Troop,

Austin, Hunter and I did some recon yesterday afternoon after hearing there may be additional road closures at the location of our new trek. The rumors were correct that Gold Camp Road is closed near Helen Hunt Falls, but we checked out and were successful taking an alternate route. We made it to the trailhead.

Even though there is a parking lot the plan is to be dropped off and picked up as originally planned. We do not want to leave any vehicles at the lot. We will meet at the barn tomorrow afternoon at 5:00 pm sharp, and plan to be on the road before 5:30 pm. We will caravan as a troop from the barn to the trailhead.

There is not a long drive, so those that usually eat in the car Friday night should keep that in mind. Come will a full (but not to full because we are hiking Friday evening) belly, or something snacky you can eat quickly during the drive, on the trail, or once you arrive at Friday night camp. An extra ramen in their pack never broke any ones back.

Patrol Shoppers should arrive with food rations broken out for each person in their patrol to carry. No flats of Costco muffins to carry down the trail.

Everyone should arrive with their packs completely packed minus the room you left for food and troop gear. We will hand out the divided gear (Personal ration of food, Jet Boils, Fuel, Tent parts, and Water filters) at the barn to have you add them to your packs. Remember to have plenty of water/water containers. While there are a number of watersheds shown on the map, we are not sure what the levels will be. There appears to be some snow patches still on the north slopes of certain areas, so we may be able to use that as a source as well.

Remember this time of year can be hit or miss with weather. It could be sunny and warm as well as rainy or snowy in the same day. Layers are our friends. Bring the appropriate gear. No big snowboarding jackets and snow pants. Instead a base, mid, and outer layer.

I have maps all printed for both treks.

The roster I have is as follows:

+/- 10 Mile Trek

Mr. Holpuch, Mr. Kunkle, Mr. Boydston, John, Ben, Madden, Jefferson, Alex, Hunter, Hayden, Nickolai, Sam, Zayden, Scott, and Miles

+/- 20 Mile Trek

Mr. Petree, Mr. Winslow, Austin, Evan, Matt

Drivers, Thanks so much for the assistance. Just for being awesome we reduced the drive time for you this one time from 2+ hours each way to about 20 minutes.

Look forward to it gentlemen!!!! remember to Be Prepared

Mr. Petree

Thank you for everyone that has signed up for flag duty. The team REALLY appreciates it. We are still in need for more scouts and parents to sign up for more flag days. It will be much easier and more fun if we can fill these slots. We have many new scouts and this is a good way to meet more parents.

We have 4 routes. Each route has approximately 60, 8ft flags. These are established routes with flag holders in the ground. The scouts put them up, salute the flag and move on. We will try to pair young scouts up with the older ones. In the afternoon, flags are collected, rolled and put away.

Below you will find the link to the SignUpGenius https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4BA5AF2BA1FEC52-flag

Flags is a FUNdraiser that our troop has been doing for over 20 years. We have raised over $88,000 in that time, so it is a very large part of our troop funding. Only 3 troops do flags here in Colorado Springs, we are fortunate to be one of them. We are partnered with the Rotary Club and they do the subscriptions and collect the money for the flags. It is our obligation to get just over 200 flags up and down for 5 holidays. It makes it easier if each family commits to a holiday (or more).

Thank you for signing up for a shift (or more). Feel free to call or text with any questions

If you are new and/or not sure what you are getting into, please feel to contact me. We really do need everyone to sign up for a shift. We all like our holidays off. We are only asking for one day.

Maureen Reiser 208-596-3115

Troop,

Due to the wind and possibility of rain, let’s meet in the the chapel tonight. Don’t wanna mees up those nice uniforms. Hint Hint. Uniform inspection.

Things to remember… bring your books for tracking rank advancement and if you have a troop tent or other gear from a recent outing please bring them so we can return them to inventory.

See you soon

Mr. Petree

Troop,

Austin, Hunter, and I did some recon to prepare for the upcoming backpacking trip only to find that the last almost 8 miles of CO 56 are closed. This means we will not be able to drive to our drop-off point. Rather than adding 8 miles to each of the routes, we spent most of the day looking at other options. Here is what we came up with.

This route will be a loop and is located right in our own backyard. We will start near Helen Hunt Falls and in keeping with the original plan take off in two different directions. We will again meet up on Saturday afternoon and camp together and then finish as a Troop. While it was not what we were hoping for, this does have some benefits… first, it is about two hours closer. Second, because it is a loop we can leave vehicles at the trailhead and return to them reducing the headache of the drivers necessary for a thru trek and allowing some adults who might have wanted to come to join in. With that being said please reach out if you are an adult who wanted to go but couldn’t before. Finally, it is a bit shorter on both loops for those who may have been unsure about the distance.

We will discuss this more on Tuesday evening.

Mr. Petree

Mr. Anderson here….

Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge is an Eagle requirement and a relatively difficult badge to earn. I am a counselor for this badge and would like to begin working on it with interested scouts. The requirements for this badge are complicated and require reading, research, field trips, and volunteer service hours, so I recommend it only for older scouts at this time.  (Younger scouts are encouraged to pursue any of the many “more fun” badges to get started.)
If you would like to participate, please send me an e-mail with the subject “BSA 287 Citizenship” to: rockprodigy13@gmail.com
YOU MUST “CC” ONE OF YOUR PARENTS, PER BSA RULES. 
I will e-mail you a worksheet to help you document the requirements and we will use the e-mail list to coordinate the various necessary field trips.

Troop,

The new date has been set for Kobe’s COH. Here is the sign up for it. We are in need of a Color Guard (Class A with Sash) and a few ushers (double duty is allowed). Sign up and gt some cake! See what your efforts through Rank advancement can lead to!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0c4aada829a7fe3-color

Date, time and loction are 24 April at 6:30pm, 2375 Centennial Blvd.

Troop,

We are in need of drivers for the upcoming Lost Creek Wilderness Backpacking trip.

We currently have 19 adventurers (15 Scouts and 4 Adults (2 to support each route)) signed up to attend and conquer the upcoming outing we have planned, but only enough drivers to drop off 13 at the starting point and pick up 15 at the finish line.

I know that there may also be some other adults that would like to attend the trek, but were not able being we are making the Scouts a priority and only allowing additional adult participation if there was extra space in which we are currently lacking.

Being this is a thru trek we will not be finishing anywhere near where we will be starting. Therefore it is not feasible to leave any vehicles parked at the trailhead for transport purposes.

If you can help with transportation to or from it will be very helpful and much appreciated by these young explorers. Sign up at the link below for one or both of the driving options.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BA8A828A4FD0-lostcreek

The dropoff plan is to meet at the barn at 5 pm to go to Lost Park Campground at end of CO56. Please comment on how many Scouts and packs you can drop off.

The pickup plan is to be at the Ute Creek Trailhead near Teryall Campground off CO77 at noon where we plan to exit the wilderness. Please comment on how many Scouts and packs you can retrieve.

Troop,

Just a reminder that we have an awesome thru trek planned in the Lost Creek Wilderness coming up. The weather is getting warmer and its time to hit the mountains on foot. We still have plenty of youth slots available on both routes, so jump on board! We are still in need of one adult who is up for the challenge to accompany the hard chargers taking on the 20 mile route.
Remember to sign up for the trip so we will be prepared to plan this out tomorrow night.

Troop, a quick update to Summer Camp.

We currently have 19 Scouts registered (and three adults) to attend camp with a couple of discrepancies between the Sign up genius (14 signups; link below) and the registered Scouts (19 registered). If you have signed up on the genius but have not paid yet, you will be getting an email in the next week or so detailing such with instructions on how to get us money for payments. Or just bring a check to the next meeting if you have not signed up at all and want to attend. Fees are $335 total for camp, $75 deposit required.

Right now, the camp can hold up to 270 campers, and they currently have 202 registered. We are in good shape in this department, with only a few newer Scouts who may be interested and not signed up/registered.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4AADA829A7FE3-sumer

Below is a link to the latest information for camp. In the leader guide parents can find information about attending camp for all or part of the week.

Visitor policy:
All visitors to San Isabel Scout Ranch must
check-in at the A-Frame prior to visiting any
program area or campsite. Visitors will be
given a wristband identifying them as such.
Visitors are not allowed to participate in
activities or eat meals unless they have paid
for them at the A-Frame.
**Only registered adults can stay overnight at camp due to the status of the Camp being a child care facility.

MEDICAL DOCS NEEDED!!
Parents, please make sure you are scheduling necessary medical examinations and such. We will need to have those hard copies in hand at a minimum of three weeks prior to attending camp. We have to mail them to camp offices (in Pueblo) minimum two weeks prior to attendance.

The Merit Badge Selection opens on 28 April. I will need to obtain a preference listing from each Scout so I can get all the selections put in the system as quickly as possible.

Let me or Ray know if you have any questions or concerns.

Dan

Troop,

Just a reminder that we will not be having a meeting this week due to spring break and a lot of the Troop out on adventures with their families. If you are traveling, have fun and be safe! See you next week.

Mr. Petree

Troop,

A reminder since the weather is nice and we are getting into the Spring we will be meeting at the barn tonight.

We will take the opportunity to get it all ready for all Scouting fun we will have up there this season. We will work on some advancement, scout skills, and get some of the gear straightened up and ready for all our great summer adventures!

See you tonight!

Mr. Petree

Troop,

It’s time for some backpacking!

April 8-10 we will be backpacking the Lost Creek Wilderness. We have two routes set up for those of varying skill levels. The 10-mile trek is a great beginner trip where you can learn and practice backpacking skills. The 20-mile trek is for those who are looking for a bit of a challenge or trying to push themselves in preparation for the big Philmont trip in June. These will both be thru treks and we will really need some parent participation to drop us off on Friday evening and pick us up on Sunday afternoon. Because of limited space, we are limiting adult participation unless we have an excess of drivers that will allow us, extra attendees. This signup will close Tuesday 3/29 to give us time to prepare. Please commit early so we can figure out logistics.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BA8A828A4FD0-lostcreek

So here is the route. We will discuss the plan over the next couple of meetings. Despite having two routes the Troop will start together, be camping together Saturday night, and crossing the finish line together on Sunday morning.

Let’s get some!!!!!!

Mr. Petree

This weekend we had a great time in Penitente Canyon. In addition to the normal camping, hiking, and scout skills we practiced, the young men provided some service to the Bureau of Land Management by building and installing two benches as well as went outside their comfort zone to learn dutch oven cooking and have a dessert competition.

Installing these benches required the Scouts to carry in all tools and materials including lumber, concrete, water, shovels, etc into the canyon by scout power. They then selected the locations, cleared brush, dug the holes, assembled the benches, mixed the concrete, and installed them.

The dutch oven cooking was a huge success. All delicious! No burnt or undercooked deserts. Shout out to the Senior Patrol for their winning Dutch Oven Pineapple Upsidedown Cake! Mmmmmmmmm!

I forgot to add this tot he last post, but it is really important!

Make sure you navigate to the San Isabel SR website in the last post and download all the required medical forms for your Scout. There is a red banner to click on which will guide you to exactly which forms are required. Your Scout will require an annual physical at the minimum, but may need a few additional documents. In the past, the BSA Medical Forms were required to have the immunizations actually filled out on the form. A stapled copy of the Scout’s record was not sufficient. So, Just be aware that you may have to hand jam some of that data.

Please schedule early if your Scout’s physical is or will be greater than one year old at the time we go to camp in July!!

Dan

Troop,

Below is the website for summer camp forms and documents. There are a lot of resources on this website, to include what merit badges entail and what are offered. I’ve included the merit badge “Scout Schedule” so you can print it out and bring it to a meeting in the next few weeks. Just read and follow the directions on the form.

I will input all of your MB choices when the website opens up on April 28th. So, that is your deadline to get me your choices. Of course, the earlier, the better.

I will also have a contract document at the meeting tomorrow night to hand out to those of you who have not already signed up and paid for camp. It just states the non-refundable policy and the payment schedule (ask your parents to bring their checkbooks!!!)

A little bit of insight on the offerings: In the past four years of summer camp attendance, I have come to realize it is better to go for the merit badge work in leiu of the Rank Advancement options. Scouts will earn their ranks within the troop, but may not have the opportunity to do some of the merit badge options. So, if you are wieghing Rank Advancement vs. Merit Badges, I would suggest going with the Merit Badge choices.

Troop,

We need a few Scouts to perform Color Guard and serve as ushers for this ceremony. 6-7:30pm on Sunday, 13 March, at 5375 Centennial Blvd. Here is the sign up for that (Class A with MB Sash):

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4AADA829A7FE3-color

Troop,

If you are attending this campout we need to know ASAP by signing up below.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0C4BA8A828A4FD0-penitente

Remember that there is prep work and arrangements that have to be made like grocery shopping, ensuring everyone has a ride, and that we bring the appropriate troop gear.

It is going to be a great time and there is an opportunity for getting some service hours for rank advancement.

As of right now we only have 6 Scouts signed up.

Mr. Petree

Troop,

Our game night meeting 3/8/2022 will be held at Altitude Ninja Gym • 750 Garden of the Gods Rd, Suite 125, Colorado Springs, CO 80907. Their open gym time is from 6:30pm-8:00pm and the cost is $15 per participant. Siblings (and adventurous parents) are welcome to attend. All participants must fill out a waiver at the link below prior to showing up. Attire for this function will be athletic clothing and shoes.

https://waiver.smartwaiver.com/w/5d7ba4f1e9ad5/web/

Bring a water bottle to stay hydrated. Prepare to have some fun and work up a sweat!

Mr. Petree