Scouts will need to pack a sleeping bag & pad, tarp, food, and the 10 essentials. The troop has 2 external frame backpacks available to scouts who need them. Hiking, orienteering, and plant identification activities are planned. There will be backpacking cooking clinics on 2/28 and 3/5 to assist Scouts with meal planning and preparing .

More information is available in the flyer. Contact Eric Lukefor more information.

6:45pm on February 27 at Simi Covenant

We’ll cover the following topics:

• Cook kits
• Backpacking food staples
• Menu planning
• Cooking Options

We’ll try the following recipes:

• Blueberry crisp bars
• Apple Pie Oatmeal
• BBQ Chicken Wraps
• Thanksgiving Chicken
• Dehydrated meals
• Pudding Cocoa

6:45pm on March 5 at Simi Covenant

Volunteers will review their completed 2 day backpacking meal plan and prepare one meal. We’ll weigh the food and utensils used to prepare the meal.

The contact for these clinics is Eric Luke.

Please have your young men sign-up for the Scouting for Food Service Projects this Monday.
The dates of the two Projects are as follows:

Distribution of bags to an assigned neighborhood; Saturday Feb 25rd, 9:00am

• Meet in the Simi Covenant Church back Parking lot by our storage bin where Larry will hand out bags and maps.

Pick-up of (hopefully) filled bags; Saturday Mar 3rd, 9:30am

• Meet in the Simi Covenant Church back Parking lot by the Troop storage bin where Larry will hand out maps.
• Return to the Simi Covenant Church Parking lot with the filled bags to be sorted and delivered to the Central collection point, probably the Metro-Link Station. (Location will be known by then)

We should have one driver for every two scouts to make it easier to drop off and pick-up the bags on a street by street basis, so please sign-up Adults.  This Service Project needs you too.

If you have question,suggestions, or concerns please contact Larry Sinsel.

Introduction to Outdoor Leader Skills on March 10th & 17th in Camarillo – Required for all Scoutmasters, Assistant Scoutmasters, Varsity Coaches, Assistant Varsity Coaches, Venturing Advisors, and Venturing Assistant Advisers. Download the flier.

Climbing Instructor Training on March 3rd, 2012 in Moorpark from 8:00am to 3:30pm. The cost is $25, which includes snack table, all handouts and a e-copy of the Topping Out Manual. E-mail ​Mark Johnson if you are planning to attend. Download the flier.

Additional information on upcoming BSA training can be found at http://www.vccbsa.org/Training.

Saturday was a warm and windy day. In the morning we hiked Golden Canyon were everyone learned how the canyon was formed and had a chance to explore. After lunch we walked through Mosaic Canyon, which offered a much different experience than Golden Canyon.  The last destination for the day was Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes. Even with the wind blowing sand like crazy, the Scouts had a great time before heading back to camp. In the evening, scouts were able to attend an astronomy program and enjoy dutch oven deserts.

After the camp was packed up Sunday morning, we went to Badwater Salt Flats and the Scouts tried their best to remove graffiti sketched into the salt. We arrived back safely in Simi Valley Sunday evening. Everyone pitched in and unloaded the trailer in record time.

Special thanks to the drivers who safely transported everyone over 700 miles this weekend!

Death Valley Jan 2012

First Class Compass Course will be at Rancho Simi Park on Erringer Road from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. This course is for any scout who hasn’t yet passed this requirement. Scouts do not need have earn their 2nd Class rank, but they should have completed their Tenderfoot compass requirement. Scouts should bring compasses and wear class B scout T-shirts.

View the trip flyer for more information. The trip contacts are Brian Donnelly and Bob Post.