Excellent White Water Trip last weekend

[gwd-scouter 11]

Just returned from our White Water Rafting trip. The was the best attended outing for the last three years: 9 Scouts (only 12 in our Troop) and 5 adult leaders (2 of the AMSs are Eagle Scouts from our Troop: my older son (almost 20) and an 18 year old who earned his Eagle last October).

 

First time in a long time that our SPL was actually on the trip. He wasn't signed up to go but a week before he came to me and said he felt he should go since he hadn't been on many outings as SPL - I just loved that!

 

Another older Scout joined us who has not been active with the troop for almost 2 years. He had a great time, showed genuine leadership ability, and I think may realize that the troop culture has been changing and we (the adults) really are behind letting the boys do the planning, leadership, etc.

 

When we first had sign ups for this trip, we only have 5 Scouts going. Pretty much the same crowd that does everything. Then, 4 more Scouts paid up and turned in permission slips. Menu plans had already been made so the boys discussed whether or not to have the 4 newly signed up guys form their own patrol and make their own menu. Boys decided to just go with one patrol of 8 (SPL eating with adults) and expanded their menu.

 

Very evident once at camp that they need more work on planning menus! Hamburgers for dinner. Great, but they didn't plan for anything to go with it. Rather small meal and they sure were drooling after what the adults cooked (polish sausage, rice, beef broth, corn, broccoli, peppers and onions, all cooked together for a wonderful one-pot meal). We did, of course, give them a sample and they have added the recipe to use on the next campout.

 

They had planned baggie omelets for Sunday breakfast so they would have little clean up. Guess what? No baggies. One of our new adults told me he had some ziplocks in his car. I said no, let the boys figure this out (he didn't like that very much).

 

So, still trying to have little to clean up, the boys decided to just boil the eggs. They had ham and cheese left over from lunch the day before. The adults had some tortillas left over from making breakfast burritos. So, boys asked for the tortillas, put ham and cheese on them, chopped up their hardboiled eggs and made quite a meal.

 

Best part was they figured it out on their own!

 

Everyone said White Water is definately on the calendar again when we meet for our annual planning campout next month.

 

Hooray for a successful campout! Love this Scouting stuff.

 

 

[packsaddle 753]

So which river did you guys do? We did the Nantahala a few weeks ago...nice and cool. My personal favorite is the Chattooga - section 3 down to Woodall Shoals. But the Nolichuky, lower part of the French Broad (yep, that really is a river), and Ocoee are fun. Actually the upper Chattahoochee is kind of fun. For big water, try the New River up in WV. Probably need an outfitter for that one though. I nearly forgot the Green River, also nice and close to you.

 

Have your guys done the trip on the Edisto? This is not the time of year for it but it's a really great 50-miler.

[gwd-scouter 11]

Hey Pack. Do you live in my backyard?

 

We did the Nantahala. I agree Chattooga is awesome (section IV anyway), but we wanted to do a trip that all our Scouts could participate in. It wasn't until we booked the Nantahala that we found out that you could just do section III of Chattooga. Older guys got to experience more challenge on our trip by paddling 2-man ducks, but have said they want a more challenging river next time. Perhaps we could take the young guys on Chattooga III and older guys can continue on through Chattooga IV.

 

Have also been down Ocoee and French Broad. But, the Nolichucky is my personal favorite, especially in a single duck.

 

I've heard of folks tubing on the Green River, didn't think it was swift enough for white water. Have also heard New River in WV is fun but we do have a lot of choices here closer to home.

 

We were planning for a canoe trip down Edisto, but had to cancel because of lack of qualified adult participation. Our annual planning campout is coming up in September and I'm sure the Edisto trip will make its way onto the calendar for next year.

[packsaddle 753]

The Blue Ridge general region, close enough. You're a ways away from me though, south and to the east. But I share your love of the river(s). The Edisto is a great trip but must be carefully planned. In the wrong season it is torture and slow water is ALWAYS deceptively dangerous. My favorite time is October, maybe late, after the bugs get knocked back by cool temperatures.

On the Chattooga, a great all-round run is to put in at Sandy Ford just above the narrows and take out at Woodall Shoals. This run still has all the best drops (second ledge is a hoot) and all the boys can do it. Careful though, Bull Sluice has changed just a little due to a shift of decapitation rock, it may not be the same as you remember. I still swim it though - sometimes on purpose.

If the water's right you can still sneak around Woodall but best to take out just above. I once watched a kayak (thankfully not mine) roll in the hydraulic for over an hour before we could fish it out.

If your guys are up for a great hike or backpack, the Foothills Trail is hard to beat and very local to you. And you get to dabble in all the great river gorges as you cross the escarpment. In my old job, I've been all over the world and I tell you this area is tough to beat. But then, I've liked almost everywhere I've ever been. (And I met wonderful, new, exotic people, and didn't kill them)

Happy trails...