Lost Creek Cave Campout

     On Friday March 23rd we left the Stake Center about 5:30 p.m. and drove to Lost Creek Cave.  We arrived at the cave around 6:30 p.m., gathered all of our equipment, and then hiked about 1/4 mile down a trail and into the cave.  We slept a couple of hundred yards into the cave on a flat area that most everybody uses.  Of course it was completely dark when we set up camp as the pictures show.  Corey Stuart cooked soft tacos for dinner with the help of Clay Hoyle.  For breakfast we had sausage and eggs and Zeb Lofits helped with that meal.  Part of the group explored through the cave well into the night.  They went to the waterfall, mud slide, and everywhere in between.  Everybody was safe and had fun but most of all they worked as a group and supported each other when it was needed.  These boys have a real talent for helping and being patient with each other.  The next morning Steven and Harrison explored deeper into the cave while everybody else hiked out and checked out the outdoor waterfall and its cave.  Thanks to everybody that provided rides and came.  I think most of the group got to try alot of things for the first time.  We arrived back at the Stake Center the next day around 12:00 noon.

 Adults that attended: Bishop Hitchcock, Hayden Pennington, Corey Stuart, Darin Payne
 Boys that attended: Bryce, Harrison, Clay, Christian, Luis, Brian, Ethan, Zeb, Chaz, Brandon, Steven, Cole

Sugar Mountain NC Ski Trip

     On Feb the 24th after school we left around 4:00 p.m. and headed up to Sparta and met with the scouts from that ward.  The drive to Johnson City went fairly quick.  Spencer Grissom, Jeff Peterson, Hayden Pennington, and Corey Stuart all drove vehicles.  When we arrived in Johnson City around 9:30 p.m. eastern time we stayed at a Motel 6 in three different rooms.  The next morning we got up, packed, and then headed to McDonalds for breakfast.  We arrived at the Sugar Mountain Ski Resort just across the NC state line around 8:30 a.m. and the slopes opened at 9:00.  The temperature was around 25* F most of the day and it actual snowed on and off all day long.  They still had the snow machines going to help.  Some of the boys already had everything they needed and went on to ski or snowboard.  The rest of the group had to rent equipment, get ski lift tickets and so on.  We had a wide range of talent throughout the group.  Bryce Caten, Hayden Pennington, Harrison Hale, Steven Laxton, & Graham Pennington all did the snowboarding while Jeff Peterson, Darin Payne, Corey Stuart, Brandon Peterson, Saylor Wilson, Grant Peterson, Clay Hoyle, & Evan Kellerman did the skiing.  Most of the skiers started out on the "bunny hill" and worked their way up until they were comfortable.  Also attending were Kade Stone, Daniel Kastello, Noah Thornton, Christian Benitez, and Eric.  These boys chose to play on the tubing hill and all said it was real fun but also regretted not skiing at the same time.  There were many laughs and wipe outs during the day but the boys & adults (especially the new skiers) were very determined and came a long way by the time it was over.  We ended the day around 4:00 p.m. and headed back home.  As a group we all decided to go eat dinner at the Golden Corral (mostly because of the wide variety and endless supply of food).  After that we drove straight back to the stake center and arrived around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday the 25th.  Everybody had a blast and more importantly nobody got hurt.  The boys were excited about the conditions and didn't regret the long trip at all.  Unfortunately everyone was so spread out over the different slopes and the snow machines were so active that pictures weren't really able to be taken.  Steven Laxton wore a helmet cam most of the time but due to the snow and condensation most of those videos didn't turn out either.  Thanks to all of the adults that helped with the trip and made it possible!

Freeze Out At The Laxton's Farm

     The first campout of the year was the annual freeze out at the Laxton's farm in Smithville right above the lake.  We had a change of plans with the location at the last minute due to the recent rain and mud so Lonnie and Steven Laxton worked hard to provide this place at the last minute.  We got there and set up camp around 6:30 p.m. on Friday night and couldn't get a fire built fast enough.  It was about 28* F that night and around 23* F the next morning.  Everybody came very well prepared for the cold weather but some boys still chose to sleep by the fire most of the night.  Just like last year, when you open the water bottles in the morning they would start to freeze and a couple of the boys ate frozen fruit for breakfast.  Everybody was in charge of their own food and there were 5 adults and 11 boys that attended.  We broke camp and left around 10:30 a.m. on Saturday morning after some of the boys walked down to the lake.  Thanks to all the adults that came and/or helped with rides.  Also a big thanks for the Laxton's for letting us camp there and providing the most important part....the firewood.

Adults that attended: Corey Stuart, Darin Payne, Aaron Creighton, Randy Brewer, and Andrew Kastello

Boys that attended: Harrison Hale, Bryce Caten, Steven Laxton, Christian Benitez, Daniel Kastello, Noah Thornton, Ethan Stuart, Kade Stone, Saylor Wilson, Cole Millard, and Brandon Peterson

Hawking with Don Hervig

Our December activity was playing basketball, xbox games, soccer, pizza, and other indoor activities at the assembly hall on Friday.  We met around 6 and ended at midnight.  Attendance was about 25 people. On Sat. we met up again at 9:00 and then hauled out to the Lyman farm on Shady Grove Road to meet Don Hervig and his hawks.  Don brought 2 hawks, his regular Red Tail Hawk and also a new Harris Hawk.  Luck was not with us as we did not scare up any squirrels or rabbits.  We tried a different place on Vervilla.  Both were beautiful sets of woods, but we had no luck.  Don did not get the Harris Hawk out. Maybe better luck next time. I accidentally deleted all my photos before saving them, so thanks to Travis for the photos.

Rappelling at Stone Door

Our November Campout was Rappelling at Stone Door.  We camped at the Stone Door Campsites, campsite #1.  Ethan S was our camp cook with Saylor W assisting.  Ethan brought us seasoned chicken with potatoes, onion, and celery cooked in two large dutch ovens for supper.  It was awesome.  For breakfast Ethan made bacon and scrambled eggs.  It was probably the best bacon I have ever had on a campout. Friday night, Steven climbed a tree in the campsite and rigged up a series of ropes from a limb about 20-25 foot off the ground that people played around on. Saturday we spent rappelling and rock climbing at the Stone Door.  Hayden, Steven, and Cole rigged up 2 different set ups so people could rappel or climb.  Phil showed up on Saturday as well.  Phil rigged up yet a third rope on a smaller cliff so people could have their choice of activity level.  Attending the campout was Ethan S, Saylor W, Clay H, Daniel K, Brandon P, Cole M, Harrison H, Steven L, Bryce C, Hayden P, Alexander H, Darin P, Adrian H, and Harold R.