COLDWATER BACKPACK APRIL 19-20,2008
If you would like to participate in this event, bring this permission slip signed by Monday April 14th Troop Meeting.
What: Overnight backpack When: April 19th - 20th, 2008
Where: Cold Water Camp via Lost Valley, Potero & Horseshoe Meeting Time & Place: 7:30 a.m. Saturday April 19 at Calvary in front of the trailor
How Much: $20 per scout Who: All Scouts, Leaders and Parents
RSVP: Email Jon by Wednesday 5pm at blanchardj6@aol.com
Returning: Sunday April 20, 2008 before noon
Questions: Call Christian h.934-0871 m. 868-0213
The Trip. Cold Water is a wilderness campsite located in the San Rafael Wilderness near Santa Ynez. The trailhead is downstream from NIRA Campground on the Manzana River, approximately 1 hour drive into the backcountry from Highway 154 along Happy Canyon Road. The trip will be backpacking about 6 miles round trip. We will also be doing service work at Potrero, Lost Valley, Coldwater and Horseshoe camps, so we may cover about 10 miles before we are done. Please eat breakfast beforehand and bring a sack lunch for Saturday. The patrols will be planning dinner (Saturday) and breakfast (Sunday) meals only. Adults are on their own for all meals.

Troop equipment that will be added to patrol gear includes: kitchen clean-up gear; axe, bow saw, and loppers.

This will be an easy to moderate back country trip, depending on the temperature (apply sun screen before leaving and wear a hat). This will be a good introduction to backpacking for the inexperienced scouts. Parents are welcome to accompany the Troop if they wish. All scouts will be expected to practice the patrol method (plan, pack, carry, cook as a team). The buddy system will be strictly enforced. If you need a backpack or any other equipment, please let me know as soon as possible, we may have equipment to borrow.

Adults. Adults please RSVP also. I would like there to be at least 2 registered adult leaders on this trip, and one per patrol. So far Mike Leedom and Steve Nicholson have committed; I may only be there for the day. Scouting requires that we have 2-deep leadership at all times, these leaders must be registered and YPT trained.

Advice on Being Prepared. Good shoes (this is not the time to break in new shoes), a well fitting pack, and a good sleeping bag are a must. Many hikers prepare for trips like this by putting their pack on, filling the pack with a reasonable weight of books (20 – 25% of your body weight), putting on their boots, and trekking around the neighborhood a few times. More preparation is of course better.

Shake Down. The shake down for all Scouts will be Thursday April 17, 2008, 3:30-4:00 p.m. at the Blanchard’s, 295 Cain Drive. Report to the shakedown with ALL personnel and patrol gear. You will be weighed with your pack. Your patrol will need to demonstrate their kitchen, clean-up, and gear. 10 Essentials are ESSENTIAL. You will be required to leave your pack at the Blanchard’s. Mitch (SPL) and Ben (ASPL) will be conducting the shakedown. This is mandatory for all Black Panthers and first time backpackers going on the trip (no Shakedown, no trip: this may sound strict but if you do not care about being prepared, we do not want to be responsible for you in the wilderness).