Scouts Take Trek of a Lifetime

SPECIAL TO THE FALLS CHURCH TIMES
July 30, 2012

Twelve Boy Scouts and six adult leaders from Falls Church’s Troop 895 recently completed the 10-day backpacking trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in the Sangre de Christo Mountains near Cimarron, New Mexico.

The group was one of the largest to go to Philmont in many years from Falls Church and was divided into two backpacking crews. One of the crews was joined by Scouts from Fredericksburg, Va. Each crew hiked more than 70 miles over rocky trails, camping nightly in the back country on terrain varying from high desert to forested river valley.

Scouts carried 40- to 50-pound backpacks with all their gear, food and water. At outposts on the trail, the Scouts went rock climbing, rode horses, panned for gold, shot skeet, raced burros, examined ancient Native American petroglyphs and worked on trail maintenance for the ranch.

Pictured on Tooth of Time Ridge, from Crew One (left to right): Gordon Wisotzki, Austin Gogal, Jack Stallard, Daniel Butler, Henderson Beam, Kevin Drawbaugh, Tyler Gogal, David Drawbaugh, Ryan Sullivan, David Gogal, Owen Sullivan.

Pictured on Baldy Mountain, from Crew Two (left to right): Richard Ast, Brandon Castillo, Karl Ast, Connor Rodgers, Grant Goodwin, Justin Castillo, George Castillo, Matthew Hoskins, Charley Brown, Dave Goodwin, Josh Goldsmith.