Order of the Solo Hikers (Content provided by Scott Gaddis):

The Order of the Solo Hikers (OSH) was an Honor Camping Society for Alameda Council. It was the council’s highest honor for service to summer camp for both youth and adults for service to camp via work parties and or camp staff service.   You were voted on at a OSH meeting months prior to summer camp by current OSH members and you were confirmed again at summer camp by a meeting of all Solo Hikers in camp. Once elected and confirmed at camp your sponsor would let you know and give you a letter after lunch the day you were to go out on your solo hike. At flag ceremony before dinner the entire camp knew if a solo hiker was going out that night as the OSH backpack was leaning on the flag pole. Before the flag was lowered the OSH sponsor would read a bio of the new solo candidate with his scouting history and service to camp before announcing his name. The new solo would appear before all of camp and then be led of to the Dan Beard area of camp with all of the Solo Hikers that were in camp while the rest of camp would complete flag ceremony and then head to dinner. 

The new solo would be sent off on there solo hike for the night and complete the hike of a few miles following a map and rock formations that led to the Solo Shrine. You went out with very little food and in full scout uniform. The solo backpack had the solo hiker blanket to keep you warm on a cold mountain night. While at the shrine you would write in the solo hiker book, basically a message to feature solo’s and thanks those in scouting who have help you along the way. You could then read messages from all prior solo hikers who went out before you. 

In the morning as the sun came up you hiked back to camp and waited for your solo hiker sponsor who would wait with you until after morning flag ceremony was done and all campers made there way to the mess hall for breakfast. After all campers, staff and leaders were seated for breakfast a current solo hiker would announce your safe return from there solo hiker ordeal.  The entire camp would start singing a song for the returning solo hiker as the new solo hiker walked in to the mess hall as the song finished. As the song ended the solo sponsor would announce the new solo hiker and their new number to a big round of applause. All current solo’s would come up and congratulate the new solo and then it was time for breakfast. 

After breakfast the solo sponsor would take the new solo to get their new solo hiker items which was a OSH Neckerchief, the different pieces to make their own solo hiker neckerchief slide with their solo number on it, a bear claw that you made into a necklace and your OSH membership card. After camp was over you had a OSH name tag made for you that was ready for you at your first solo hiker meeting back in Alameda. 

Pictured below is the first issued OSH Neckerchief that was white. In the 1970’s it was changed to gray and if you had a white one you were also given a gray one when they went to gray. 3rd picture is a special OSH neckerchief given to all that attended the OSH 50th reunion weekend at Camp Cedarbrook. Last picture shows the membership card, name tag, bear claw and your neckerchief slide with your solo number on it.  There were a total of 191 solo hikers. The first went out July 9, 1941. The last went out July 30, 1998.