Swept Away on High Adventure...Almost!

I'm the varsity scout leader or team coach of our local ward scout troop and last week we had our high adventure trip to the Buffalo Trails Scout Ranch in the Davis Mountains of West TX. When they say there is no cell phone reception there, they really aren't kidding. It was probably the longest I was disconnected from the world and technology in years. Yes, TX has mountains...but I didn't believe it until we had arrived. We participated in the mountain man program where you carry in all your gear, food, etc... on your back into a camp only accessible by hiking or horseback.

We did a lot of fun things and went on some beautiful hikes that we have pictures of below but the highlight of the week is that we almost died in a flash flood. We were swimming a location known as "the notch" and our guide Mountain Man Bob who was at camp heard the flood coming. So he sprinted down canyon to where we were swimming under a loud waterfall (which would have prevented us from hearing it until it was on us!) and got us out just seconds before a wall of water came crashing through. Because we were swimming no one had a camera to capture the event. To make things worse, we were stuck opposite our camp for over five long hours until the raging waters calmed enough for us to cross. One of the campers had brought the seventh Harry Potter book so I read the whole thing while we were sitting there.

We made it back safe and after a week of dutch oven cooking I found I missed the following most: Julie, ICE, A chair with back, and MY BED!!! Glad to be back safe with good stories to tell!

On one hike we had to cross the creek 34 times. At first we tired to avoid getting wet, but eventually we all did.

All our water we got from natural springs. It was really good.

I think I'm ready for survivor now that I can start a fire with just flint and steel!