We have spirit, we have fun!
We're the Scouts of 281!
Sound off... WEBELOS!
Sound off... BEARS!
Sound off... WOLVES!
Let's GO!
(note: you can click on any of the pictures on this page to see the larger version!)
From July 11th-14th, 1999, Andrew and I joined other Cub Scouts from
Pack 281
to go camping at
Camp Pahatsi!
This officially-sanctioned Boy Scouts of America camp
(here's the Pahatsi website)
is located at an elevation of 6700' in the Sierra Nevada mountains, near Donner Pass and
Lake Tahoe on the California/Nevada border.
Camp Pahatsi covers 125 acres and has 18 separate campsite areas to handle multiple Cub Scout
and/or Boy Scout packs.
The session we attended had about 10 different packs with a couple of hundred campers total.
The campsites featured lots of good old-fashioned canvas tents, with wooden platforms for floors.
Andrew and I picked our tent close to the edge of the campsite so that we could look out over the
Sierra Nevada mountains across the valley.
Once we put the pads under the sleeping bags, it wasn't that bad!
Since the temperatures dropped into the 40s at night, being able to close off the tent and slide
into the sleeping bags was actually welcomed each night!
Our campsite was a mile or so away from the main Pahatsi lodge, where all of the meals were served.
The food was really quite good... although we were probably extra hungry from all the hiking
anyway!!!!
<g>
Seriously, though... the scenery was breath-taking, so the walks each way to and from the
campsite was quite nice.
The tall pine trees provided a scent to the clean mountain air.
The camp provided lots of activities for the boys, including archery, BB shooting, campcrafts,
boating, nature appreciation, nightly campfires, and much more!
This was the first time that Andrew had ever shot a bow-and-arrow or a BB gun before, so he was
especially proud of his results!
The counselors at Pahatsi, mostly high-school and college-age Boy Scouts and Eagle Scouts, were
wonderful.
They took great interest in the boys and helped teach them the safe and proper ways to enjoy all
of the activities, from swimming to whittling to shooting.
In this culture of media obsession with the reporting of "bad" kids, it was so refreshing
to see and interact with young men and women who better represent (hopefully) what our future holds.
The Pack 281 Webelos got to be the "color guard" on the last morning of camp and raise
the flags.
Andrew carried and attached the American flag to be hoisted.
They performed their duties with the utmost respect and honor to the flags they carried.
The boys also got to enjoy the brisk water of the lake behind the Pahatsi lodge.
Rowboats and canoes were available for them to enjoy, as was a swimming and inner-tube area.
As with the other areas of camp, proper rules and safety were taught before any of the boys were
allowed to take responsiblity for themselves.
One of the best aspects of the camp experience was the pairing up of the Scouts with
"buddies" for the duration.
If the Scout wasn't with a parent or Pack leader, he needed to be with his buddy.
This way, they were also taught to look out for each other and be safety-minded!
Andrew and I had a great time together.
We balanced our time with each other with the need for the boys to play and explore on their own.
And the Pahatsi trading post had the sourest "Sour Babies" Andrew ever had!!!
<snicker>
We had a great time!!!
We had some brief rain the last night of our stay, and the rainbow over the lake was pretty.
Even though it's tough to see in this picture, the colors were really brilliant.
I know it won't be the last fun camping experience we had, but I'm glad we got to share the first
one with the Cub Scouts together!
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