Day three kicked off with a breakfast of pancakes, eggs, cheesy eggs, tater tots and sausage patties. Right after our meal the colors were raised and we participated in our daily ritual of reciting the Pledge Of Allegiance, Scout Oath and Scout Law.
Our first event was Canopy. After a being issued harnesses and helmets, there was a brief training period. Then, we negotiated a course of ziplines back and forth across a valley. Staff members accompanied us through the course and set up our equipment on each obstacle.
In addition to ziplines, we also crossed two bridges and made two rappels.
Due to the distance between the events, we had lunch just we were diminishing up at Canopy. It consisted of breaded chicken strips with bread if you wanted to make a sandwich, chips, fruit and granola bars.
The afternoon was spent at Rocks which features is the largest manmade, outdoor climbing facility in the world. Constructed of concrete by Eldorado Climbing Walls, the formations were painted by a company which does work for Disney.
Summit Experience participants are provided with helmets, harnesses and shoes for the afternoon’s climbing. SBR uses Trublue self belay devices for safety and the facility offers routes with varying degrees of difficulty. The most challenging is the Black Mamba route.
There are also bouldering stations.
Participants in Rocks get the opportunity to rappel from a 40′ Tower.
Rocks was capped off with “a leap of faith” where participants are attached to a Trublue auto belay device and run out from a tower. The device gently lowers them to the ground. Fun was had by all and at the end of the day, we had 12 Scouts with a little confidence in themselves.
We hiked to the dining hall and ate a supper of Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Beans, and Tater Tots.
One final note to potential attendees of the Summit Experience. Although not all of the shower facilities feature hot water, there are a few, scattered throughout the campground. While the weather has been cool and rainy, it was worth it to take warm shower last night and wash off the river after our white water rafting trip yesterday.
Tomorrow, it’s Barrels and Bows!
You recited the “Scout Oath” which is a vow to keep oneself “morally straight” … realizing now that BSA has endorsed Sodomy and other forms of sexual perversion.
But hey, they have great facilities.
Give it a rest, man! We all know how you feel, and whether we agree with you or not, your not gonna change his mind. Let the man be and blog about time with his son. It falls on deaf ears and is practically harassment…
Scouting like any Human Institutuion has its flaws. My best friends are the ones I made in scouting. Those friendships were solidified as young men at places like this. I have never had a job interview my Eagle Award did not come up. I use my scouting experience more on daily basis than any experience in the Army, or Education (and I have a Master’s degree and am pursuing a PHD). In this great country we have a ribht to express our beliefs. You have expressed yours. Now as the late Pat Rodgers would say, “wind your neck in” and get off your high horse. Scouting still offers opportunities to young people that is unmatched by anything else.
Enjoy your experience with your child.
Sounds like someone is butthurt. I hope that doesn’t trigger any further homophobia for you.
Are you going to beat SSD up all week about this? Or are you just going to let him enjoy his time with his boys? I’m not happy about the changes the BSA made either, but if 95% of the lads get to have something close to the scouting experience I had growing up, it wont matter anyway. Dads like SSD aren’t the problem, why keep putting it at his feet.
Have you tried any of the sodomy? It can be pretty fun… consenting adults only of course, but maybe if you tried it, it wouldn’t be so scary?
You must be fun at parties.
Thanks for the updates. Seems like an exceptional experience. Brings back memories of BSA High Adventure and jamborees. Remarkable how much one can draw from Scouting even later in life.
This looks awesome. One of my favorite experiences in Scouting was doing rock climbing and ropes courses, second only to the shooting sports. I consider myself lucky that we had leadership that was committed to developing the guys into outstanding men. The model for leadership I learned within the organization is still what I measure leadership by to this day, 20 years later.
Spent quite a bit of time in Eldorado Canyon in my youth, not exactly sure what this is?
https://coloradomountainschool.com/climbing-at-eldorado-canyon/
Eagle Scout myself.
SSD you’re doing the right thing going on this even though it’s tough to fit work in too.
My dad went to Philmont with me in the 90’s. I was the surprise caboose on the family, and dad was quite a bit older than the other dads. I remember them giving him a hard time about being a little slower marching at altitude (but the guy was a packhorse and carried a ton of gear). He told them “shut up. Tell you what, have a kid now, come back in 14 or 15 years, and then we’ll be comparing apples to apples.”
Super fond memory of mine; I’m sure it will be for your sons too.
Wow…that looks like fun. Makes me long for my scouting days. Also makes me remember how much I loved doing the obstacle courses in basic.
Are you going to the World Jamboree next year?
My son is.
Same. Will be very cool. I should give him my KCaRF patch lol.
Thank you for these updates. This is better than Boys’ Life’s articles on SBR, to read your narrative and see the pictures.
You’re doing a great job balancing your work and leading these Scouts. After the Cub Scout campout I led last weekend, I realized I hadn’t taken a single picture, too busy attending to meal prep, and totally immersed in the moment, and ready with FAK for the Cub Scouts sharpening sticks with their new pocket knives… Hoping/praying for a safe fun trip for you Scouts!
Thanks, Rob!
Anyone ever attend Tinnerman Canoe Base? I was never a scout, but had the privilege of being a canoe guide there for a summer in college and it was the best summer of my life. I learned more from the troops that I was “leading” than they learned from me to be sure. I hope to take my sons up there once they are a bit older to try to recreate the experience for them.
I am enjoying these postings from West Virginia. You are doing a much better job then their Facebook page. When are we going to see a Philmont or Florida Seabase trip?
Eagle Scout Class of 1980. Post 103 Williamsburg, VA.
Wow. THIS looks like a super place for a patrol of young Scouts.
The guys in my troop all went on to great things.
Over 47 years since my Mom pinned on my Bobcat pin.