June 2, 1996 bigb96c.wp
to :
Woodie Smith, Henry Soto, Bob Mann, Rick Denman
from : Dave Stones
re :
May 24-28, 96 Troop 165 Big Bend High Adventure Trip Report
Objectives of this trip were (1) see Big
Bend, (2) provide a quality high adventure opportunity, (3) serve as a final
backpacking shakedown for the 1996 Troop 165 Philmont crew, and (4) satisfy BP
MB requirement of a 15 mi. backpack (failed here).
F 5/24. Met at SBVFD 5:30 AM, departed around
6:15. Pop tarts,
rolls, and such consumed en
route. Lunch at roadside park between
Ozona and Ft. Stockton. Arrived BBNP
around 3:15 PM. Stopped to see Dog
Canyon and Fossil Bone exhibits, plus Panther Junction Ranger Station. Arrived and set up camp at Group Campground
Area A in Rio Grande Village, (reservation #22 for two nights, maximum 20, at
$2 per person per night) around 5 PM.
Drive was 495 miles. Steaks for dinner.
Good. Temperature 111 that
day. Hot. Shortly before dark, drove 10 mi, hiked 1 mi. (round trips) to
see Boquillas Canyon, feeding bats, Rio Grande. Scouts climbed sand slide.
Saw javelinas, fox, road runners, buzzards. Returned for group meeting on hiking options. Hot that night (near 80), and very
windy. 1/3 of group slept in the open.
Sa 5/25 R. Denman, D&d Stones drove to Panther
Junction, made BP
reservations for Sun &
Mon. Returned for breakfast tacos. Toured the park toward Santa Elena Canyon,
stopping at many exhibits and view points (Blue Creek Ranch, Mule Ears Peaks,
Tuft Canyon, etc...). Hiked into Santa
Elena Canyon for lunch. Very hot. Dave's transmission began acting up. Back to camp around 3:30. Group drove to Boquillas Mexico parking
area, mainly waded the river, hiked 2 mile round trip to Boquillas, where we
bought warm Cokes and perhaps a Bowie knife.
Spaghetti for dinner, then an after dark drive and hike (1 mi. r.t.) to
Hot Springs. Guys soaked, cooled off a
little in Rio Grande, admired young ladies in the dark. Observed the running of the cows toward
dawn.
Su 5/26 Breakfasted, packed, drove to the Chisos
Mountains Basin.
Packed equipment, food, lots of
water (2-4 gallons apiece), hit trail 10:30 AM and hiked 2 mi uphill to Boulder
Meadows, where we had sites BM 1-4. Hot
in sun, but cool in shade. Set up camp,
ate lunch, stowed gear in bear boxes. dStones, Brewer, Soto remained in
camp. MRehder & Andreasen hiked up
trail. Rest then hiked up the Pinnacles
trail, with 5 (DStones, RDenman, BHoban, Donovan, Connally) making top of Emory
Peak (7825 ft, 6 mi. r.t.). Back at
camp around 7:15 for noodles, chicken soup/meal. Good. Philmont group and
non-Philmont groups camped, cooked as units. The 4 oldest Scouts (Stones,
Hoban, Donovan, Brewer) went to cars for 1st aid kit, oatmeal, granola bars,
and another 27 liters of water. back at
11 p.m. Cool evening felt good (perhaps
upper 50's). Many bear scares, but no
sightings.
M 5/27 Discovered
skunk in camp. Hiked up to Boot Springs
for
lunch. Group split. dStones,
MRehder, Andreasen, Brewer, Donovan returned to camp after a bit. The rest went to the South Rim and on SW rim
trail. Hoban, Hoban & DStones
returned via Colima Trail (10.5 mile r.t.), RDenman and Philmont crew via
Laguna MNeadows & Basin trading post (12 mi.). All back by 7:30. Dinner
macaroni, cheese, Spam for some. To bed much earlier.
Tu 5/28 Backpacked out, leaving camp by 6:50. Cars loaded by 8
AM. Left basin by 8:40, slowed a bit by Stones's van problems. Steady progress, though, with DQ stop in
Ozona, several Andreasen potty breaks, and arrival at SBVFD 6:45 PM. Total miles on Stones's van: 1216.
Adults: Stones (van), Denman (van), Hoban (van), Mike
Rehder (van), Andreasen
Scouts: Philmont crew (Higdon, Lanahan, Denman, T.
Connally, Ben Rehder, Soto), plus
Donovan, Hoban, Fite, Stones, Brewer.
Thank you.
Panther Junction Ranger Station (915/477-2251
#151) 8am-6pm
Chisos Basin Visitor Center (915/477-2264) 8am-3:30pm