Adventure

This epic Scouts BSA story begins back in December of 2021, when seven brave adventurers, all Scouts from Troop 1717B, sponsored by Hartwood Presbyterian Church, signed up for the trek of a lifetime to the legendary “Great White North.” The Northern Tier High Adventure winter camp “Okpik” was the destination, located at the Charles L. Sommers Canoe Base in Ely, Minnesota.

‘Okpik’ means “snowy owl” in the native Inuit language, and the snowy owl is the emblem of the camp. In addition to the Okpik requirements, the Scouts set upon a year-long pursuit of five additional requirements so they would “Be Prepared” (the Scouts BSA Motto) for the arduous winter conditions they’d be facing: 1) Earn the rank of First Class Scout and then earn four merit badges – First Aid, Camping, Weather, and Wilderness Survival. All the Scouts (Ryker S, Michael L, Curtis L, Joshua W, Lucas P, Rudra S, Sheppard A) accomplished all these goals! The Crew ultimately consisted of these seven Scouts and four adults (Brett S, Curtis L, Micaiah P, Nilesh S).

On 26 December 2022, the adventurers departed the Hartwood Presbyterian Church parking lot bound for their first stopover, the Internal Hostel in downtown Chicago. Through snow covered roads and many miles they arrived safely at their first stop and enjoyed a brief night’s sleep before starting out again on the 27th.

After another day of driving the explorers arrived at Northern Tier, north of Ely, Minnesota, along the southern end of Moose Lake. After a good meal and meeting with our Interpreter, Mike, the Scouts planned their adventure for the following days and returned to their lodgings for the night. The Scouts stayed in an octagon wooden yurt (A yurt is a portable, circular dwelling made of a lattice of flexible poles and covered in felt or other fabric), while the adults squeezed into a tiny cabin.

The first day everyone drew their gear, and by the afternoon were off on their adventure for the next three days and nights. The Crew wore snowshoes under their boots and on each adventure wore a waist harness with a tether so they could pull a sled ladened with packs, food, and camp gear. The first destination was a campsite on Secret Lake. Due to the winter storm the week prior, the trail was snow-filled and fresh. The Crew Leader, 1st Class Scout Ryker S, broke trail – that is, he was the first to walk the trail, so that others could follow more easily – for nearly two miles to get to the site.

The Scouts’ wilderness survival skills came in handy as the wind had blown all the snow off the ice, so the Crew could not build snow shelters. Instead, the Crew entered the tree line and set up their sleeping shelters for the night. Temperatures ranged from 9 degrees at night and got up to only a “balmy” mid-20s during the days – Brrrr!

The next day, after a hearty breakfast, the Crew packed the camp, hooked up to their sleds, and were once again on the trail. Breaking trail again, Ryker lead the Crew over another quarter mile of hills trail to the edge of Flash Lake. Once on Flash Lake the Crew hiked another three-quarters of a mile across the lake to another trail. This trail, a half-mile long, led to Snowbank Lake, which would become the Crew’s base camp for the next two days.

The next couple of days were spent ice fishing, enjoying dog sled rides, and building a quinzhee. A quinzhee is a snow shelter, just as an igloo is an ice shelter. There was very little snow on the ice but this did not deter two dedicated Scouts, Joshua W and Michael L, from building their quinzhee just in time to spend the last night in the shelter.

The final day in the wilderness, the Crew hiked nearly two miles back to the Northern Tier facility, towing their sleds along the trails and back across the ice of Flash Lake. That night was spent enjoying a hearty lasagna meal at the lodge and entertainment provided by the Northern Tier staff.

Later, after getting the first hot shower in four days, the Crew celebrated the arrival of 2023 and the 100th anniversary of Northern Tier. January 1st found the Crew once again loading vehicles for the return trip. After several photos and many good-byes to Mike, our Interpreter, the Crew departed for Rockford, Illinois. Why Rockford, Illinois, you might ask? Because Rockford held the next prize for the trip: Giordano’s famous Chicago style deep dish pizza! Curtis L (an adult leader) coordinated the feast for the Crew.

Evening found the Crew once again at the International Hostel in downtown Chicago for another night’s sleep. The next day of the adventure the Crew was once again leaving Chicago but now on the last leg of the trip, arriving safely back home in Fredericksburg, VA that evening. They returned not just as Scouts, but as “Northmen.” You will have to find a Crew member for further tales of such things as: wolf tracks and howls, seeing northern lights, keeping your boots warm, the International Wolf Museum, eggs in a bag, and Hudson Bay bread. You might even learn about the correct response to “HOL-RY!”

Ready to begin your family’s Scouting Adventure?! To join BSA, please go to www.beaScout.org to find a BSA Scout unit near you – Cub Scouting serves families with children in Kindergarten through 5th Grade; Scouts BSA serves families with children ages 11-18. There are BSA programs for families with older Youths, ages 14 – 20, including Venturing, Exploring or Sea Scouting.

The mission of the BSA is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling the values of the Scout Oath and Law. Aquia District includes Stafford County, VA, and Marine Corps Base Quantico. For more information on Scouting in the Stafford/Fredericksburg area, including how to donate, join or volunteer, contact Kristy Freeman, Aquia District Executive, at Kristy.Freeman@Scouting.org or call (540)287-3866.

Michael Hooper an Eagle Scout from the Colonial District (Troop 680 Eagle, March 3, 2020; Grand Slam of High Adventure 2020)recently completed the Everest Base Camp trek. 

Michael said that while he was struggling to make the climb he remembered his intro to backpacking five mile round trip to Manassas Gap on the Application Trail shortly after he crossed over to the Troop and later completed his Backpacking Merit Badge with his Scoutmaster, friends, and fellow members of the Hawk Patrol as well as our trips to Philmont and Northern Tier (Okpik dog sledding).

The Everest trek took him 11 days in total. Six and a half days trekking up the mountain, two acclimatization days, and two and a half days trekking down the mountain. While the trek up was difficult as each step towards basecamp at altitude became laborious and his breath was constantly out despite flying up the mountain the previous few days, he finished the entire trek two days early because they were moving so fast, and they ended up skipping a stop. He said the views were some of the best views he has have ever seen in his life.

Michael lives in Virginia and returns from India and Nepal in June and will go back to UVA in the fall.  He hopes to register as an adult leader when he comes back so that he can do a few backpacking trips with the Troop 680 Scouts when he’s not busy at school.

Shared by: Scouter John Mirvish

Pack 257F had a blast at the Patuxent District’s Cub-n-Pal over the weekend at the American Legion Youth Camp in Cheltenham. This year’s theme was Cubmaster Gadget and we enjoyed 6 stations ranging from knots and nature to knife safety and orienteering. The Cubs had a blast!

 

Pack 1100 recently earned their Art Explosion pins in an extraordinary way. The Military Program at the Lorton Workhouse asked them to participate in a project for First Lady Dr. Jill Biden‘s Joining Forces program. First Lady Biden is both a military mother and grandmother, she has witnessed first hand the great amounts of sacrifice these families make. She shared a poem written by a fourth grader whose parents are stationed overseas. The student explained her military suitcase is filled with both happiness and sadness having to relocate constantly.

Being that April is the National Month of the Military Child, Scouts were provided copies of the student’s poems. They decorated suitcases and wrote reflections representing what the poem meant to them. The suitcases will be on display in the East wing of the White House.

 

The Scouts of Pack 493 in Rockville, MD traveled to Baltimore to board the USCG Cutter 37. The Scouts learned about the history of USCG Cutter 37 including its crucial role in the Attack on Pearl Harbor. During a team-building exercise, the Scouts had to use teamwork, quick thinking, and ingenuity to figure out to stop a leak on ship in just 5 minutes! This outing was a stretch goal from our Scouts’ popcorn fundraiser in the fall as they exceeded their fundraising goal! Way to go, Scouts! #weownadventure #poweredbypopcorn

Photo Credits: Jack Kwait-Blank, Alicia Kwait-Blank

 

 

An adventurous crew of six scouts and two adults from Troop 58 in Ashburn, VA spent a year eagerly anticipating the troop’s first arctic adventure at the Northern Tier Okpik program in northern Minnesota. The word Okpik (ook’-pic), which means Snowy Owl in the Inuit language, identifies the Winter Camping program at Northern Tier that began over fifty years ago in 1971.

On the first day, the crew skied with sleds weighing up to 75 pounds holding their gear and made camp at Moose Lake. The adventurers then embarked on an 8-hour cross-country journey across Newfound Lake. Led by the highly skilled guide, Amos, the skiers braved slush fields and followed a wolf trail to reach Canada. Despite skiing the last miles in the dark, the group was rewarded with an incredible dinner prepared by Amos.

The following day, the group packed up camp and headed to Flash Lake, where they set up camp and participated in various outdoor activities. The day began with a 30-minute ice fishing demonstration and later the group had the opportunity to try their hand at Gaga ball in the snow. In the afternoon, the mushers brought over their sled dogs, allowing the group to go for a ride around a small island. The day was capped off with a star walk led by Amos, who shared old Indian folklore with the group.

Troop 58’s crew was the first one of the season to make it to prairie portage this winter. Amos said about the Virginia-based crew, “… for our base this was the first trip (to prairie portage) this winter and the kids reminded me that when you are part of a group of positive people working toward a shared goal no amount of slush or open water or skiing in the dark can stop you.” This trip was a true test of endurance and a celebration of the great outdoors, offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience for all who participated.

Five of the seven crew members earned the coveted Triple Crown Award having completed three high adventure trips together over the course of the last two and a half years. Eric A. (Assistant Scoutmaster), Ben L., Chris C., Grant K., and Jack A. all earned the award by successfully completing a Philmont New Mexico trek in August 2021, Sea Base Virgin Islands sailing adventure in April 2022, and Northern Tier Opik Minnesota trek in January 2023.

Troop 58 is already preparing for their next high adventure trip back to Northern Tier for a summer 2023 portaging adventure to Atikokan, Ontario Canada!