Cub Scout Camping Fall 2022

Our Cub Scout pack camped out in October 2022. We went back to a favorite, Broad Creek Memorial Scout Reservation. My family arrived Saturday morning and set up early.

No posing by the tent

The morning was slow since we were waiting for the rest of the scout families to arrive. My daughter tried whittling with her small Swiss Army knife. 

Cutting wood down to size

Just before lunch we went for a hike through the reservation. We found some interesting tracks along the way. We think some wild turkeys crossed the path.

Tracks not made by me

We also spotted an underground entrance that was not open to visitors. The "chimney" at the top looks like some industrial exhaust. Did they build some kind of bunker for emergencies?

Maybe it will open for Halloween?

Our trail took us to Lake Straus, a small leisure lake created by damming Broad Creek. The creek runs through the reservation, eventually emptying into the Susquehanna River. We saw a blue heron on the water in the distance.

Lake Straus

The river beyond the lake

The spillway of the dam

After lunch, we started lighting fires without matches or lighters! This activity is a favorite of the cub master. His first effort was with a magnifying glass. The glass concentrates the sunshine to a focal point. It was able to burn holes through egg cartons. The only challenge was keeping the scouts from wandering around behind the cub master and eclipsing the sun!

One way to start a fire

The activity switched to using flint and steel lighters. My son had some trouble getting it started but was able to make sparks and did get a fire going.

Creating fire!

The cub master had a cattail that he got about a week ago. The cattail looked like a corndog. It was almost dry enough to light. The best part is inside the cattail, where there's a lot of light-weight fluffy stuff that would have caught fire with a couple more days of drying.

Trying to light some challenging tinder

The scouts also learned to tie a variety of knots and run an obstacle course blindfolded. Since I ran those activities, I took no pictures.

Dinner was the ever-popular walking tacos.

Filling and easy to make

As the campfire was being readied, we saw the moon rise over the trees. Just above the moon, Jupiter was visible.

Moonrise

Closeup showing Jupiter higher in the sky

The campfire was mostly casual, with smores as the first part of the fun.

Roasting marshmallows

Things got more serious when we retired two American flags. When the flags are too damaged or ragged to be displayed, they should be burned and/or buried. The older scouts put the flags in the fire.

Taking the flag to the fire

The flag on the fire

Adding the second flag

As the fire died down, we saw the grommets from one of the flags.

Can you find the grommets?

The night was a chilly one and sleep was not easy for me. In the morning there was frost on the ground, the tents, and the buildings.

Frosty field

Looking back to our camp

We left my combo whistle/thermometer/light outside of our tent. The reading just before 7 a.m. was quite chilly.

Read it and weep snowflakes

We had a fun campout but really hope that the Spring campout will involve warmer weather.