Boy Scouts reaching new heights with hiking goal

The members of Boy Scouts Troop No. 252 in Springfield have spent the last few months climbing the highest peaks in every New England state and New York.

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Print article Print Boy Scouts reaching new heights with hiking goal By NEIL P. ALLEN Boy Scout Troop No. 252 in Springfield successfully summited Mt. Katahdin, located in Maine. Sitting, from left to right: Tanner Gintof, Jackson Ruhlin and Andrew Gould. Standing, from left to right: Connor Starr, Adam Stokarski, Andrew Czwakiel, Branden Bryant, Graeffn Anderson, Jason Crumb, Seth Martin, AJ Aldrich, and Thomas Czwakiel. — COURTESY Boy Scout Troop No. 252 in Springfield successfully summited Mt. Katahdin, located in Maine. Sitting, from left to right: Tanner Gintof, Jackson Ruhlin and Andrew Gould. Standing, from left to right: Connor Starr, Adam Stokarski, Andrew Czwakiel, Branden Bryant, Graeffn Anderson, Jason Crumb, Seth Martin, AJ Aldrich, and Thomas Czwakiel. — COURTESY The members of Boy Scouts Troop No. 252 in Springfield have spent the last few months climbing the highest peaks in every New England state and New York — for the merit badges and “the sense of accomplishment,” according to AJ Aldrich, the senior patrol leader for the troop. The idea came up during one of the troop’s leader council meetings. “In the meetings we talk about what we would like to do,” said Aldrich. “We thought it would be cool to climb to the highest peaks.” “We did it for the experience and to get more skills,” said Aldrich. “There aren’t many adults who could do this accomplishment.” Among the skills the Boy Scouts, ages 10 to 17 years old, learned were how to pack for a day trip and making sure they had all the right gear, planning meals for the cooking badge, logistics of travel planning, first aid preparedness and working together as a team, according to Aldrich. “You have to plan for everything,” said Aldrich. To help prepare for the hikes, the scouts tackled some smaller local mountains. “We took three training hikes to work up to the mileage and elevation. We started with Ascutney then Mount Ephram and Okemo Mountain,” said Troop Leader Bruce Czwakiel. “We started small and graduated up. “One of the scouts we had to go back and help,” he continued. “He hadn’t done enough to prepare.” The trip to Mt. Katahdin provided several challenges. “It is about as hard a hike as you can get with the terrain and elevation,” said Czwakiel. “Mt. Washington is higher but the train is easier. Katahdin has sharp pointed rocks and no trail. “There were logistical challenges. We had planned to do it one day but when we went online to reserve one of the parking spaces, it was already full. We had to choose a second day,” he continued. Along the way, the troop learned important lessons. “We learned lessons on each hike,” said Aldrich. “On one hike, we didn’t pack enough water,” said Czwakiel. “When we went to Mount Dewey, we took a map not updated. We got totally lost. We discovered we were not on the trail we wanted to be. It was a difficult hike, we were bush whacking at the top. “We got to a point where we realized we weren’t where we were supposed to be. We had to decide if we were going to find the right path and come down in the dark or turn around and come down during the daylight,” he continued. “It was not worth jeopardizing ourselves so we turned around and went back down. It is better to admit we made a mistake and be able to live to fight another day,” said Czwakiel. “We don’t want to be the next story.” “And, we got to climb a trail most people don’t know about or have climbed,” added Aldrich. They went back with a new map and completed their goal, an important lesson learned, said Czwakiel. The troop is planning on repeating the hikes so that all members of the troop are able to make the trek and earn the hiking badges, which includes one 20-mile hike and five 10-mile hikes. “They get a header badge and a strip under for each hike,” said Czwakiel. “All the boys have worked hard. I’m so proud of them,” said Aldrich. “It was really fun, it was great.” No all the lessons were about being better prepared; some were life lessons. “You can stand at the base of the mountain, and a lot of people will talk themselves out of it,” said Czwakiel. “It is like problems in life. They can seem insurmountable. But if you take it one step at a time, soon you’re at the top. It was a good life lesson.” The troop is planning a trip to Yellowstone State Park in a year to climb the Grand Teton, which reaches heights of 14,000 feet, according to Czwakiel. “We’re going to have to do a lot of prep work to get the scouts ready for the trip,” he said. “There will be some exposure and we need to do rope work. We will need to be prepared on safety, it is the most important thing.”