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Troop 159 monthly overnight outings are designed for Scouts of ALL ages. Additional Hi/Venture trips are often available for older and more experienced scouts. All participants must be registered with Troop 159 Westford, and have MedForms A+B submitted. Adult participants are also required to complete online Safeguarding Youth Training.
Patrol Outings: Mid-March 2026
Patrol Outings: Mid-March 2026
Speak to your patrol leader about individual departures and destinations. New crossovers will not be doing a patrol outing this year.
Cookfest: April 11-12, 2026
*New crossovers will receive Skedaddle invite via email shortly after joining the Troop.
Annual troop favorite "car camping" outing to play outdoor games and show off your cooking skills. Who will win the Golden Spoon?! New crossover Scouts are highly encouraged to attend this first overnight!
DESTINATION: Treasure Valley Scout Reservation
DEPART: Saturday, April 11th, 7:00am @ FPCU
RETURN: Sunday, April 12th, mid-afternoon @ Roudenbush
*Scouts will unload gear at FPCU, then everyone will meet parents at Roudenbush. Please encourage your scout to contact you during the drive home with an ETA.
OUTING COORDINATOR: Maneesh Mehra
TOUR LEAD: Tom Stonehouse
COST: $TBD
$$$: Bring cash in case we stop for a meal along on the way
GRUBMASTER INFO: $5/person/meal. TBD # of meals.
4/2/2026: Join our parent info session "All About Cookfest and Camping with T159"!
*Recommended for all new scouts and adults.
Read more about Cookfest, as written by our Scouts...
The overnight outing we call “Cookfest” takes place usually in April and centers around cooking. It will most likely be a new scout’s first camping trip in the troop due to the fact that they cross over in March. Patrols will meet at a troop meeting or patrol meeting before the trip to discuss what foods they want to bring for the trip, and the troop supplies each patrol with the correct amount of money that is necessary. Cookfest is well known for its competition, where a group of adults chooses multiple items of food, and each patrol must use those foods in any way, and the other items they brought to make the best dish out of all patrols. The selected adults will then judge each dish from every patrol on certain criteria, and the patrol with the best dish will win the Cookfest golden spoon. Cookfest is a fantastic outing, where younger scouts can get adjusted to the troops ways of doing things, highly recommended as the must-do trip for any scout who recently has crossed over. ~N.A.
14+ Midnight Marathon Bike Ride: April 19-20, 2026
14+ Midnight Marathon Bike Ride: April 19-20, 2026
Light up your bike and take to the streets along the marathon route! The night before the Boston Marathon scouts can ride the whole route for a truly unique experience!
See Mr. Mario for permission slip.
Backpacking: May 1-3, 2026
Signups open soon!
DESTINATION: TBD. A relatively easy uphill 2 mile hike to camp. Scouts will be responsible for carrying all of their gear for the entire hike to camp.
HI DEPART (14+): Friday, May 1, TBD pm @ FPCU
LO DEPART: Saturday, May 2, 7:00am @ FPCU
RETURN: Sunday, May 3, mid-afternoon @ Roudenbush
*Scouts will unload gear at FPCU, then everyone will meet parents at Roudenbush. Please encourage your scout to contact you during the drive home with an ETA.
TOUR LEAD: Hi- Derek Anderson / Lo- Tom Stonehouse
COST: $TBD
$$$: Bring cash in case we stop for a meal along on the way
GRUBMASTER INFO: $5/person/meal. TBD # of meals.
REQUIREMENTS/PREPARATION:
4/9/26: Backpacking Presentation
*Strongly recommended for all new scouts and adults.
4/16/26 or 4/30/26: Backpack Check
*Required for scouts attending their first T159 backpacking outing. Recommended for adults.
Read more about Hi-Lo Backpacking, as written by our Scouts...
Our annual backpacking outing is often in May and is usually a new scouts first experience with backpack camping instead of "car camping". Scouts hike a short distance to the campsite carrying their gear, where they can set up tents to explore nearby waterfronts. Older scouts usually head up the night before to add some extra miles and elevation to their adventure.
Swim Test: TBD April or May 2026
Passing the "BSA Swimmer" classification test is a requirement for ALL scouts and adults who wish to attend the June 5-7 Canoe outing, or the May 14 Canoe Shakedown.
Scouts & Adults that attended Summer Camp in 2025 and earned the "Swimmer" classification do not need to retake the swim test. Tests are valid for 1 year.
DESTINATION: TBD. Scouts will provide their own transportation to the swim test location.
DETAILS:
Please show up 15 minutes before. Changing Rooms are available. Please be on the pool deck in bathing suit at the start of your slot.
COST: $10 per person (bring exact cash to Swim Test)
OUTING COORDINATOR: Carrie Hampton
TEST REQUIREMENTS:
Jump in feet first into water over the head, level off and begin swimming
Swim 75 yards (3 Pool lengths) in a strong manner using one of the following strokes: side-stroke, breast-stroke, trudgen or crawl. Then swim 25 yards using an easy resting back-stroke.
The 100 yards must be continuous and include 1 sharp turn. After completing the swim, rest by floating.
Canoe Shakedown: May 14, 2026
time TBD (2025 was approx 3:45pm-8:00pm)
MORE DETAILS COMING SOON!
Signups open soon!
Any scout can attend the shakedown, even if they are not attending the canoe weekend outing!
The canoe shakedown is a requirement for all scouts who wish to attend the June 5-7 Canoe weekend outing, if they have never been on a Troop 159 canoe trip. Please contact the Scoutmaster if you are unable to attend the shakedown, but wish to attend the canoe trip.
WHAT TO BRING:
"Dry bag" for personal items:
Towel
Water bottle
Snack (no food provided)
Liability Waiver
Wear a bathing suit, and closed toed shoes.
Wear sunscreen and/or bug spray
REQUIREMENTS:
Pass the BSA Swimmer's Test within 1 year. We will be hosting a swim test on TBD April/May 2026. Scouts that attended Summer Camp in 2025 do not need to retake the swim test.
Closed toed shoes. No crocs. No slides . No flip flops. Watershoes are great!
Signed Nashoba Paddler "Liability Waiver".
Canoe Outing: June 5-7, 2026
Signups open soon!
LAST OUTING OF THE TROOP YEAR !!
Canoeing, fun, and adventure! This is a 2-night trip (depart Fri night, return Sunday).
DESTINATION: TBD
DEPARTURE: FRIDAY 6/5/26, TBD pm @ FPCU
Friday- Depart Friday evening and stop for dinner along the way. Camp overnight ("car camping" in tents). Bring additional $cash for Friday Night Dinner
Saturday- Canoeing along the river. Camp Overnight ("car camping" in tents). 2 meals at camp. 1 meal on the river.
Sunday - Eat breakfast at camp then begin drive home. Bring additional $cash for Sunday lunch. Return mid afternoon after lunch stop.
*please encourage your scout to contact you on the drive home with an ETA
OUTING COORDINATORS: TBD
TOUR LEAD: TBD
COST: $TBD
$$$: Bring cash to stop for food during the drives on Friday and Sunday.
SPECIAL NOTE:
Lifejackets, canoes, and paddles will be provided.
REQUIREMENTS:
Pass the BSA Swimmer's Test within 1 year. We will be hosting a swim test on TBD April/May 2026. Scouts that attended Summer Camp in 2025 do not need to retake the swim test.
Closed toed shoes. No crocs. No slides . No flip flops. Watershoes are great!
Canoe Outing presentation: May 7, 2026.
Canoe Shakedown: May 14, 2026 @ 4:00-8:00pm.
*Canoe presentation and Shakedown are only required for scouts who have never attended a Troop 159 canoe trip. Please contact Outing Coordinator & Tour Lead if your "new" scout is unable to attend.
Save the dates:
Questions about an outing? Contact our Outing Coodinators: outings@troop159westford.org
Venture 14+
Additional outings/add-ons are planned for Scouts age 14+ who wish to challenge themselves. Signups and announcements are made in person at meetings. Our Venture outings have included biking trips, more challenging hikes, and winter camping. Here are a few examples...
Winter Mountains (14+)
Older scouts can participate in more challenging trips like a winter hike to conquer 5000footers! These outings included lots of planning and preparation. Always a great time, and truly an adventure for the scouts and the adult leaders!
Midnight Hike (14+)
Why hike in the daylight when you can hike at midnight?! Older scouts enjoy starting down the trail at sunset, and completing over 7 miles by midnight! Headlamps and a full moon light the way. Scouts set up tents, or sleep under the stars. Scouts often wake early to do some fishing at the nearby Wachipuka pond.
Summer Bike Trips (14+)
Older scouts put rubber to the pavement for extended bike trips over 200 miles! Leading up to the outing they did several bike shakedowns to ensure scouts and bikes were ready for the journey! Lots of laughs, a few skinned knees, and life long memories are the takeaways from our venture bike trips!
Midnight Marathon Bike Ride (14+)
Light up your bike and take to the streets along the marathon route! The night before the Boston Marathon scouts can ride the whole route for a truly unique experience!
See Mr. Mario for permission slip.
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