Autumn Hiking & Backpacking Trip

Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation

4-6 November 2005

    During the weekend of 4-6 November 2005, the troop traveled to Hawk Mountain Scout Reservation for a weekend of camping and hiking along the Appalachian Trail.  Hawk Mountain was more than an hour's drive from home and being Autumn, it was dark Friday night by the time we were able to make camp.  Fortunately, the weather was unseasonably warm and in no time at all, everyone was under cover.  The adult leaders had their own area (shown below right), which included some pretty spacious tents, while the Scouts camped in another area of our site and had somewhat smaller accommodations (see below left) (Scouts being somewhat smaller than most of our leaders!).

    Saturday morning saw a quick breakfast as most of our group had to get ready for the day's hiking on the Appalachian Trail.  The plan was to eat and clean up breakfast, then have the hikers pack their lunches and meet to be transported to the starting point for the day's hike along the Trail.  The jumping off point was where the Trail crosses Pennsylvania Route 501 near Bethel.  Once their, the hikers put on their backpacks and prepared to head off for their 10-mile hike along the Trail.  Fortunately, the way things worked out, the ending point of the hike was back at Hawk Mountain.  Before setting off, the hikers posed for a group photo (for identification and search and rescue purposes, if any of them got lost!).  A few Scouts and adult leaders remained in camp to work on other advancement and to prepare the evening meal. 

        Those who went on the hike along the 10-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail enjoyed a wonderful view of the Pennsylvania mountains in autumn.  The weather was warm enough to be enjoyable yet cool enough so that overheating wasn't a problem.  Lunch was held at a particularly scenic point overlooking one of the valleys and the group returned to camp about 3:30 in the afternoon. 

        Not everyone went hiking.  A few of the less ambitious ones of the group (see above right), as well as those who were too out of shape to make a 10-mile hike along a mountain, remained in camp.  Fortunately, there were enough adult leaders remaining in camp to allow the Scouts who remained to work on advancement and complete other tasks.  One of the most important tasks was the preparation of Saturday's evening meal.  Once again, the group decided that dutch oven cooking was the best way to go and when the hikers returned mid-afternoon, preparations for the evening meal were well underway.  While the two hiking leaders, Tom Isban and George Gehringer (below left), relax by the fire while dinner cooks away (below right).    

        It was after dark by the time we sat down to enjoy a meal of roast beef, potatoes and vegetables.  The campsite we had included a sheltered pavilion that served as our camp headquarters, activity and dining area.  There is nothing more satisfying after a day's worth of outdoor activity than enjoying a hot meal under the light of a Coleman lantern!

        Sunday was given most to packing up and getting ready to head home.  After breakfast and chapel service, the participants posed in front of the troop trailer for a group photo.  Then it was time to head out for the hour-long drive back home. 

This page last updated on Monday, 06 February 2006