Troop 159 Scouts, Scouters and Scout Families,

After a month of detailed planning, another successful and highly challenging High Adventure Trek is in our Troop's history book. The 2009 High Adventure Winter Backpacking Crew planned and trained for a cold weather trek and that is exactly what it got. As the Trek rally hour neared during the last few days we watched those weather forecasts drop the expected temperature down to 11-15 degrees, which is exactly what we woke up to each morning! However, those extremely cold weather forecast did not daunt the 2009 High Adventure Winter Crew which comprised the following Scouts and Scouters:

The Crew rallied as planned at 5:00 PM Thursday afternoon,15 Jan 09, did our final administrative checks, loaded our packs into Mr. Sweet's pickup and were quickly on our way. However, it was only a few miles down the road when it was realized part of a tent had been left home that was to be delivered to Chase S. when we linked up with him and Mr. Sprouse on the Chattooga River. Fortunately, the miracle of cell phones and a mom with a fast car (or lead foot), quickly allowed a rendezvous on Interstate 85 to pass off the missing tent section. Again, we were on our way wondering what else did someone forget but too late too worry about now.

We effected our rendezvous with Chase and Clay Sprouse at the US 76 Bridge on the Chattooga River (GA/SC border) within a minute of their arrival from Georgia. After a fast "hi, how are you?" we dropped our end of trail gear and extra dry clothes into Mr. Sprouse's vehicle to be left at the bridge. We then loaded them and their gear into Mr. Sweet's and Mr. Colvin's vehicles for the drive to the Lick Log Trail head 22 miles away. That 22 miles turned into more like 30 miles due to Mr. Colvin missing a turn, but that missed turn did verify that the US 28 Bridge we would walk across the next day was still there (well, at least that's why Mr. Colvin told the Crew as to why he went left instead of right). We finally arrived at the Lick Log Trail parking lot to begin our night hike into Lick Log Camp Site a half mile away. For a few of the Crew this was their first headlamp night hike, but all did well and no one got hurt. The Crew quickly got their tents set up while hot water was boiling for our cracker barrel of hot chocolate and cookies (need that sugar to fight the cold all night). It was 10:00 PM before everything was done and time to call it a night as we had a 7:00 AM wake up call to get ready for the first day of three days hiking to cover the 25 trail miles back to the US 76 Bridge. Those warm sleeping bags felt pretty good I must admit.

Well, 7:00 AM came all too fast and it was harder getting out of those warm sleeping bags than it was getting into them the night before, especially with the temperature barely registering 15 degrees. It takes special motivation to get going and pack your gear when it's that cold, but you usually find such motivation in a Troop 159 High Adventure Crew. The hot drinks and hot oatmeal hit the spot, but just as we were ready to head down trail by 9:00 AM for what was going to be an 11 mile hike to our next campsite near Warwoman Creek, it was made known that we had a sick Scout (Josh S. ) in the Crew. Josh was looking pretty ragged around the edges, but we could not make contact with home base to coordinate a pickup, nor afford to delay the Crew's getting on the trail much longer. Consequently, Josh had to hang tough until we could make communication for a pick up (only place was US 28 Bridge), which we still could not do upon arrival at that location. Fortunately, Josh was slowly shaking that sick feeling off as the day worn on (by late that day he was pretty much good to go - cudos to Josh for staying strong). The Crew followed the trail along the Chattooga River and within 2.5 hours covered the 4.5 miles to the US 28 Bridge (it was still there this morning) and crossed into Georgia. Chris Askew was so happy to be in Georgia you might say he just "fell" in love with being there again because as soon as he crossed the bridge and stepped onto the trail, or should I say off the trail, he fell into a deep gully. As soon as Chris was done communing with Georgia, and after a little more kidding about his sidestep off the trail, we got going again headed down trail. By this time, Ben S. , our one Scout backpacking Rookie was in the lead and setting our pace (a position he held almost the entire trek). Our trail took us up and down a lot of hills and across many streams (all with bridges thank goodness, as too cold to be taking boots off), which demanded inner strength to keep going. Remember, that today was an 11 mile hike carrying a heavy winter laden pack which is no slight effort to accomplish, especially for the younger and smaller Crew members. However, everyone hung strong and by 4:00 PM the Crew had found a really nice campsite along Warwoman Creek/Ford. Unfortunately, the camp required a little trash clean up thanks to people who have no respect for a pristine river shed area. As the sun went down, and it goes down especially early in the Chattooga River valley, the temperature went down even faster. Fortunately, the Crew had collected enough fire wood to stay warm by while preparing their supper and to sit around for a short campfire with some marsh mellows and hot beverages before the cold, and just being plan tired, had everyone in their sleeping bags by 8:30 PM. It was only a few minutes after getting into the sleeping bags that the stillness of the night was broken by the snoring of Mr. Sprouse in his tent on the other side of the camp site (his snoring requires a 100 foot safety zone to other campers trying to sleep, but we treasure him just the same).

And how do you say just how cold 11 degrees is in the morning? Wicked Cold!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, that's what we got up to on Saturday morning and that kind of cold is pretty finger numbing while trying to do everything necessary to get breakfast and packed up to get back out on the trail. We made it though, and only a few minutes longer than our start the day before, although it did take a little more motivation this time from the Advisors, as standing around in the cold is how should I say, "numbing" at the least. We were looking at a shorter trek today of about 8 or 9 miles depending on campsite suitability so all hoped for an earlier campfire by the end of the day. With Ben S. again in the lead we got back on the trail which of course meant back up and down a lot of hills again. By this second day Mr. Sweet had become a believer that his very tall and heavy work boots were not quite suited for a backpacking experience and vowed those boots had made their last backpacking trek. However, despite the discomfort he stayed strong and did the distance in good shape with the Crew. Fortunately, his boot issue did not affect his vision and he saved us from making a long hike back up a wrong trail which everyone had gone down except for him (last man in line who was actually watching the trail markers). He also found Mr. Colvin's dropped eye glass case, and based on those two events and in keeping with Mr. Sweet being an Eagle Scout, the Crew agreed his Trail Name would be "Eagle Eye." Our trail lunch tasted especially good today as by that time we were all pretty hungry as breakfast had been kept very simple due to the early morning cold and desire to get on the trail. Lunch and trail snacks were consumed steadily all day long on the trail to keep the energy levels high to stay strong hiking and to ward off the cold. At about 1:00 PM we linked up with Mr. Powell who had walked in from the US 76 Bridge (where we left Mr. Sprouse's car) and he joined the Crew as planned. Fortunately, we linked with him just as he was starting a major climb, which saved him a lot of needless effort since we were still going further the way he'd just come. By 2:00 PM we found a really nice campsite with a ton of beach front and lots of dry drift wood just begging to be a campfire (great place to summer camp with the beach and deep clear water pools). In no time at all, camp was set up, firewood collected, bear bags installed, and Mr. Powell was passing out donuts (almost warm from the hand warmers he'd put in the box) he'd carried in for the Crew (sugar good!). The Crew didn't waste any time getting everything done, so that they could enjoy the warmth of a campfire and an early day off the trail. At about this time, it started to snow a bit and we wondered if it came in with Mr. Powell (you know how snow and Yankees are). Dinner was wolfed down by all, followed by a short campfire and fellowship. During our campfire we voted on a suggested Trail Name for Ben S. and he is now known as "Point Man" as he was pretty much always in the lead of the pack line, and would be again the next day. The evening cold and work of the day finally dictated climbing into our sleeping bags for the last night on the trail. Just as everyone was heading for their tents and sleeping bags, the snow started up again, and everyone was looking at Mr. Powell about this since we'd had nothing but clear (cold of course) skies until he joined us. We all started wondering if he brought the snow along, in addition to the donuts, to add to our winter experience.

As usual, get up time comes all too fast and this time it was not as cold at 20 degrees as it had been the past two mornings at 15 and 11 degrees, respectively. However, this time it was snowing and it was then that we new for sure that it was Mr. Powell that brought us the snow. Based on his efforts to provide us with snow during our trek, we all agreed his Trail Name would be "Snow Man." Another very fast hot water based breakfast in conjunction with slightly warmer temperatures and motivated by some big snow flakes, got us on the trail by 8:35 AM to hike our last 7+ miles to end of our trek. Of course, before we got on the trail, a few snow balls had to be made and hurled, to include one that got down Doc C. 's back (good shot Steve). The pace was very fast this morning as you could tell the guys had an appointment at the Hardees in Westminster on the way home, plus were anxious to get a hot shower and into some clean clothes once they could get home (we pretty much stayed in the same clothes for 3 days as too cold to loose all that body heat). It was still a pretty good hike out, and again, no shortage of hills to climb; however, once we hit that last downhill to the US 76 Bridge, it was better not to get in the way of this Crew, or you might get trampled in the rush.

Everyone was proud of their effort on this trek, which was well earned. At the end of the trail, we celebrated with our customary end of Trek Cream Soda and cookies, in keeping with so many High Adventure Crews before. A few pictures and lots of cookies later, it was time for the drivers (Mr. Sweet, Mr. Colvin and Mr. Sprouse) to go after the up trail vehicles while Mr. Askew and Mr. Powell remained with the Scout Crew members. After the drivers returned to the Crew, we said our "see you next Trek" to Chase and Mr. Sprouse, and loaded up to head next to Hardees (Doc C. was counting the miles, trust me on that point) and then to home. The Crew loaded up on all that Hardees food and then it was time to head for home in the comfort and warmth or our vehicles, which quickly put the two youngest of our Crew fast asleep. We got back to the SUMC about 4:00 PM pretty much right as planned and caught our rides home who were waiting for us upon our arrival (the magic of cell phones again), said our good byes and thanks to everyone for a really memorable trek.

Thanks to Josh S. for serving as our Crew Chief, and to each of the Crew members who took on the various other Crew tasks necessary to all of us. Special recognition to Ben S. for his efforts during this Trek as you are no longer an HA Rookie, but are now a true HA Veteran. This was Ben's first real backpacking trek and he performed exceedingly well, staying positive and strong during all aspects of the Trek. Thanks also to each of the Advisors for their support and for just being part of the Crew, as without your support, High Adventure Crews do not go very far in may regards.

Looking forward to our next Trek (Spring Break)!

High Adventure Scouts Seek Challenges,

DAVID E. COLVIN
ASM, Senior Advisor, High Adventure Program