Moorestown Boy Scout Troop 44 weekend hike to Sunrise Mountain

New Jersey is a relatively flat state, and thus has a reputation among hikers and backpackers of not presenting sufficient enough challenges. After a demanding 11.6 mile hike last weekend, some of the Boy Scouts of the Moorestown Troop 44 would beg to differ.

Eleven Boy Scouts, three adult Scout leaders, and several dads from Moorestown camped at Stokes State Park in Sussex County in northern New Jersey last weekend. Led by Assistant Senior Patrol Leader John Borton (a 9th grader at Moorestown High School), aided by Patrol Leaders Patrick Morrison and Charlie Mlynek (both 10th graders), and Acting Quatermaster Steven Plant (7th grader), on Saturday, September 19, 2015, the boys hiked a circular route from their base camp up to the top of Sunrise Mountain. The Sunrise Mountain is the second highest peak in all of New Jersey, offering a spectacular view over parts of New Jersey and Delaware Water Gap.

From Haskin’s Camping Area, the Scouts, adult leaders and dads took the Blue Mountain Trail, then the Tinsley Trail, and finally followed a part of the Appalachian Trail to Sunrise Mountain. The Appalachian Trail is a 2,200 mile-long hiking trail stretching from Georgia to Maine. From the top of Sunrise Mountain, the Scouts and dads hiked down the Cartwright Trail, a part of the Swenson Trail, and back on the Blue Mountain Trail.

“The rocks and boulders on many sections of the hiking trails made hiking very difficult,” said Scoutmaster George Morrison.

This hike allowed the boys and the dads to enjoy the last hot days of the summer of 2015. The hike also fulfilled a portion of Hiking Merit Badge for some Scouts and other activities during the camping trip helped younger Scouts fulfill camping, cooking, and other requirements for rank advancements.

After the demanding hike, the boys cooked a delicious multi-course dinner including hamburgers, and chicken and beans soft tacos. Later, the boys played soccer into the night with a ball that they found during a cleanup of their campsite, and sat around the campfire.

Troop 44 Boy Scouts that made it to the top of Sunrise Mountain were: Jerry Hampton, Patrick Morrison, Spenser Talbot, Steve Plant, Ethan Talbot, Ian Millstein, Zach Wilson, Charles Mlynek, John Borton, Collin Rykaczewski, and Ethan Kortman.

Boy Scout Troop 44 has various trips planned for the 2015-2016 school year, at about 1 weekend trip per month, and a 1 week long camping trip during the summer. Troop 44 meets every Thursday night that Moorestown schools are in session, from 7:30 to 9:00 pm at the First United Methodist Church in Moorestown. A boy must be between 11 (or 10 and completed 6th grade) and 17 years old to join Boy Scout. For more information, please see http://www.troop44bsa.com/