The troop planned for a high-altitude Sierra backpacking trip in June, but the deep snowpack this year meant that our intended route was still buried in the white stuff. So instead, we headed a bit lower in elevation to the beautiful Golden Trout Wilderness in the southern Sierras.

We had a light turnout (too many boys burned out from the end of the school year?), but our intrepid scouts had a great time camping under the stars next to a roaring river in the Sierra Nevada wilderness. After base camping on Friday night, bright and early Saturday, boys hiked about 5 miles from the Jerkey Meadows trailhead down to the horse bridge over the Little Kern River. The scenery was exceptionally beautiful, though the river was too swift for successful fishing (maybe next time). On Sunday, boys tackled a long day hike deeper into the wilderness until they reached the Trout Meadow area for a lunch stop, before returning to break their first camp and move on to the next one at Jug Springs. Monday’s hike out featured even more fabulous scenery and solitude. This was the first of four backpacking treks required for the backpacking merit badge. All scouts are encouraged to join us for the next one in September, a trek in our own backyard into the San Gabriel Mountains.