Dick Smith

  • Genealogy
  • Backpacker
  • Zion & Grand Canyon Trip
  • Photo Gallery
  • Backpacker Wood Stove
  • Retired!
  • Mt. Rose Wilderness Project
  • Training Attempt
  • Northstar District Outdoor Opportunities and Training

  • 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.

    dickasmith@sbcglobal.net

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