This weekend, Troop 701 will be hitting the trails for our annual Backpacking treks. We will be meeting this Saturday morning, October 10th, at Chapman. Here are the meet-up times for each crew:
Beginner Crew (6th and 7th grade): 7:00 a.m.
Advanced Crew (8th grade and above): 7:30 a.m.
The Beginner Crew will be going to Mohican State Park, while the Advanced Crew will be traveling to West Branch State Park.
Before departing Chapman, there will be a gear shakedown for the scouts in the Beginner Crew. The adult leaders will work with each scout, review the gear they have packed, and tell them which gear they don’t need to bring along. For this reason, we ask that the parents of the scouts in the Beginner Crew remain at Chapman until their son’s gear has been reviewed.
Each person is responsible for their own food for camp; the troop will not be providing any food this weekend. Everyone should bring one lunch (non-cook), one dinner, and one breakfast, as well as some trail snacks. Hot water will be available for dinner and breakfast. Remember, you have to carry all of the food that you bring, so pack in moderation, and focus on food that will provide you energy and nutrition, while avoiding things like candy and sugary drinks.
I can’t stress enough how important it is for a scout to take an active role in planning and packing his own meals for camp. Meal planning is an important part of our program where scouts get the chance to make decisions and learn accountability. Parents, your job in this process is to support your scout by helping him think through proper nutrition and meal size, cooking logistics, as well as assembling supplies. Remember, we provide hot water only for dinner and breakfast.
In addition to your food, here are some other important gear items to pack:
-At least two 1-quart water bottles (already filled because bringing an empty bottle to camp is just silly!)
-Comfortable hiking boots and socks
-Rain gear
-Small Ground tarp
-Small and light flashlight
-Backpack, already packed and ready
Please see the suggested packing list here: https://goo.gl/4a7mi2 Remember to take only what you need and pack as light as possible.
The weather forecast is looking nice, but chilly, so please pack items for colder weather, like an extra layer, and a stocking cap and gloves. Along with your personal gear, you will be asked to help carry the shared crew gear, along with carrying a portion of the tent you will be using.
We are expecting an arrival home time of around Noon on Sunday.
If you have any questions, or need to borrow some backpacking gear (like a pack or ground pad), please don’t hesitate to contact Scoutmaster Tirey. See you on Saturday!
