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Nine scouts from Boy Scout Troop 48 recently returned from a week (July 8-14) in the Adirondacks. The High Adventure trip began with 20 miles of backpacking from Lewey Lake to Blue Mt. Lake via Sucker Brook Trail and the Northville-Lake Placid Trail. The second part of the week consisted of canoeing Blue Mt Lake., Eagle, Utowana, Raquette and Forked Lakes, before returning to Lansing on Friday afternoon.  While at Blue Mountain Lake, participants visited either the Adirondack Museum or climbed Blue Mountain, which, with a summit of 3,970 ft. and a fire tower that you can climb, offered a beautiful view of the central Adirondack region.

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Streams and lakes were relatively high for this time of year, having recently received heavy rains which caused minor flooding. The weather, however, was generally very good during the trip. The first rainfall was just after arriving at the Stephen's Pond lean-to on Monday evening. We didn't get wet until we started canoeing Blue Mt. Lake on Wednesday. It rained most of that day but was warm. The troop stopped at a lean-to on the Marion River to eat lunch and dry off briefly. They reached Tioga Point on Raquette Lake in the early evening, where they set up camp and spent the night.

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Thursday was a perfect day to canoe Raquette Lake. It was sunny and not too hot. A 1/2 mile portage from Raquette Lake to Forked Lake gave everyone a break from paddling and an opportunity to have lunch. Just after launching onto Forked Lake, two military jets screamed overhead at treetop level - a familiar sight if you have spent time in the Adirondacks.

The scouts spoke with a gentleman and his wife who were fishing at Forked Lake. They both work at the Adirondack Museum and it was their day off. He told them that Blue Mountain Lake was a hamlet with only 248 full time residents!

Thursday evening they stayed at Forked Lake Public Campground which has campsites that are only accessible by canoe.

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Swimming in the lake was fun for the boys. The quiet solitude and views were amazing. Every evening during the week they could hear the loons call.

Scout leaders found it satisfying to watch the boys plan for an outing and develop their skills and confidence as well as participating in new and exciting experiences.

Everyone was tired by the end of the week, but all agreed that the experience was worth it.

On the way home, a stop for some fast food in Old Forge brought the troop back into the civilized world.

Preparation for the trip began this spring and included weekend hiking and backpacking on local Finger Lakes Trails. The troop received instruction on Leave No Trace Principles,backpacking, and wilderness safety. John Greene, from Eastern Mountain Sports, instructed us on proper gear selection for the trip, during a Troop meeting.

Scouts practiced canoeing skills at local ponds and at Myers Park. They took an overnight canoe camping trip from Marathon to Binghamton in June camping at Chenango State Park.

It was a memorable trip for all who attended.

Pictures courtesy of Rick Vaughan

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