Troop 651's
BSA Today | |
| On-line edition | June-July-August 1998 |
[San Gorgonio (Snow) Backpack] [Summer Camp] [Advancement] [ANNUAL PLAN MEETING] [How I Spent My Summer Vacation] [The Trip - HIGH SIERRA TREK] [Radio Merit Badge] [Newsletter, Internet]
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| After hiking and camping in thick fog Friday night, on Saturday morning we began our trek near this great view of the mountain. | Snow completely covered many parts of the trail and slowed us down. |
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| Camp was on six to eight feet of snow. | The afternoon was spent at a sunny beach! (Of course, the lake WAS mostly frozen!) Although we did not climb to the peak because of the snow level, we did have a good time sliding down the snow and earned the Polar Bearaward. -Bill Jeffrey |
| On Sunday, June 28th, we left for Mataguay Scout Reservation for a total of 6 heat-filled days and 6 buggy nights. Our leaders this year were Debbie Scheunemann (acting SM), Dan Lapio, Tom Morison, Louis Shamel and John Scheunemann. Twenty-two boys attended. They were: Cory A, Justin B, Stephen B, Tim B, Kevin C, Jeff H, Byron H (ASPL), Jared J, Jeremy J, Joshua L, Rauri M, James M, Ryan P, Ashley R, Andy S (SPL), Daniel S, Michael S, Eric S, Bobby T, David W, Chris W and Moses Z. These boys earned a total of 73 merit badges! I would like to take this opportunity to give a great big hand to my Leadership Corps at summer camp. Nice job, guys. Pick bananas, pick, pick bananas! -Debbie Scheunemann |
by Debbie Scheunemann
I spent my summer vacation at Mataguay Scout Reservation. If you've ever been there, you know that Mataguay in July is known to be hot, buggy and dusty. I don't like heat or bugs or dust. They all make me cranky, just ask my husband. I just knew I wouldn't like it for a whole week, but I wasn't going to let the boys know that I was having a bad time. I knew I was going to sleep in a tent on an uncomfortable cot. I just knew all these things were going to happen and I wouldn't like it - but I was wrong. It was hot and there were a zillion mosquitos andit was dusty, and yes, the cot was incredibly uncomfortable, but what I got out of summer camp overshadowed all those things. I got a renewed excitement in scouting.
It was seeing those boys have so much fun that made me feel so good. Who cared if they didn't brush their teeth every day or that they didn't change their socks the whole week, or that they played and slept in the same dirty, dusty clothes? They were having fun. Oh yeah, a Scout is clean. Hmmm, have to work on that one.....
There were scouts that went fishing at every opportunity. They didn't care if they caught the same fish over and over - they were fishing! There were those who went canoeing or shooting in their spare time or they went to the Trading Post. They worked on MB's in camp and they played cards in camp - after dinner of course! They even worked on MB homework without being told. Yes, parents, it does happen.
Some stories will never be forgotten. Ask them about the lizard that decided to take a tour of my scout shirt (while I was wearing it!), or about Custard's Last Stand, the hoedown on Sunday night (pick bananas, pick, pick bananas), Rugged 'O's, or about beaded geckos (but don't let Tommy out whatever you do!). Have you heard the story about Dan taking the lid to my water jug and me putting leaves in his bed? No? Well, that's another story to be told. And we'll all be telling those fun stories over and over again. Scout spirit lives.
So, Friday night, climbing Cardiac Hill for the last time, I was thinking how nice it was going to be to sleep in my own bed again, not to have to wear Deet all day or not having to worry about losing all hot water in the middle of my shower. But you know what? I'd do it all over again.
But next time without the bugs.
The Venture crew started out camped in former Scoutmaster Vic Zech's
yard in Independence. On the drive to the trailhead the next day we
could see on the mountains our snowy challenges. By the second day the
snow and high water began to slow us down, and after Water Dogs and
the Scoutmaster's Big Splash the following day we knew we would
have to leave the backcountry early.
A layover day at Palisade Lakes, which we had to ourselves, gave a chance for being lazy, a little fishing, and soaking up some sun. We planned our escape, which still required us to cross "Mutha" Pass. This crossing included lowering our packs over a snow wall on ropes. We believe we were the first party to cross this pass from the north this year. Camp that evening was at the headwaters of the South Fork of the Kings River, which leads to Kings Canyon. Our exit, however, went over "Taboo" Pass and down 6,000 feet to a remote, little-used trailhead in the desert in Owens Valley.
Was it worth it? Well, we challenged the toughest conditions the Sierra summer has
seen and beat it. We enjoyed spectacular mountain scenery and beautiful wildflowers.
We also saw less than two dozen people in five days. Among those we didn't see in
the backcountry were several Scout troops who had stopped after only a
few miles, telling us "too much snow." The solitude, challenge, and
grandeur made this a trip to remember.
More Sierra pics here
Before leaving we had set up a schedule with Vic to contact him by handheld VHF ham radio from the passes. Vic had alerted the Bishop Amateur Radio Club of our trip, and one of their members, Don (who lives in San Diego in the winter) listened for us and advised us of the trail, campsites, and water availability on our exit route. Without the help (thank you!) of Vic and Don on the ham radios we would have faced another ten miles of hiking in the desert heat to reach a pay phone. Which brings us to...
Scouts (and others) interested in learning how to get a ham radio license can contact Bill Jeffrey for information on how to get started. In the Sierra backcountry no other form of communication would have worked. I am also a counselor for the Radio merit badge which does not require you to have a license. -Bill Jeffrey
These photos (in color) and more will be available on the Troop's web page for downloading starting this weekend through August. [Top]