The troop will travel on the weekend of October 14-16 to Pillsbury State Park and summit Mount Sunapee of New Hampshire. We will be tent camping. Experienced backpacking scouts desiring a faster pace and with more mileage to cover may choose to leave on Friday afternoon directly after school. This group will meet at the St. Mary’s parish center for an immediate departure at 3:45 pm. They will arrive at the trailhead at dusk and take a 1/2 mile walk in the park, with head lamps if needed, to a wilderness campsite.

First year scouts, and other scouts not able to leave on Friday will meet Saturday at the parish center for an on-time departure at 7:45 AM. This group will travel on a 6-mile route where they will meet up with the Friday crew at the summit of Mt. Sunapee. This 2nd group may break into ability groups depending on the number of attendees. Both groups will backpack out on Sunday morning, stop for a fast food lunch on the ride home, and arrive home for a parish center pick-up by 11:30 am.

Our destination is home to many interesting features in this area. The views from the White Ledges are spectacular. Many serious artists have made this a destination. Also, David Coplan’s mother has a lookout named after her titled “Lucia’s Lookout”. If we have time we’ll do a polar plunge into Lake Solitude. We will also see check out the “Eagle’s nest”.

The option for a Friday or Saturday departure may change based on the number of attendees and leaders. It is therefore very important that all scouts and leaders planning to attend turn in the permission slip no later than the Oct 6th troop meeting in order to allow for the required logistics planning.

Due to the challenging nature of this backpacking trip, all attendees must be physically fit. New scouts unaccustomed to strenuous activity should begin a fitness program now in order to be ready for this trip. Consider starting the personal fitness merit badge to get in shape. Same goes for older scouts/adults that want to participate. Please direct any questions on this topic to Mr. Hobart.

All attendees (scouts/adults) will cook their backpacking meals individually, using only boiled water for meal preparation. Veterans of high adventure trips will provide detailed instruction on meal preparation and ingredients each person must buy. Ingredients can be easily purchased at a local grocer at low cost. Scouts should bring some money for a fast food lunch on Sunday’s return. Detailed meal planning and packing instruction will take place at the troop meetings leading up to the trip.