Mount Hope, VA – The Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve is a 400 acre site in the New River Gorge, West Virginia. The site has become the permanent location of the Boy Scouts of America quadrennial Jamboree event with over 40,000 participants, as well as year-round outdoor adventure events for scouts, families, and organized groups. Wyatt Design Group* planners collaborated with The Hettema Group to plan “The Core”, a central village that is the focal point of activities and the heart of the entire development. The site was planned to accommodate a wide variety of activities including: Aquatics, Boating, Rappelling, BMX, Obstacle Courses, Hiking, Challenge Courses, and more. Key challenges were preservation of the pristine, undeveloped wooded site and wetlands with sustainable facilities that could accommodate the large numbers for the annual event, and maintain the existing ecological balance.
*Work performed as MSI Design for The Hettema Group 2010