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2002-2003 SEASON OUTINGS |
| Lake Del Valle Camping, September 2002 |
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On September 28, our troop went to Lake Del Valle on our first camping trip of the new year. We had about a mile and a half hike to our campsite. Once we got there, we set up camp and then went down to the lake to take a swim. We got a chance to help the younger scouts with their swimming requirements for First and Second Class. Other scouts had a chance to complete their Boards of Review and Scoutmaster's Conferences for their next rank, and all had fun playing games. It was a great trip overall!
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| Dillon Beach, October 2002 |
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On October 19 we went for a one-day trip to Dillon Beach. We left the cars in the parking lot and took a one-mile hike up to the sand dunes. We ate our lunch and began playing in the sand. Scouts were wrestling around with each other, had a mini-football game going, and even found time to play the "broom game". The broom game is where you put a broom on your chin, spin around 20 times, throw the broom down, and see if you can jump over it. It's a trip we will never forget!
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| Los Mochos Camping, November 2002 |
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On November 9-11, 2002, our troop went to Rancho Los Mochos near Livermore, California. We had a fabulous trip, except for the fact that we had some rain. We arrived on Saturday afternoon, ate dinner, and had a lot of fun playing Zorch. On Sunday, we took an orienteering course that one of the dads set up for us. It was very challenging for all the kids that went. Each night, we had a campfire and our traditional peach cobbler. It was delicious! One of the assistant scoutmasters introduced us to a new game called "Chaos vs. Control". Each team had a written plan of some sort, and whichever team completed the plan first won the game.
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| Henry Coe Backpacking, December 2002 |
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On the first weekend of December, we had an outing at Henry Coe State Park east of Morgan Hill. Hiking two and a half miles to Mazanita Point, new scouts received an introduction to backpacking and all scouts got a chance to check out their equipment. Along the way, we helped a number of scouts complete a 2nd Class requirement by reading about and identifying local plants.. Once at camp, we set up our dinning fly and took out crew gear, after which we played a game of "3 Flies Up". We started cooking dinner around 5 p.m., and after dinner we played our usual nightly games of "Zorch" and "Capture the Flag". We capped off the evening having desert by the campfire and held our closing ceremony called "Thorns and Roses". "Thorns and Roses" is a quiet time where we say what we liked about the trip, what we disliked; and for the things you disliked, how you could make it better next time. I think some scouts learned from this trip how to step up and become
actual leaders in the troop. We also learned about how to keep people
safe, and most of all we all had a lot of fun.
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| Donner Snow Camping, February 15-16, 2003 |
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On the weekend of February 15-16, the troop went on a snowcamping trip near Donner Pass. Click below for pictures of the outing.
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| Wildcat Camp (Tilden Park), March 15-16, 2003 |
| We spent two days, one night
at Wildcat camp in Tilden Park. The first day was spent playing "Capture
the Flag" and going on a short hike. In the evening we all had a good
time sitting by the campfire under a gazebo telling stories and jokes. The
next morning we ate breakfast and broke camp.
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| Mt. Diablo Philmont Prep Hike, March 29, 2003 |
| The scouts going to Philmont
this summer hiked up to the summit of Mt. Diablo from Rock City with full
backpacks. The trip was good practice in hiking as a crew and for testing
boots and backpacks. After having lunch at the top, we hiked back down to
where we started.
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| Point Reyes Backpacking, April 15-19, 2003 |
| Point Reyes was a challenging
four-day, three-night backpacking trip. We began at the Bear Valley trailhead
and spent the first night at Wildcat Camp. From there we backtracked to
the Bear Valley trail, where the main crew hiked along the coast while a
few of the older scouts hiked up Baldy Trail to meet a few new arrivals.
We all met again at Coast Camp. The third day we climbed up to Sky Camp
where we spent a beautiful day relaxing and setting up camp. The next morning
we hiked by Mt. Wittenberg and down to the Bear Valley trailhead.
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| Sunol-Ohlone Philmont Practice Hike, May 30-June 1, 2003 |
| The Sunol Ohlone Wilderness
hike was one of the most challenging hikes our troop took this year. This
hike was part of the High Adventure crew's preparation for an 11-day Philmont
trek this July. We divided up into two crews. One crew left from Geary Road
Friday afternoon and spent the night at Star's Rest Camp. The next day they
hiked on to Maggie's Half Acre. The other crew started at Lake Del Valle
and spent the night at Boyd Camp. The next day they hiked on to meet the
other crew at Maggie's Half Acre. The two crews camped together, exchanged
stories and car keys, and continued on the next day to the other crew's
starting point. The hike was a gruelling experience, but gave us confidence
we could handle anything we would encounter at Philmont.
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| District Camporee, May 31 - June 1, 2003 |