December 2012 - Harriman State Park

'Twas a chilly evening that we gathered together at the church house parking lot in anticipation of our drive to Harriman State Park.  But the boys were well packed and we were off in a dash, racing into a dark cloud bank as we headed north. We lost the last rays of sun as we came up the Ashton Hill, and as we made our way into Island Park the snow began to fall.

The warmer weather earlier in the week was both a blessing and a curse.  The road were clean and dry, but as we pulled into the parking lot we noticed that there wasn't much snow to ski on.  So we proceeded on the road in towards the Railroad Ranch, and were able to drive directly to the yurt parking area.  From there it was a little walk to the Cygnet Yurt where the majority of the boys would be staying.

But it was locked!  The Wyethia Yurt, where the leaders and their sons were staying was accessible, but the Cygnet was inaccessible.  After checking to see if the park staff was in residence to let us in (no one home there), we returned to use our scouting ingenuity to get us in.  With some effort we were able to get in the door, discovering in the process that the lock itself was likely frozen or jammed, likely the ultimate cause of our troubles.

The boys set to getting dinner ready quickly and before too long our "Pasta Bar" was open for business.  We enjoyed farfalle, spaghetti, and penne with alfredo, red sauce, meatballs, chicken and broccoli.  In addition the boys attempted to recreate their "Harry/Hairy Buffalo" drink, but Flavor-Aid was found to be a poor substitute for the usual Kool-Aid.  As a result it was referred to as "hairless buffalo" for the remainder of the trip.  Regardless, hopefully everyone got their fill.  A rousing game of Slamwich followed, as the boys enjoyed cookies for dessert.

We then read aloud the classic story of wintertime camping To Build a Fire by Jack London.  This provided plenty of opportunities to discuss the importance of the buddy system, radiant versus conductive heat loss as well as the all important skill of learning to build a fire.  In short order we were practicing these skills in our activities the next morning.

After a warm night in the yurts, we awoke to a small skiff of new snow on the ground - just enough to ski on.  A breakfast of bacon and French Toast was expertly cooked and consumed.  After all was packed and cleaned, the boys received some elementary ski instruction and then were out to slip and slide on the sometimes snowy, mostly icy ground.  We made a short trip alongside Silver Lake and then turned back to the yurts and home. Everyone enjoyed the stay, and we look forward to a similar adventure next year!

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November 2012 - Green Canyon

Our original plan was to camp at Heise Hot Springs, but since it was closed for maintenance we returned this year to Green Canyon Hot Springs.

After a misadventure filling our water jugs we loaded up at the Church parking lot and were on our way to Green Canyon.  The first order of business was getting our tents up, and then it was on to the dinner prep.

The boys had planned their menu on Tuesday night, and James had convinced the others to make a dish lovingly referred to as either a "Sausage Bomb" or "Bacon Explosion".  Kudos to Nathan who played the roll of bacon weaver and sausage sculptor, and Jacob and Carl for finishing out the prep for the other dishes - Dutch Oven potatoes and Peach dump cake.

After all was placed in the Dutch ovens and the coals were set we headed off to the pool for some playing and soaking in the warm spring waters.

After the swim, the boys were plenty warm, and ready to make their favorite beverage: Harry Buffalo.  The name is an enigma born a few months ago on our campout to Big Springs, but they insist each month on making homemade soda with an assortment of Kool-Aid packets and plenty of sugar.

The Bacon Explosion was well done, and we finished cooking the potatoes on the grill in time to eat and tuck into bed.

In the morning we awoke to very temperate weather.  Especially when compared to conditions last year.  The boys roused themselves and after packing up their gear began making their breakfast burritos.

They grilled chorizo, onions, garlic along with truly re-fried pinto beans and eggs.  The mix was then wrapped in grilled flour tortillas along with cheese and their choice of Herdez salsas or Tapatio sauce.

A favorite moment for any scout leader - seeing the boys line up at the end to do a walkthrough to ensure that they Leave No Trace.  A great habit to culture for the rest of their lives...

October 2012 - Badger Creek

Cold and snowy were a big change from last month's campout, but the boys gathered at the church parking lot all the same and after loading up the vehicles we were off to Badger Creek - BYU-Idaho's Outdoor Learning Center.

The roads to Teton Valley were clear and we made good time to Badger Creek where we were met by one of the eager staff members.  After a brief orientation we made the quick drive to our campsite NW of the pond.

With at least an hour's worth of camp setup and a half hour of daylight left the boys set to it.  They had their two tents up in reasonable time after clearing the snow, but discovered that one of the tent's main door zipper was broken, letting in the cold air.  So while the others prepared their tin-foil dinners the SPL and ASPL trekked to the main lodge for some duct tape.

Eventually all was taped shut and the boys cooked and ate their dinners over the welcome warmth of the fire.  It continued to snow lightly through the majority of the evening, but this didn't deter the boys from playing some night games before heading to bed.

In the morning a fire was quickly rekindled, and while the gear and tents were packed up many hands contributed to the breakfast preparations.  We made scrambled eggs with sausage, potatoes, onions and garlic, and nearly everyone had their fill.

Our Badger Creek guides for the morning arrived and were patient in waiting until our troop had finished packing up and clearing the campsite. Then it was off to our morning activities.

The troop first had to "Save the Baby" by sending one of the boys to a pole along a rope line without anyone touching the ground inside within about twenty foot radius of the pole. They accomplished this in record time.

The second activity involved having all the troop members swing on a rope over a pole to a small platform. This took much longer than the first activity. The boys learned some valuable lessons about teamwork and planning.

The third station was one of our own making where we improvised a trust fall. We were impressed that all the boys fell back with good form and without hesitation.

The last activity was the "Spider Web". Again the boys were given an opportunity to practice their planning and leadership skills as they got all the troop from one side of the web to the other without touching the web or re-using any hole.

As we made our way home we had a final opportunity to "Do a good turn daily" by stopping to help tow out a family whose truck had slid off the road. The boys enjoyed their lunches in the cars while we made out way home arriving just as scheduled.

September 2012 - Aldous & Hancock Lakes

There are few things that make a Scoutmaster happier than a lineup of well organized packs ready to go out into the wilderness.

Preparations for the trip began a week and half prior to our departure as the boys planned and organized the campout on Tuesday the 4th of September.  Initial plans to go to Union Falls in Yellowstone had to be modified to accommodate time constraints, so the leadership wisely opted to plan for a trip to Aldous and Hancock Lakes along the Continental Divide trail north of Kilgore, ID.

The boys all checked in their packs on Thursday evening with a "weigh in", where several learned that ounce (volume) for ounce (weight) water can tip the scales.  With a little modifications to the packing all came in under 20 lbs by the end of the night.

Friday the packs were loaded in the truck, the boys loaded up too and we were off to the hills.  The driving route was straight north along South 2nd East until we could literally go no further.  From there, a short jaunt around the corner and then north again along Forest Service roads brought us to the trailhead.  After a brief safety talk we started up the trail.

The first leg of our journey was 1.67 miles in distance and 750 feet in elevation up the Continental Divide trail.

We arrived at the lake nearly in time to abort any "how much further" calls from the Scouts.  We opted for the campsite on the west side of the lake, and while a group circumnavigated the lake the others began to setup camp.

The scouts had hopes for creating a rope swing, but due to the shallow shore our aspirations came to naught.  However, the boys did have fun testing their balance skills on a slack line setup at the edge of camp.  (Fortunately no twisted ankles followed.)

After camp setup the boys dined on a variety of dehydrated meals, ramen noodles and the ever classic SPAM.  As night fell, several laid back along the shore of the lake to watch shooting starts and identify constellations before retiring to the tents for a well earned and desired rest.

Shortly after the sunrise the boys awoke and began breakfast preparations.  We boiled several pots of water to fulfill all the demands for instant oatmeal before everyone's  belly was filled.  The boys set to packing up camp admirably and we were soon on the trail to Hancock Lake.

Hancock Lake sits in a cirque just below the Continental Divide (the ridgeline above the lake is also the border between Idaho and Montana).  It was up a mile horizontally, and about 600 feet in elevation.  Without packs the boys had a fun time cruising the trail.

Late in the season the lake was no longer filling, and the shoreline had retreated significantly.  But the boys had fun circling the lake and finding salamanders aplenty.

Our return to the campsite went quickly and after a break for lunch we were back on the trail descending to the trailhead.  The way back always feels quicker, and the boys made excellent time down the trail without need for breaks.

Once back at the trailhead we re-loaded and made the short trip to the Kilgore Store for a "Fat Boy" ice cream break before the remainder of the ride home.

Big Springs Campout - Aug 2012

Had a great time at Big Springs in Island Park.  We had the campground virtually to ourselves.  After getting fires started and camp setup the boys prepared Dutch Oven pizzas and brownies.  Great fun was had watching over the brew they inexplicably christened the "Hairy Buffalo" (Kool-Aid carbonated with dry ice.)

After dinner we listened to the story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympian, World War II hero and exemplary Christian.  Then it was off to bed.

In the morning the fires were lit again and a hunter's breakfast of sausage, onions, hash browns and eggs were set cooking in a Dutch Oven on the stove.  The boys enjoyed a quick walk to the Johnny Sack Cabin at Big Springs, and then returned to enjoy breakfast. 

Camp was quickly struck, and then Br. Shane Thompson provided a primer on the canoeing/kyaking that would be done in the "Native" canoes.  We drove to the put-in a quarter mile downstream and made our way down to Mack's Inn following the many curves of the nearly-too-shallow stream.  

The boys and leaders enjoyed a refreshing dip at the rope swing.  Garett made a special reprisal of his showing at Packsaddle Lake; this time on purpose with a resounding (I meant to do that) belly flop thwack.  

(Garett)

June 2012 Campout - Packsaddle Lake