Before Troop 30’s wilderness hike ... Photo Contributed
Ten Troop 30 Scouts of Centreville completed a back-country wilderness hike at the Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. The 10 Scouts are in or rising students at Westfield High School, Centreville High School, Chantilly High School, and home school. The three adult leaders and 10 scouts spent five days in Colorado to acclimate themselves to the higher altitude by visiting various sites to prepare their legs for what was ahead.
The crew began their hike at an altitude of 7000 feet, traveling 66 miles and climbing to a max elevation of 11,000 feet over the next 10 days. Some life-long memories for the crew included a sunrise at 9,000 feet on the Tooth of Time rock formation that allowed for a 360-degree view; hiking Mt. Philips to an 11,000 foot elevation; and seeing the wreckage of a B-24 Liberator that crashed on a training flight into a 10,000-foot peak during World War II killing the crew.
Other highlights included special living history programs during the trek that allowed the crew to climb trees like a lumberjack; cut railroad ties with an ax; shoot 58 caliber muskets; forge metal in a blacksmith shop; make candles in a 19th century homestead; throw tomahawks; and rock climb.
The Scouts included Joe Adams, Andrew Ayer, Thomas Brown, John Dickenson, Riely Loveday, William Mars, James Monson, Jeff Paschetag, Cole Sorrells, and Spencer Warren. The adult leaders included Lyle Mars, Mark Paschetag, and Michael Sorrells.