BIGB03R1                                                                                                                                              7/1/03

                Troop 165 Big Bend Trip, May 30 – June 3, 2003.  Trip Report

                This and Other Info will be posted at www.southwestern.edu/~stonesd/.

 

Scouts: Nathan Barker, Brad Bible, JP Cardwell, Chris Carpenter, Nathan Doughty,  Karl Eason, Josh & Kurt Housh, Derek Kuiper, Kenny Moore, Cameron Nail, John Seidenberg, Carl Stones, Brandon Sweet, and Emerson Walter. (15)      Parents: Dennis Barker, Brian Bible, John Cardwell, Steve Carpenter, Bill Doughty, Glenn & Paula Eason, Rhonda and Kean Kuiper, Nancy Moore, Ed Seidenberg, Dave Stones, Robert and Deborah Sweet, Janice Walter & Riley. (16)      Siblings: Taylor, Jordan and Zach Eason, Aaron Kuiper, Christy, Bradley & Brantley Sweet, and Liam Walter. (8)

 

Friday, May 30.  Meeting time was 5:45 AM, with departure at 6 AM but the group gathered more slowly. We departed at 6:40 AM, with Steve’s Jeep pulling the heavily loaded trailer (which Steve had outfitted with new shelves, and which he and Dave had pre-loaded with food and gear.  Kuiper, Bible, and Seidenberg had also helped with some pre-cooking tasks).  We switched it to Dave’s Expedition in Junction.  The Sweets caught up with us around Sheffield.   Gas stops in Junction and Fort Stockton, with sack lunches eaten en route.  476 miles later, we arrived at the Chisos Mountains Basin at 4:15 PM and set up camp at group sites N, O and P (with covered pavilion and 3 bear boxes – our cooking center). Cholla cactus were blooming.  Explored ‘til 6, then fixed dinner (sausage, corn, mac & cheese, 4-bean, and pudding). Pleasant evening with nice sunset in the Window.  Games and star viewing.  Scorpio rose over Casa Grande each night.  Many satellites and shooting stars.  Hardly a moon to speak of.  Boys talked pretty late.   Many slept outside.  Janice (who had to work that day) and her group arrived at 3:30 AM.  Humidity was very low, as usual, so it cooled off nicely at night (to 55-60 or so).

 

Saturday, May 31.  Coffee started much earlier than the Scouts.  Scrambled eggs and little sizzlers, along with some OJ, hot chocolate, fruit cocktail, and apple sauce.   Obtained backpacking permits at Chisos Ranger Station for Sun-Tues.   Lunches were built and packed, water bottles filled, and sunscreen applied. Fairly late start (about 10:30) for day’s tour. The target was the start of Boquillas Canyon area, about 30 miles distant.   Some stopped for gas near Panther Junction Ranger Station en route.    Hiked ½ mile trail into canyon, which was pretty hot (perhaps 110 that day).  Climbed giant sand slide to canyon-wall cave and ran/rolled down multiple times.    Skipped  rocks across Rio Grande, and bought some hiking sticks from the Boquillas, Mexico residents.   Drove to Rio Grande Village campsite for lunch.  Very hot.   Drove 4 miles to Hot Springs parking area, and hiked ½ mile to Hot Springs.  Most spent more time in the Rio Grande than the hot springs.  Some detoured back to Rio Grande Village for last-chance showers before returning.    A West Texas cloudburst (about 6 drops on a brick) hit us on the way back to the Chisos, although it missed our campsite.  We also stopped at the Panther Junction Ranger Station and visitor center, where some bought books or maps.   After return, we bought ice (and ice cream) at the Basin Store.  Some hiked the 4.5-5 mile Windows Trail, where a few witnessed and photographed a proposal of marriage on the Windows precipice (on one knee, he presented a ring and a proposal, which she excitedly accepted) – just another situation we’re preparing our Scouts for.  Late start on dinner of spaghetti, green beans, salad.    Games and stars after dinner.    Younger Scouts again talked until midnight. 

 

Sunday, June 1. Breakfast tacos got us started.   Leftovers were claimed by the hungry Scout Troop from Mississippi camped next to us.  John Seidenberg was well-prepared and led the short but effective church service.  Lunches were prepared and packed.

Backpacking group divided food and gear and hit the trail at 9:40.  Participants were both Barkers, both Cardwells, both Carpenters, Karl, Taylor, Jordan and Glenn Eason, Josh Housh, Kenny Moore, Cameron Nail, Ed Seidenberg, and Carl Stones.   They had reservations for Boulder Meadows sites #1-4, a couple miles up the trail, and over 1,000 feet higher. Despite his experience with his young daughter, Steve was surprised by a baby rattler. Glenn, Taylor, and Karl, Dennis, Kenny, Chris, Josh, Cameron & Carl climbed 7825 foot Emory Peak – the 3rd highest in Texas. Some hiked back to the Basin for more water.  Dinner was a one-pot meal of pasta, tuna or chicken, and other magic ingredients.

 

Back to the Basin group – At 10:40 AM, the Bibles and Doughtys headed off to hike the Lost Mine Peak trail.  The rest got into cars for the 50 mile drive to Santa Elena Canyon.   That group made a half dozen stops, including a number of overlooks and exhibits, like the Mule Ears Peak, Sotol Vista, Window View, and lava flow.  A longer hike down into Tuff Canyon was enjoyed by most.  It was pretty hot.  Lunch was consumed in the shade of a huge boulder at the end of the trail into Santa Elena Canyon – accessible just that day, following high water and thick mud in a Rio Grande tributary.  A stop in Historic Castolon yielded cold ice cream, and we headed back to the Basin.  Four adults – Riley, Bible, Doughty, and Robert Sweet – went back outside the Basin to hike from Oak Springs back into the Basin via the Window.  This was very strenuous and pretty precarious.  Meanwhile, a bunch of the remainder hiked the more traditional Windows Trail.  Brief javelina sighting – maybe just the wrong time of year.  Appetizers of baby carrots, mixed nuts, chex party mix, and goldfish preceded dinner of rice, chicken, mushroom soup, corn, salad, etc…  Leftovers to the MS group, which cleaned the pots before returning them (they’d been eating mainly doughnuts and such, so it was a win-win situation). That group saw a black bear while driving back to the basin that day.  Many made it to the ranger program (on animals) in the Basin amphitheater before returning for more star-gazing.   More adults every night slept on the roof of the cooking area, a bit closer to both stars and breeze.

 

Monday, June 2.  The MS crew arose at 4:30 AM to hike the South Rim, and it was a bit noisy. While the Boulder Meadows group ate a trail breakfast of oatmeal, fruit bars, breakfast bars, dried fruit, and trail mix, the Basin group ate all of that, plus cereal with cold milk, and fruit juice (and as always, lots of coffee and some hot chocolate).

 

Janice and her crew departed today.  A good Basin crew, including young Aaron Kuiper, left around 9 AM to hike up the Pinnacles Trail.  We stopped to visit the ones still at Boulder Meadows (some had already gone up the mountain).  At the top of that trail (after ascending 2,000 feet), Bill Doughty and Brian Bible split off to climb Emory, meeting Ed Seidenberg and John Cardwell of the Boulder Meadows crew while there.  The rest of us hiked to the South Rim, lunching several times, including Boot Springs, which had nice shade.  We actually lucked out with a bit of cloud cover off and on through the day, and it helped.  We ran into the KC guys (Carl, Karl, Cameron, and Kenny), who were returning from the South Rim and headed for ice cream in the basin (while Barkers, Glenn, Taylor, and Jordan Eason, Chris and Josh hiked the Windows Trail and back, starting at Boulder Meadows).   The distant view from the South Rim was more hazy than usual – probably from dust raised by the wind.  After pictures, viewing, and rest, we started back via the Laguna Meadows Trail, completing a 12 mile hike at around 5 PM.   Nancy Moore did very well, but accused us of trying to kill her  - it was pretty warm at times, especially on the trip down. Still more Windows hikes.  Dinner was beef stew, veggies, and salad, plus a Greek pasta dish.  The MS group again helped us out.  Lots of Oreos while the Boulder Meadows group had another one-pot.   Visited repeatedly by a very friendly skunk in the cooking area, but he ultimately decided we smelled too bad, and left.   We packed a fair amount of the cooking gear that night.

 

Tuesday, June 3.  Up early for cold cereal and trail breakfast.  Struck tents and loaded the trailer and cars, but first made lunches to save us from having to stop too long on the return trip.   The backpacking group returned around 9 AM, and we hit the road shortly after that.  Some stopped for gas at Panther Junction, but all reconvened at the Fossil Bone Exhibit – a good chance to run around one last time before the long car trip.   Gas stops by some in Marathon, others in Fort Stockton, plus Junction.  Some squeezed in lunch stops in Ft. Stockton or Ozona, but we generally made good time, returning just before the 7:00 PM Troop Meeting.   Showers for all!   Ten days to rest up or pack for Lost Pines Summer Camp.

 

Scouts who made it up the Pinnacle Trail achieved Camping Merit Badge requirement #9.b.1 (while on a campout, hike up a mountain, gaining 2,000 vertical feet).  Backpackers got 9.b.2 (backpack for at least 4 miles).   Those still without that badge should make a note.  Many also got 1 of 5 10-milers for Hiking MB.

 

We learned that Brian Bible and Bill Doughty should have been mountain men, and that Bill can also do a great job tending the coffee.  Brian is a bird man. All the Moms were real troopers, and all seemed to enjoy. Robert Sweet truly maximized his time at BBNP in his first return in 35 years.  Nonperishable leftover food will go to the Texas Baptist Children’s Home or the RR Serving Center..

Next trip?   How about Guadalupe Mountains National Park, with hikes to Guadalupe Peak and McKittrick Canyon, side trip to Carlsbad Caverns, possible backpack option, and swimming at Balmorhea en route?   Same time next year?                                              Dave Stones.