Camping 101
CAMPING: One of the best parts of being a scout!
While most troop camping in central Texas doesn't involve the risk of bears like trips to New Mexico, Colorado, and Minnesota, Troop 157 strives to abide by the Outdoor Code, which states, that as Americans, we'll do our best to:
to be clean in my outdoor manners,
be careful with fire,
be considerate in the outdoors,
and be conservation-minded.
Following these simple guidelines ensures that we'll have fun, safe adventures in the outdoors. Below are some more details on how we make that happen. Is something missing? Talk with the Troop Webmaster to get additions to this page.
LOOKING FOR CANOEING & BACKPACKING TRIP TIPS?
THEY ARE AT THE BOTTOM!
FOOD
We're rarely in bear territory, but usually in the domain of racoons and ants. The best ways to ensure avoiding trouble with either include:
All food is stored in coolers or closed dry boxes.
NO FOOD goes into tents - ever.
Patrols plan out their menus at shakedown meetings, grubmasters purchase the food, and the patrol cooks it. No snacks or extra food should come from home by individuals. Often, it causes problems with sharing and storage with personal gear in tents.
Dining is family style. Prepare the food and everyone eats at once. Eating as it comes off the griddle generally leads to issues about food equity.
KP (Kitchen Patrol) – happens immediately after each meal. Individuals are expected to "lick their own plate clean" and those assigned KP duty for that meal clean the patrol gear plus the nearly clean individual gear using the standard KP three bucket process.
CAMPSITES
Part of being clean in your outdoor manners is keeping a clean campsite at all times.
Set-up – when we know there will be wet/windy/sunny weather, patrols should plan to put up a tarp to protect their chuckbox and provide a place to cook and eat. The troop has materials in the trailer.
Troop Gear – Chuckboxes and stoves have legs. Use them. Tents have bags, when not in use, they should be in the tent, not blowing around in the mud.
Personal Gear
Again, no need to bring personal food/beverages
Electronics - Camping is one of the few times/places we get to unplug. Try it!
Troop Phone Policy - For years the policy was that phones stay in cars during campouts. As phones among scouts has become more ubiquitous, more parents want to be able to contact their scout. We want to encourage our scouts to enjoy their time outdoors and take full advantage of it -- not tethered to their phone playing the same games or scrolling the same endless feed that they could be doing at home.
The troop needs parents to encourage this as well so that phones can stay in cars or out of site in tents -- not as a distraction from being engaged in activities while camping. This applies to troop meetings too.
Also, if a scout has an issue at a campout they can obviously tell their parents at home, but need to prioritize telling their Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, or onsite adults for the fastest resolution. Situations have happened where a scout contacted their parents, who then tried to contact an onsite adult (cell coverage can vary greatly at some of the places we camp), wasting valuable time when the scout should have just talked with leadership onsite first.
THERE IS NO NEED FOR tablets, laptops, or gaming platforms at troop campouts. Please do not send them or allow scouts to bring them.
GEAR LIST
Tent (don't forget stakes and the rain fly) If you/your scout hasn't earned the First Class Rank yet, they'll be in a troop tent with other scouts in their patrol. They'll get these tents ready at the shakedown meeting on the Monday before the campout.
Sleeping bag, pad and/or blanket
Keys to sleeping warm when it's cold: wear a warm hat, change into clean, dry sleeping clothes, if you don't have a sleeping pad, a blanket helps insulate from the ground
Keys to sleeping cool when it's warm: bring a cotton sheet to lay over a sleeping bag (vs laying on a nylon sleeping bag). Roll up flaps on tents to encourage a breeze.
Clothing
Class A Uniform (wear to and from the campout, at flags)
Extra clothes based on weather. It's always nice to put on a clean t-shirt if it's been a sweaty day or have another layer if it gets chilly.
Good sturdy shoes - hiking boots and/or tennis shoes (Crocs are for going from a tent to the bathroom. That's about it. Flops are only for in a shower, not around the campsite.) Don't wear shoes that you need for going to school on Monday -- sometimes they come back wet/muddy.
Warm clothes (shorts by day, jacket, warm hat -- even warm days can have cool evenings)
Rain jacket (always -- good for a windbreak too)
Hat with a brim for sun
Toiletries
Cup/spork/bowl for eating
Water bottle (with water!)
Small pack for carrying water bottle, sunscreen, etc. for hiking around
Flashlight, extra batteries
Scout Handbook (always!)
Pocketknife (especially if taking the Totin Chip safety class)
Camp chair (optional)
Pack your gear in a backpack or duffle bag. We're trying to get away from using footlockers for weekend campouts. Save them for summer camp.
TROOP/PATROL GEAR
Tents for scouts under First Class Rank
Chuckboxes (pots, pans, utensils, spices, cleaning supplies)
Dutch ovens
Gas stoves, propane
Water Jugs
Tarps/poles for building a cooking shelter
One last thing -- the T157 tradition is that if you go camping, at the Monday meeting after the campout you can wear a Class B t-shirt instead of the Class A uniform.
CANOEING: A GREAT WAY TO CAMP!
LOGISTICS FOR PADDLING THE WILBARGER PADDLE TRAIL ON THE COLORADO RIVER
PADDLE CLASS SLIDES FROM THE TROOP MEETING
FRIDAY
Meet at the church at 6 pm (We travel in Class A uniforms, arrive fed)
We'll likely NOT be bringing trailers, but loading gear in individual vehicles since everyone should be traveling pretty light for this campout.
Camp at Lost Pines
NOTE: Gear for Friday does not have to be waterproofed. If your scout is packing gear in double trash bags, maybe just bring the trash bags along on Friday, but the gear can travel to Lost Pines just in a duffle bag or pack.
SATURDAY
We'll eat breakfast and pack our gear for the river early, then check out our canoes in the morning and take them to the river crossing on FM969 near the Colorado RV Park (map)
The plan is to have minimal vehicles to transport canoes and people. We'll unload at the river, drive the vehicles to Fisherman's Park in Bastrop and park (we have permits from the city), the shuttle driver (a volunteer who is not going downriver) will drop the drivers off back at the river.
We'll canoe about 8 miles down to Boy Scout Island, a gravel bar in the middle of the river, or maybe the riverbank just past that. We'll camp there overnight.
SUNDAY
Wake up, have breakfast, load up
Paddle the remaining 7 miles or so down to Fisherman's Park in Bastrop
Return the canoes to Lost Pines and head to the church, targeting our normal 1 pm return time.
FOOD - FUEL FOR PADDLING
Everyone will be their own grubmaster. This means you'll need to bring breakfast for Saturday at Lost Pines, and lunch, dinner and a breakfast for on the river. Bring high energy foods to power your paddling. You'll be hungry!
Boil-in-bag backpacking meals are good, but not required. If you don't have a backpacking stove, don't worry - we'll have some stoves available to borrow.
Snacks! Canoeing takes energy.
Water - a gallon or two should cover each paddler easily.
GEAR NOTES
You'll want to pack your gear to stay dry. Tumping over (it's a technical canoeing term) is fairly uncommon, but a possibility, so you'll want to pack in drybags, Home Depot buckets, or make your own drybags by packing gear in a bag and then double trashbagging it and putting the whole thing in any cheap duffle bag. We talked about this at the troop meeting. The key is to 1) pack your gear in ziplocks or some kind of smaller bags that won't poke through a trash bag. 2) Put it in a trash bag and spin it to get a long "gooseneck" that you can bend into a 180 and tie in place with some paracord. 3) Do Step 2 again with a second bag. 4) Put it in a big duffle bag. This will protect the trash bags and give you some handles to tie the bag into the canoe.
Be prepared for the weather. March in Texas - it can be just about anything. Think layers of clothing to be warm, but adaptable.
TENTS: Share with a buddy -- less gear to carry!
River shoes: (Northern Tier boots/old tennis shoes/keens) + a pair of dry shoes. ALL need to be closed-toe. No flip flops. No crocs for river shoes, but they can work for camp.
REQUIRED GEAR
- Paracord for lashing bags to thwarts
- sun gear (buff, hat, sunscreen, sunglasses with leash)
- rain gear / Warm gear (check the weather!)
- small towel
- change of clothes
- dry shoes & wet shoes
- sleeping bag & pad
- flashlight
- toilet paper
- pocket knife
- tent
- food (breakfast x2, lunch, dinner, snacks)
- gear for cooking/eating food
OPTIONAL GEAR
- carabiners (makes it easier to clip your gear in/out of paracord on the canoes)
- whistle
- small backpacking chair (do not bring a big camp chair)
- gloves
- water filter
ABOUT FOOD
You burn lots of calories canoeing. Bring foods to power you through the weekend. If it's cold, a warm meal brings happiness and sets you up for a better night's sleep. You can buy lightweight meals at REI or Academy, or make your own. Think simple (just add boiling water) and easy cleanup (swish out the pot, or use a freezer-rated zip-loc bag as a liner for zero cleanup). My kids have done everything from pre-made backpacking meals to a microwaveable bowl of mac & cheese with some ham chunks for dinner. Have a water bottle handy to keep hydrated in the canoe.
Pack and label each meal along with a paper towel in its own freezer bag. Carry one extra freezer bag as a food trash bag. Get rid of any unnecessary packaging, (i.e. only bring the oatmeal packets and not the box it came in).
Here are some links to sites with DIY food ideas:
https://www.theyummylife.com/Backpacking_Food
More involved: https://www.outdoorproject.com/articles/how-start-making-your-own-homemade-backpacking-meals
https://www.wonderlandguides.com/backcountry-cooking/backpacking-food-ideas
BACKPACKING!
Everything you need on your back. Anything you don't need? Leave it at home!
Goodwater Loop, Lake Georgetown
The Goodwater Loop is a 26.2 (like a marathon) trail that goes all the way around Lake Georgetown. It's a mix of woodland trail, rocky karst limestone, and some great views of the lake. From pre-historic middens (basically garbage dumps) to early settlers of the town of Georgetown, it's also a historic hike on the North Fork of the San Gabriel River that creates the lake.
Two Routes
The Goodwater Loops works out great for the troop because there are two options: a 10-mile, one night route for beginners, and a 26.2-mile, two night route for more experienced backpackers and those prepping for Philmont.
THE TWO TREKS:
Fri-Sat-Sun Group: full 26 mile trail loop (Hiking Map PDF)
Meet at Tejas Park parking lot (location) @ 6 pm. Go ~5 miles Friday night by headlamp, camp @ Walnut Springs.
Saturday go 15 miles, meet up with Sat-Sun group at Cedar Hollow Camp for the whole troop together.
Sunday go 6 miles back to Tejas Park. Done and ready for pickup ~ 1 pm.
Sat-Sun Group: 10 miles (Hiking Map PDF)
KEEP IN MIND
The weather. Be prepared for whatever we might encounter - rain, sun, cold, mud.
PACK LIGHT. The more you bring, the more you'll have to carry. And what you pack in, you'll pack out. Leave no trace, y'all. There are a few items listed on the Gear to Borrow tab of this spreadsheet, but you are running out of time to get them.
The campsites are dry. You'll want 2-3 liter capacity for carrying water for drinking, cooking, & cleaning.
What you can share, what you can't
Easy to share: backpacking stove, water filters
Don't share: eating utensils, food (everyone is providing their own food)
PACKING LIST WITH COMMENTARY
(Thanks to Tom Saeger & Stephen Sadler for the pro-tips)
Backpack
Big enough to hold gear for the weekend. Ideally you want everything in your backpack, not tied to the outside. Things dangling off a pack tend to be noisy and get caught on trees when the trail gets narrow.
A large trash bag for use as inside pack liner if weather looks like rain. But be sure to pack your extra water outside this bag in case it leaks.
This might be the campout to think hard about comfort items. What’s the biggest comfort item you can’t do without? Which ones could you leave behind for a night to reduce weight / space?
Hiking boots or shoes
We might cross some streams -- boots can offer more protection against wetness and turned ankles on rocks
NO cotton socks. If they get wet they’ll be wet all weekend. Actually - avoid cotton anything.
An extra pair of light closed-toe shoes is always nice to change into when we set up camp for the night.
Weather-appropriate clothing
This is critical, especially if it is cold. You want moisture-wicking base layers that you can change after getting sweaty carrying a pack. And warm outer layers you can add or remove as needed. Bringing one giant coat is hard to pack and gives you fewer options on temp control.
At night, put on fresh dry clothes to stay warmer. A warm hat and gloves can help with extremity heat loss.
Hat for sun protection / knit cap for cold
Tent
Some tents will set up with just the footprint, poles and rain fly. It's a great way to reduce weight by leaving the bulk of the tent at home in these non-bugggy months.
You can also bring a hammock, but keep in mind, there could be rain.
Sleeping bag and sleeping pad
Sleeping pad is critical to insulate from the ground
Flashlight (headlamp will be handy Friday night)
Water bottles and water-treatment supplies
Have enough capacity to carry at least 2-3 liters of water.
We might be refilling water from natural sources in the backcountry using filters or treatment tablets the troop will provide.
If you have a filter, feel free to bring it, but not everyone has to have their own.
If filtering water, remember to bring a dirty water vessel if that is how the treatment system works.
Think dual purpose, SmartWater/Life brand water bottles thread directly to Sawyer filters ;). They are also lighter than Nalgene and easier to filter into than Camelbaks. Also easier to gauge remaining water.
Trekking poles / walking stick
Don't have to be fancy, but can help with balance and climbing/descending on slippery trails.
Stove and fuel
Again, pair up with a buddy and share the weight.
You can also pick up these butane-propane mixed fuel stoves for cheap on Amazon (link), but you'll need to buy the fuel canisters locally. Lately Academy has been sold out, though they are available at REI for about the same price.
Kitchen supplies
Small vessel for boiling water
Spoon
Cup to drink / eat out of
Personal first aid kit (Be prepared! Blisters are the most common risk.)
Personal hygiene supplies (toothbrush, deodorant, medications -- these are held/administered by the Scoutmaster)
Primitive kit (Keep it accessible in your pack in a ziplock or other bag to keep separate from your other stuff. Sometimes when you've gotta go, you've just gotta go.)
Trowel
TP
Baby wipes
Purell
Repair kit:
Small amount of duct tape wound around a pencil or tent pole pipe patch
Pocket Knife
Small amount of para-cord
Plenty of food
You burn lots of calories backpacking. Bring foods to power you through the weekend. On our trip, we'll need snacks, breakfast(s), lunch(s) and a dinner. If it's cold, a warm meal brings happiness and sets you up for a better night's sleep. You can buy backpacking meals at REI or Academy, or make your own. Think simple (just add boiling water) and easy cleanup (swish out the pot, or use a freezer-rated zip-loc bag as a liner for zero cleanup).
Pack and label each meal along with a paper towel in its own freezer bag. Carry one extra freezer bag as a food trash bag. Get rid of any unnecessary packaging, (i.e. only bring the oatmeal packets and not the box it came in).
Here are some links to sites with DIY food ideas:
https://www.theyummylife.com/Backpacking_Food
More involved: https://www.outdoorproject.com/articles/how-start-making-your-own-homemade-backpacking-meals
https://www.wonderlandguides.com/backcountry-cooking/backpacking-food-ideas
More getting ready for backpacking
Tom Saeger's Backpacking 101 presentation from a Covid-era virtual troop meeting! Check it out:
Link to presentation video, password: =08wheoT
Link to presentation slides (gear lists and more)
There is now a tab on the virtual sign-up worksheet for people to:
List gear available to borrow for the backpacking campout and
Find gear to borrow for the backpacking campout
Backpacking requires a little more preparation and effort to prioritize what you need to bring, but offers some real freedoms over camping with all of the normal gear in the troop trailer. It's a chance to push yourself physically and sometimes challenge yourself mentally, but also great for getting back to basics -- away from cars and the noise and the conveniences of a more civilized campsite.