From Bloody Nose to Shanty Songs: The Troop 12 Backpacking Way
Blood dripped from my nose onto the dirt trail, mixing with the sweat as it ran down my face. I was laying on a mat six miles into an eight-mile hike. My body was desperately trying to cool itself by gulping mountain air like water. My tongue felt like sandpaper against the roof of my mouth. This misery is what happens when you come unprepared to backpack with Troop 12. I was thirsty. My body was overheating, and I was miserable. We are always moving on the hike with minimal time to take breaks and refresh. By the way I was feeling, you would think we
were in the desert, but we were on a trail in the Appalachian Mountains. It was mid-July of 2020, and I was on a 2-day backpacking trip with my scout troop, Troop 12.
This “misery” is what backpacking with Troop 12 is really like: 35 scouts carrying 60-pound packs up mountain trails, with ten leaders guiding us, as we learned lessons the hard way. These trips are not just about earning merit badges for an Eagle Scout award. They are about discovering your limits and learning to prepare for them. These trips are not just hikes but tests of skill, will, and preparedness. Backpacking with Troop 12 transforms scouts as they learn that survival and enjoyment on the trail depend on preparation and supporting each other; lessons that become most powerful after you have failed.
The Reality of the Trail
The troop and I were going up the second mountain of the day when I realized I had run out of water already. It was overcast in the sky. I got lightheaded; my mouth got dry. I went into a panic realizing we were not close to water. We were six miles into our 8-mile hike for the day, and I had gotten to the point of dehydration that I had gotten a bloody nose while hiking. I remember specifically lying down on a bumpy and orange foam yoga mat.
Jax’s dad, one of the Scout leaders, saw me as his group caught up with mine, because we were taking a break, and said, “We were able to track you like a deer! It looked like you bled out a squirrel!” At this point, it was not just thirst. It was the overwhelming sense of embarrassment because my lack of preparation was hindering my performance and my fellow scouts’ performance on our backpacking trip. I had to take more frequent breaks which slowed down the group. When scouts lack preparation, chaos soon follows as they put themselves and the troop in jeopardy.
Jax’s dad was not the only one keeping an eye on me. My Scoutmaster was watching; he let me struggle for seven miles and wanted to see me push myself. Even after several stops for me to take a break, the troop still was kind and supportive and rallied around me.
How the Troop Handles Crisis
We got to a point in our hike where we all stopped for some food. The combined relief of everyone taking off their packs for the first time while we refueled to finish the journey was immense. But at that moment I realized I was not sure if I could realistically finish out the last stretch of the trail. When my Scoutmaster saw I could not push anymore, he stepped in to remedy the situation. He kept me safe.
My Scoutmaster said, “One, you don’t look too good, and two, it would probably be a better idea if you waited at the spot where we were eating.” He ended by saying, “Look, you gave it your best shot, but I need you safe.” He called one of the other scout leaders to come pick me up in their truck and bring me to camp. In that moment I honestly felt relief along with a little tinge of shame because I was unable to fully complete the trail on that day.
The Other Water Challenge
All the scouts finally made it to the campsite, which was forested with leaves, sticks and rocks on the ground. Although tired and wanting to stop moving, we had to move leaves to set up camp. We did not have a communal water station. What we had was a 2-gallon gravity filtration system. For one person that might be perfect, but considering the 35 scouts on that trip, we had to make many trips down to the stream, which was around two miles down the mountain. We were underprepared for the situation we found ourselves in.
I was responsible, with another scout named Arthur, to hike those two miles to bring water to camp. It took several hours for me and Arthur to collect water from the stream. We were exhausted, and everyone was thirsty for a lot longer than they should have been.
When Arthur was carrying up the water, he was showing off his “vintage” hiking outfit and had trouble. “Look these boots are waterproof,” as he walked in the stream. He was right, they were waterproof, mostly. His water walking ended when he realized he had a hole in his left boot. His left boot, sock and foot were soaked, and he had trouble moving around. This soaking situation was not good for a scout that still had miles to hike the next day.
I stepped in to help him out. First, we broke up the water more often and got Arthur to camp safely. That meant that Arthur was safe, and the troop got water. Then, I helped him set a fire to dry his boot so he would be ready to hike the next day. Arthur might have been a bit too confident in his boots and got into a situation. But, just as others helped me in Troop 12, I helped this younger scout be prepared for success during the next hike.
Learning and Adapting
The miracle of backpacking with Troop 12 is that mistakes and lack of preparation can turn into jeopardy, but this jeopardy can be overcome through seeking advice from the more experienced and the leaders. For the hike back to base, I knew I had to make a change. To do that, I needed help from the scout leaders to help figure out where to put a pan to correctly balance my pack. With a suggestion from a leader, I redistributed the gear for my tent that I was sharing and some of the cooking gear. Because of the redistribution of those items, I was able to
fit more water into my bag without overfilling it or putting too much of a burden on my back. While those changes were not revolutionary, these slight changes allowed the six-mile hike back to be far more enjoyable.
If I did not learn to change what I did or experience the consequences, I would not have adjusted my pack, and it would put the troop at risk if I hurt myself and slowed them down.
From Blood to Brotherhood
Because it was easier to hike back and keep a steady pace instead of needing to take breaks for me, several of the older scouts were able to start singing shanties while we hiked to help pass the time. Instead of experiencing the misery of being unprepared, I experienced the joy of the camaraderie that the backpacking trips foster in Troop 12. It showed me that taking care of myself and preparing allowed me to have more fun and
Everett Sjolseth | The Renaissance Changemaker 