Alex Paul
Blisters by the dozens didn’t dampen the spirit of Boy Scout Troop 362 and their leaders during a recent 50-mile hike into the Eagle Cap Wilderness near Enterprise, Oregon.
Troop leader Bob Snyder said the event was undertaken as a way of having fun and teaching Scouts about the outdoors.
“Most Scouts don’t get to participate in this type of hike but once in their career,” Snyder said. “It’s something we undertake only about every three years or so. It is a special event and we had a good time.”
To prepare for the trek, Scouts and leaders undertook shorter day hikes including a 15 mile event around Donaca Lake.
“I numbered my blisters after that hike,” Snyder said.
Scout leaders in addition to Snyder included Ben Dahlenburg and Gordon Lawes.
Participating Scouts were Charley Waller, Jeremy Dahlenburg, Jacob Dahlenburg, David Burford, Chris Burford, Keegan Burnett, Nathan Snyder and Jonathan Lawes.
The local adventurers traveled to Wallowa Lake State Park campground on August 14.
August 15: Drivers dropped off hikers at Bear Creek Trailhead, near town of Wallowa. Hiked 12 miles uphill. Snyder said the crew camped by a cold stream and “soaked our hot feet ’til numb.”
August 16: Made about two miles per hour working uphill through timber and many switchbacks.
“We made this a short day. Took time to rest and enjoy the sunshine, wash ourselves and our clothes. We saw our first fellow hikers who caught an unclothed Scout keeping himself clean…as the Scout law requires.”
August 17: Got off course slightly but ended up saving 1 1/2 miles by going straight up the mountain. Snyder said the crew traveled 10 miles to Steamboat Lake where they saw pack horses.
“Steamboat is a high, beautiful lake with water that is warmer than the streams we’d been bathing in,” Snyder said. “We were tempted to stay but we had to make another mile and a half uphill to Swamp Lake.”
Although the Scouts had feared their destination, Swamp Lake, would live up to its name, they were pleased to find it was anything but.
“There before us was Swamp Lake, the most beautiful mountain lake with its own island and soft, sandy bottom surrounded by a meadow with rocks that looked like they were carved by Fred Flintstone. We pitched tents, swam and played in the snow nearby.”
August 18: Hiked the mountain ridge and traveled to Minam Lake, covering about 9 1/2 miles. Some of the Scouts spent the night here and others moved up the side of the mountain for another 90 minutes. The Scouts traveled past two lakes and camped at Moccasin Lake where Snyder said the water was “deep and dark blue-green. It looked like the lake monster could at any time pull you from shore. No one went swimming, we had covered 14 miles that day.”
August 19: Fog moved in, as did more hikers. One group of Scouts had 12 miles to cover and the other had 16 miles before them. They were treated to seeing fresh elk tracks on their journey.
“We all arrived at Wallowa Lake State Park campground before 3 p.m. where we met family and friends that had been camping there all week,” Snyder said. “They were surprised for we were a day early.”
Snyder said his Scouts covered 58 miles in five days.
“We had beautiful weather during the whole trip and everyone made it back in one piece,” he said.
A special highlight of the trip included seeing numerous six point bucks at Wallowa State Park.
“There were some really great views up there,” Scout Jeremy Dahlenburg said. “It was a lot of fun, being up there out of the rush.”
Nathan Snyder said Scouts learned to identify footprints of trail leaders during the hike.
“It helped us to know who was in the lead,” he said. “We also used trail signs and walkie talkies to communicate with each other.”
Scout Jonathan Lawes summed up the experience, “It was an awesome experience!”