With gas prices continuing to rise, the cost of fuel has to be weighed even when deciding on backpacking and hiking trips. Not that backpacking in Silver Falls isn’t worth the 6 hour drive (it is), but our current discretionary income mandated something closer to home.

Did you know that Bainbridge Island has miles and miles of trails? These are surprisingly well developed. The only drawback is that you need to be creative (read, route some distance on the roads) for longer distances. Four of the northern trail systems link together; the rest are somewhat scattered around the island.

Great Forest East – Great Forest West – Forest to Sky – Battle Point & Ferry Dell point to point.
Just off highway 305 and Sportsman’s Club Rd is NE Wardell. It’s a quiet road, and you can add a little over 1/2 mile to your hike by starting at the beginning of Wardell. After 1/2 mile, the road turns. STAY STRAIGHT to go up the big hill to the trailhead. The trailhead is clearly evident (and so is the evidence that it’s used by horses). Use your map to choose the mileage you want. You’ll want to end up at the parking area at the junction of Mandus Olson Rd NE and Mandus Olson Rd NE (no, unfortunately, that’s NOT a typo).

From here, travel 4/10ths of a mile due west to get to the Grand Forest West trailhead. Yes, you’re going the right direction. It’s not very clearly marked and you might think you’re headed into someone’s driveway — as long as you continue west, you won’t be. (Note: if someone is looking for an Eagle project, trailhead signage might be a good one. The signage pictured is for the Miller Road trailhead.) Grand Forest West is a great place to practice your map and compass skills. You want to end up in the northwest corner parking area on Miller Road.

The Forest to Sky Trail is directly across Miller Road. There’s no crosswalk, so please be careful when crossing. Look for the little sign at the trailhead. This trail is just about a mile and straightforward. Toward the end you might feel as if you’re walking through people’s backyards, but rest assured that you are on an easement as long as you stay on the path. You will end up in Battle Point Park, a magnificent recreational area with ball fields, a planetarium, public garden, and more trails.

Add to your mileage on the walking trails, or head straight to the northwest corner parking lot. Across and just east of it is a short walk to Ferry Dell. It’s very pretty and worth the extra distance.

Fay Bainbridge Park is the only public camping area on the island. Beautiful? Absolutely. But when you add in the frogs (make sure to choose a site as close to the day area for less frog noise), the undisciplined children who scream until 10 pm and then begin screaming again at 6 am, and the dawn power tools from the homeowner next door, bring your earplugs if you plan to get any sleep. There are a lot of private rentals where people are willing to make deals, especially outside of summer. Or you might be able to make a joint outing with one of the BI troops, some of whom surely have a large backyard for tents.

This trip also included Manzanita Park Trail (meh) and Hidden Cove Park Trail – a nice walk through the forest once you find the trailhead, and a neat little park on the marina. Some of the southern trails could probably be stitched together, and we’ll likely head there next.

There are TONS of Geocaches on the island. For us, navigation was jumpy in most spots, but if you have a better GPS, you might find a lot of treasure.

Burke Museum
Sat., June 6, 2012 | 10 am – 3 pm
$10 per Boy Scout; troop leaders and adult chaperones are free

Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts are invited to earn their Geology awards at the Burke with a special day of earth science activities. Geologists will be on hand to answer questions and direct activities for earning the Geology Merit Badge, Webelos Geologist Pin, Cub Scout Belt Loop, and Geology Academics Pin. Activities are scheduled to include mountain building, earth science careers overview, origins of fossils, volcanoes, mining and mineral recovery, Mohs’ scale of hardness and more! A merit badge counselor is available to certify completion.

To register for the Boy Scout Geology program, sign up at the Seattle Council event site. Register early as the event will close when full.

For more information, contact Burke Education 206-543-5591 or email burked@uw.edu.

Note: When we last went, it was a comprehensive program taught by a PhD, with the assistance of a geological engineer. Scouts who come with an eagerness to learn should be able to complete their badge on a Saturday afternoon. Parents can visit the rest of the museum, or remain with their Scouts (also open to Cubs and Webelos). Workbooks are provided by the Burke, and need to be completed in order to earn the badge.

If you haven’t yet completed your Indian Lore badge, several of the requirements can be fulfilled at the Burke exhibits after you finish Geology. Or take your GPS and explore some of the many Geocaches in the area for your Geocaching badge. This is an especially good idea if you’re taking the ferry and bus.

Directions to the Burke Museum

Railroading Merit Badge

Offered by
Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad

Get a glimpse of history up close and personal!

When: June 9, 2012
Time: Check-In: 8:30-9:00, Finish approx. 4:00
Cost:
* Boy Scouts (Must be registered Boy Scout): $15 (Includes patch & registration fee)
* Adults: $10 (Patches extra) If registered as a troop: 1 free adult for 3-5 scouts, 2 free for 6 or more
Where: Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad Restoration Yard
349 Mineral Creek Rd, Mineral, WA 98355

Space is limited to first 80 registered scouts.
To register, email Nancy Lawton, or call 1-888-STEAM11 or 360-492-5588
(May also register online at www.mrsr.com, but some additional info will be needed after registering)

What to Bring:
Appropriate clothing for the weather (layers – the weather can change quickly)
Clipboard or something to write on (and something to write with)
Signed Blue Card
Digital Camera, if possible (don’t forget to check your batteries and data card)
Lunch* (*Lunch available on location but must be pre-ordered. Lunch includes hot dog, chips and drink. Cost: $4.50)

Day includes tour of restoration area and vintage steam engines
Train ride to Mineral Lake pulled by vintage diesel locomotive

All requirements will be met to complete the badge with one exception in requirement 8b:
For this requirement the scout can complete the badge by either :
1. Taking at least 5 photos or
2. Draw at least 3 drawings of items of interest during the day.
3. Do research about Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad prior to attending, and visit with one of the personnel while on location. (Some information can be emailed upon request.)
Photos or drawings can be mailed, emailed, or if scout has a digital camera he may show and explain photos to one of the merit badge counselors during the day.

** Camping opportunities may be available. **

Other Opportunities

PIERCE COUNTY FAIR PHOTO CONTEST: Enter your photos in the Pierce County Fair. All entries will receive a ribbon placing and be displayed during the fair. Best photo or photo story will be awarded a special ribbon and a gift certificate redeemable for 2 free tickets on Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad’s Santa train or 4 tickets on any regular excursion train.

Single photos must be at least 5×7, photo stories must have at least 5 photos & photos must be at least 4”x 6”. All photo entries must be neatly mounted with description of what is in the photo(s) and/or point of interest. (Other items Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts or Venturers have made during the scouting year may also be entered including drawings if scout chooses that option )

Pierce County Fair: August 11-14, entries due on or before August 8th or 9th
(Discount tickets to the fair also available. See www.piercecountyfair.com for more information)

COMMUNITY SERVICE:

Mount Rainier Scenic Railroad is a 501(c)3 not for profit organization. Community Service help would be greatly appreciated. In appreciation for help, Scouts performing at least 4 hours community service will receive a voucher redeemable for a free ride on the stream train during the normal operating season.

Difficulty rating: 2/9 (Easy) Hard pressed to think of one easier.

Day 1: Start at Ceres Hill Trailhead. We had hoped to start at the Spooner Road Trailhead, but the bridge was out. It wasn’t something that could be waded. Must have been an incredible storm to have washed away a railroad trestle.

The Willapa Trail is long and flat, almost perfectly so. It’s packed gravel, and would be excellent for trail bikes. This is a rails-to-trails conversion, and it shows. Very well cared for trail, excepting some downed trees along the way. Ceres is at about milepost 10, give or take 1/4 mile. Shortly after milepost 12 1/2, there is a parking area. It was a good check-in point for the solo hiker. The trail crosses the road in a few places, but it is clearly marked with warning signs on the roads for the drivers to slow down. We didn’t see much traffic at all. Near milepost 15 1/2 is the cut-off to Rainbow Falls State Park on the left. The sign is down in a ditch. Look for the skull ship and Dryad’s Keep on the right. If you continue straight ahead, you’ll end up at another impassable bridge, after Chandler Road. You can make a left on Chandler, and another left on Leidenhaus Road and get to the park that way if you miss the cut-off.

If you like to backpack or hike alone, this is a good choice. I saw only one other person on the trail.

32 degrees outside, with weather that moves from sunny to hail to snow and rain within minutes. The plan was for 7.5, but after 6, the decision was made to warm up and do more tomorrow, when the weather was forecasted to be sunny.

Rainbow Falls is interesting. You can see the major cleanup and reconstruction that’s happening, but the campsites themselves are in need of repair. It didn’t help that it was cold, dark, and muddy. Tent up, but no stakes. Gatorade bottles to the rescue. Untied the survival bracelet to find only three feet of cord. Better than nothing. Very, very cold night worthy of the extra weight of the down sleeping bag.

Mileage: 6 miles (calculate your mileage at http://gmap-pedometer.com)

Day 2: Back the other way. Today was also 32 degrees, but at least it was cold and sunny, without a rain cloud in sight. Needed to make up the other 3 miles, so after a brief rest at Ceres, it was off for a mile and a half out and back. Dinner and reading books.

Day 3: Drive home.

Best part:
The scenery
The weather on Day 2
Sprinting the last 3 miles

Lessons Learned:
Keep your rain gear where it is easily accessible so you don’t have to take off your whole pack to get to it.
No water on the trail (except rain water); make sure to bring enough
“Check to make sure you packed the tentpoles” really means “Check to make sure you have the tentpoles and stakes.”

In the summer time, this could be a great opportunity to get in (2) 10-mile hikes with a camping night between them. With all the work that needs done at Rainbow Falls, I’m sure some sort of deal could be worked out with the ranger. All the heavy stuff is being done by the state parks folks, but the small clean-up stuff seems perfect for a Scout troop. They have showers (lukewarm, 50 cents for 3 minutes), cooking facilities, a ballfield, and a lot of trails to explore.

This is a great opportunity for Scouts who are interested in woodcarving to see what’s possible, especially those who have not yet completed their Wood Carving merit badges. KCW has welcomed Scouts to their social carving sessions, providing instruction and encouragement for boys working on their merit badges. Why make something from a pre-made kit at camp when your designs are really only limited by your imagination? The Woodcarvers meet several times a week for social carving sessions (those at the Givens Center on Thursdays from 10-3 have been wonderful about helping budding carvers), and monthly for a formal session with speakers. Recommended to call first and let them know that you’re coming; if you tell them in advance, someone can prepare time to help you with your projects.

For those Scouts who have finished a carving (or will have before the event), the show has a “Little Shavers Award” for ages 16 and younger. It’s a no-cost, open entry.

The following persons are registered as MBCs for Sinclair. If you know of others (perhaps ORCA or Thunderbird), would you please let us know?

Jay Klega (see our Meet The Merit Badge Counselor page here)
William Burger
Shane Hilson
Bill Mackley (ask your SM for contact info)
William Gilstrap (ask your SM for contact info)

Happy carving!

Merit Badge Counselor for:
Camping
Computers
Cooking
Electronics
Emergency Preparedness
Family Life
Fire Safety
Hiking
Nature
Leatherwork
Oceanography
Personal Fitness
Personal Management
Public Speaking
Rifle Shooting
Shotgun Shooting
Swimming
Wood Carving

District: Sinclair

How did you get started in Scouting?
My wife, myself and several people restarted Pack 4549 at Holy Trinity in October of 2005. By February of 2006, the original leaders had left for various reasons and I “volunteered” to put my name in the Cubmaster slot in order to recharter the unit. Another Dad, Felix, and I pretty much shared the Cubmaster / Den Leader roles for the next few years.

Were you a Scout?
Yes. I was a Bear, Webelos (1 year?) and a Boy Scout from about 1979 to 1983. I made it to 2nd Class Scout, was a Patrol Leader, and remember needing only a First Aid signoff to complete my 1st Class rank. I attended nearly every outing that our Troop scheduled, but I seem to remember that the Troop meetings became very boring for me.

What’s your favorite badge?
None in particular, but I do enjoy the outdoor badges more than the behavioral badges.
Why?
It allows me to see more of the Scouts’ effort, details and personality in hands-on badges than I do in some others. Some badges are more ‘in your head’ which is great but not as exciting to “watch”.

What do you like best about merit badge counseling?
As a former Navy and current corporate and BSA trainer, I like to discover how the Scouts learn about things, how they form and work in teams and what interests them. Leaders live for those “AHA” moments. Counseling improves my interpersonal skills and makes me a better leader and Father. There are many parallels between team dynamics in the corporate world and the Scouting world if you pause, look and listen.

What’s the best way for Scouts to reach you?
E-mail – jayklega@yahoo.com

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Brinnon Fire Department
272 Schoolhouse Road, Brinnon

This is a First Responder merit badge day. Experts including Fish & Wildlife, Detectives, Police Officers, Firefighters, and EMTs will teach Scouts throughout the day. This is a great opportunity to learn from professionals in their fields.

In order that badges may be completed in a Scout-like and thorough fashion, each of the offered badges has prerequisites –

AM session (8:30-12:30)
American Labor (prerequisite = requirement 2)
Safety (prereq = 1,2,3b,4,6)

PM session (1-5)
Crime Prevention (prereq = 2,4,5,7)
Public Health (prereq = 5,7)

All day session (8:30-5)
Fire Safety (prereq = 6)

Cost: $10 per Scout (early-bird registration before March 17 = $5 per Scout)
To register, send email to LReynolds@BrinnonFire.org
Include Scout’s name, troop number, phone number, and choice of classes. Note: first and second choices should be listed for each session.
After emailing, please send registration check to: Lonnie Reynolds, Prepared for Life, PO Box 537, Brinnon, WA 98320.
Questions? Please email or call Lonnie at 360-765-0328

Camping the night before may be available at Camp Parsons. Contact the camp directly.

See the official flyer HERE.

Some of the highlights include:

Wednesdays 8-11a Birding Habitat Walks. This one should hit several of the “>Bird Study requirements, including the walk with a naturalist. $15 per session.

Astronomy Star Parties. 2/11, 3/10, 4/14, 5/12 and 6/09. Outdoors (evenings), weather permitting. No charge.

Beginning Kayaking – rumor has it that this will be the next badge after Welding. Get a jump on the requirements in this class. Scouts 14 and under attend FREE with a paid adult. Saturdays 9-12, $49.

There is more, including backpacking, snowshoeing, hiking, cycling,

Even if making the trip to BI isn’t practical for you, there are a lot of great IDEAS in their handbook. Methinks there must be an Eagle Scout on their staff .

Not every project will be selected, but the PROCESS of getting your invention ready to submit (which they lay out for you) fulfills many of the Inventing MB requirements.

Deadline is May 7, 2012.

Here’s the spiel from their webpage:

Calling All Young Inventors! Kids, ‘tweens, teens, and college students…

Do you have an idea for a cool, new product that you think should be made and sold in stores? THINK! What would make your life more fun? What would solve a problem around the house, the yard or at school? Is there something that would help you take better care of your pet or a new way to learn or play?

Now is your chance to invent the next “big thing” to be sold on store shelves!

The Boy Scouts of America and Edison Nation challenge you to get inventing in 2012.

This Innovation Challenge invites all creative thinkers 21 and under to submit their ideas, and Edison Nation will spend up to $1 million to develop the products and make them a reality. We will do everything from designing your product, making the prototypes and filing the patents—all you have to do is invent!

Selected inventors will receive royalties from the sale of their products for life, be named the “inventor” on any issued patents and have an opportunity to appear on the award-winning Everyday Edisons television series.

If you are in the Boy Scouting program, submitting an invention idea to Edison Nation as part of the Boy Scouts of America Innovation Challenge helps you complete many of the requirements for the Inventing Merit Badge.

Boeing Employees Coin Club help with Merit Badge

At the Boeing Employees Coin Club – Annual Coin Show on January 21st and 22nd the club is going to have a couple of tables set up for the Young Numismatists (YN’s). The goal is to educate and promote the hobby and to make the coin show more interesting for them to participate in. There is going to be a ‘getting started’ display case showing a couple of small easily collectible sets (without having to spend a small fortune as a kid). A video display of how coins are made from design to die and minting will be showed numerous times throughout the show along with how currency is printed. Table/door prizes for the YNs will be given out to each visiting kid.

One of the tables will be set up so a YN/Scout can have an individual merit badge ‘clinic’ so Scouts can work on and nearly complete their merit badge requirements. This table will also include a penny search as the Scout needs to collect a set of coins from their birth year to the current year (pending availability). For the YN’s feeling up to the ‘challenge’ and wanting to see more of the coin show, there is a planned treasure hunt to complete out a 2011 type set from penny to half dollar. Those returning to show their card/type set coins collected to the YN table will get the remaining dollar coin (as supply allows) to complete the set.

For Scouts to complete the merit badge at the coin show, they will need to bring in 5 state quarters (requirement 6) and a set of coins from their birth year to 2011 (option 9d; Scouts who have collections that fulfill 9 a,b, or c are welcomed to bring them instead). The rest of the requirements will be covered at the coin show.

Details:
January 21-22, 2012
Boeing Employees’ Coin Club Show
Kent Commons
525 – 4th Ave. N.
Kent, WA

For more information please contact David Buehler.

Download the flyer here.

There is no cost for the show or the merit badge instruction.
Covered parking is free at the courthouse.

Note: if you are working on your Geocaching badge, there are at least 4 caches within walking distance.