Outdoor Facts / Leave No Trace
How many Leave No Trace principles are there?
7
Who founded the Boy Scouts?
Robert Baden-Powell, a British Army officer who started the Scouting movement in the early 1900s.
What’s the first thing you check when you walk into someone who is injured on a trail and they are on the ground?
Check for breathing
What’s the best tool to start a campfire: matches, lighter, or flint and steel?
Flint and Steel
In what year was Polytechnic School founded?
1907
What’s the minimum distance (in feet) you should camp from a lake or stream?
200ft
What year was the Boy Scouts of America founded — 1905, 1910, or 1915?
1910 — The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) was officially founded on February 8, 1910.
What’s the first step when treating a minor cut?
Wash the wound first
True or false: You can drink water straight from a stream if it looks clean.
false
What was the original purpose behind the name “Polytechnic”?
It meant combining academic learning with manual arts (like sewing and woodworking).
Which of these is NOT a Leave No Trace principle: (A) Be considerate of others, (B) Leave what you find, (C) Build permanent shelters?
C
What book did Baden-Powell write that inspired Scouting worldwide?
Scouting for Boys — published in 1908, it became the foundation of the global Scouting movement.
What does CPR stand for?
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
What’s the international distress signal pattern in Morse code and how would you send it with light or sound?
SOS (...---...) — 3 short, 3 long, 3 short signals (whistle, flashlight, etc.)
When was Troop 5 founded
1916
How many feet should you stay from wildlife
At least 50 feet
Who was the American businessman who met Baden-Powell in London and brought Scouting to the U.S., and what was his famous “Good Turn” story?
William D. Boyce — while lost in London fog, a British Scout helped him find his way without accepting a reward. This inspired Boyce to bring Scouting to America and found the Boy Scouts of America in 1910.
What’s the correct way to treat a sprained ankle?
R.I.C.E. — Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate
What knot is best for tying two ropes together?
Square knot
In what year did Polytechnic add its Upper School campus?
1959
What’s the “triangle” Leave No Trace uses to teach minimal-impact campsite selection
The “200-foot triangle” — set up camp at least 200 feet from water, trails, and other campsites to minimize impact.
What was the name of the first U.S. Boy Scout camp founded in 1910?
Camp Brown, later renamed Owasippe Scout Reservation, was located in Michigan, the first permanent Boy Scout camp in the U.S.
What’s the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion in terms of body temperature and symptoms?
Heat exhaustion: <104°F, cool/clammy, sweating. Heat stroke: >104°F, hot/dry, confusion — emergency.
Which direction does moss usually grow thicker on — the north or south side of trees?
North side of trees
Who designed the original Polytechnic School buildings and what unique feature did they include?
Myron Hunt, the architect, designed open-air classrooms with courtyards and outdoor spaces.