Close encounters with snow, marshmallows and trout. Where else but the Resica Falls Scout reservation could you experience such a varied group of elements in one weekend?
Thirteen scouts and their families from Pack 151 headed North for two nights of Camping this past weekend at the Bear Lodge at the Resica Falls Scout Reservation near Marshalls Creek, PA.
The weekend began Friday night with some unanticipated excitement when we found, on arrival, that we had been moved from the Firestone cabin we were expecting to the Bear cabin on the other side of the reservation. Some quick cell phone calls, and everyone was pointed to the new location.
After getting settled in Friday night, Ralph broke out a video projector for movie time, followed by a night of little sleep due to the combined excitement of the Scouts and the cabin’s gas furnace that wouldn’t quit – despite outside temperatures in the teens.
Saturday morning began with a pancake and sausage breakfast, then on to the morning’s activity: Building marshmallow shooters from PVC pipe. When the boys were finished building their own guns, they took to the woods behind the cabin for a marshmallow war.
After a quick break for lunch, it was time for close encounters of the trout kind.
The Bushkill River runs right through Rescia Falls. It is stocked several times a year with brown trout for fly fishing season. This weekend was one of the stocking weekends. Four thousand fish made the journey from a DCNR fish farm near State College to Resica Falls. They were brought down to the river 400 at a time in the Camp Ranger’s truck, where our boys and other volunteers transferred them into the river in plastic buckets.
After the fish stocking was done, some headed back to the cabin, while others continued on to see the camp’s namesake falls.
Dinner was franks and beans for the boys, and lasagna for the adults. After dinner a roaring campfire was built behind the cabin for roasting s’mores. After that, another movie let everyone wind down from a long, busy day, followed by an uneventful night.
In the morning, we had a light breakfast, and took a few group photos in front of the cabin, then it was time to break camp, clean up the cabin, and head for home.
Thanks to Ralph and Katrina Walton for their hard work putting this event together, especially Katrina, who was not present, but whose influence was felt at every mealtime with her organized menu and terrific food choices.
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