Directions: Camp R-C is just over two hours away on Highway 260 east of Payson, near mile marker 271.5. It's about 2 miles past Camp Tontozona on the right hand side of the road. Last time I was there, construction forced all traffic into the westbound lane just before the turn. It's pretty well marked even during construction, so just watch for the signs. The camp is on the south (right hand) side of the road. Proceed down the gravel road to sites 7 & 8, as noted below, and check in as soon as you arrive. If you get to the "Christopher Creek Loop" turnoff, you went too far. See the attached map for more information. Watch out for photo radar as you pass through Star Valley unless you want to spend a Saturday in traffic school.
You can arrive any time after noon on Friday. I plan to pull my boys from school at lunchtime, which will put us into camp around 2 pm. Lots of you are arriving later on Friday, or on Saturday. We are technically supposed to be out of camp by noon on Sunday but Ranger Larry usually lets people stay later if they want to.
Weather: Right now the forecast for Kohl's Ranch (just a few miles away) is for highs around 90, lows around 60 and a good chance of thunderstorms. Plan for the weather, and for the mud that will inevitably follow a good storm (i.e., shoes that can get muddy, tarp or mat for outside the tent, extra garbage bags to keep bedding dry, towels, etc.). If you are unsure of what to pack, please don't hesitate to email me!
Campsites: Our pack will be in the Cougar (#7) and Javelina (#8) sites, which are adjoining and are very close to the creek. Many of us camped there in June and I think it's the best location in the camp. If those sites are filling up, you can use the Arts and Crafts area or the Bear (#9) site as overflow. We have a large group of Boy Scouts from Troop 616 joining us on Saturday, they will be camping in the Lion (#10) site. See the attached map.
Camp terrain is rugged, and we will be camping at the bottom of a hill near the creek. Please bring appropriate footwear for you and your son, and get ready to do some cardio!
It is likely that there will be bugs. Please bring repellent.
Geocache: ***We are creating a pack geocache on Saturday's hike, so every boy should bring a small trinket to place in the cache. Items should be small and not be food or candy so they don't attract critters. Good items in the past have included coins (especially foreign or unusual coins), small toys (dominoes, dice, Pokemon cards, etc.) or other items of interest to young boys.
Uniforms are not required for this trip. If you have a yellow Class B shirt, please wear it on Saturday. If you don't have your yellow pack shirt yet, just wear yellow/gold (Go Devils!) or any other bright color. Brightly colored clothing is highly recommended for the entire trip so you can see the boys in the forest!
Fire restrictions in the national forest have been lifted, so we can have campfires in the sites. Be sure to practice good fire safety (fires in established firepits, water readily available, do not leave warm coals unattended). We can forage for wood but we can't use power tools to cut it, so I usually bring a bundle or two of firewood with me. Please watch the boys around fires: "What goes in the fire, stays in the fire."
Stuff to Bring: I am attaching a camping list that was compiled by a former cubmaster. You do not need to bring every item on this list, it's just intended as a checklist to help you remember stuff that you don't want to forget.
Stuff Not to Bring: BSA rules prohibit RVs, pets, alcohol, and projectile launchers of any kind (firearms, airsoft, archery, BB guns, slingshots, etc) on BSA property. Those caught with contraband may be asked to leave the property.
Electronics: This is a really good opportunity to interact with your friends and family away from video games, text messages and other distractions. Boys should leave all electronics in the car. Mobile phone service is improving over past years, but it's still not great, especially in our low campsites, so plan to be off grid for the weekend. Nothing ruins a campout faster than a bunch of people texting, Facebooking, web surfing, etc. So if you really must text your cousin or check the news from Kiev, please do so discretely.
Cost: The cost for camping is $30 per family. That includes Saturday night dinner. Please plan to pay when you check in.
It is very important that everybody checks in immediately upon arrival (even if you arrive late), and that everybody attends the safety briefing. More information on checkin and safety will be forthcoming.
Fishing:
***Note that the rules have changed in 2014, and everyone ten and older now needs a fishing license, even for catching crawfish! I’ve never seen a game warden in camp, but the fine is steep if you get caught breaking the law, so I wouldn’t risk it. Kids 9 and under do not need a license. You no longer need to purchase a separate trout stamp or multi-pole stamp.
You can get a license online here, or at any sporting goods store. If you forget a license, you can get one at Walmart in Fountain Hills or Payson en route to camp. Youth licenses are only $5, adult licenses are $37. All licenses now last for a full 12 months, and they include trout, urban fishing and multi-pole privileges, so it's a pretty good deal.
Don't forget a fishing pole! One of the most popular free-time activities is crawfish catching. A simple stick or pole (we used a piece of PVC one year) with 5-8 feet of fishing line and a hook will work, or you can use a regular fishing pole. I just tie a swivel leader to the end of the line and then use a small trident hook for holding the bait.
More important than the pole, though, is a net with a long handle (maybe 3 feet long) and a fine mesh that doesn’t allow the crawdads to slip through. Think butterfly net (or pool skimmer!) rather than a traditional fish net. Once the crawfish grabs the bait, you can hoist them out of the water and catch them in the net; most times the bait will still be on your hook.
The best bait I saw last year was bacon, but crawfish aren't fussy; anything greasy will work. I usually bring a bag of Old Wisconsin Jerky Bites to use as bait. If you happen to have a crawfish trap, you can use it at family camping. Christian Bagley and I will be cooking up a batch of crawfish for dinner on Saturday, so if you have LIVE crawfish on Saturday afternoon, please bring them to us!
There is also a fishing pond with bass and sunfish. We need to share the pond with other scouts, though, so please practice catch and release, and only catch fish with bait. No snagging! It was too dry for trout in the creek this past summer, but hopefully the recent rains will have the water level back up again. If you want to catch trout, I recommend getting up early before the kids start tromping through the creek looking for crawdads. In the past, we've caught trout on #8 hooks with salmon eggs or Powerbait.
One more thing -- I've just been told that there is water (including modern rest rooms and hot showers) in the main part of the camp, but the water is off in the campsites. So be sure to bring plenty of water for washing, drinking, brushing teeth, etc., or bring a larger container to carry water from the mess hall back to camp.
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Shelter / Bedding
__Tent
__Sleeping bag
__Ground cloth/tarp
__Sheets/blankets
__Extra stakes
__Pillow
__Shade tarp/poles/rope/stakes
__Air mattress/sleeping pad/cot/tarp
__Axe or hammer
__Air pump
__Mat for tent entrance
__Repair kit for air mattress
__Dust pan/brush
__Utility bags for storage
__Portable Table(s)
Cooking
__Large water jug & water bucket
__Potholders/oven mitts
__Coolers/ice
__Pots and frying pans with lids
__Thermos
__Soap for outside
of pots and pans
__Stove with fuel/propane
__Cook utensils-spatula, knife, spoon
__Matches/lighter
__Tongs
__Charcoal/firewood/buddy burner
__Skewers/grill forks
__Dutch oven/tin can stove/box oven/etc
__Can opener/bottle opener
__Campfire grill/BBQ grill
__Folding table
__Fire starters/newspaper
__Dutch oven
__Tablecloth/thumb tacks/clips
__Pie irons
__Plates & bowls/paper plates & bowls
__Mugs/paper cups
__Silverware/plastic silverware
__Mixing bowl
__Measuring cups
__Cutting board
__Heavy-duty aluminum foil
__Ziplock bags
__Paper towels
__Napkins
__Trash bags
__Dish pan
__Dish soap
__Dish rags/towels
__Clothes pins
__Scrub pad/brillo
__Cooking oil/Pam spray
__Seasonings/sugar/condiments
__Containers for food storage
__Potato peeler
Clothes /
Personal
__Shoes/boots
__Shower shoes/flip flops
__Jeans/pant/belt
__Towels/washcloth
__Shorts
__Soap in plastic case/shampoo
__T-shirts
__Tooth brush/tooth paste
__Socks/extra socks
__ Deodorant
__Hat
__Comb/brush
__Bandana
__Razor
__Sweatshirt/jacket
__Feminine products
__Underwear
__Toilet paper
__Sleep clothes
__Shower bag or 5 gallon bucket
__Rain gear
__Camping shower/shower pump
__Swim suit/towel
__Other personal items
__Laundry bag
__Personal medications--take extra
Miscellaneous
__Sunscreen/chapstick
__Flashlight/batteries
__Lantern with fuel/mantles
__Pocket knife
__Extra batteries/bulbs
__Plastic grocery bags
__Compass
__Binoculars
__Bug repellant/candles
__Rope/clothes line
__Whistle
__Canteen/water bottle/coffee pot
__Water filters/purification/treatment
__Bungi cords/straps
__Camera/battery/film/video (see photo
jigsaw puzzles)
__Cards/games/toys/golf
__Books/magazines (a Kindle would be better)
__Duct tape/electrical tape
__Candles
__Notepad/pen
__Maps/directions
__Reservations info./confirmation
__Cell phone/charger & 2-way radios/walkie talkies
__Misc. tools
__Backpack/fanny pack
__Small shovel
__Fishing gear/license/bait
__Safety pins
__Radio
__Money/ID/credit card/quarters
__Musical instruments/song books
__Bikes/helmets
__Camp chairs
__Travel alarm clock
__Sunglasses
__Work gloves
__Hammock
__Umbrella
__First aid kit
__Hand wipes
__Tissues
__Drinks/snacks
__Saw/axe
__Small sewing kit
__Park map/guidebooks/trail maps
__Fire extinguisher
__Lantern pole or hanger
__Hot chocolate/tea bags/coffee
__Collapsible drying rack
__Scissors
__Popcorn
__Watch
__Marshmallows, Graham crackers, Hershey bars (Smores)
__Tell someone of your plans - give details of where
you are going and when
you expect to return, give directions and possible
alternative roads that you may take, provide cell phone numbers, vehicle
description and license plate numbers, hand-held radio channel and codes that
you will use, and provide local authority phone numbers (State Police, Game
& Fish Commission, Sheriff Dept, etc.) for the county or area that you
will be in.
Basic First
Aid
**The following list is only a suggestion of some of
the supplies you should consider for your first aid kit. You should
personalize your kit to meet your needs, activities and situations. The key
to a good first aid kit is its usability. What supplies to include and how
much of each item should be based upon your individual needs.
__Personal medications
__Triangular bandages
__Roll bandages
__Misc. Band Aides/bandages
__Adhesive tape
__Anti-acids (Tums, Rolaides)
__Antiseptic wipes
__Antibiotic cream
__Sterile gauze pads
__Aspirin/Ibuprofen/Tylenol/Naproxin
__Cotton swabs
__Hydrogen Peroxide
__Tweezers
__Ace bandages
__Safety pins
__Sunburn lotion
__Scissors
__Burn ointment
__Bee sting kit
__Snake bit kit
__Sinus medications
__Eye drops
__Tissues
__Poison ivy cream/cleansers
__Bug repellant
__Heat/cold packs
__Sunscreen
__Small flashlight
__Notepad/pen
__Latex gloves
__Sterile compresses
__Antibacterial soap
__Splinting materials
__Thermometer
__Personal information/contact person
__Coins for emergency phone calls
__Feminine products
__Antibiotic soap
__Ipecac
__Butterfly bandages
__Razor blades
__Twine
__Plastic bags
__Mole skin for blisters
__Small bottle of water
__Road flares
__Blanket
__First aid manual
__Other personal needs
__Nail clippers
__Small mirror
*Take a First Aid class and a CPR class -- keep
current on this information
*Keep supplies in a well marked, durable, waterproof
container
*Keep the contents organized
*Know how to use everything in your first aid kit
*Inspect content often, re-supply as needed
*Keep readily available at all times
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Again, let me know if there are any questions!
--brett
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