This is late, but over the next few days, I will post the blog about Little Troop 5’s Backpacking Trip over Christmas Break. Life is busy but this really was an interesting trip, it is due some kind of historical retelling.
I am not real sure how well it will do in the marketing of Troop 5, but the boys that went learned more than I expected even if we did not accomplish the goal.
A little back story on why Little Troop 5 does a winter backpacking trip. It started in 2001 with the goal of being an annual tradition. As a scoutmaster, I believe backpacking is one of the most important teaching tools in scouting. It solidifies the patrol method while testing the boys both mentally and physically.
One of my lines about backpacking is it teaches you to separate your wants from your needs. Most of us are guilty in confusing what we want as something that we need. In backpacking, you learn to carry all that you need. The backpack becomes heavy enough with food, water, shelter, and clothing, you try to trim it down to as little weight as possible. You may choose to carry some luxury item but you have decided that it is worth the extra weight.
Since this type of High Adventure is so important to the development of good youth leaders in Troop 5, the troop has established a reward for those that complete such a trip. It is the Orange Hat. Not only it the orange hat a mark of accomplishment in Troop 5, but all over the Longhorn Council I tell the boys, you can be spotted with that orange hat, for all the good and bad that you do.
The Scoutmastering Corp of Troop 5 always looks up to find an Orange Hat to solve any boy problem in the troop.
Nine boys went on this past winter backpacking trip with the hopes of coming home with an Orange Hat.
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