GUILDERLAND — First-year Scouts Mihn and Quang Tran, Aiden Gallagher, Devin DiBianco, and Ryan Teaney took their first camping trip as members of Troop 50 this August as they headed north to Sacandaga State Park in August. The boys worked on Tenderfoot requirements as they prepared their campsite before heading out on the Northville-Lake Placid Trail.

The boys arrived at camp on Saturday morning and began pitching their tents, setting up the camp kitchen, and getting all their camping gear stowed away. By mid-morning, they were on their way to hike a section of the trail from Whitehouse on the Sacandaga River to the Mud Lake Lean-to — a nice five-mile round trip with an elevation increase of about 500 feet, just enough for a group of first-time Scouts and their parents.

The boys had a trail lunch at the lean-to and spent some time resting up before heading back.

After the hike, the boys took a break to do some fishing at Lake Algonquin.  Once back at camp, they helped out by preparing their dinner and followed that by helping to clean up.

The rest of the night, they sat out by the campfire before retiring to their tents. It was a nice little trip to start them out in scouting with a little bit of lesson, a little bit of practical experience, and I hope a lot of fun. I'm sure they will look forward to their next trip at Scout Island in September.

Troop 50 serves youths from 11 years of age to 17. The troop meets Wednesdays from 7 to 8:15 p.m. at the St. Madeleine Sophie Parish Center on Carman Road in Guilderland. For information, contact Scoutmaster Sam Dikeman at 577-0434 or me at 859-9633.  

Editor’s note: Larry Vincent is the assistant scoutmaster of Guilderland’s Troop 50.