You are visitor  since 10/1/01.

Who are we?
What do we do?
Why do we do it?
Where do we go?
Where have our previous Milers taken place?
Pictures from past Troop events
Related web sites.
Unrelated web site (mle's truck)
Unrelated web site - Andrea's Wedding Pictures
Tips, hints, and useful camping/backpacking information
 
Backpacking Interest Group (BIG) for Cadette and Senior Girl Scouts in the Santa Clara County area, California
 
 
 

"Suffer in Silence"
 

Comments?

Who are we?

 These activities include boating in canoes and sailboats, bicycle riding, skiing, firearms safety, and, of course, camping. This year we intend to introduce a course in basic automotive maintenance for the new driver. We also offer a few special activities upon the request of the scouts such as pumpkin carving around Halloween, ornament and candy making around Christmas time. The scouts participate in the agenda for the year by providing input as to which activities they wish to have and vetoing those that don't interest them.

 Our scouts are junior high school age through high school (12 through 18 years old). The junior high school students are Cadettes and are offered a slightly different program from the high school students who are Senior Scouts.

Scouts come from all over the South San Franciso Bay Area to participate in our troop. We meet at a church in Los Altos, California, most Wednesdays during the school year. Most of our activities are on the weekends, averaging more than one activity per month with the Milers (see below) scheduled for the summer. 

What do we do?

 We have weekend 5 to 15 mile backpack trips all through the school year, trying to get one in every month. These backpack hikes usually take place in the California coastal range and foothills to places such as Castle Rock, Pt. Reyes, Henry Coe, Boulder Creek, Ventana Wilderness, Angel Island (usually a service project), etc.

We also have some annual outings that are not backpack related. Our annual boating outing at Pinecrest Lake, where we put in seven canoes and learn some of the art of canoeing (some years we use sailboats and some years we mix in rubber rafts), takes place in the fall. In February we have a Ski trip to Boreal Ridge, where we stay overnight in the lodge. Some learn how to ski for the first time and the others hit the slopes. Absolute beginners and experts all have a great three day weekend together. Our firearms safety program and outing, where some will earn the Boy Scout's marksmanship merit badge and all will learn safety and respect for all sorts of firearms, takes place in the early spring. The Santa Clara County Peace Officer's Association lets us use their campground and range on Hwy 9, out of Saratoga, California. The last special outing of the school year is a 50 mile bike ride. Its location changes from year to year. Last year we rode along the American River in Sacramento. Other years we have gone from Sunnyvale to Huddart Park, out of Woodside. We camp at the end and then ride back (no packs on the bikes). We try to get speakers, the week or so before a special outing, such as a ski patrol member, bike racer, boating expert, and several police officers for the firearms safety course prior the shooting outing. 

Where do we do it?

We, the leaders of Troop 253, who place so much importance upon courage, self-reliance and outdoor skills in "our" girls, are very proud to watch them prove the wisdom of the Roman philosopher, Virgil when he observed:

Milers

• 1981: (50) Lassen Volcanic National Park
• 1982: (50) Desolation Wilderness
• 1983: (50) Emigrant Wilderness
• 1984: (50) Emigrant Wilderness
• 1985: (50) Lassen Volcanic National Park (repeat of the '81 Miler)
• 1986: (50) John Muir Wilderness
• 1987: (50) John Muir Wilderness (different area)

• 1988: (50) Caribou Wilderness
• 1989: (50) Mokelumne Wilderness

• 1990: (50) Trinity Alps Wilderness

• 1991: (50) Ansel Adams Wilderness

• 1992: (50) John Muir Wilderness (the '86 Fifty, done the right way)
• 1993: (30) Marble Mountains Wilderness
• 1993: (50) Emigrant Wilderness
• 1994: (50) John Muir Wilderness
• 1994: (30) Emigrant Wilderness
• 1995: (30) Yosemite Wilderness (Yosemite & Emigrant Wilderness)
• 1995: (50) Bishop
• 1996: (Kauai) Na Pali Coast & Kokee State Park
• 1996: (30 / 50) Yosemite Wilderness (Vernon Lk. & Jack Main Canyon)
• 1997: 50 John Muir Wilderness (Septer, Portal, Pearl, Halfmoon, & Woodchuck Lakes)
• 1998: 50 John Muir Wilderness (Devil's Punch Bowl)
• 1999: 50 John Muir Wilderness (Duck and Pika Lakes)
• 2000: 30 Marble Mountain Wilderness
• 2000: Family Miler Jack Main Canyon
• 2001: Geezer Miler John Muir Wilderness (Margaret Lakes)

Here are some Sites that relate to our activities

Wildflower Productions Interactive Maps
USGS 7.5 minutes maps on CD-ROM (These are great - See 1997 Miler report).

California Snow Page
California Data Exchange Center
These sites provide snow, temperature, wind, and other information pertaining to California hiking areas. This is very important information when planning trips into the high country early in the summer.