Scouts conquer the summit

By R. Polsgrove, Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 77

The intrepid scouts of Canton’s Troop 77 recently headed north to Albany, New Hampshire, to tackle the summit of Mt. Chocorua.

This was their second attempt at the 3,490-foot mountain, the easternmost peak of the Sandwich Range in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest. Last April, with a late start and the peak shrouded in fog, the scouts made the right decision and turned back with only 300 vertical feet left to climb. They certainly could have made the summit, but it wasn’t worth the risk. The weather was turning sour, and they would have had to descend in the darkness of the forest.

This year was completely different, however, as the boy-led troop moved the date to May and hit the trail earlier in the day. They ascended from the south on the four-mile Liberty Trail, stopping to lunch at Jim Liberty Cabin. From there they could see their prize — the bald summit of Mt. Chocorua.

Within the hour, the first patrol conquered the summit. The early start left the troop with plenty of time to stake their claim. The boys posed for pictures and soaked up the 80-degree, sun-drenched day. The clear weather allowed for time to enjoy the panoramic view and explore the nooks and crannies of the rock-covered peak.

With smiles on their faces, the jubilant troop descended the 4.5-mile Piper trail down to the vehicles waiting to whisk them back to base camp. Somewhere along the trail, a triumphant scout was overheard proclaiming, “The difficult things we do now; the impossible just takes a little longer.”

Scouting is a game for boys under the leadership of boys under the direction of a man. Troop 77 meets Sunday nights at 7 p.m. in the St John the Evangelist School gym at 700 Washington Street. For more information, go to www.cantontroop77.com.

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Posted by Canton Citizen on Jun 28 2012. Filed under Photo Gallery. Both comments and pings are currently closed.