Jordan's Camp/Tepee Creek

June 10-12

Submitted by Seth F.

       Wow! What an awesome backpacking trip! This time we were working on our wilderness survival skills and merit badge. We had 2 survival instructors that were generous enough to come on this trip with us to teach us some of the skills taught at Fairchild Air Force Base survival school. Airman Leblanc and Airman Redford were great instructors. On Friday, everyone got into their cars and we drove to Tepee Creek, about fifty miles north of Kingston. After we got there we found an open area of land that was about five acres. Everyone started setting up their tents only to be stopped midway at the announcement that this was the wrong property. So everyone took down their tents and we moved to the new site which wasn't probably a thousand feet away.

      By the time we had everything set up, it was getting dark, so we needed a fire. Luckily, this was the perfect opportunity for Airmen Leblanc and Redford to teach us some fire building techniques. They also told us the importance of a fire, which was heat, cooking, moral, and signaling and protection. We had a contest to see who could make the biggest fire. Afterward, the Airmen told the boys who were interested in camouflage how to paint themselves properly. They even used paint to paint the faces of the boys who were interested. We had a game of Capture the Flag, the Airmen joined in and really showed us how the game is played. After the game, everyone turned in.

      The next morning, it was raining outside so we had to work fast. Only about half of the boys at camp were going backpacking and the other half stayed. So, after breakfast everyone who was going had gotten their gear packed, we headed out. It was a seven mile hike there. A few yards from the camp that we left from, there were a lot of worms on the road. Airman Redford picked one up and said, "Look, food". Adam took the worm and gobbled it down. Ryan said that the next one they found, he would eat, and so it happened. Along the way we had to cross at least 3 creeks. The Airmen explained the different kinds of plants to use for different things. The trail was relatively flat except for a few highs and lows (compared to Hells Canyon). One of the stops along the way was an outlook over the little Coeur d'Alene River. If you did a little extra walking, you could reach a ledge that got even more detailed on the views. A few pictures were taken, and then we continued our trek. We hiked the rest of the way to the site easily. The only obstacles were a few logs that blocked that had to be jumped over.

      We finally got there when it started raining off and on. We rested a little bit and snacked after we set up our tents. The Airmen cooked up a little snack for us, too. Ryan found a snake and the Airmen cooked it for us. They showed us how to build survival shelters. Those of us who needed this requirement for the Wilderness Survival merit badge were split up into two teams and we each had to make a shelter as the Airmen made. We made a makeshift dining fly and had our dinners. After dinner, we were taught how to make snares and then set them. The Airmen led us down to the river to show us how to purify our water if we didn't have a purifier. We found a big patch of skunk cabbage by the river, and all of the boys posed for pictures with skunk cabbage on our heads. We then went back to the campfire and talked until it was time for bed. Those of us who built shelters spent the night in them, and it was AWESOME!

     

      The next morning, it wasn't raining, but the ground and everything that was touching the ground was soaked. The hike back didn't seem as long. Although we had to overcome everything we had to on the way there, it wasn’t that hard. Once we got back, and before we left for home, Mr. Whitt, our Scoutmaster, gave a devotional on Daniel and the Fiery Furnace. We also talked to the boys who stayed back on Tepee Creek and found out that they had fun too, by going on a five mile day hike, working on requirements and advancements and having free time. We drove back and unloaded our gear. I would most definitely go on this campout again.

Hells Canyon

Article Submitted by Seth F.

May 20-22, 2011                             

      On Friday, everyone packed their gear into the cars and we started the 4 hour drive to Pittsburg Landing in Hells Canyon. Hells Canyon is the deepest gorge in North America. 

This campout is what we call a backpacking dry-run. It is like a practice for the real backpacking trip. After we got there, everyone was separated into different parts of the whole campsite. There, we set up camp and ate dinner, it was getting dark so everyone sat around the fire for a while and about an hour later, everyone was in bed.

      The next morning, after everyone had eaten breakfast, the sun was shining and it was going to be a long day so we ate a good breakfast. Mr. Whitt, our Scoutmaster, called us over to his camp and told us a little bit about the history of Hells Canyon and Kirkwood Ranch, our destination for the day. After the discussion, we all got into cars and drove to the trailhead. Once there, we took a look at the map and then started our hike.

       If you think of a trail as flat and sometimes evenly paved, well then this was the total opposite. It was very rocky and the hills at some points were unimaginable. As soon as you got to the heart of the canyon, you got a bird's eye view of the Snake River. A couple of miles into the hike, we came to a creek that led to the river. With Mr. Whitt on one side, and our SPL, Chris, on the other, and a rope stretched out between them, we were able to cross the creek safely. As we neared the ranch, the only obstacle in our way was a series of switchbacks that scaled the canyon wall. If you made one slip off the side, you were surely toast. We managed to scale the switchbacks to get to our destination. Kirkwood Historical Ranch was farmed and/or ranched from the mid 1800’s until 1974. It is now a recreational area made by the government with a museum, various buildings, and a large display of historical farming equipment.

      There was a spot along a creek with picnic tables and a water wheel next to a bridge that everyone settled in to rest on. All of the scouts and adults made their lunch and cooled themselves in the creek. After we ate and rested some of us took a look around the ranch and in the museum across the bridge. Some of the other boys swung on a rope swing in a line of trees surrounding the border of the ranch.

       After everyone was done, we had to hike the entire way back. This time, we did it with a little cool air coming from an approaching storm. By the time we reached the trailhead, the storm was almost upon us, but we did have a little sunshine come down on us, too. After we drove back to the campsite, we were free to do whatever we wanted until we went to bed, Some of the scouts went to the river, others stayed at camp, while the rest of us went to the boat ramp not far from the campsite. At the boat ramp there was a portable salmon fishery with about 12 huge fish tanks that held about 400,000, 4-6 inch salmon. We got to talk to and watch the man feed them.

     Later we ate our Mountain House dinners while the adults appeared to be having a gourmet meal and wouldn't let us come near. We weren't able to enjoy the fire for very long because all of a sudden the rain started and got all the wood wet and almost made it impossible to build a fire for the campfire program. The rain let up just long enough to let us have our campfire program, but as soon as we got into bed, it started to pour down rain most of the night.

      On Sunday, we had a quick breakfast, broke camp, and had a bible reflection right before we left for the long drive home.

    This was one of my favorite campouts and I would love to go on it again.