Rafting, anyone? Most of the troop started with two days of rafting, cliff-jumping and riverside camping in the Sierras. Then we hiked up into the backcountry: The nearest tv or fast food was about 30 miles away. The nearest road, campground, trashcans and bathrooms were about eight mountain miles behind us.

DEET moved up into the Scout Essentials list as the mosquitoes apparently held some sort of annual jamboree in our campsite. The patrols setup their own camps and we settled into a routine of purifying water, cooking, hiking, fishing, cooking fresh fish, and hiking & fishing some more. We had lots of opportunities for practicing good "leave no trace" Scoutcraft. Sharing the experience of living in these beautiful surroundings using only what we've carried on our backs was priceless.

Denny's donated our first "real" food after the hike, and the meal was truly a treat. We stopped at a fishery on the way home, and I believe the Scouts had a much greater appreciation for this than they would have had on the way up.

A Pictorial Review: