Griffith League Hike

The Philmont Trek Crew had a great time hiking at Griffith League this weekend.  We did our first hike of 15 miles as required for the Backpacking merit badge.  The weather was great and the hiking was fun.  Everyone held up well during the weekend trek.  Here are Mr. McDonald's and Mr. Reyes' photos from the outing.

Griffith League

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Texas

Barton Creek Hike

The Pilmont Crew took a conditioning hike at the Barton Creek Greenbelt.  The crew hiked about seven and a half miles in a little over three hours.  The goal of this trip was to get about five miles of hiking, but the crew felt so good at the half-way point so we kept on going.

We all had a great time and are looking forward to future hikes.

Take a look at some pictures.

Here is the hike profile.

Equipment Tip from www.scouting.org

Boots and Socks

A quality pair of broken-in hiking boots is a necessity at Philmont. Your trek may cover uneven rocky areas with many steep trails. Well broken-in boots that fit properly will keep you comfortable and prevent injuries.
When fitting boots, try them on at the end of the day when your feet may be a little larger. Use the same socks you will hike in. With your feet in the boots and laces loosened, you should be able to place two fingers behind the heel. With your socks on and your laces fully tightened, your toes should not touch the end of the boot while standing on a 30-degree incline. Don't be surprised if your boot is one size longer and one width wider than your shoe size. Hiking boots for Philmont should be 6 to 8 inches high with a sturdy sole.

Be sure to treat your boots for wet weather.

Two pair of socks will be more comfortable and prevent blisters. The two pair should not be made of the same material. Wear a thin inner sock liner and a heavier outer sock. Advisers might consider a knee-high inner sock with 8 to 12 millimeters of compression. Wool blends work very well for the outer sock. Socks made of new materials are available that are worn as a single sock.

How to Make a Survival Bracelet

( From Backpacker Magazine)

Survival Bracelet

In an emergency, you can use paracord for lashings, tourniquets, shoelaces, snares, tying splints, or, if you tease out the threads, even fishing lines and sewing threads. This bracelet lets you carry a useful amount at all times. 


WHAT YOU'LL NEED: scissors, a lighter, a tape measure, and 10 feet of 550 paracord. Text and photos by Bill Wachholder

Click Here for Instructions for Making this Bracelet

Expedition Behavior

The Finer Points
By Howard Tombs
A good expedition team is like a powerful, well-oiled, finely-tuned marriage.  Members cook meals together, face challenges together, and finally go to bed together.  A bad expedition, on the other hand, is an awkward ugly, embarrassing thing characterized by bickering, filth, frustration, and crispy macaroni.

Nearly all bad expeditions have one thing in common: poor expedition behavior (EB).  This is true even if team members follow the stated rules, such as Don't Step on the Rope, Separate Kerosene and Food, No Soap in the River, No Raccoons in the Tent, Keep your Ice Axe Out of My Eye, etc.

Unfortunately, too many rules of expedition behavior remain unspoken.  Some leaders seem to assume that their team members already have strong and generous characters like their own.  But judging from a few of the campers we've encountered, more rules ought to be spelled out.  Here are ten of them.

Preparing for Philmont*

*Borrowed from http://www.scouting.org/

 

To ensure the success and enjoyment of a Philmont expedition, each crew should be thoroughly trained for the trek. The material in this section provides guidance for physical conditioning, team building, and developing the skills you'll need to successfully complete your expedition.

Physical Conditioning
Being in top physical condition will help your crew enjoy their experience more and be less likely to experience medical problems. This training calendar and exercise tips will help you prepare for your expedition.

Building a Team
A well-organized crew works together to accomplish tasks quickly and has more time to enjoy Philmont. It is essential for your crew to learn to cooperate as a team before you arrive.

Developing Skills
Time and effort spent in sharpening your hiking and camping skills will allow you more time to enjoy the natural beauty and program features at Philmont.

San Marcos River Trip

On August 28, 2010 our Philmont 2011 Crew took a kayak trip down the San Marcos River.  The trip leaders were Brian and John Michael.  The Crew departed from the San Marcos City Park and floated to the San Marcos River Resort. 

At the convergence of the San Marcos and Blanco Rivers, the crew had a great time flipping boats and swimming.  Some of the leaders also got into the action. 


This is how we roll!!

 After the four hour trip, some of the boys decided to swim, while others opted to relax at camp.  The trip down the river was great, the camping was good, and the food was wonderful.  The cooks (Mr. Mohondro and Mr. McDonald) deserve a round of applause for the great steaks and trimmings that they prepared for dinner.  We even had cobbler and ice cream!

We are looking forward to our next adventure.

We all made it!!

Here are some of the photos from the trip.

(photos by Mr. Gonzalez, Mr. Mohondro and Mr. Reyes)



District Adventure Weekend

Some of the boys from our Trek participated in the "Backcountry Adventure" at the Thunderbird District Adventure Weekend.  The group was supposed to hike out to the backcountry on Friday night, but the event staff decided not to let them go out because of strong thunderstorms moving into the area.

On Saturday morning, the group was able to depart and enjoyed a day learning about backpacking and Leave No Trace principles.  Upon their return, the boys enjoyed a campfire program where some of the boys were tapped-out for the Order of the Arrow.

Mr. Reyes and Mr. McDonald took some pictures of the event.

Backpacking 101

Backpacking 101 Participants

On March 26, 2010 Troop 448 conducted the brand new "Backpacking 101" program for the boys in the troop at Camp El Rancho Cima in Wimberly, Texas.  This program was part of Mr. McDonald's Wood Badge ticket.  During the program, the boys learned the basics of backpacking.  The boys learned about water filtration, backpack stove cooking and map/compass use. 

The backpack trek began at the Camping 101 campsite and ended at a campsite on the banks of the "Boy Scout Lake".  During the outing, the group was surprised with an unexpected horseback riding program provided by the camp staff.  The weekend ended with a trek of nearly 5 miles and a three-hour horseback riding program.

Here are the photos from Mr. Reyes and Mr. McDonald.

Here is a map of the outbound hike on Saturday.