Troop 344

Over this summer 6 scouts and 2 adults from Troop 344 went up to Northern Tier, a high adventure base on the boundary waters. The first afternoon the group checked everything and made sure that none of the gear was broken. We also met Jake, who was the interpreter for the trip. The next morning we set out. Every day had a routine; everyone would wake up early, pack everything, and have breakfast. Our goal each day was to get on the water between 7 and 8. We paddled and portaged from 8 to about 2 daily while we searched for campsites, the finding of which was generally followed by lunch and the setting up of camp. Once camp was set up and in acceptable condition, everyone was able to get some free time where some scouts would go fishing or take off their wet boots and relax on the rocks. After that would come dinner, then a campfire during which Jake would read a short passage from a book that talks about Northern Tier. Our scouts were faced with nature that was simply breathtaking on this trip. Many fish were caught, and we witnessed snapping turtles and bald eagles up close when we put fish carcasses back into the water. However, the crew also faced many challenges. Some included breaking a tent pole, trudging through muck, and even catching a cold. Even so, our group was able to accomplish 75 miles in just 6 days. In the end the crew had a spectacular adventure on the border of Canada and 4 scouts got the first triple crown award ever in this troop.