesy of our Climbing Wall and Sky Challenge high-ropes course and includes instruction and activity time on:

  • Equipment and how it works;
  • How to maintain equipment for maximum safety and enjoyment;
  • How to properly use and put on a harness;
  • How to belay;
  • How to climb;
  • How to rest without coming down;
  • And how to rappel.

Orienteering (Navigation Exploration)

Orienteering incorporates many of the skills formerly found in the “Finding Your Way” badge program, as scouts find their way around our 50-acre campus guided by their map and compass:

  • Learning how to read maps and globes;
  • Direction-finding skills development;
  • Map development and creation;
  • Wayfinding without a map or compass.

Dog-Mushing

One of the most unique programs in the region, NorthStar Adventure’s Dog-Mushing program ties into the popularity of Alaska’s annual Iditarod Race – the world’s longest dog-team race as participants mush over 1,200 miles to recreate the celebrated mushing trail from Seward to Nome that played a vital role in the settlement of the 49th state. Though what is billed as the world’s toughest race often features sled teams of 16 dogs that eat about 2,500 pounds of food during the two-week event contested in temperatures as cold as 60-degrees below zero (Fahrenheit).

Led by NorthStar’s Kari Hunyadi in cooperation with her Huskies, our course is not nearly so challenging but a lot more fun. Kari brings her own dogs and guides participants as they learn:

  • How sled dogs are trained
  • What dogs are best for each type of mushing
  • What dogs eat
  • What the musher wears
  • What is carried on the sled and what first aid might be needed by the dogs.
  • The parts of the sled and mushing vocabulary.
  • The history of Iditarod, Yukon Quest and other local sled dog races.
  • Weight-pulling competitions.

In addition, all participants will enjoy a chance to speak with a experienced dog-musher and meet the dogs, approach them and interact with them; see the sled in action and have a chance to pull each other. Due to weather conditions in Pennsylvania and our concern for the health of our canine coaches, this program is only offered from September through May.

SCUBA

Northstar Adventure provides the resources your Scouts need to become certified divers, earn this exciting fun patch and create a lifetime of fun activity exploring the underwater depths.

Northstar Adventure at Dutch Springs offers a 50-acre lake with submerged attractions at depths of up to 100 feet. Our spring-fed lake comes from an underground aquifer that filters water through limestone to provide excellent visibility. But even more exciting is what you can see underwater – fish and aquatic wildlife such as Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass, Bluegills, Palomino Trout, Koi, Yeller Perch, Goldfish and more!

Contact Dutch Springs for more on the SCUBA Merit Badge or to have one of our representatives visit your council or troop to show you what is involved in SCUBA – the tanks, masks, snorkels, regulators, wetsuit, drysuit, weight belt, fins, gloves, hoods and more – to help you or your Scout understand and achieve several of the key SCUBA badge requirements.

Other Activities

In addition, we also offer several programs that are ideally suited to training your troop (and Adult) leaders, including:

Team 101

Team 101 is a great introductory program for students and youth who have potential to work with others but they just haven’t realized it yet. This program focuses on all aspects of great teamwork. We can alter the specifics of this program based on the needs, age and physical abilities of each group.

Sky Splash

Sky Splash combines a half-day of hands on learning with our custom team building program and the refreshing water of Dutch Springs in one convenient package. Add a lunch provided by us and this “one-stop-shop” package means no worries for the one planning it; education, recreation, lunch and most importantly not having to worry about the mess all included in one package.