Greetings TLSV,
SUMMARY AWARDS AND MEETING NEXT WEEK | Our next regular meeting is scheduled for Tuesday October 19, 6:15PM, at NewHeart Church. Our Navigators and Adventurers will be providing some outdoor skill training in preparation for our backpack camping trip. We're asking all Trailmen- From Woodlands to Navigators- to bring their Compass (if they have one) for our Orienteering activity during the first half of the meeting.
This will also be our summary awards ceremony meeting. We will start taking attendance at 6:15PM and move inside for our normal meeting opening ceremony. We will then accomplish our outdoor skill training orienteering course while we still have some sunlight outside. From approximately 7:15PM until the conclusion of our regular meeting we will have our summary awards ceremony so families and siblings are encouraged to attend this portion.
BACKPACKING TRIP | The first (beginner level) backpacking trip is scheduled for October 21-24. Normally we have one group head up Thursday and depart Saturday and another group head up Friday and depart Sunday but if you would like to stay only one night or all three nights, we will be happy to have you there. Compared to previous backpacking trips, this is an extremely short “hike” from your vehicle to the camp site so this is technically not car camping (but is much easier than our regular first of season backpacking trip). My challenge to you is to keep the number of times you walk to your car to an absolute minimum and to use this as a good practice run on backpacking in to a site for a couple of days and backpacking out (you may be able to bring all the water you need on your initial hike or you may need to go back and get it from your car as there is no running water there). At this point I will turn this message over to our First Officer for preliminary camping information. Please read his message below.
Ryan Settle
Troopmaster
Message from First Officer Williams:
Entry Level High Adventure Backpack Camping Details
1) Los Padres National Forest: Chula Vista Campground (official website).
2) Cuddy Valley Rd, Frazier Park, CA 93225, Coordinates: 34.81351799227015, -119.12616216210202
3) October 21-24. Campground is 500 yards in.
4) Description: This trailhead is located at the end of Mt. Pinos Highway at an elevation of 8,360 ft. The trailhead provides non-vehicle access to the Mt Pinos Summit Botanical Area, Mt Pinos Condor Observation Site, the Chumash Wilderness, and the East end of the Tumamait Trail. It's a backpacking trip, so carry your tent and sleeping supplies in your bag. There is no stream, so you MUST bring your own water. When you first go up the hill, take your gear and set up your tents. Afterwards, go back down to your cars and pick up the water, and hike back up. The hike is so short that the Trailmen could do this with ease. It is the shortest backpacking hike this troop has ever done, so even the youngest Trailman can enjoy it.
Campfire permits are required and can be obtained (here). Currently only propane stoves are permitted and no open flame cooking or camp fires. Since it is not yet winter, no adventure passes are needed for this trip.
Andrew Williams
First Officer