Scouts complete 50-mile Adirondack trek

By Spencer Arnold

SUSSEX — Boy Scouts from Sussex Troop 84 left New Jersey and took a six-hour drive to the Adirondack Mountains of New York on July 28. They set up a base camp at Sabattis Adventure Camp in Long Lake County. There, they were able to rest up a night before heading out on a 50 mile canoe trek at noon the next day.
“The first day of the trek I was excited to begin the adventure,” said Michael Shorr, 14, of Troop 84. “I looked forward to spending a week away from everything and not have anything to worry about.”
The six boys and four leaders embarked on a voyage provided by Sabattis — someone who started out as a guide but soon become a friend and mentor to the scouts. He led the group across Long Lake, down the Raquette River and finally into Tupper Lake to complete the group’s 50 mile goal.
Everyday’s routine consisted of a wake up at 6, breakfast and a break down of camp before the scouts headed out. They would paddle for approximately 10 to 12 miles, with a stop for lunch and for cooling off. Once they reached their quota for the day, the group would find a nearby site and set up camp. During downtime, they would go swimming, duck wrangling or just relax. Finally, dinner, a fire and lights out by 10 p.m. — though usually earlier, as the boys were exhausted.
Over the course of five days, the scouts had close encounters with bald eagles, beavers, deer, blue herons and loons — a member of the duck family. They gained experience in cliff jumping, walking through rapids, fishing, rope-swinging and of course, canoeing.
“I liked it because it’s something most people will never get to do,” one scout commented, “And I’m doing it.”
Food was provided by the camp, and to save space, was almost entirely made up of dehydrated meals. The cooks would add water, stir and eat. Fish were caught, skinned and mixed with spices to supplement every meal.
“Any other time, this food would taste terrible," scout Joey Mitchell commented. "But because we’re starving, it tastes great.”
Favorite meals included dehydrated beef stroganoff and the final night’s chicken and potato dinner. The not-so-favorite meal was a dehydrated scrambled egg breakfast.
“It looks like rubber,” one adult noted. “Tastes like it too,” another added.
One of the most difficult parts of the trek was a canoe portage of 1.75 miles around Raquette Falls, where the boys had to carry their packs and canoes uphill to a campsite to sleep in for the night. The rest of the trip was over water, a little over 50 miles of paddling.
When the boys beached for the last time, around 11 a.m., they were able to enjoy the sights and fun of a natural water-slide formed by smooth rock and a small river. After being picked up and driven back to Sabattis, they washed down the canoes and rested for a while. That afternoon, they got their first shower in five days, went shopping in town, and treated their voyageur to pizza and burgers at the Adirondack Hotel restaurant.
When asked if he would like to go on another trek in the future, Michael commented, “Definitely, and maybe even a 100 mile trek.”
Finally, the boys got one more night of sleep at base camp and headed home a day earlier than planned on Aug. 3.