Looking down the Ruby Crest trail from below Wines Peak toward Ruby Dome through
ridge crossing to Favre Lake area
Scouting, as in Boy Scouts of America, has become a way of life for the Smith
family. Two Eagle Scouts and a daughter, who had backpacked 322 miles before turning
16, are some of the product of this scouting family. We can not stay out of the
wilderness areas for long without suffering withdrawal. What are some of the consequences
of this addiction? The oldest graduated with at BS in Biochemistry, all on scholarships,
and did graduate work in education to become a teacher. By 2006 he had finished
his work for his teaching credential and spent the spring substitute teaching.
Most of his substitute teaching was long term 7th grade science. In the summer
he was a ROPES Course facilitator and high adventure backcountry guide, often
working with at-risk youth. In the winter he taught backcountry skiing and snow
backpacking. Scouting has been his guide to a teaching career. He will be coming
home mid April of 2009 after serving a full time mission for his church. The second
son served a full time mission for his church and is continuing his education
in Engineering, again with the aid of a scholarship. He is now married, bought
a house and has had our first grand child, Keziah. My daughter is attending UNR
on a scholarship studying nutritional science. She has done some ROPES Course
facilitating. She makes up the difference between the cost of education and scholarships
by working at DRI as a “lab rat”, just like her brothers did. When she
finds the time for a little rejuvenation from her busy schedule, she requests
my partnership in a little backpacking.
Many of the things seen on this site represent what I never dreamed I would be
able to do like backpacking and rock climbing. I thought my back would never allow
me to do such things. I was even scared what might happen if I did them. My children
helped me through my fears sufficient to, not only do these things, but ride a
deteriorating disk in my back to the end while doing these things. Surgery went
well and I am back doing these things again. A short recovery was one of the consequences.
I even recovered sufficiently well (fears also) to take up telemark skiing and
break my ankle in 2006. I managed to spend a couple of hours skiing after the
initial recovery of my ankle. My wife, who was raised in a scouting family, has
received many awards of recognition for her efforts in scouting. It is a fulfilling
family life style. On 31July2007 I retired and started backpacking in earnest
starting with a trip up Mt. Whitney with two nights at Trail Camp (12,000 ft).
I got in a three day backpack trip on skis March, 2008, and many backpack trips
through spring, summer and fall of 2008.
In 2009, I will get to log many more miles as I document campgrounds, hikes and backpack
routes for the Northstar District in our Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
I see the getting of more adult scouters out with more boy scouts backpacking
as a powerful antidote to the ills of youth in the modern era. I will use this
web site to do the documentation and the training in good backpacking practices. Hopefully,
more scouters and scouts will feel more comfortable with backpacking after enjoying
this web site.
