Last weekend I let the Scouts of Troop 4 lead the trip. A few showed up for the shakedown, which always helps them realize what they actually need vs what they think they need.
At the trailhead, most backpacks weighed in at around 17 lbs “pack weight”– including 2-pounds of water and about 3-pounds of food. Not bad for Boy Scouts on a budget!
The trip was a huge success. The boys fought hard on the 5,200 feet of uphill only to all express on the last day that they want to do it again, but next time go farther.
The Boy Scouts of America consider each 500-feet of elevation gain as “one mile.” So, at the beginning of the video you will see 32 Backpacking Miles. That includes the over 5,000′ of gain–adding an additional 10 miles to the 22 actual miles.