Let me start by saying that there were witnesses to most of what the following story covers. Here goes.

My son took firearm safety class this year. I wanted to start him off with small game hunting for this year, and possibly a deer hunt next year. Since grouse season opened it has been common for him to say, “Hey Dad, let’s go hunting.” This has been music to my ears. He has been successful at bringing home grouse on numerous occasions, and I decided to take him deer hunting with me this year.

On a warm and sunny Saturday morning in August, the scouts of Troop 61 hoisted their backpacks and started up the trail to Snow Peak Cabin. The Republic Boy Scouts do a lot of car camping, and are used to sleeping on the ground and cooking over a fire. However, it had been some time since they had carried all their gear and food on their backs for several miles. Staying at this rustic, but well-equipped cabin would provide a perfect transition between car camping and wilderness tent camping. The packs would be made lighter by leaving behind the backpack stove, pots, plates, cups, bowls, flatware, tents and sleeping pads. And yet, the sights and sounds of civilization would be left far behind, traded for the solitude of this local unspoiled wilderness.