Pisgah NF TR

“Last week I took some Boy Scouts Backpacking in Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina.

I don't have much time to write and I'm missing two days of photos so this'll be a short TR for me.

Nice area.

For us this was a total rebuilding year as for the first time in 6 years the majority of kids on the trip had never done a weeklong backpacking trip before. Much less one with any real elevation.

3 adults and 7 kids went. Only 2 adults and 2 of the kids were experience in this kind of trip.

We met the folks who run the Forest discovery center (closed for the season still) and they graciously opened the center just for us so the guys could see it.

Thanks again.

cold the whole way and it snowed on us daily but the snow only accumulated on one day. Most of the guys had never seen snow before.

Day two I wake up to hail and sleet and discover one kid had left his rain gear at home in Florida. Not good. Luckly one of the adults likes to use an umbrella and let the kid use his rain jacket. Sure beats wearing a garbage bag all week. Jr was making all kinds of do/don't notes for the next years trip.

Night two I felt sick as a dog and fought to keep from vomiting for 8 hours that night. I felt better the next morning.

The new Scoutmaster got terrorized with silly string all week.

Had a short day halfway through, it got warm and we hung out around graveyard fields. Some of the guys decied to go for a swim....well, more like a dip. I heard the screams all the way back in camp. Cole (one of the older boys) and I just looked at each other and laughed.

Much learning and fun was had and few more kids are hooked on backpacking. Watch the frowns turn into smiles.

Photos:
http://www.troop623.com/pisgah_06/index.htm”

“I'll give that a "WOOT!!"”

“Okay, this is the first I've heard about the vomiting. How many trips have you barfed on now? You get dehydrated way too easily.”

“Only one, I held my gorge this time.

I dunno what it was. I'm guessing the high salt content in the soup we had for lunch coupled with the exertion and being a bit dry. I would swear I was drinking enough.

One of the other adults was feeling poorly that night too.”

“Hey!
I know a few of those peeps!”

“I still think all those rock sculptures were very cool.”

“Thanks for the report. We had a great snow in Cataloochee and the area just before I left for the Hocking Hills SP Weekend. Snow is nicer than rain! Hope you're OK.”

“anyone else have a problem with the link?

HPM, what trails did you do”

“Took my time and looked at all the great pics.
Glad y'all had a super trip.
The guys all looked like they were having a ball!
Please tell everyone 'hi' for me.”

“My server is acting squirrly again. The link is good but sometimes it won't play nice.

We started at Davidson River Campground went up Black mountain trail through the pink beds, connected to the mountains to sea trail and took it to connect to the Art Loeb trail and then down butter gap through picklesimer fields to the fish hatchery.”

“Yall seem to always time it with snow. Thanks for the report.”

“Sounds like you plotted out a great trip. I've looked around the area and hiked some of it. Enjoy looking down at Pink Beds from a window of the restaurant in the Pisgah Lodge. The fish hatchery is a winner! Nice trip.”