SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER 2017
UPCOMING EVENTS SEPTEMBER FORUM “PUBLIC TRANSIT & CREWS IN THE CITY”
9/19/17 | 7:00 PM COUNCIL OFFICE
EXPLORE LA
WORDS FROM OUR PRESIDENT, KATELYN STEELE
RACE YOUR LOCAL CREWS IN THIS SCAVENGER HUNT THROUGH LOS ANGELES
9/30/17 | 11:00-4:00 MEET: UNION STATION Hello OC Venturers! Explore LA is a once in a once in a lifetime novelty experience full of team bonding and competition. Participants will arrive at Union Station at 11:00 in the morning and hear a brief safety review and reminder of the rules. A half an hour later the race to rack up points will begin! Each approved location has a different amount of points associated with it based upon its’ location. Places closer to train and bus lines are less points while the farther places are worth more. When you reach a designated spot, snap a picture and upload it to with the tag #OCventuring. At 3:30 contestants will meet back at Union Station where prizes will be awarded to the top three winning teams. The event and award ceremony will conclude at 4:00. I hope to see you there and may the best Crew win!
OCTOBER FORUM “HOW TO KILL A CREW” (WHAT NOT TO DO)
10/17/17 | 7:00 PM COUNCIL OFFICE
Crew 616 at Mt. Whitney! By Tyler Maynard Everyone always tells each other to “push yourself to your limits,� but I never realized how excruciating that could be until July 24-26 when I joined my Crew, 616, to backpack Mount Whitney. On the 24th we made a couple of stops here and there at Lone Pine before making our way up Whitney Portal to settle in to our campsite that night. A few tents and a cover for the picnic table while it rained were set up before we got to work preparing our dinner. Since all we would be having up on the mountain was sandwiches and freezedried food, we decided to cook up a good, hearty meal the evening prior. We made chicken hobo stew with various vegetables and seasonings. Card games were played to pass time as our tin-foil wrapped meals cooked over the burning coals. The results were delicious, a hot meal on a cold night right before our big hike. The next morning, we woke up at 5:30 and left around 6:30 am at the trailhead after stopping at the scale to weigh all our packs. The lightest was around 30 lbs and the heaviest was 41 lbs. The first stretch of the trail was a series of switchbacks that made their way out of the Whitney Portal valley and up onto the hills above. Along the way there were spectacular views of rapidly flowing waterfalls and a couple water crossings. The second stretch of the trail winded through lush meadows at the bases of overarching granite cliffs. A few deer here and there grazed the fruitful plants and trees as
bizarre plant-life grew out of cracks in the mossy rocks. Eventually we made it to the first camp, Outpost Camp, that sat in one of the meadows overlooking a fast-flowing waterfall. It was beautiful there, with plenty of shade and streams, and peaceful. We took a brief break here, and then continued our journey up the mountain. After several more switchbacks and stone steps, the trail made it past the tree line and around snow patches that fed the rivers with snowmelt. Around this time, the rain clouds started to roll in and we quickly got out our ponchos and continued onward. The previous winter was full of rain storms, leaving trails to be converted into running rivers and forcing us to have to find alternative routes or rocks to cross on. Occasionally, snow patches still covered parts of the trails, and we made our way across them using our trek poles. After about 6-7 hours of hiking with a few breaks inbetween, we had made it to Trail Camp where we would be staying that night. However, as we were searching for a decent spot to set up camp, a hailstorm rolled in. Our bare arms got pelted as our numb fingers were desperately at work trying to set up a tent faster than I’ve ever seen done before. Despite this hard attempt, hail still got in everyone’s tents and most everything we brought got soaked. We planned to wake up around 3:45 am the next morning, so after dinner we went to bed early. Headlights from all of the hikers that morning littered the 99 Switchbacks all the way to the crest. This section of the trail took the longest on the way up, because it was already 7 am by the time we made it to Crest Trail. The altitude started to take its toll on me at this point, and we took frequent breaks. As we made our way across the range, dark clouds started to roll in again, and we started to consider if it was safe to continue onward. We made it to the pair of needles that sit to the left of the summit and decided it was too dangerous to finish the last half mile considering the avalanched in pathway that left the only option one proven dangerous as you have to boulder loose rocks. However, the fact that we had made it to the crest of the Mount Whitney range is an outstanding achievement on its own. It was the journey that made this trip unforgettable. Pushing yourself to your limits is not an easy task, but the feeling of accomplishment after a 22 mile hike up the tallest mountain in the contiguous U.S. is definitely worth it! If you did something amazing with your Crew, please write an article and send it to OCC.VOA.Comms@gmail.com, and we’ll be sure to add it to the next newsletter!
Venturing Beach Day / Bonfire Recap! The OCC Venturing Beach Day and Bonfire were a tremendous success, starting at 2:00 when Venturers began coming in to Bolsa Chica State Beach, loaded with their food, towels, and great attitudes. We kicked-off the bonding with several intense rounds of volleyball, with the help of our makeshift net which was constructed of paracord, an easy-up, and an umbrella. Realizing that we needed to cool off from the heat of the game, some of us headed to the water while others chilled in the shade. After a few snacks and good times, we started the fire and began roasting hot dogs. As the sun set, we pulled out the marshmallows and began creating decadent, gooey s’mores. This event was a true testament to the connection that all Venturers have.
Venturing Fest 2018! Missed the National Jamboree? Check out this Venturing-exclusive festival at SBR! Heads up to everyone: VenturingFest 2018 is coming around the corner!! For those of you that don’t know, VenturingFest commemorates 20 years of Venturing. This amazing six-day high-adventure experience is filled with climbing, zip lining, COPE courses, paddle boarding, kayaking, shooting, BMX, and other thrilling activities from the Summit. It will be a lifechanging journey and you will gain some of the best memories of your Scouting career. Cost: $500 ($600 after April, 2018) For more information or to register, visit: http://www.summitbsa.org/venturingfest/ _____________________________________________________________________________________
What is a VOA? The Venturing Officers Association (VOA) is a team of Venturers that provide support to strengthen the Venturing program in the local Crews. We aim to do this through events and trainings to create fellowship, leadership, and unity.
WE NEVER FAIL WHEN WE TRY TO DO OUR DUTY, WE ALWAYS FAIL WHE WE NEGLECT TO DO IT. Robert Baden-Powel (Founder of Scouting)
2017-2018 VOA Officers
OC Venturing Merchandise! Love Venturing in Orange County so much? Show it with our collection of merchandise available for purchase at all events and Forums only! T-Shirts will be made soon!
President: Katelyn Steele Co-VP of Administration: Catly Do Co-VP of Administration: Ivy Ta VP of Programs: Matthew Paproski Co-VP of Communications: Jonathan Bergler Co-VP of Communications: Ryan Trinh Advisor: Allen Barr District Executive for Venturing: Holly Krumsick
For more information, please visit us on our: Website: http://venturing.ocbsa.org/ Instagram: @OCVenturing Facebook: Orange County Council Venturing Or Email us at: OCC.VOA.Comms@gmail.com
What is a Forum? A forum is a time to discuss important topics future events with representatives from Orange County Council Venturing Crews. We meet on the 3rd Tuesday of every month at the Council Office at 7:00pm.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Upcoming Events: 9/30/17 – Explore LA Scavenger Hunt RAD Day cancelled – Previously 11/18/17 2/3/18 – Snow Day
It is important for most of the Crews to have a representative to discuss what the Crew is doing, as well as how they are doing, and what their needs are, if any. At the upcoming Forum, we will be discussing “Public Transit & Thing for Crews to do in Cities,” as well as our upcoming events: a Beach Day/ Clean-up and Explore LA.
3/3/18-3/4/18 – Venturing Camporee 4/21/18 – Sports Day
Upcoming Forum Topics: September – GPS Training October – “How to Kill a Crew” November – Shooting Safety December – Holiday Party & White Elephant January – Snow Safety February – Venturing Camporee Overview March – Venturing Camporee Details April – Sports Day Planning & Crew Advancement