For as much fun as we have all year long with races, parades, hikes and all the rest, nothing quite compares to a week at Camp Wiley for a good time. We had a great group attend this year, and we all managed to make it to the same session.
Time in camp doing our own thing is always precious little. The camp staff keeps us moving pretty constantly. When we do get time to just hang out though, it is usually spent whittling or braiding crafts
The guys at Outdoor Skills had some great things is store for us this year. In addition to the rope bridge, we had instruction in flag etiquette and some rope tossing challenge events.
Archer and the BB rifle range are always favorites. Some of our Scouts did remarkably well this year. All of them earned an award from the US Olympic Junior Shooter Team.
Showers? That is a pretty rare occurrence at Camp. We are really good at making sure the Cubs get a daily chlorinating though.
Nature Lodge is a major activity. Not only do we earn our Prayer For The Earth patches and rockers there each year, but we also get to visit the animals, learn about geology and science, and learn weather reading and reporting skills. OHHHH WEATHERMAAAAN!!!
Fishing and Lake are events that everyone looks forward to. We don't get to do those as often as the other events, but we get wet and slimy enough to make up for it. :)
The leaders at Sports and Handicrafts keep both our bodies and minds busy. This year we learned to play Chess and Volleyball, as well as make bird houses, and other fun crafts.
And through the whole time the boys of each rank stick together, watching out for each other, helping, learning, eating ice cream and having a GREAT time together.
The final day of camp, instead of sleeping in and getting up late to pack and go home, we get up EXTRA early! The final morning is our day to hike! Young Scouts get to take a Nature Hike with the Nature Lodge staff. They learn a remarkable amount about our local flora and fauna. With a wide variety of plants, and fresh animal prints next to the lake, there is a lot to see.
...but the Webelos Scouts are the ones that get to spend the morning doing what they have waited two years to do... HIKE THE FIREBIRD TRAIL! This highly anticipated hike is not an easy stroll in the forest. It is a three mile round trip hike covering a significant change in elevation, during which we hike from Camp which is located on a ridge down into one of the most beautiful parts of Deep Creek. The hike back uphill is brutal, and tests these young men, but the memories of time playing and exploring down at the creek seems to get them through.
The hike down...
Exploring the rocks... (yes, all the red stuff on the rock really is thousands of lady bugs)
Hanging out together...
