Vasquez Rocks 10/17

VASQUEZ ROCKS - October 17, 2012

We’ll meet there at 2:30pm (this is a Wednesday minimum day at school).

Bear Den Leader, Russ, will cover Geology & Leave No Trace Guidelines. Last year we missed the Geology Trail due to a commercial filming in the area, so we'll be hiking that trail this year.

Directions:

Take 138 West through Littlerock and Pearblossom. Make the slight left onto Pearblossom Hwy. This will turn into Sierra Hwy. Take this to the 14 freeway. Enter the 14S and continue about 11 miles and exit on Escondido Canyon Rd. You’ll make a left off the ramp and a right onto Escondido Canyon Rd. The entrance is at 10700 Escondido Canyon Rd. It’s on the left and there should be a sign for Vasquez Rocks. Once you get into the park, make a left onto the main dirt road and follow it to the large open parking area.

Parking:

We're going to meet at the larger parking lot in the center of the park because parking areas at the entrance are pretty small. Parking is Free and doesn't require any kind of pass. There are chemical toilets in the parking area.

Uniform/What to Bring:

Please wear your Class B Scout Shirt (green t-shirt) or Uniform Shirt, water, a jacket, and snack. The hike itself is only a mile or so but the boys will definitely want to climb the rocks so don't wear any nice jeans. You will experience some rough terrain and small hills on the hike so wear good shoes or hiking boots. We will be there approximately 2 hours.

Achievements:

This will count as a Hike with your Pack or Den, Buddy System Requirements or Electives, Practicing Leave No Trace Guidelines, and some Geology Requirements.

About the Park:

This 932-acre park located in the high desert near Agua Dulce Springs and features spectacular rock formations, Tataviam Indian sites, and a seasonal stream. The rocks’ history began in prehistoric times when the sandstone rocks were uplifted at a picturesque angle, showing their jagged red features. In 1874 Tiburcio Vasquez, one of California’s most notorious bandits, used these rocks to elude capture by law enforcement. His name has since been associated with this geologic feature. The park is a popular hiking, picnicking, and equestrian area. Vasquez has been a popular filming location used as the setting for scenes in many movies, television shows and commercials. Among the many films and television show to feature Vasquez Rocks are the “The Lone Ranger”, “Zorro”, “Little Miss Sunshine”, “Bonanza”, “Blazing Saddles”, “Star Trek”, “24”, “The Six Million Dollar Man”, “MacGyver”, “Austin Powers”, Star Trek 11, Numbers and “The Flintstones”.

Park Website (copy and paste): http://lacountyparks.org/Parkinfo.asp?URL=cms1_033383.asp&Title=Vasquez%20%20Rocks%20Natural%20Area%20and%20Center

Questions?: Becky Johnson, rdukes412@hotmail.com

Cub Scout Cookout @ the Methodist Camp 10/14

Our next Pack event will be the…

Cub Scout Cookout

October 14, 2012 (Sunday)

3:00pm-?

Wrightwood CAMP (top of Elm St.)

· Pumpkin Carving (bring a pumpkin & kid safe carving kit)

· Outdoor Cookout (bring a main dish--hotdogs, etc.--for your family and a side dish, chips or dessert to share; Pack will provide water & lemonade). We plan to use the fire pit for hotdogs & marshmallows, but if you want to grill or bring a camp stove you can.

· Campfire Building Demo/Learn how to whip & fuse the end of a Rope/set up a Tent/Knots (all these are used for the Outdoorsman Requirements for Webelos, as well as similar requirements in other dens)

· Practice Leave No Trace guidelines

· Awards

UPDATE to Service Project

Parents & Cub Scouts,

Thank you in advance to those participating in the Service Project this Week:

Wednesday 9/26, 1:30pm to approx. 3:30pm (come when you can).

We will be at the MOUNTAIN OAK CAMPGROUND working on water drains. Similar to last time, but these drains already have most of the rocks we need, so this time we'll be removing the rocks, cleaning out any leaves and excess dirt from the drains, hosing off the rocks and putting them back in. There are far fewer drains at this campground so we won't be there too long.

Bring: Please bring water, a hat & sunscreen, and a rake, gloves, and trowel (if you have them).

Directions: Heading West on Hwy 2 through Wrightwood, when you get to Mountain High West (near the stone castle) turn Right onto the Big Pines Hwy (like you're going to Jackson Lake). When you get to Jackson Lake , TURN RIGHT into MOUNTAIN OAK CAMPGROUND (don't go onto the Jackson Lake road). Mountain Oak Campground is directly opposite the entrance to the lake on the North side of the road. While there, please don't park in the road or on the dirt; please park in any available campsite driveway.

Service Project

We are planning a Service Project at Table Mountain for September 26th (Wednesday Minimum Day) after school beginning whenever you can get there (1:30 or 2:00?), and we need to give the Camp Manager an idea of how many people we'll have coming.

Please email themckains@mckainsmail.com by this Friday 9/21, if you plan to attend. We can use all the help we can get, and the job will go really fast if we get a lot of participation.

Our last service project went really well, and they had us cleaning out the areas under the water spigots at each camp site, collecting rocks, pulling weeds, raking, etc. We expect a similar project this year, but it just depends on what they need.

We will be organizing 2 Service Projects this year. One now, and one sometime in the Spring. The plan is to do the work so we can get our campsites and overflow parking free (normally $250-$300) when we have our Bridging Ceremony and Campout next spring.

Bottle Rocket Event & Registration

We will be having our Fall Opening Pack Event on Sunday August 26th, 3:00-5:00pm, at the Wrightwood Methodist CAMP (top of Elm St.)--Bottle Rocket Blast off & Swimming!

Bring an empty 2-liter bottle decorated like a rocket (with the nose cone on the bottom of the bottle) and, using an air compressor, we'll blast it off into space!

We will also be taking sign-ups for all New Cub Scouts at this event. Registration cost is $50. Boys in 1st -5th grade are welcome to join. Current scouts please see Becky as well for dues & fundraiser info.

Our usual time frame is: Swimming first as everyone arrives, then Bottle Rockets, then go inside for Summer Awards & Parent Orientation.

Hope to see you there!
 

Scout Sunday

This Sunday (2/12) we will be observing Scout Sunday at the Methodist church (1543 Barbara St., Wrightwood). This is a service honoring Scouting and all we stand for. We will need a Cub Scout to ring the Church Bell, typically this is the youngest scout in attendance. All other Cub Scouts will participate in a Flag Ceremony along with the Boy Scouts. If you are able to attend, please:
· Arrive by 9:30am (Service starts at 10am)
· Wear your Class A uniform (blue shirt with patches)

The Boy Scouts will lead the service (as outlined below) and Cub Scouts will assist with the Bell and Flag Ceremony only:
To start the service, Color Guard to post the Colors and lead the congregation in the Pledge of Allegiance
Boy Scout to lead us in the Scout Oath & Promise
For the 'Children's Message', I would like a member of our flag retirement team to talk about what the team does and why they do it. We will need a Boy Scout to read the Lord's Prayer.
Last year we had 2 scouts read about the History of the BSA. We have been requested to do this again and will need 1 or 2 Boy Scouts for this.
And finally, we need 2 Boy Scouts to read selected scriptures. The scriptures will be provided by Thursday at which point I can get them to the boys doing the reading so they can practice.
We realize this is the same day as our Blue and Gold Ceremony which starts at 4:00pm at the Sunrise Church (separate email reminder will be sent for this event), but we hope you can make it to Scout Sunday as well.

Blue & Gold Celebration 2/12 4-6pm

Come celebrate scouting with us at our Blue And Gold Celebration!

February 12th, 2012

4pm-6pm

Sunrise Church
770 Hwy 2
Wrightwood Ca

We'll have a Chinese auction, awards, den performances, and dinner provided.

Please bring any broken or unwanted pieces of gold for our 1st annual Cub Scout Gold Drive!

Invite the whole family and dress in your Class A uniform.