2023-14 Hidden Treasure

What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you hear the word treasure? A map where “X” marks the spot? A pirate with a thick long black beard? A chest full of gold and gems? Or maybe even one of your own prized possessions…  What do you treasure? I know that for me back in the day I treasured my baseball card collection, my Boy Scout personal radio that I won from selling candy bars as a Cub Scout in the Teton Peaks Council, and my first mountain bike when I was 12 years old.  Naturally the items that I treasured throughout my life have changed. Now my treasures are not necessarily things, but mostly include people, experiences, and memories. Take some time tonight and reflect on what you treasure.

There is a well-known story of an old farmer who called his three idle sons around him while on his deathbed to impart to them an important secret.

“My sons, a great treasure lies hidden in the estate which I am about to leave you," the old man gasped. "Where is it hidden?" exclaimed the sons.

“I am about to tell you”, said the old man; "you will have to dig for it."

But his breath failed him before he could impart the weighty secret; and he died. Forthwith the sons set to work with spade and mattock upon the long-neglected fields, and they turned over every sod and clod upon the estate.

They discovered no treasure, but they learned to work; and when the fields were sown, and the harvest came, lo! The yield was prodigious, because of the thorough tillage which the fields had undergone. It was then that they discovered the treasure concealed in the estate, which their wise old father had advised them.

2023-08 Angels Landing

This weekend we are exploring Zion National Park which is 1 of the 5 National Parks located in Utah. For the past 4 years we have made it a tradition to visit Zion. This year was the first that we experienced the park with snow and frigid temperatures.  Naturally our major hiking day, Friday, was the coldest day of the trip.  But we were not about to let that ruin the day.  Day one we hiked 10 miles which included an attempt to reach the top of Angels Landing.

Now, let's be very clear about the Angels Landing hike.  This hike has never been on my bucket list as I have no desire at all to dangle my body over a 1,500 foot drop off while holding onto some chains. With that in mind, we started to ascend the Angels Landing trail.

A little history about Angels Landing: A century ago a Methodist minister named Frederick Vining Fisher was so in awe of this massive sandstone cliff that he made the comment that only angels might land on it.  So the name stuck and what used to be known as the Temple of Aeolus was renamed Angels Landing.  The trail was built in the 1920’s and is 5 miles round trip. As you get closer to the top, you reach a section of the trail that is called Walter’s Wiggles. The wiggles are named after Walter Ruesch who was the park’s first acting superintendent. This section is made up of 21 extremely tight switchbacks that eventually put you at Scout Lookout. Angels Landing is one of the most dangerous hikes in the United States as there have been 17 confirmed deaths from individuals falling. 12 of those deaths happened between 1908 to 2016. With all this information to scare me to death alone… we kept on hiking.

As we reached Walter’s Wiggles we ran into an obstacle we had not planned for.  Ice and snow on the trail. We were in need of traction devices to continue on the trail safely.  So, half of the group turned around and started back down the trail as the other half of the group continued on using extra caution on the switchbacks.  Guess who was in the group to continue up… that’s right… me.  The switchbacks were a challenge with the slick conditions but manageable going up. Then the thought popped into my head… this is going to be a whole lot harder coming back down. Which it was. A couple of times we had to slide down the mountain on our backsides.

Finally we reached the end of Walter’s Wiggles and there is a section right before you start on the chain section of Angels Landing that is called Scout Lookout.  At this point, you have an amazing view of the valley as you stand at 5,790’ of elevation with the remaining .5 mile hike up to the end of Angels Landing ahead of you.  As we did not have traction devices for our shoes, the decision was made to have this be our stopping point and we took it all in.

Standing at Scout Lookout, your breath is not only taken away by the 1,500’ elevation gain that you just hiked, but also by the view of the canyon all around you with the Virgin River down below. As I was standing there taking it all in, reflections of my own personal growth and accomplishments came to mind. Reflections also of family members who have come and also left this Earth and all of their accomplishments. Along the trail there are multiple waypoints starting with the Trailhead and then Refrigerator Canyon, Walter’s Wiggles, Scout Lookout, The Spine, and eventually the Summit of Angels Landing.  The same can be compared with our trails within Cub Scouts and Scouts BSA as we work from Bobcat to Lion, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, and eventually Arrow of light. From Scout to Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, Life, and finishing with Eagle.  

Each one of us are at different stages along the trail.  Some of us have to be pushed along the trail sometimes. Some of us reach a stopping point before we reach the summit. This is the case with my Father.  As a youth, my father reached the rank of Star. During those years as a youth he was a staff member at Camp Mitigwa in Iowa and loved every minute of being a scout. He was an amazing scout and later Scoutmaster, Cubmaster, District Leader, and many other hats that he wore. It’s with this example that I would argue that the rank does not make the scout, rather the experiences and growth in character along the trail. The rank is only a reflection of what we personally have accomplished through our physical, mental, and moral challenges along the hike.

Let us all continue practicing the Cub Scout Motto, To Do Our Best, no matter where we are on the trail of scouting.

2023-03 On The Trail

Back in 2017 I came across his Scouter’s Minute from Troop 174 in Elwood, NY.

Once a long time ago a hound was out with his owner trailing a mountain lion. The hound came to a place where a fox had crossed the trail, and the hound decided to follow the fox instead of the lion. 

A short time later, a rabbit crossed that of the fox, and again the hound changed direction. Why should he chase a fox when a rabbit might be easier to catch? 

When the hunter finally caught up with his hound, the dog was barking at a small hole in the ground. The hound had brought to bay a field mouse instead of a mountain lion. 

Well, how about you? Have you set out on a trail to achieve your ambition? Are you able to follow it, or are you sidetracked by easier trails that cross it from time to time? 

Don't be like that hound. Find out what it takes to achieve your ambition, and then get started. The best way to achieve anything in life is to set a true course for it and then stick to that trail.

Thank you to Troop 174 in Elwood, NY for posting this wonderful Scoutmaster's minute. http://bsatroop174.org/A_Scoutmaster.html

2023-01 Difficult Roads

Today we say hello to the very first day of the year 2023. For the past 2 years, rather than displaying ads for items that are on sale, our local grocery store has placed inspirational messages on the signs along the outside of the building. Yesterday as I pulled to get some last minute items for our New Year's Eve celebration, I read the following. “ Difficult roads often lead to beautiful destinations.” I kept thinking about this sentence as I was walking through the isles and some of the beautiful destinations that I personally have explored this past couple of years.

Sequoia National Park comes to mind as the road to reach the park is one that will push your vehicle to its limits with the steep and windy road. But hugging one of those massive redwoods after enduring the long hard road is totally worth it.

Timpanogos Caves inside Mt. Timpanogos is another one that comes to mind. Even though the hike up to the cave is only 2.5 miles, it is a hike that will push your body to its limits. After you reach the cave opening, and catch your breath for about 20 minutes so your heart doesn’t jump out of your chest, the beauties of all the stalagmites and stalactites along with the Heart of Timpanogos will take your breath away again.

Ruth Lake is another hidden gem that we discovered inside the Uinta National Forest along the Mirror Lake Hwy. The elevation is pretty high up there which brings its own challenges with breathing, headaches, and fatigue and the trail is constantly up and down throughout the 3 mile round trip. But the blue high elevation lake is one that brought me one of my most relaxing days I have had in a long time as I took a nap in the hammock alongside its shore line.

These are all great destinations, and there are many more that I could talk about. But, my mind started thinking about some of the destinations that I have reached that are not necessarily found on a map. These are items that I have personally accomplished that may have been difficult to endure through. I think my son would have one of his personal destinations be planning and completing his Eagle Project.

New Years is one of those great times of the year that we can reflect on how we are personally doing, what we should be doing better, and some of the items we would like to complete on our bucket list. It’s a time for resolutions and goal setting. I personally do not have New Years resolutions, but I do set some goals that I would like to accomplish for myself personally along with some goals I would like to accomplish with my family.

These past couple of years have been very difficult for many people. Emotionally, physically, and mentally. I personally had the difficult time of losing my father in October of 2021. My kids would probably say that their school year this last year was really difficult. Difficult roads will always be part of our life. Whatever your difficult roads have been, take some time to reflect on how you are the person that you are now because of the experiences you have been through. Reflect on some of those amazing places that you have hiked to or camped at that were off the beaten path. Each difficult road that we endure through makes us a little more Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean, and Reverent.

2022-34 Man In The Glass

I originally shared this Scouter’s Minute back in 2018 and I'm not sure if this is still done at Island Park Scout Camp, but when I was a staff member from 97' to 98', each Thursday night was honor trail for the scouts. At the end of the honor trail, the staff member assigned to that station, would pull out their Boy Scout signal mirror and recite the poem, "The Man In The Glass" as you faced the mirror towards the scouts in order for them to see their reflections. We were to have this poem memorized in the event that we were assigned to the last station that night. But, just in case, the words were printed and placed on the back of the mirror if we needed a little help. Pictured is my personal IPSC Staff signal mirror.

THE MAN IN THE GLASS

When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father, or mother, or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.

You may be like Jack Horner and chisel a plum
And think you're a wonderful guy,
But the man in the glass says you're only a bum
If you can't look him straight in the eye.

He’s the fellow to please, never mind all the rest
For he’s with you clear up to the end
And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult test
If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass,
But your final reward will be heartaches and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass. 

--- Dale Wimbrow (1934)

2022-15 Carrots, Egg, and Tea

A scout I know wanted to talk. He was bummed about school and family and life in general. Things were just 'too hard'.

While he was telling me his troubles, I filled three pots with water and put them over the fire.
When the water was boiling, I put some carrots in one pot, an egg in the 2nd, and some mint tea in the 3rd.

Then, the scout and I went for a short walk, just to pass some time. When we returned, I scooped out the carrots into a bowl, the egg into another bowl, and poured some mint tea into a cup.

Then I asked the scout, "What do you see?"

Being a bright scout, he said, "Carrots, an egg, and some tea."

I had him feel the carrots and he said they were soft and mushy.
I had him break open the egg and he saw it was hard-boiled.
I had him take a sip of the tea and he said it tasted warm, strong and rich.

Each of these things encountered the same harsh, boiling water.
The carrots started out tough and crunchy, but the water made them soft, mushy, and weak.
The egg looked the same before and after being boiled, but its inside had become hard.
The mint tea was unique. It changed the water and made the water into something better than it had been.

So, "Which do you want to be?"

Are you tough and sure when things are comfortable, but wilt and lose heart when hard times come?

Do you keep your inner feelings hidden under a shell but let hard times harden your heart and kill your spirit?

Or, do you embrace adversity and turn hard times into times of growth? Do you work to improve difficult situations? Do you look for ways you can make things better around you rather than retreating into yourself?

Tough luck, hard times, gloomy days, heartache, and pain come to everyone - its called 'life' and it happens. People that seem happy or content have just as much trouble in their lives as those that are miserable. They have just found a better way to meet challenges and persevere. They strive to make the most of what life brings them.

2021-10 The Flashlight

One of the key essential items that we always pack as scouts is a flashlight.  Why is a flashlight useful?

Back in 1991, a flashlight proved very useful for a few scouts on their first week-long scout camp in Wyoming.  If any of you have ever attended Camp Loll in Wyoming, you know all about the polar bear challenge. Scouts and scouters have the opportunity to take the freezing cold plunge as you recite the Scout Oath and Scout Law. It was after this event that we realized that some of us left some of our gear next to the glacier fed waterfall.  So, with flashlights in hand, four of us made the 1-mile hike back to the waterfall. The flashlights helped us along the trail by providing light wherever we pointed them. Reaching our destination and by the light of our flashlights, we could see our packs that we hung from branches earlier that day and rushed over to retrieve them. Our flashlights also revealed the enormous bull moose who decided to stand up from behind the same tree that was holding our packs! Those same flashlights were now shooting in all directions like light sabers in the sky along the trail as we ran for our lives from Mr. Moose. We lived to tell the tail.

Sometimes, when we are in a group of people, only one person has their flashlight on. That one person determines what the rest of the group will see or the direction we need to hike along the trail. One thing I have noticed in my years of scouting, is that when one flashlight clicks on… more are guaranteed to turn on. We naturally want to be helpful and share our light. It’s amazing when everyone in the group turns on their lights and holds them up. The light takes over the darkness, and all can see.

When you have some time tonight, turn off the lights in your house and turn your flashlight on. Is it bright or do you need new batteries? How much of the room does it light up? If you keep your flashlight on too long, what will eventually happen to the light?

Now, think of yourself as the flashlight. How strong are your batteries? How bright is your light? Do you share your light with others along the trail? What do you focus your light on?

Each day, as we do our good turn, we can recharge our batteries as we do our duty to God and country, help other people, and keep ourselves physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.