On to Table Rock and the Foothills Trail - Head For the Mountains!!!

Troop 20 is gearing up to go hiking, backpacking and experience some wilderness survival at Table Rock State Park from 26-29 March. Table Rock SP comprises 3,083 acres with waterfalls, trails, and lots of great stuff (click here for the park's web page).

Scouts below 1st class rank will camp within the park and learn wilderness survival skills along with a few strenuous hikes. Bring fishing gear if you want to catch the big one.



Our older scouts above 1st Class will pack it out onto the Foothills Trail for high adventure and a few days of steep miles, gaining altitude the hard way, but it will be worth it when you see the sight. (Click here for Google Earth or GPS info on the Foothills trail.) Here is another great site on the Foothills Trail.


Scouts and scouters you don't want to miss out on this trip. It will be one you'll talk about in your scouting memories. Sign up now and prepare for a numinous, spring adventure under the mountain stars. Just imagine...

The Few survive 20 mile hike!

A few hardy scouts survived our hike on the Lake Moultrie dike. Here we see our intrepid troop after the first mile! Fortunately the scouts recovered quickly as we had miles to go before we sleep...


You can see our trail here on the Palmetto Conservation site. We began at Bonneau Beach and hiked to the camp site just past mile mark 16. Up early and on to the finish just past mile 24.


Just after we had picked up a head of steam crossing the railroad bridge on the Santee Diversion Canal, we ran into that rarest of beasts in SC, the dreaded Dike Cattle!!!



















You can see at the top photo that the beasts refused to let us pass at first, but after I called my scout shock troops forward to remove their socks...the beasts left us the high ground and departed for the lowlands in disarray. What a victory and we were only 2 miles from the Swamp Fox's grave at this part of our trail!

Our support crew of Tim Kiel and Rick Hall did an outstanding job of supporting our scouts. Chris Brooks also played a great support role, but a bad cold prevented him from visiting our hike/camp site. After a superb dinner, we had a blazing fire for about one hour, when the heavens opened up and all right thinking scouts and scouters ran for ready shelter. Night operations had begun.

We awoke the next morning for breakfast and to find that a bunch of eager Webelos from Pack 20 had joined us for the remainder of our hike. The scouts crossed the Old Santee Canal seen below and all successfully made it to the parking lot near the Diversion Canal joining Lakes Marion and Moultrie.


















Another great adventure with Troop 20, sorry many of you missed out.

Webelos Invade Troop 20!

Yes, it's that time of year when Webelos (We'll be loyal scouts) begin to prowl scout meetings looking for the perfect troop to join. We had the privilege to host two groups of Webelos on Monday night's troop meeting. Pack 9 and Pack 20 both had a host of Webelos assaulting the scout hut of Troop 20, and asking what do Boy Scouts do?








On this Monday before a 20 mile hike, the Webelos got a chance to practice new skills in caring for sprained ankles and other 1st aid problems common to hiking. They probably also gazed in wonder at these older, larger scouts who would dare to hike 20 miles in one 24 hour period. I believe that the Webelos will be up to the challenge as they seemed totally enthused by their participation in instruction, games and fellowship with real Boy Scouts. Troop 20 is preparing to welcome a new group of scouts and prepare them for adventure, fun and learning...

Etiwan District Presents Dan Miklancic with District Award of Merit and Troop 20 awarded Centennial Quality Unit

Congratulations to our own Dan Miklancic who was awarded one of the two Etiwan District Awards of Merit on Thursday night, 12 February, at Mount Pleasant Presbyterian church fellowship hall, site of the Etiwan District banquet.

Dan was recognized for his dedicated work with the Boy Scouts. He has served two years as Scoutmaster, three years as Assistant Scoutmaster and two years as Troop Advancement Coordinator. Dan was also noted for his volunteer work with home school students and youth at his church, East Cooper Baptist. His example to scouts and scouters has been exemplary. Dan's planning and leadership resulted in a superb Etiwan District camporee last fall at Santee Coastal Reserve.

We are blessed to have a Scouter of Dan's caliber in our troop. As I entered the fellowship hall for the banquet, Dan was sitting at a table filling out a blue card before presenting it to me for a signature...Congratulations Dan on an award well deserved!!!

Congratulations also to John Epperson, who received the other District Award of Merit for service as Pack Roundtable Coordinator and his service to the Cub Scout community. John has been along with our troop on several campouts along with his son, Star scout, Cameron Epperson... indirectly Troop 20 took both District Awards of Merit last night, a nice reflection on our troop which received a Centennial Quality Unit award at the banquet. Keep up the great work scouts, scouters and parents!!!