Troop 10 of Great Neck recently completed a very challenging backpacking overnight camping trip in Harriman State Park on a sunny weekend in October.
Temperatures got down into the 30s by Sunday morning but warmed up quickly. 21 scouts and several adult leaders started out by stowing their backpacks at the base of the mountain and hiked 0.6 miles for an elevation gain of 500 feet to the top of the Popolopen Torne mountain.
There they found a cairn at the top of the mountain memorializing American soldiers, sailors. airmen and marines who gave their life in service to our country. In fact, the scouts assisted veterans in a service project enhancing that emotionally moving site. Making the trip even more special was that West Point Plebe Ryan H. Zhang, a Troop 10 Eagle Scout and former troop senior patrol leader, joined us.
We descended the mountain on a different route which was steep and treacherous. We had to transition briefly to technical climbing using rope lines for the roughly 80% descent requiring the use of ropes. In cars, we bypassed a restricted area and reconvened at a parking area where we donned our backpacks and got back on the trail.
We ascended West Mountain with ascent grades in excess of 70%, a total of 1,076 feet in elevation gain across the trek was realized by the time we arrived at our overnight summit shelter where we had views of the Hudson River, the Mario Cuomo Tappan Zee bridge and even Manhattan. Smoke from the fires in New Jersey was seen on the horizon.
Using lightweight stoves and food and cooking gear they brought up, each of three scout patrols, an older scout leadership patrol and the adult leaders prepared one pot meals, delicious and filling. Drought conditions precluded a large campfire, and a busy day put the scouts to their tents and sleeping bags after setting up bear bags to protect food overnight.
After a breakfast of hot oatmeal (mixed in the packets to avoid the need for clean-up) and with backpacks on we began our final descent down the Cat’s Elbow pass of West Mountain. The trail drops over 700 feet in less than a mile with its -50% downgrade without the use of technical gear.
After the quick elevation drop the remainder of the trek was pleasantly level allowing the troop some quality time to socialize and reflect on the way back to the waiting cars and designated parent drivers. Mostly, and as usual, the scouts slept on the way home.
Troop 10 meets at the Manhasset-Lakeville Fire Department on 25 Prospect St. on Mondays at 8:00pm to 9:30pm on school days. If you are interested in joining Troop 10, please contact Dr. Dwight Rosenstein at djrosenstein@gmail.com.
