Scout Camp

Nothing beats a hot summer day like a swim in Lake John Deere, home of the Camp Klaus Aquatics Program. Our Aquatics area instructs Scouts in many aquatic-based merit badges. We also offer the Mile Swim, Paddleboarding, Snorkeling awards.

Swim lessons are also available for Scouts during the afternoon free swim. Scouts may take them free of charge while attending camp.

Scouts can prove their “tuffness” on Tuesday morning during the Polar Bear Plunge, and test their aquatic skills during the Water Follies Event held on Wednesday night after supper.

Before you summit a mountain like Everest, you must prepare yourself at BASE Camp. This analogy also applies to the path we take to Eagle Scout. With the BASE (Beginning Advancement Skills for Eagle) program, we offer our youngest members of the Scouts BSA program to experience the chance to prepare and develop their Scouting skills.

BASE Camp focuses on advancement up to First Class in a hands-on environment, and borrows from Baden-Powell’s Brownsea Island Camp to turn it up a notch. For the week, Scouts will join a patrol and participate in games, lessons, and activities with their peers. Practice knots, sharpen and use an axe and saw, raise and lower the American Flag, and then put all of these newly learned skills to practical purpose in setting up their own camp in the BASE Camp program area.

The Tower staff truly loves working 40′ in the air at our Climbing/Rappelling Tower. Our highly qualified staff will teach Scouts about ropes, harnesses, and climbing safety. Climbing is a lot more than scaling walls and rappelling down them; it is an opportunity for Scouts to confront their fears and learn to conquer ANY task.

Our tower has two different rappelling heights, an inverted climbing wall, a chimney climb, and at least a dozen different climbing routes. Climbing competitions take place throughout the week and encourage Scouts to climb often and improve their overall climbing technique.

Additionally, Climb On Safely is offered to leaders by request for those leaders who prefer face-to-face instruction versus online instruction.

Eagle Quest offers a wide variety of Eagle required merit badges. Some of these merit badges are taught in a classroom-type setting and do require work outside of the scheduled merit badge time. Because of this, we encourage Scouts to wait to take the Eagle Quest merit badges until they are mature enough to handle this classwork. Scouts should be 13 or older when taking Eagle Quest merit badges to guarantee they will be able to do the required work. However, younger Scouts may take any of the badges with Scoutmaster and Program Director approval.

Our Ecology area is wild! Housed in the Camp Klaus Nature Center with all sorts of snakes, fish, and other critters, our Ecology merit badge counselors offer so many merit badge possibilities, many of the Ecology merit badges are offered on a bi-yearly rotation. This way we can offer a wider variety of badges each year, keep camp fresh with new opportunities, and maintain a manageable curriculum for both staff and Scouts.

Some of these merit badges are taught in a classroom-type setting and do require work outside of the scheduled merit badge time. Because of this, we encourage Scouts to wait to take some Ecology merit badges, like Environmental Science, until they are mature enough to handle this classwork. We also ask that Scouts bring a notebook and pencil as many of these merit badges require them to journal and log observations.

The Ecology staff will also oversee the Fishing merit badge for any Scout interested in spending some time fishing in Lake John Deere.

Our Field Sports area is exceptionally popular with Scouts and teaches skills based on the Archery, Rifle Shooting, and Shotgun Shooting merit badges. These merit badges are taught by our Field Sports experts with a fair balance of fun and safety. The Field Sports staff offers safe and fun, yet challenging, shooting competitions as well as works with Scouts to improve individual shooting abilities.

Even if Scouts are not interested in Field Sports merit badges, our ranges are open during scheduled open shoot times for Scouts who just want to come down and shoot.

The handymen at Handicraft can instruct you to become the world’s finest artist or craftsman.

Our Handicraft area is comfortably situated in its own shelter near the parade grounds. Handicraft merit badges are all offered open program which means Scouts can come and go as they please. Although we encourage Scouts to work on Handicraft merit badges and projects at their own pace, we do encourage daily visits to the area to ensure timely completion.

Some projects may require the purchase of craft supplies which are available for purchase at the Camp Klaus Trading Post. Projects can cost up to $15 depending on what the Scout wishes to create, but less expensive projects are also available. Projects all belong to Scouts and can be retrieved at any time during the week once completed.

Additional activities in Handicraft include wood burning, free time to create and craft personal projects, and the ability to enter a t-shirt or patch design that may be featured on the following year’s camp shirt or patch and online!

The Pioneers at Scoutcraft will teach Scouts what it takes to be an outdoors expert. Some additional merit badge activities take place outside of the normal class time. The Wilderness Survival overnight is one example and allows Scouts in the Wilderness Survival merit badge to sleep in their nature-built shelters.

Scoutcraft is the place to go to master many camping skills as well as brush up on knots, lashings, fire building, Firem’n Chit, and Totin Chip skills. Both Scouts and Scoutmasters can stop by to practice these essential skills and receive the expert advice from our Scoutcraft Counselors. 

Once you have mastered all of your outdoor skills, you can show them off in the Scoutcraft Olympics in a daily competition against other Troops and patrols. Scouts can also participate in the Knot of the Day and Code of the Day competitions to earn bonus points towards their troop’s Scoutcraft Olympics standing. Can you help your troop find a place on the Scoutcraft Olympic podium?

Thought you’d miss sports while at camp? Think again! While you are camp, daily sports competitions will also occur every afternoon following lunch. With a wide variety of sports equipment available, you’ll have the opportunity to join games like volleyball, ultimate frisbee, soccer, football, and lacrosse, among others.

Done with your merit badges for the day and want to play a sport against an adult leader or staff member? Bring a staff member or adult leader to the camp office and check-out a frisbee to use on our 9-hole frisbee golf course! Scoutmasters can also look forward to competing against the camp staff at our Friday afternoon Staff vs. Scoutmaster Volleyball Competition!

For those of you who are in need of anything or have forgotten something at home, stop by and purchase it at the Camp Klaus Trading Post! While you are there, enjoy many of the things we serve such as ice cream, soda, many varieties of candy, and/or popcorn.

The Quartermaster is jointly overseen by our Camp Commissioner and Camp Ranger, who are both out and about maintaining camp property.  Our Quartermaster Garage is located North of the Trading Post and boasts a wide variety of tools and supplies which will be used to teach programs. Our Ranger is also the person to talk to if you are looking to do a service project at camp.

Any merit badges taught in the Quartermaster Garage require Scouts to work with tools and fire, so we ask that participants bring and wear pants, gloves, and durable closed-toed shoes. If you have your own safety glasses and/or hearing protection, you are encouraged to bring those as well!