For 2024 Troop 480 choose to go to the Northern Tier. There were 12 Scouts and 4 adults who participated in this adventure as two distinct crews.

The contingent flew from Pittsburgh to Minneapolis, spent the better part of a day visiting the Mall of America, before traveling to the Northern Tier base near Ely, Minnesota.

"Whether it was 75 miles of lake, pond, and stream jumping and 40s of portages or 150 miles of open lake paddling, upriver struggles, fishing, and a few super long portages, the Scouts worked together, settled in under the direction of their crew leaders, carried huge packs and their canoes, cooked meals, camped, found their way, enjoyed the beauty of the wilderness, swatted a few thousand bugs, saw the beauty of the stars without light pollution, settled in to wet boots, hung bear bags, used all of the available bug spray, and used an outdoor grumper, it was a truly amazing experience and it was a capstone of Scouting skills wrapped into another great high adventure experience." - (Mike Hanawalt)

Click here to see some of our pictures and learn more about our Northern Tier adventure.

In 2022 Troop 480 sent two crews to the Bahamas for a sailing high adventure.The group flew into Miami, did som sightseeing and spent one night before flying to Marsh Harbor where they boarded catamarans for a week of adventure.

Our program offered numerous opportunities to snorkel, explore local villages and more.

Click here to see some of our pictures and learn more about our Bahamas adventure.

Troop 480 planned to send a crew to Philmont in 2020. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, those plans were rescheduled for 2021 with a slightly different mix of participants. The crew flew beweeen Pittsburgh and Denver and then took a bus to/from Philmont Scout Ranch. Along the way we did some limited sightseeing, at Colorado's Red Rocks.

In addition to Base Camp, our itinerary #12-5 included camps at Lover's Leap, North Fork Urraca, Beaubien, Comanche Creek, Comanche Peak, Sawmill, Lamberts Mine, Hunting Lodge and Shafers Pass.

Click here to check out our trek itinerary and see some of the pictures from our 2021 Philmont adventure.

In 2018 Troop 480 sent two crews to the Florida Keys for the Coral Reef Sailing high adventure.The group flew into Ft. Lauderdale and used vans to reach the Sea Base facility near Islamorada. On the way we visited Everglades National Park and various sights in Key West.

Our adventure gave us numerous opportunities to snorkel, explore underwarter reefs and wrecks and fish.

Click here to see some of our pictures and learn more about our Seabase adventure.

In 2016 Troop 480 sent three crews (four participants came from other councils to round out the crews) to the Florida Keys for the Coral Reef Sailing high adventure. We flew into Ft. Lauderdale and used vans to reach the Sea Base facility near Islamorada. On the way we visited Everglades National Park and various sights in Key West.

Our adventure gave us numerous opportunities to snorkel, explore underwarter reefs and wrecks and fish.

Click here to see some of our pictures and learn more about our Seabase adventure.

In 2014 we choose to once again join up with the Westmoreland-Fayette Philmont contingent. Troop 480 took up 1 of the council's three slots. We flew beweeen Pittsburgh and Denver and then took a bus to/from Philmont Scout Ranch. Along the way we did some sightseeing, visiting the Garden of the Gods, Pike's Peak, Bent's Old Fort and the Koshare Kiva.

In addition to Base, our itinerary #4 included camps at Old Abreu, Crags, Beaubien (2 nights), Red Hills, Black Mountain, Cyphers Mine, Cimarroncito (2 nights) and Upper Clarks Fork.

Click here to check out our trek itinerary and see some of the pictures from our 2014 Philmont adventure.

In 2012 Troop 480 sent one crew to the Florida Keys for an Coral Reef Sailing high adventure. We flew into Ft. Lauderdale and used a van to reach the Sea Base facility near Islamorada. On the way we stopped off at Key West, taking in Fr. Zachary Taylor, the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum, the Southernmost point in the continental US and Bahia Honda State Park.

Our adventure aboard the Misty Shoals gave us numerous opportunities to snorkel, explore underwarter reefs and wrecks and fish. One port day alowed us to kayak through the mangrove, do some tubing and work with paddle boards.

Click here to see some of our pictures and learn more about our Seabase adventure.

In 2011 we choose to join up with the Westmoreland-Fayette Philmont contingent. Troop 480 took up 2 of the council's five slots. Two scouts and one adult we know, from other local troops, were part of crews 612-P1 and 612-P2 sharing the adventure with us.

With the contingent, we flew beweeen Pittsburgh and Denver and then took a bus to/from Philmont Scout Ranch. Along the way we did some sightseeing, visiting the Air Force Academy, Garden of the Gods, Pike's Peak (via the cog railway), the Royal Gorge, the Flying W Ranch, Bent's Old Fort and the Koshare Kiva.

Click here to check out our trek itineraries and see some of the pictures from our 2011 Philmont adventure.

In 2009 Troop 480 sent three crews to the Florida Keys for an Out Island high adventure. We flew into Miami and used vans to reach the Sea Base facility near Summerland Key. On the way we stopped off at the Everglades Allegator Farm.

Our adventure took us to Big Munson Island by canoe (5 miles over open ocean), where we camped, fished, snorkled and explored for five days.

After our return to base, and a closing luau, we visited Key West and had an all-you-can eat seafood feast before flying back home.

Click here to see some of our pictures and learn more about our Seabase adventure.

Our first troop-organized high adventure took us to Philmont Scout Ranch in 2007. We flew into Denver, rented some vans. Visited the Air Force Academy, and Koshare Kiva on the way to Philmont.

One day at Philmont base camp was used to get us ready for the trek. Then we were off on itinerary #23 which included camps at Vaca, Deer Lake, Ute Springs, Lamberts Mine, Mt. Phillips, Porcupine, Beaubien (2 nights), Abreu and Miner's Park.

On the way home, we made stops at Pike's Peak, The Garden of the Gods and the Flying W Ranch.

Click here to see some of our pictures and learn more about our 2007 Philmont adventure.