Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Troop 255 Rocks Pinnacles!

On January 11-12, 2014 Scout Troop 255 made their annual trip to Pinnacles National Monument. Pinnacles is a beautiful place, with steep rock spires, ramparts, crags, and incredible views from its high peaks. It is a popular place for mountaineers to practice their climbing skills and it is also a release location for the rare California Condor which can be seen soaring majestically between the hills and over the canyons.


Troop 255 makes an annual trip to Pinnacles in January and invites Webelos from the Half Moon Bay area Cub Scout packs to attend so they can learn about Boy Scouts and complete some requirements for advancement.



The first day is typically filled with Scout activities and this year was no exception. We had Scouts working on first aid, fire building, ax and saw safety, and learning to tie various knots. In addition, each of the Webelos got a chance to join a patrol and create a patrol flag.  There were also opportunities for the boys to participate in dinner preparation in the kitchen area. The patrols rotated through the various stations, so everyone got a chance to participate in each activity.



The evening's highlights included a wonderful dinner of chili, rice, and quesadillas and a number of vigorous games of "capture the flag." This year we were fortunate that the overnight temperatures stayed above freezing, which made for a very comfortable overnight camp.


The following morning, after breakfast and camp cleanup, the Scouts hiked the High Peaks trail which starts and at Bear Gulch, rises 2,000 feet to the high pinnacles, and returns to Bear Gulch via caves formed by Bear Creek eroding through a number of large rocks in a canyon. The weather on Sunday was cool and clear, making for great visibility and great hiking.



Overall, the Troop 255 Pinnacles trip rocked this year!