Be prepared. That's the Boy Scout Motto. I knew it. I thought I lived by it, at least while venturing out into the wilds. I had been a Boy Scout. I had some great leaders. They taught us right. I earned the Eagle Award. I studied wilderness survival manuals and even took a college level class on the subject. The Eagle Scout oath says, "give back more to Scouting than it has given to you." So, when I was asked to be a leader of 14 and 15 year old Scouts about 15 years ago, I decided to try to give back as I had pledged.
At age 14, Scouts move into what is called Varsity Scouting. They can still work on regular Boy Scout advancement, but the program moves into what is called "high adventure." There are high adventure camps run by Scout Councils. These camps provide activities such as canoeing, kayaking, white water rafting, rock climbing, and hiking. A leader can pay fees and take his group to these organized camps, or he can plan and carry out his own high adventure camp.
We (the young men and I) decided to plan and carry out our own camp one summer. It would be a three day, two night adventure. The highlight of the camp would be a 6 mile hike into a prestine lake in the tops of the mountains in Idaho. The plan was to spend the first day setting up camp and playing games and having a good time. The second day we would hike into the lake, spend the day and then hike back to our base camp. A 12 mile round trip hike didn't seem too tough while planning it out in our minds and on paper.
We decided the first weekend in August would be a good time for the camp. That would give the young men a good adventure a few weeks before heading back to school. Plans were made, food and gear was purchased, and we left town for St. Charles canyon near Bear Lake, Idaho. We would be camping at the top of the canyon in the unimproved camp area. This area was at the start of the trail that would lead us to Bloomington Lake.
After arriving and setting up camp, the games began. If my memory is right, the guys were divided into two teams, boundaries set, and a very long game of steal the flag was started. Everyone enjoyed the game. Sneaking around in the pines and quakies, running and jumping over brush and boulders tested everyone's athleticism. After the game, we cleaned up and started dinner. The meal of chicken fajitas was easy to prepare. A quick stir fry of chicken strips, onions, and yellow and red bell peppers was topped with salsa and wrapped in a warmed tortilla.
As darkness of evening fell, a nice fire was built and everyone sat around the fire and told stories and jokes. I had become accustomed to telling one or two scary stories in hopes of making the young men think twice before venturing out of the tents in the dark of night. And I did remind them that we had some hiking to do the next day so getting a good rest would be beneficial.
Morning came quick. The summer had been a little warmer than normal and the weather forcast for the weekend called for temperatures about ten degrees above average. This would mean that we would be hiking in 80 to 90 degree heat. I checked with each boy and made sure they had a water bottle. They did. I wasn't sure one water bottle would be enough so, in keeping with the be prepared motto, I put a couple of larger bottles of water in a day pack and strapped it on my back in case some of the boys ran out. We had decided to carry one pack with all the fixings for our lunch, which we were going to eat at the lake. The plan was for each person to take a turn carrying the food pack. It wasn't heavy. Lunch would consist of sandwhiches and chips.
The terrain wasn't that bad. But hiking in the heat had the guys sucking on the water bottles frequently. A couple miles into the hike and I was filling empty bottles with the spare water I had brought. At this pace, the water would be gone before we made it to the lake. A couple of the older boys and faster hikers asked to go ahead. I gave them permission. A move that worked out okay, but one that I look back on as a bad move. I should have kept the group together. What if they had made a wrong turn and become lost?
Hiking 6 miles along the top of a mountain without trail indicators giving an idea of how many more miles we had to go, began to play on our minds. I guesstimated that we had about a mile more to get to the lake. We had run out of water and some in the group were very thirsty. That last mile was a hot, dry one.
We made it to the lake but we were not out of danger yet. The lake is cold and clear. The water looks refreshing and clean, but there is always the possiblitly of getting giardia, a parasite that can cause some severe stomach and intestinal disorders. I knew we would not be able to hike the six miles back. We were tired and thirsty from the hike. The mental side of the situation is what would keep us from making the hike back. I told the young men that I would ask other visitors at the lake if any of them were camped at St. Charles and could give me a ride down the dirt road and over to St. Charles canyon. I would then drive the car back up to the lake to take them back. I told them I would bring a big cooler full of water. Some of the guys had metal canteens. I told them that if they needed to drink to build a fire and boil the water in the metal canteens before drinking it. I found a ride out and left them with the other adult leader.
I returned with the water and all drank their fill. I asked if they boiled the lake water and they said no. They drank freely right from the lake. I was worried that someone would get sick. We made it safley back to our base camp and again had a nice evening around a warm fire. The next morning we broke camp and returned home. I called the medical clinic and asked a nurse how long I needed to check with those who drank from the lake to make sure they didn't get the parasite. She told me to give them a couple of weeks and if no one got sick, we were in the clear. Amazingly, no one got sick from the lake water.
As with most adventures, you can come way with a learning experience. I learned that you cannot put too many activities into one day. Trying to hike into the lake and then back the same day was just too much. The other lesson is to always have a water purifying devise on all outings. Taking a chance drinking lake water or stream water can be risky and should only be done in a wilderness survival situation or last resort. Reviewing what being prepared means is always a good thing.
