Scouts BSA Troop
Troop 1313 tries to participate in one high adventure camp per year in addition to the regular, week-long summer camp.
August 2014
Troop 1313:
I am happy to let everyone know that Troop 1313's Northern Tier crew returned successfully from Canada on Saturday evening after a week paddling, portaging, and camping in the Ontario Crown Lands. The crew...began the trip flying into Mabel Lake on a pair of vintage DeHaviland Beaver float planes. The crew spent the next six days traveling west and south through Elsie and Nora Lakes into the Turtle River - White Otter Lake Provincial Park, ending our trip on the southern shore of Clearwater West Lake.
Everyone had a great adventure during this challenging trip. The Crown Lands experienced heavy snow fall this winter and heavy rains this spring, so the lakes were full, the portage trails muddy, and the mosquitoes fully mature for our visit. The scenery was amazing, the fishing was great, the night skies incredible, and the campsites comfortable. A few items to note:
1. It is impossible to tell how deep moose muck is until you step into it (and disappear).
2. Hot cocoa and devil's dandruff (i.e. powdered sugar) improve the taste of oatmeal on the trail.
3. You can make a pretty good sailing catamaran from two canoes and a dinning fly.
4. BSA approved cliff jumping is really fun, even if the water is cold.
5. You never know what will wash ashore at your campsite during an overnight storm.
The picture below [to the right] shows one of our boat crews unloading their canoe and gear after flying into Mabel Lake.
The entire crew has many stories to tell from this trip - be sure to ask one of them for some highlights the next time you see them (and mention Uncle Dan).
Lastly, I'd like to thanks the adults that took their time to make this trip [names omitted]. These trips wouldn't happen without adult volunteers that support and enable the Scouts to have these great adventures.
Vernon J.
Scoutmaster Troop 1313
