JPL Boy Scout Troop 509 Goes Camping in the High Sierras

A hardy band of 17 boys and adults from JPL Boy Scout Troop 509 backpacked through the High Sierras earlier this month, completing a 32-mile circuit over seven days.

The trek, part of the troop’s annual High Adventure excursion, began at the 10,000-foot Cottonwood Springs trailhead in the John Muir Wilderness. Over the ensuing week, the scouts traversed the 12,300-foot New Army Pass and the 11,400-foot Siberian Pass. The group camped near lakes and rivers in the Sierras, where the scouts fished for the rare Golden Trout.

The journey included overnight stops at Cottonwood Lakes, Rock Creek, Big Whitney Meadow and Chicken Springs Lake, a pristine body of water just below the tree line.

The group was led by Scoutmaster David Sagal and Senior Patrol Leader Kevin Kraft. The other scouts included Bo Sagal, Sean Stathatos, David Bliss, Joshua Wickersham, Chase Chavarria, Eric Yun, Paul Lee, Erik Shaw, Chris Chafin and Kevin Hoffman. Adults accompanying the group included Steve Stathatos, Ken Chafin, Yungkyn Yun, John Lee and Scott Kraft.

“It was the trip of a lifetime, and I was very proud of our scouts,” said David Sagal. “The setting was spectacular, and the boys’ preparation for the journey was flawless. They showed an ability to operate independently in a tough environment.”

The troop’s High Adventure outings, which in past years included treks in Alaska and Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, are a highlight of the summer for the most experienced in the troop.

The backpackers trained for the adventure with shorter backpacks earlier in the summer and spring, picking up valuable tips on how to survive for a week in the wilderness.