Mike P., Gary L., Will D. and others around a campfire.
Photograph copyright of Jun Y. Hyun of Albuquerque Journal
The 1997 Troop 285 Long Term camp was held on Burned Mountain, New Mexico, in the Carson National Forest between Tres Piedras and Tierra Amarillo.
This long term camp featured merit badges emphasizing outdoors skills, such as Archery, Shotgun and Rifle Shooting, Forestry, and Environmental Science. There were the standard Basic Skills training, knife and ax safety, our Trek and Basic Skills backpacking adventures, and lots of good food, thanks to the logistics contributions of Alliant Food Services, which once again provided a refrigerated food truck to hold fresh food (even ice cream) all week long.
The Albuquerque Journal produced a two-page article with color photographs of this campout, entitled "Prepared...for Anything", which is now on-line, thanks to generous permission from the Journal! You can also find it in their back issues, dated August 10, 1997.
Weather at Long Term (last week of July, 1997) was cool and rainy - we got at least one shower a day all week long. The heaviest shower hit just as the main body of Scouts were arriving into camp on Saturday - making it imperative to either set up tents quickly or take cover until after the rain. A few nights were nippy - temperatures down to the mid 40's, perhaps, and the days were as warm as 85 deg. F, but usually not for long, as mid-afternoon showers cooled things off.
Camping in Carson National Forest
Click a thumbnail snapshot for a look at the enlarged photo.
Mike P., Gary L., Will D. and others around a campfire.
Photograph copyright of Jun Y. Hyun of Albuquerque Journal
Basic Skills Scouts set out on a 5 Mile hike.
Photograph copyright of Jun Y. Hyun of Albuquerque Journal
Isaac A. powders another bird in Shotgun Merit badge class.
Photograph copyright of Jun Y. Hyun of Albuquerque Journal