Celebration Park

Still catching up with blog posts. This was a campout that we took in November 2013 to Celebration Park. This was the first campout to include both the infamous Sky Baby Special (dinner) and Hells Canyon Delight (breakfast). It was also on this campout that the Scouts were introduced to the legend of Maggie (the lone surviving member of a family plane crash in the Owyhees who has survived off of the land and scavenging from Scout troops since childhood). The next day we hiked around and looked at the petroglyphs and other sites.

The firemaster and leader working on the fire.

Dish duty after breakfast.

Chopping wood.

One of the Scouts improvising and using some socks as gloves.

Cheesy pose.

One of the many petroglyphs in the area. 

I think they found one of Maggie's hiding spots.

This was the alleged grave of the infamous De-Fabio. 

May he rest in peace.

Bruneau Sand Dunes

I've still got a few old campouts to get uploaded. This was a trip we took back in October 2013. Its funny to look back at the photos and realize how much the boys have grown up in a year. We were working on the astronomy and orienteering merit badges. There is an observatory in Bruneau and they set up multiple telescopes at night so you can look at the moon, planets and stars. It was a very cool experience. The next day the boys worked on a land navigation course and then we played in the sand.

Cutting some wood for the fire.

Our campsite.

The boys burning tumbleweeds. We eventually had to 

stop this particular activity as the fire grew to be very large.

Looking for their next point on the orienteering course.

Playing on the dunes.

The boys didn't seem to mind getting sand everywhere.

Waiving to the camera.

Made it to the top.

View of the surrounding area.

Walking back to the truck.

The Scouts did some races down the hill.

Givens Hot Springs

In November 2014 the Ice Age Bacon Patrol went to Givens Hot Springs for a little winter camping. We arrived after dark and quickly realized that camping space was at a premium. There were a lot of scout troops there! We found a spot, set up camp and went swimming. We tried getting some pictures but the steam inside the building fogged up the camera immediately. We played some water basketball, ran outside and rolled in the snow, and tread water to the point of exhaustion (all for a soda). Afterwards we ate, played some night games and slept. The next morning we played some mountain cricket, a favorite on scout trips.

We had our Young Mens President chaperoning to keep us out of trouble. 

I think we actually were the ones keeping him out of trouble! 

Meditating by the fire.

Getting ready to bed down.

Mountain cricket. Batter UP!

Looking like a pro.

Waiting for the pitch...or the bowl?

The ball consists of a rock wrapped in duct tape.

Ready to swing.

Service

The Scouts demonstrated their true colors when a member of our ward was injured in an accident. They immediately set to work planning service projects to assist the family. We leaders had no part in the planning process and the boys made all the arrangements and assignments to mow the lawn and bring dinner the following week. Very proud of these boys for thinking of others.

Unloading lawnmowers.

This is how dark it was by the time we finished mowing the lawn. Hope we didn't miss any spots.

The following week the Scouts made their camp specialty: Sky Baby Special 

(an extraordinary form of spaghetti)

Hard at work making the Sky Baby. 

For camping practice we made it on the propane stove in the garage.

Boiling noodles.

Taking a little break from the cooking.

On our way to deliver the meal. "No Taki"

Happy meal recipients. We received a really nice note from them thanking the boys and letting them know that it was the best spaghetti they'd ever had. Well done Scouts.

Grimes Creek

We took a trip in October 2014 to Grimes Creek in Boise County. This is one of their favorite spots because it is relatively close and they have been there before so they know the area. The only agenda item the Scouts had was to play night games, particularly Fugitive.

Getting ready to go.

Although all the equipment was "inspected" prior to departure, one of the tents came out without poles. The boys problem solved the situation and decided that all four of them would sleep in the one remaining tent (which had poles); so all four slept in a three man tent.

The Firemaster getting the campfire started.

The grubmaster and assistant preparing their premier camp meal: Sky Baby Special

The food was very good!! Well done to the grubmaster!

We decided to have peach cobbler for breakfast.

The scouts decided to try and bake a cake in their billy pot with the leftover cake mix. 

Grimes Creek near our campsite.

The quartermaster enjoying some of the coal cooked cake. Unfortunately he did not wash out his mess kit when we returned home so the following month he found mold growing in his pot! 

Lesson learned. 

The historian taking a selfie. Very flattering. 

Grubmaster Boone

Leslie Gulch & Echo Rock Hot Springs

This was a trip that the Ice Age Bacon Patrol took back in April 2014. Though it was early in the year the weather was warm and the hot spring soak at the end of the day was a nice reward for a five mile hike to our campsite. We had four scouts and each of them did very well for their first backpacking trip.

Getting ready to head out. We were delayed due to a flat tire.

Rock formations on the way.

Group picture.

Our campsite.

The hot spring. It has been improved with concrete and the water was fantastic.

Warming up by the fire.

Starting the walk back.

Tired but accomplished scouts.

Lunch of pita bread, summer sausage and cheese whiz.