Troop 21 Highlights

With all of the new scouts who enroll in the Spring, Troop 21 works hard to make sure we can 'bring everyone up to speed'. Two key events toward that end are the Spring Advancement Outing in April and the Spring Backpack Overnighter.

The Backpack Overnighter gives the boys an opportunity to learn about packing light, working in teams of two or three to divide gear, stove, food, and water, and to learn about No Trace Camping.

Given that March in Bend means that there is still a great deal of snow on the ground in the higher elevations, we usually head east out into the Oregon portion of the Great Basin. The Horse Ridge Mgmt Area is roughly 25 miles east of Bend, off Hwy 20 to Burns. It lies in the Millican Valley, an arid basin in the transition area between the wooded juniper, the lava flows from Newberry Crater, and the desert to the east.

The Scouts backpacked in and out some two miles each way (part of the Camping merit badge). They also were able to do a lot of hiking, learn map and compass, do some orienteering, and just have a good time in the wide open spaces.

	The crew assembles early in the morning at the drop off point - out in the Millican Valley on the road to Evan's Well. As part of the camping merit badge, the Scouts had to pack in / out from the campsite at least two miles each way.
	Time to hit the road and follow the back side of the ridge west towards camp.
	After camp is set up, Nathan Rogers catches Bridget doing some "shopping" to see what good things the guys brought. "Is that elk jerky in there"?
	The camp is set back in the tree line overlooking Millican Valley and the China Hat area to the south.
	ASM Bill brought his highly packable and lightweight stove and fuel bottle.
	After lunch, the guys set out on a five mile hike armed with a topo map of the region and a compass. (L-R) Erik Oberbarnscheidt, Alex Spreier (way back), Mike Davis (way way back) and Bryan Hartke.
	The rest of the crew heads up the canyon towards the saddle in the Golden Basin area of Horse Ridge. Once up in the saddle, the used the topo map to follow the countour up onto the high part of the ridge.
	The guys didn't realize how much they were climbing until they stopped to look back down into the valley.
	High up on the saddle, Nathan Rogers discovers a nice shed antler from a big four point mulie.
	Once atop the ridge, the guys found a lava outcropping that looked like a good place to rest and take in the view.
	The views don't come much better than this. Central and Eastern Oregon is Big Sky Country. Distances are deceiving in the desert where there are not a lot of trees to use reference for height. Note the two Scouts a few hundred yards down the slope. Camp is in the sharp notch between the first two ridges in the distance. The guys packed in and out along the tree line at the base of the second ridge.
	Taking a break in the shade atop the ridge.
	Back at camp, everyone sets up for dinner. Nothing like a long hike to make you hungry. (L-R) Eric Fletcher, Kevin Cannon, Nathan Rogers, and Jared Whitney whip up some hot dogs.
	Nathan Oliver, Curtis Petersen, and Alex Guerrero-Randall prepare some grub.
	Jared tops Mr. Blackwell's list this year for camping attire. The dazed Hawaiian look with the thermal long underwear is apparently "in".
	If you don't like the weather in the Central Oregon desert, wait five minutes. All weekend things changed back and forth from overcast, to puffy clouds, to blue open sky, to rain. About 2:30 am, we were treated to a sudden cloudburst that just as quickly died out. The next morning, the sky was gorgeous and the rain the night before helped keep all the dust down. Looking S towards China Hat. All of the conical buttes in this area are volcanoes, by the way.
	Time to hit the road back to the pickup area.

	2001 Spring Backpack Overnighter
	Horse Ridge BLM Mgmt Area