April Camping at Buck Hill

The troop returned to our favorite campsite, Beaver Tail at Buck Hill Camp. This site has plenty of space for tents, fire rings, and is close to the water, restrooms, and hiking trails. Sometimes camping is perfect, and you can’t wait to do it again. Other times, things don’t go as planned. Unfortunately, this camping trip was one of the latter.

The troop planned to hold a flag retirement ceremony Friday night and a fishing derby on Saturday morning. However, a fire ban prevented us from building a campfire, and the cold weather kept the fish from biting. The scouts fished for 30 minutes without catching anything, not even their homemade minnow trap caught a single fish.

Despite these setbacks, the scout and scouters still had a great weekend. We went for a hike, ate good food, and cleared out some brush that was blocking a stream. The scouts were proud of themselves for clearing the brush and seeing the water flowing again and the impact it had downstream.

Here are some things the troop learned from this camping trip:

1. Always have a backup plan in case of bad weather or other unexpected events.
2. Don’t give up on your plans just because things don’t go according to plan.
3. Sometimes, the best experiences come from overcoming challenges.
4. It’s important to be flexible and adaptable when camping.
5. Camping is a great way to spend time with friends and create lasting memories.

Camp Split Rock

The troop camped at Camp Split Rock, located in Ashburnham, MA.  This was our first time camping at this site, and what an adventure!.  The troop had to brave “Arctic” conditions, over a long and treacherous path, to arrive at their meager accommodations.  Upon arrival the scouts immediately launched into a game of tag/manhunt and explored the local tundra with only their wits and guts (and nearby adults) for survival.  The accommodations (cabin) were nice (heated and fairly new) but a little tight.  It was located next to a frozen pond – a nice view!  In addition, it snowed our first night there, so the next day’s scenery was even better. 

We had our normal assortment of grub:  pop tarts, ramen, sausage and pancakes; in addition Mr. Rajack delighted us with what is probably the best Dutch oven cobbler ever made.  This was followed by pizza provided by Mr. Hamilton.

Yawgoog

Each year, the troop attends Yawgoog for a week in the summer to take in all the activities and adventure Yawgoog has to offer. In addition, the scouts also like to attend Yawgoog in the off-season months for a weekend camping trip, where they essentially have 1800 acres to themselves. Although the Yawgoog summer activities aren’t running and there aren’t thousands of scouts, scouters, and staff, Yawgoog is still an amazing place to explore, fish, and hike. For those who attend Camp Yawgoog, you are probably aware of the Yawgoog segments. The Yawgoog segments are worn on a piece of felt that attaches to the left pocket of your uniform. Scouts can earn segments for participating and completing certain activities at Yawgoog. One such segment is the segment for hiking all the trails of Camp Yawgoog.

The troop camped at the Nature Center in January. The weather was mild for January, with no rain in the forecast. On Saturday, the troop set out to hike all the trails to earn the Camp Yawgoog Trail segment. The trails are laid out in a way that requires some back-tracking to make sure all of them are covered. The troop completed all of the trails except the blue trail. Although the troop has completed the blue trail in the past, some scouts have not. Therefore, the troop will plan a hike at Yawgoog this summer to complete the blue trail. Another successful camping trip, and a good time was had by all!

Canoeing at Camp Aquapaug

This past weekend, the troop went out on our first camping trip of the season. We camped at Camp Aquapaug where we spent the day canoeing down the Chipuxet River to Worden Pond. We put the boats in around 11a and slowly started down the slow and winding river. Along the way we saw various signs of nature including turtles and one person spotted a beaver or muskrat in the water. We also saw several beaver damns where we had to carry the canoe across. 

This time of year the brush on the side of the river is overgrown which can make it difficult to pass at certain spots. However, despite the dams and winding river, the troop arrived at the mouth of the Chipuxet River where it flowed into Worden’s Pond. At this point, we rowed across the pond to get back to our campsite. The water was extremely calm although the headwinds made getting back a little challenging. 

Over the past couple of years, approx 10miles of trails had been blazed at Camp Aquapaug. So a few of us headed out for an afternoon hike to do some exploring while others either went fishing or relaxed by the fire. 

In the evening, the scouts cooked an amazing chicken stir fry dinner for the troop and we finished dinner off with apple pie. Already looking forward to the October camping trip!

Fort Ticonderoga

The KHEGF organized and sponsored a trip to Ft Ticonderoga for the scouts and recent alumni of Troop 8. With two rented passenger vans, the scouts packed in and headed out to Ticonderoga, NY on Saturday morning. We arrived around noon and gathered for a picnic lunch before starting the program arranged for us at Ft Ticonderoga. 

Around 1p, we gathered and were introduced to our chaperones for the weekend. We were told that we would be living the life of soldiers over the course of the next 24 hours. We would be marching, raising and lowering the flag, eating the meals of soldiers, and sleeping on the same types of beds the soldiers would have back in the late 1700s.  

We started out by learning some marching drills, making sure our marching was precise. We learned how the guns were loaded and fired and how we would stand if we were lined up for battle. The guides also provided a lot of history of the area and why the waterways in front of Ft Ticonderoga were so critical. The troop also hiked the grounds around the fort and learned where certain battles took place. In addition to all the guided portions of the tour, there was much to see and learn on our own as we visited the museum on a self guided tour. 

Before heading home on Sunday, the troop boarded the Carillon to get a tour of the fort and surrounding area on Lake Champlain.

Saco River Camping Trip

Troop 8 returned to the Saco River after 4 long years of having to miss out for various reasons. Upon first arrival, it felt like it was only yesterday when we were last there. Not only did we miss Saco, apparently the mosquitos missed us. We were greeted with swarms of mosquitos who were clearly out for blood. Those who arrived earlier warned us to use bug spray as soon as we got out of the car. Between the bug spray and the temperature drop in the evening, the mosquitos were no longer a problem.

The scouts setup camp, built a fire, and the troop hung out for a few hours by the fire before turning in for the night. Everyone wanted to get a good night sleep for the 11 mile kayak trip the next day. 

Morning came quickly and the scouts were up early preparing breakfast which consisted of pancakes and breakfast sausage. The troop then packed lunches and we headed out for our trip debriefing. The troop entered the water around 10:30am and started our journey down river where we would end up back at camp around 3:00pm.

The conditions for kayaking were absolutely perfect. It was clear skies with air temps in the high eighties. The Saco River was slow moving, crystal clear, and the water temp was in the fifties.

Along the river, the scouts found their usual spots where they like to hop out of the kayak and stretch their legs. We stopped at a few “sandy beach” areas and the sand dunes for a break. We also stopped to have lunch at the dam where we had to portage our kayaks over to the other side.

Even for those scouts who have never been, Saco continues to live up to the reputation as one of the camping trips the scouts most enjoy. We are already looking forward to seeing you again next year Saco River!

Camping and Hiking Mount Monadnock

The troop ventured up to Jaffrey, New Hampshire to hike Mount Monadnock for the April camping trip. The troop arrived at Camp Wanocksett on Friday night and was fortunate enough to stay in a cabin considering the weather was rainy and unseasonably cold. The troop settled in for the night played games to pass the time and eventually tucked in for the night.

In the morning, the scouts cooked eggs, sausage, English muffins. The campers packed their lunches and we headed out to the base of Mt Monadnock to start the hike. The forecast was calling for on and off rain. Some geared up with rain jackets while others played the odds and hoped the rain would hold off.

The troop took the white dot trail up to the top. As we approached the peak, the temperature dropped 20 degrees and the wind was strong enough to knock you over. While visibility was clear most of the way up, the top was cloudy with maybe 10-15 foot visibility. For a different experience, the troop took the white cross trail down.

Along the hike, the troop experienced all types of weather conditions. It was partly sunny on the way up, windy and foggy up at the summit, pouring rain with thunder on the way down with occasional pea-sized hail. Despite being soaking wet and cold when we arrived back at the car, a good time was had by all.

November Camping – Buck Hill

The troop arrived at Buck Hill Friday evening and set up camp for the weekend. We knew we were in for a cold weekend. To prepare for the camping trip, in the troop meeting that preceded the camping trip, we reviewed tips for cold weather camping. On Friday night, the temperature hit the mid-20s, and surprisingly, not one scout complained of being cold the next day.

On Saturday morning, the scouts gathered plenty of firewood and set up the carport with tarps on the side. Although the carport wasn’t “warm”, it certainly protected us from the wind coming off the pond.

Before lunch, the troop headed out for a day hike. About half a mile before we arrived back at camp, the scouts were presented with a mission that would test their skills. The mission described a scenario where the troop ventured out for a 30-mile day hike. The hike was well planned out. The plan was to hike the black trail, pick up the red trail, and then take the green trail back to camp. After hiking all day and with just 4 miles left on the hike, you come across a river that is 10 feet across and the bridge is out. It’s too late to turn back so you decide to build a bridge to cross the river.

The scouts thought through the problem and came up with a solution and then had to execute the plan in a simulated environment. The trail was designated as the “raging river”. It was decided the scouts would make a two-rope bridge, one rope to hold on to and one to walk across. The troop unanimously (well almost unanimously) agreed it was best to send their SPL across the river so he could anchor the two ends on the other side. (Note: Their reason for selecting the SPL was because he was a strong swimmer.) The scouts tied a bowline around the SPL’s waist and sent him off across the river. They figured if he couldn’t swim it, they could always pull him back. Once he was on the other side, the scouts anchored one side of the rope to one tree with a bowline and the SPL used a trucker’s hitch on a tree on the other side to make both lines taut enough such that they would hold the weight of each scout. The scouts crossed the simulated raging river and all scouts made it back to camp.

The sunrise over the lake Sunday morning was amazing. It was a perfect ending to a great weekend camping trip!

October Camping – Camp Aquapaug

The troop spent the weekend at Camp Aquapaug. On Saturday, the scouts canoed 3 ½ miles down the Chipuxet River, starting at Taylor’s Landing (41° 28.953′ N    71° 33.073′ W) and finishing up at Worden Pond. Aquapaug is on Worden Pond, so we will end up back at our campsite. The trip took a solid 3 hours from start to finish. The Chipuxet river was had a lot of twists and turns. At some points, we ran into beaver dams and had to get out of the canoe to carry it over the dams. For a late October day, we could not have asked for better weather. The sky was clear and the air temp was in the 70s.

On this canoe trip, we had a couple of special guests. Mr. Deluca and Mr. Mott, who are former Troop 8 leaders, acted as our guides on the canoe trip. Thank you Mr. Deluca and Mr. Mott. It was great having you relive a trip you have done in the past with the scouts from Troop 8. And thank you Mr. Mott for bringing your signature treat for the troop, Mott’s juice.

September Camping – Campsite Seton

The troop stayed at campsite Seton, a relatively new campsite in Camp Sandy Beach. There were several platforms for the troop to set the tents upon and we had flushable toilets and running water for drinking and cooking. Yes, we were spoiled to say the least.

The troop arrived around Saturday at 9am, setup camp, and then set out on a hike around 11am. We ventured out to find Hidden Lake, a quick hike the boys might take in the summer while we are at Yawgoog. Back on May 4-6, 1930 there was a forest fire in Yawgoog that destroyed much of the forest. The legend goes, no one knew the lake was there until the forest fire occurred and exposed the small body of water. Once the forest fire was extinguished, the debris was bulldozed into the lake leaving the lake too acidic for plant or fish life and the water almost appears black. You can get a sense of just how dark the water is from the picture on the left. The rock is just a few inches below the surface of the water.

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On each camping trip we plan an activity and look for an opportunity to reinforce a skill. Along the hike we stopped at campsite Neil Armstrong. The boys were asked to pick between envelopes, each contained a different mission. The mission the boys chose described a realistic scenario where they went on a hike and got lost. The sun was about to set, and although people would be out looking for them, they needed to stay put and make camp in case no one came until morning. Their mission was to build a sustainable fire and an improvised shelter. The scouts were supplied with very limited resources, a ferrocerium rod and a cotton ball. The scouts got a fire started in 5 mins and built an improvised shelter in 15 mins with no adult involvement. They even had suggestions on how to improve it with live pine branches and large leaves but they did not want to cut live trees. We reinforced to the scouts, this is what separates scouts from non-scouts. I’m sure many of their friends would not have these basic survival skills needed to hunker down for the night in the forest if needed.   

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After dinner and dinner cleanup, the boys met up with a local girls troop, Troop 3 Gaspee Plateau, for a game of manhunt. Despite the pouring rain, the scouts played through and a good time was had by all.