Hot Springs Campout - Nov 2011

So, we try to do a hot springs campout every November.  Why do we choose November?  Because it's cold enough that you can stay in the hot springs for awhile - and cold enough that it feels good to get into the hot springs.

This year we went to Diamond Fork Hot Springs.  We camped at a campground down the road from the trailhead, and then the next morning we hiked the 2 miles up to the hot springs.  It happened to be snowing while we hiked, which made it all the more fun!  Once we got there we opened up a pop-up style "shower tent" which we used as a changing room and got to soak for an hour or so before changing again and hiking back out.

The springs we hiked to has been kept up pretty good, and actually had some cement work done to it to make 2 pools, seats, and a flat changing area.  It is also next to a cold stream, with a spot where you can unplug an inlet and let cold water flow in to cool off the tub.  It's pretty nice!

Diamond Fork Hot Springs

Something to consider:  Hot springs are notorious for the rowdy crowd, or the "natural" crowd.  If going, send an adult up first to ask people to cover up before the scouts get there.  We didn't have any problems, but I've heard of issues in the past.

Blanding High Adventure - Lessons Learned

I learned a lot on this trip about the character of our scouts.  Some of these guys spend a lot of their time in front of the TV or video games, but when we got them outdoors, they changed.  They wanted to be challenged, and they wanted adventure.

We were rained on hard quite a few times, and when it wasn't raining it got pretty hot.  But the boys didn't ask to go back to camp, they were excited to do the next thing.  I heard very few complaints, and was impressed to see their energy levels.

Something that we determined about the scout carrier is that if the back handles were lengthened to allow someone walking behind to grab on and help get around obstacles or just to take the weight off for a few seconds would be nice.

We also learned that if you have a base camp, try to bring up an awning of some type to give you somewhere to go to cook and eat during the monsoonal rains.

We also learned that we can have fun, and learn something no matter what we're doing.

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Blanding High Adventure - Canyoneering

We've done canyoneering before, but never with someone with spina bifida that needed help 90 percent of the way so this was a new experience!  We did 2 canyons and each of them required climbing quite a ways up a crack to get to the top of the canyon.  With each canyon we used the carrier to get our scout to the base of the climb, and then we helped him from below, above, and both sides where possible.  We also helped whoever was behind or in front of each of us as we made our way up to the top of the canyon.  Both canyons had a horizontal hike at the top to get over to the start of the canyon.

Whenever we didn't have the carrier we carried our scout on our backs

The last rappel was 100 feet, and our scout with challenges was a little nervous about it, but excited as well.  We had enough ropes that we were able to send him down with a top belay (and bottom), with his brother alongside him.  It was awesome to see the two of them working together as they made their way down!

Doing the last rappel

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