April was another active month for Troop 226 and its scouts. The highlight of the month was a beginner-friendly overnight backpacking trip. To prepare for this backpacking trip, April meetings were focused on basic backpacking skills. One meeting’s topic in April was on using the sometimes tricky backpacking stoves. We learned about how to safely turn on the gas and then cook. To make this meeting especially fun, at the end we were rewarded with a pleasantly delightful steaming mug of hot chocolate. Another skill we were taught was how to make a backpack lighter by packing less and focusing on the essentials. Contributing to this topic in the next meeting we learned how to reduce the amount of food you bring while still ensuring you have enough food for everyone. Finally to conclude this series on backpacking we learned about backpacking hygiene. A key premise of backpacking hygiene is pack in and pack out. When doing this method scouts learn to “leave no trace” or ensure you do not leave anything behind because it can be harmful for animals.
All these meetings culminated with the overnight backpacking trip in mid-April. Making sure everyone had the essential information to backpack was important as many first-time backpackers attended the hike. Then it was time for the actual hike. For the hike part of the backpacking trip Troop 226 hiked the part of the Pacific Crest Trail near Lake Morena.
Now that the backpacking is over, many of the scouts of Troop 226 are looking forward to Camp Chawanakee summer camp by working on their prerequisites for the merit badges the scouts are planning to earn.
