Troop 11 Preps for Colorado with Trip to Cardigan Mountain

            Troop 11 of Marblehead is planning a two week trip to Colorado in August of 2014.  The first week will be spent backpacking in Rocky Mountain National Park on the Continental Divide Trail.  The second week will be spent doing day hikes at other national parks, national monuments and points of interests.  Scouts and adults can attend either, or both, weeks of the trip.

            The Troop had a preliminary shake down trip the Weekend of March 28 - 30, 2014 with a trip to Cardigan Mountain with twenty four scouts and adults.  Friday night was spent at the AMC's Cardigan Lodge, which served a spectacular breakfast of eggs, bacon, muffins, hash browns and fruit.  From there, the troop split into two groups with different itineraries.

            The Troop reserved the AMC's High Cabin at the tree line on Cardigan Mountain.  The cabin has twelve bunks, a wood stove and a large table for meals and other activities, but no electricity.  . It has been recently renovated with new windows and other improvements.  It was a 2.2 mile hike to the high cabin.  The trail starts off with a gradual rise for the first mile and gets steeper for the next mile plus, with some fairly steep and twisty parts near the top, along with some spectacular views. 

            After a gear check and some loaning of more appropriate clothes and equipment, both groups set out for the High Cabin.  One group carried full back packs and backpacking gear and food, to spend the night at the high cabin and return on Sunday.  They also towed a sled with firewood for the wood stove, and candles for the dark hours.  The other group carried only day packs with food for lunch and crew gear, such as first aid kits, compass and map, emergency blankets, matches, etc. 

            Saturday was a beautiful, sunny day, with temperatures reaching into the fifties; however, there was an abundance of snow on the ground.  Below tree line, the snow on the trail was packed enough not to need snowshoes, but both crews had snow shoes and crampons or micro-spikes for slippery slopes.  The backpacking crew left first, but was ultimately passeed by the day-hike crew.  Both crews had a backpacking lunch at the High Cabin (beef jerky, cheese & crackers, energy bars, Pringles and cookies - all not requiring refrigeration and packaged to avoid crushing); however, after lunch, the day-hike crew headed back down the mountain and the backpacking crew headed up to the summit of the mountain, where the ice was more formidable.

            Back at Cardigan Lodge, the day-hike crew had a Mexican buffet at the lodge.  the backpacking crew at the High cabin had individually selected Mountain House entrees, supplemented with flavored mashed potatoes and corn, plus dessert (large Hersey's chocolate bars).  The group at the lodge had the unexpected dividend of a guest speaker: a fellow who, after breaking his back in college, had become an accomplished technical climber using only his arms.  The slides of climbs he had made was inspiring.

            The backpacking crew had breakfast at the High cabin: oatmeal, cereal bars and hot cocoa.  The lodge crew had the luxury of French toast (with real maple syrup), sausage and fruit.  The backpacking crew hiked down the mountain in the rain, good practice for managing yourself and your gear when backpacking in the rain.