The Lost Maples Excursion

Vanderpool, TX

March 31st – April 2nd 2019

Greetings Parents,

We are so grateful about the backpacking trip.  And we are thrilled to say it was a huge success.  It was wonderful to be able to spend time with your children surrounded by beautiful wildlife and spectacular views.  The scouts all did excellent on their first backpacking trip! No one forgot a vital piece of gear, they all made really great decisions regarding safety, and all got along incredibly well. They walked up and down steep slopes, set up and packed their own gear twice with minimal instruction, filtered their own water, and some of them even pooped in the woods! For what it’s worth, we are really proud of them for that.  

Thanks to all of you for investing in giving your child outdoor experiences, buying all that gear, and trusting us with your most precious person(s).

We’re getting this story written for y’all to help give a better idea of what we did on the trip.  This can be helpful to bring up with your child to spark memories and get them to share their experiences and reflections from the trip with you.  Often children respond “It was good” or “fine” when asked how the trip went because they live in the moment and without a reminder it can be difficult for them to recall.  So here are some pictures and possible talking points to help take the discussion a little deeper.

Day One

Driving to the park, any scout who sat in the van may remember the turkey that attempted to attack Mr.Fox’ car.  Luckily for everyone involved, the turkey changed their mind mid-flight and returned to the roadside.

Our trip began circled in a flower filled field looking up as hawks and vultures floated before a distant cliff face.  We each offered our gratitudes and had a safety brief which included expectations, hazards to be aware of, how to prevent, and what to do in the event of.  The group held their attention really well as the magnitude of the adventure before us really began to set in. We looked at the map and planned a route, and with

that out of the way – it was time to hit the trail!

Our first hike took us rock hopping across a clear water creek and then along a ridge which looked down over a rocky ravine speckled with juniper, oak, sycamore, and of course the famous lost maples!  We hiked for a few hours, taking breaks along the way to lean up against trees or sit on the rocks. After two miles of gradually increasing elevation we hit our first steep slope.

The steep uphills were some of the most rewarding parts of the experience for the group.  Many of them expressed feeling a sense of accomplishment when they got to the top. We took water breaks along the way and there was a few moans and groans but everyone was able to summit without too much strain. Then came the excitement of finding our first campsite!

After a brief orientation meeting with the group, everyone began setting up their tents and getting their stoves ready for dinner. A team hiked down the hill to filter and fetch water from the creek for dinner and breakfast.  

I think the biggest lesson for the group during our first meal was learning to apply the proper amount of water to their food pouches.  Many of us added far too much water, Manu’s first meal turned out to be biscuits and gravy soup. Over the course of the trip, the cooking methods were boiled down to a science.  Over time, with experience and increasing hunger, our Mountain House meals became a satisfying part of the trip. Scouts tended to find their own favorites and were often trading with one another to find the pouch they most preferred.   

It was startling to some members of the group when they were reminded that there was no sink or running water for miles.  The hiked back down the hill, which was much easier than walking up with our packs onj. When fetching the water our meditation was ensuring the safety of the group.  Focusing hard to make sure not to contaminate dirty water with clean water. Our water team really took this seriously and did a great job.

Before bed, Braden told us a story beneath the starlit sky. Afterwards, some of us took a moment to find constellations and we went over some navigation techniques like “how to find the north star by looking at the big dipper”?  We were all in bed by 9 – tired from the day’s work and the anticipation leading up to the trip. We estimate temperatures were in the lower 40’s, everyone was warm and well prepared enough to get to sleep.

Day Two

Mr Fox sung the group awake in the morning as the group prepared for a sit spot.  The time alone in the woods sitting, listening, and looking around was valuable to help ground us in the experience of connecting to our surroundings.  It was profoundly quiet there. No airplane or highway noise. No artifical lights. Only trees and birds and dirt and rocks and quiet. Three crows flew closely above, allowing us to hear the sound their wings make when they fly.  After the sit, we took a close look at a cluster of oak trees and investigated clues to find evidence of human interaction. It was determined that a large tree was probably cut down about 50 years ago and has now regrown as a cluster.    

We took down camp and hiked to our lunch spot along a pond.

During lunch, some members of the group had noticed the presence of some flies and began conducting experiments to determine whether flies were more attracted to the smell of their food or the smell of… themselves.  The scouts determined it was the food, but the study is tainted with a clear bias. The important takeaway is that it definitely wasn’t the instructors.

Our time at the pond was so pleasant. In previous years it has been a campsite, but overuse has seen the park ask that it is for day use only.  Had it been open, it would have been tempting to avoid the challenging final ascent that lay ahead. Looking up at the cliffs above us, we knew we had to climb all the way up there.  We filtered more water and finally mustered the enthusiasm to venture onward and upward.

This final climb we took is categorized by the park map as a “challenging”.  Which it was. Breaks were taken, layers were shed, water was consumed, and we made it up.  Everyone did great. The breaks we took when sun and gravity were winning the battle were a good excuse to turn around and soak in the view we had earned.  

Our evening at camp involved a lot of free exploration and play time for the kids.  We allowed them to have their fun sneaking up on each other and chasing each other around.  As the sun was setting, we took some time to study the ancient art of flint knapping, breaking rocks to make tools.  We utilized the enormous amount of knappable rock that was all around us to make sharp tools. Once the sharp things were put away and the darkness had encroached we all started feeling a bit silly.  That set the theme for our evening story time beneath the stars. Ask you kids about the story of Ira’s Sacred Hunt…

Day Three

It was even colder on the second night, yet still everyone got to sleep, thank you for ensuring that they had all their proper gear with them packed on the trip.  It would have been a difficult thing to deal with if someone had forgotten a sleeping bag or enough warm layers. The morning was a bit chilly but most were not phased.  If anything, it made the warmth brought by a gorgeous sunrise more rewarding. Here are some pictures of the sunrise and our view from sit spot.

After taking this time to be present with our beautiful surroundings and offer gratitude to the sun for giving us a brand new day, it was time to take down our camp one final time and hit the trail towards home.  Some of the kids who had finished taking down their tents early had some time left over to offer Mr. Braden some style tips.

We were rewarded with hot chocolate after camp was packed up.  Then we loaded up with our packs and took a moment to look out over the valley one last time.  Everyone was reminded to take the descent nice and slow, giving each other enough space to find good footing.  It was much easier coming down! We had breakfast near our beloved pond and made some time to try our luck at fishing.  The last mile to the van on flat ground felt like a breeze. And there was much rejoicing when we arrived!

We ended the trip the same way we started, circled below a cliff face offering gratitude for our favorite parts of the experience.  Many of the children reflected how good it felt to be out in nature for 3 days, away from technology. Others made comments about feeling accomplished – that for some reason all that hard work of getting there, packing up gear, and hiking up large hills was actually worth it for the memories and shared stories between friends!  

Thanks so much for making this a possibility.  And a BIG THANKS to Deb for bringing her experience from Outward Board, and being generally awesome.   

Best,

Deb, Mike, and Braden