Members of Seekonk Troop 1 Scouts joined Scouts from Attleboro, MA and Hope Valley, RI for a 9-day backpacking trek at the Philmont High Adventure Camp in Cimarron, New Mexico. The Scouts rode the Cog Wheel train up Pikes Peak the day prior to starting their hike to help acclimate to the higher elevation.
Scouts hiked over 50 miles during the 9-day trek and summited Mont Baldy on July 4th. Mount Baldy is the highest elevation at Philmont at 12,441 feet. Along the trek, Scouts experienced a 40-foot Spar Pole Climb with Spiked Lumberjack boots, gold panning, gold mine tour, black powder rifle shooting, and tomahawk throwing. Scouts visited Ponil Commissary and enjoyed their famous Root Beer. Scouts also visited the National Scouting Museum.
During the trek, Scouts stayed at different themed camps along the way. Themes included Ranching circa 1944, fur trapping circa 1839, and industrial logging circa 1914.
In preparation for the adventure, Seekonk Scouts hiked 123.5 miles over 14 months. The preparation was in addition to regular Scouting activities and training. Additional skills needed for the adventure were map reading, land navigation, wilderness first aid, hanging bear bags, trail cooking, water purification, backpacking, and CPR certification.
Seekonk Scouts are currently preparing for their weeklong trip to Camp Yawgoog in Hopkinton, RI.
In June Seekonk scouts assisted the Seekonk Land Trust with widening the trail and removing invasive weeds at Cushing Conservation Area on Chestnut Street.
For more information about Scouts, contact Troop1SeekonkMA@gmail.com for boys or Troop9SeekonkMA@gmail.com for girls. Scouting is open to all boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 17. Follow us on Social Media for Scouting events, fundraising, and Eagle Scout projects happening around town: Troop 1 Seekonk and Troop 9 Seekonk.
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