Photo at Right: Sleds transport gear to campsite

Trip Date:

evening Jan 23 to midday Sunday 25th.

Itinerary

Friday - drive to Arnold on Hwy. 4, Saturday, to Bear Valley and back to Arnold, Sunday - to Spicer Reservoir roadhead and parking lot, then back to SF Bay Area in time for the Superbowl

Attendance:

Friday night to Saturday before dinner = 9 adults and 14 scouts. Saturday evening to Sunday am, 8 adults and 11 scouts. Remaining Sunday = 7 adults and 10 scouts. Early returnees = Saturday evening before dinner 1 dad and 3 scouts, no reason given (poor scout spirit, included one eagle scout/patrol leader, and another patrol leader) , Sunday a.m. 1 adult and scout, scout had sprained ankle.

Accommodations:

We stayed at the Independence Hall in Arnold, rented for $75 per night from the Ebbets Pass Community Center (contact Mel Wilson 209-795-1220). An old school house in a new use, with an excellent commercial kitchen and all necessary serving equipment (a bit short on drink glasses, but they may have been locked up). Location is on the left about a mile down Blagen Road (45 degree left after the Texaco Station). This is an excellent resource, we should try to do some non-winter trips using this as a base. It is heated. Bring big and medium garbage bags, paper towels, Mr. Coffee filters, and food and beverages. Location is about 40 minutes from Bear Valley, in good conditions, usually below the snow line.

Activities:

Saturday - skied at Bear Valley (group discount), excellent weather, lift lines good to excellent. No express chairs, upper part of mountain well suited to learners and intermediates. Lower part for more advanced skiers (mostly crud snow, but challenging. Bear Valley had some excellent man made jumps for use by skiers and snow boarders (beside Grouse Connection Run). Sunday - tested snow sled, practiced throwing spear from sled, made snow shelter in a drift, played in snow, had snowball fight. Some scouts played poker (with chips) Saturday evening. Others wrestled (we found some gymnasium pads), or played in general.

Problems:

generally OK, one dad and some scouts did NOT obey the instructions to muster on the Sun deck (check in with Mr. Devere) before leaving the ski area, but were spotted before leaving, so we narrowly avoided a manhunt.

Special Thanks

Steve Devere for staying on Sun Deck at lodge as a rendezvous and gear drop for all skiers, and being of great assistance in rousting up scouts for various activities, and helping all-around. Also to Mrs. Hitchings for planing all meals and buying all the food.

Money:

Group rates are available - Bear Valley will mail/fax the rates, or check www.bearvalley.com

Other:

We were late arriving at Arnold due to traffic problems in the San Mateo Bridge just east of the toll plaza. Senior attendance was very poor (only two). No gas stations between Stockton and Angel Camp. The sled needs to be painted in T42 livery. Some of us got to see a lot of real sled dogs, sleds and mushers at the Bear Valley Cross Country trailhead, which is near to the Bear Valley ski area.