Screamin' Eagles

Awesome Snow Trip 2/23/96

Unbelievable Blast! This had to be the best snow trip! The roads were pretty icy leading up to Alpental and we had to chain up and wait for a snow plow. The boys wasted no time, though, and changed into our troop bibs, moon boots & gaiters while we waited. Some of the boys tried out the troop snow shoes we had just recently constructed. The bindings didn't work too good. Oh well...there's always next year for improvements. The snow was firm and we moved out and ferried gear to the snow bridge. This was a vertical wall of snow about 1 to 2 feet wide, 15 feet or so long. Rising a good 12 feet above a small crystalline river, the snow bridge made the grand entrance to our camp surreal beauty mixed with excitement.

A stout line was suspended across the valley above the bridge from which a sliding bowline was added for a measure of safety. The boys worked together as a team and ported all the gear and firewood up the bank to a flat spot. The whole mountainside was ours alone and behind us, a steep open scree slope was covered with 2 feet of powder on top of a thick base.

We set to the task of digging caves and excavating tent sites. We raised a parachute over the kitchen and set a warm campfire ablaze. It didn't take long for the snow boarders to find a 6 foot high jump to do hot-dogging while inner tubers careened down ravens. Twilight found the aromas of grilled hamburgers and homemade stew drawing the snowbirds back to camp.

Traditional campfire stories and a few new ones helped pass the evening as a few snowflakes dusted the ground round the parachutes' canopy. The scoutmaster passed out a few extra troop sleeping bags to augment the gear of a few new-scouts who were less prepared and all slept comfortably till a bright morning sun compelled the revelry.

We ate a hearty breakfast, broke camp and scurried of to the slopes. At one point a deep rumbling, crashing sound accompanied a cloud of snow which careened down the hill. We were relieved when the human avalanche in the form of Rob Taylor - one of the adults dug himself out with his inner tube and waved triumphantly to a cheering crowd. Sleds and inner tubes definitely gave the wildest rides for the few and the brave. Several others competed for the abominable snowman award as powder covered head to toe. Snow boards and their fearless riders crashed - flew and spun memories they will share with their children over campfires.

After a hot savory lunch, we packed our gear out across the snow bridge and down the short trail to our cars. A few boys found a tall water tank to jump off and got buried so deep, their companions had to dig them out!

Danny Wild, one of the last boys down the slope to the bridge, lost his footing and slipped down the re frozen slope and slid into a tunnel in the overhanging snow above the river which led 12 feet straight down to the river! About 5 feet above the river he stopped when his dads' bran new tent which he was clinging too jammed into the sides of the tunnel. Rob Taylor, who was at the scene lowered a rope. Danny would not let go of the tent to place the rope about himself explaining that there was no use returning alive without his dads' new tent. We finally secured Danny and the tent and removed the smiling scout from the predicament. We didn't get a good picture of the escapade so Danny went down the hole again - this time for posterity.

The troop then lowered Jared Marquis and John Farnsworth to the river to fetch a few other items that had fallen with Danny. A group photo opportunity followed by a friendly snowball fight capped off the great trip.

Attendance:

Venture Patrol:

John Hamlan

Kevin Tame

Kevin Fuller

John Farnsworth

Hawk Patrol

Hiram Tame

Brenden Palmer

Jared Marquis

Justin Krumbah

Jonathan "Taylor"

Dragon Patrol

Danny Wild

Flaming Arrow Patrol

Webelos Patrol

Jordon Marquis

Gray Beards Patrol

Steve Marquis

Kevin Tame Snr

Mark Howard

Rob Taylor