Previous Trips
Marbles
Amazing first long backpacking trip for the troop described as the best trip that we had ever gone on. The trip taught everyone that Participated the skills that we have now. This was the trip that started the program off and gave us the knowledge to keep them going. All members of the trip meet every two weeks to plan the trip from the small to the big details. Still remembered as the best trip that the troop has done, as this was the first time any of us had done a trip of this size. Fell a little short of the goal however the trip was an overwhelming success.
Yosemite
We were in the middle of the planning process when the pandemic hit, complicating the process. Despite the extra challenges, and a few bent rules there was a trip however this was not under the official scouting umbrella and became a group of friends. After setting the goal to have a permit inside Yosemite with all the extra challenges that involved, we decided to take a pass-through route that started outside the park. This trip was much more difficult than the Marbles as we had a much larger distance to cover, as well as much more elevation gain to get over Donohue pass that stood in the way.
Yosemite 50 miler.pdfRae Lakes Loop
The latest in the Three long-distance trips that the troop has done was the Rea Lakes Loop. This is an amazing 42-mile loop in Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park. This was a very challenging loop with lots of elevation to gain and lose all at the same time. This was the first trip that had some new members that needed the teaching that the first group had. This gave all members of the group new learning opportunities that we had not before. Another amazing success of a trip, The group decided to get out a day early after pushing for a long 14 miles the day before we left impressing even the more experienced in the group, teaching everyone something new in the process.
Rae Lakes loop.pdfThousand Island Lakes
This was the hardest 50 miler that the troop had done to date. This brought many challenges and lessons with it, as we needed to overcome some very challenging and unique situations that had not been seen on a 50. We spent the week hiking in ansel adams wilderness where we hiked a loop out of agnew meadows. The trip started with a shuttle ride to the trailhead as well as a long trip up the mountain to garnet lake the first camp of the trip, from here we had a long and difficult day down to Johnston meadow. This was an amazing and beautiful first few days to the trip with many more great opportunities to come. The next day we hiked to adiza lake through a highly not recommended section of class three climbing that we needed to make it through as well as a long traverse around the side of iceberg lake that we did not expect but on a second look it was marked as a secondary trail. This small section took far more energy and time then expected and most of the group did not want to continue after this point, However we still had to make it to thousand island lake and clark lakes. From there the group had amazing views of the high country that could not be seen anywhere else and had a nice hike to Thousand Island Lakes and moved on from there. Seeing amazing views and lakes it is highly recommended to see the area in the future as well.
Thousand island lakes map.pdfDesolation Wilderness
This trip was in 2023, a seriously above average snow year. The trip started with the group being dropped off at Echo Lake, from here we hiked over the rugged trails and encountered many snow banks that obscured the trail. We repetitively lost the trail and used map and compass to hike in the correct direction. We met up with a couple from Georgia and helped them find their way to Lake Aloha. The next day we hiked over Mosquito pass and along the Rubicon River, the trail was lush and the water crossings high, with the group ending at Middle Velma Lake. From Middle Velma, we changed our plans and hiked the next loop in the opposite direction, heading north along the PCT. This took us downhill on the secondary trail toward Lake Genevieve. We hiked past beautiful lakes and ended the day at Stony Ridge Lake. From Stony Ridge Lake we knew there was lots of snow ahead and had heard that the approach from Grouse Lakes was safer than the high route, even the easy route proved to be a challenge with us breaking out the micro spikes to traverse snow patches. Reaching the summit of Phipps Pass was quite the achievement. From Phipps Pass we circled back past Middle Velma, ending the day at Dicks Lake. From Dicks Lake we ascending through snow fields using micro spikes then down to Gilmore Lake where we stashed our packs and summited Mt. Tallac for amazing views of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding area, with the day eventually ending at Susie Lake. From Susie we completed the out and back, arriving back at Echo Lake. This trip taught the group to be comfortable off trail and how important it is to stay together when it was so easy to loose the trail.
