After 16 hours over two days, James took 9 adults (Marion, Phil, Kathy, Stan, Gavin, Glenn, Ram, Tristan and Scott [CPR only]) and 5 scouts (Alia, Bryson, Aidan, Pierce, Maanasa) through their wilderness first aid and CPR course.
Policy requires us to have a WFA trained adult on any high-adventure trip. As a troop we like to #BePrepared and have several.
The training was highly relevant and relatable for the activities we do and risks we may encounter. A sampling of memorable facts below:
HAFE (high-altitude flatus expulsion) – or Excessive farting – or may be a sign of altitude sickness
Eagle Scout 110 – and Troop 260’s first female Eagle!
After a blistering ~2 year run through her ranks, supported by a lifetime of scouting involvement and years attending and then staffing at Camps, Bella sealed her Eagle Rank on 11 July 2021. Family and friends and scouts were present in great numbers to celebrate with her.
Of course, not being content with just an Eagle Rank, Bella also squeezed in 2 Eagle Palms. Bravo.
Covid health guidelines had eased sufficiently for us to be able to follow Troop tradition and hold the event at Christ the Good Shepherd Church in Willow Glen, with cake and snacks and drinks in the hall afterwards.
It’s over for another year! It’s been 2 years since the troop’s ‘annual’ visit to CHS. We had 20 scouts this year, along with seven adults providing coverage through the week. It was a hugely successful event with all scouts gaining screeds of merit badges, 6 Saga rank advancements and 5 specially nominated awards (4 Honor Patrol black beads, Dope Cope Rope climbing honor).
It is with mixed feelings I report that Troop 260 regained its traditional place of a complete no-showing in the camp wide games leaderboard (knots aside – we monstered that one). But, as always, we competed with tremendous heart and had fun!
Throughout the week, in between the dust clouds, the lost water bottles, the misplaced scout shirts, ‘lost’ backpacks, and occasional sliced finger, much fun was had. Our youngest scouts made great progress on advancement through their early ranks, along with gaining new skills and their first merit badges. Our more experienced scouts undertook some service projects, and helped other scouts review and complete requirements, and navigate CHS roles.
We had one of our largest continents ever at the polar bear 6:00 a.m. swim (the water was MUCH warmer than 2019 probably had a lot to do with this). Our stewards of the day set the table, cleared food, and ensured everybody was well fed.
You can see the many pictures below that tell the story better than I can here.
Thanks must go first to our scouts for putting their energy into the program and all the achievements they gained and experiences they had. Supporting them are large list of people:
all our adult leadership at the camp during the week – Donald, Cheryl, John, Vince, Kathy, Phil, Sarah).
our scoutmaster Scott, and Carolyn Calzia who planned and admin’d the trip
All of our drivers (Denver, Richard, Tiffany, Ram, Sudha, Glenn, Whitney, Amie, Dave, Phil, Kathy, Cheryl, Ivo, Kelli, Sarah, John) especially the ones who drove up and down in a single day!
John and others for attending many of the CHS briefs and safety protocols evolved over the past 6 months
and, of course, all the amazing CHS staff under Bruce, Nate and Conover for making this happen; they are truly amazing.
We leave behind 2 scouts who are joining 2 already there as Counsellors in Training (Emily, and Richard joining Niko and Enzo). And 1 staff member (Harris).
Troop 260 has signed up for week 1 of camp in 2022 – June 26 to July 2. Mark your diaries now!
Less than an hour’s drive took us to the trail head, and from then we took it easy with the steep climb up to Boyd Camp about 2.2 miles in. We made it in a bit over 2.5 hours and enjoyed loads of time at camp to loaf, relax, climb trees, play ninja and cook up some food.
A bunch of us then took an afternoon hike down to William’s Gulch – a short ~1/2 mile but with 500 feet of elevation gain. oof. Lots of water was drunk on the way back up! We found a lovely shaded gulch and some gently moving pools at the gulch and caught a glimpse of the onwards trail to Stewart’s camp.
The scouts were up at 0600 for an 0700 departure and we were back at the cars barely 1 hour later!
This weekend was made even more special as it was a double first:
first time for the Troop (if recent history) backpacking on this part of the Ohlone Trail
first time with one of our female youth leading trip (thanks Acting SPL Emily C!)
For reasons they may yet come to fully understand (!) the entire graduating webelos class of Pack 259 joined Troop 260 yesterday – w00t.
All 9 (Ben D., Bobby B., Cruz S., David M., Josheph M., Jaden P., Santiago B., Xavier G, Joshua A.) will find new patrols and a new adventure on the next stage of their scouting journey. Welcome all and their families – adventure awaits!
T260 sucks up an entire pack, and there is still room for more (Hilbert’s hotel?) – gallery here, or click above.
The perfect ‘rona-safe set of activities for T260 concluded last weekend with our final scheduled Pix-in-Parks challenge: Coyote Lake Harvey Bear. (Those of you with keen eyes that also attended Jimmy’s Eagle Project will have spotted the used fishing line disposal tubes placed along the road along the lakeside)
Despite being close enough to civilization to hear the 101 at times, this 3.5mile loop also offered some lovely forest, and the chance to see deer, birds, cows and even a coyote. We went on a cloudy morning which cleared but still left the skies looking good for some great photos!
For those of you that have done all the Pix-in-Parks “magnificent 7” for 2021, go here to claim you t-shirt of bandana.
A scout stands astride the mighty trail, Click here or the image above for full gallery
On 18 May 2021 – SCC moved to “yellow tier”. As a result, we have updated our Covid-19 policies. The Committee ratified this new policy today and it is effective until further modified.
We encourage all our families to get vaccinated
We will request vaccination status from all registered adults and youth – and update it over the coming months
We are now required to gather this through medical forms, but may also need an additional check / register
Fully vaccinated adults and youth will follow the County guidelines – no masks outdoors (with the exceptions observed) – and masks indoors
Non vaccinated adults and youth follow the County guidelines – masks outdoors (when distancing isn’t possible) and indoors
Adults will be able to rejoin outdoor meeting spaces, following relevant protocol (above)
Maintain availability of and use of hand sanitizer
Support any youth or adults choice to continue to wear a mask, even if not required
A new park for a quite a few in the Troop (and a potential candidate lake for us to do some basic canoeing skills next year), Calero is set in the rolling hills and scattered oak tree landscape that is quintessentially California.
It seems like most of the Troop was out on Saturday morning this time – maybe going early to avoid the forecast hot weather at the end of the day. We had sightings of wild turkeys, snakes, funnel web spiders and a host of birds.
Great views from the higher sections, rounded things off to make this ~3.8mi loop an excellent start to the weekend.
Click the image above, or here, for the full gallery
About 25 youth and adults spent Saturday morning doing hike at Almaden Quicksilver County park. This follows our successful Alviso salt flats walk a few weeks ago, but we upped the game, introducing loaded backpacks for anyone wanting to attend this summer’s 50-miler.
It’s been over a year since many of us have had a big pack on, and we need to ramp up to being ready for a week-long trip. For some new scouts, it was their first experience of a few hours under load.
The pace was moderate, the spirit was strong. Excellent work by all.
We’re BACK! First weekend activity together in … over 1 year!
Public health protocols are back into Orange Zone – so a distanced, masked, outside event was back on the cards. We dusted off plans from last October / November and gathered at yahoo! global HQ’s very empty carpark for a few miles, flat circuit of the Sunnyvale water retention ponds (hint: sewage treatment works!)
Loads of birds, lovely views across the salt flats – and a great turn out of nearly 30 youth and adults, We split into 2 groups and spent a lovely couple of hours chatting, listening to Scoutmaster history nuggets, and – occasionally – holding our noses.
We also got a chance to review the contents of our personal first aid kits, personal gear as a refresher after so long not being out.
Click on the image above, or here, for the full gallery
