For ages 13–19
Campfire Youth
Real skills, real mountains, real mentors. Campfire Youth gives teens the training, challenges and crew to lead their own trips outdoors.
The four tracks
01 / Skills
Backcountry Basics
Everything needed to sleep out safely and comfortably.
- Pitch a tent in wind and rain
- Layering and staying warm
- Water treatment and camp cooking
- Pack a 3-day kit under 25 lb
02 / Navigation
Map, Compass & Terrain
Get off the blue dot and read the land.
- Topo lines and terrain features
- Bearings and back-bearings
- Route planning with time estimates
- What to do when you’re turned around
03 / Leadership
Lead Your Own Trip
Move from participant to trip leader.
- Plan a trip start to finish
- Brief and pace a group
- Make the turn-around call
- Conflict and crew dynamics
04 / Stewardship
Leave No Trace Crew
Leave it better than you found it.
- The seven LNT principles in practice
- Wildlife distance and food storage
- Trail work and clean-up days
- Teach LNT to younger campers
Guides & tools
Guide
First Solo Overnight
A step-by-step plan for a teen’s first night out with a mentor nearby.
- Pick a site within 2 miles of the trailhead
- Check the forecast 48 and 12 hours out
- Share a written trip plan with a parent
- Set a check-in time and a turn-around time
Tool
Teen Pack Checklist
Print it, pack it, check it twice.
- Shelter, sleep system, insulation
- Water, food, stove and fuel
- Headlamp, first aid, repair kit
- Map, compass, charged phone, whistle
Tool
Trip Plan Template
Fill this out before every trip and leave a copy at home.
- Trailhead, route and camp location
- Names and phone numbers of the group
- Expected return and panic time
- Nearest ranger station and hospital
Guide
Weather & Turn-Around Calls
How to read conditions and decide honestly.
- Reading a mountain forecast
- Lightning: the 30/30 rule
- Heat, hypothermia and early signs
- Writing your turn-around time down first
Challenges
- Sunrise Start — be on trail before 5 a.m. three times.
- Ten Pound Drop — cut ten pounds from your pack and log what went.
- Night Sky — identify five constellations and shoot one long exposure.
- Cook for the Crew — plan and cook two dinners for four people.
- Lead a Mile — navigate a full mile with map and compass only.
- Give Back — join a trail clean-up and pack out extra.
Parents: track it all in one place.
The live Parent Dashboard lives inside the Campfire Connect app. Sign in with your app account to add your kids, save campsites, track each track’s progress and keep the family calendar.
© 2026 Campfire Connect
Campfire Trading Company LLC
