Our fall backpacking trip is Saturday, October 13th to Sunday, October 14th. We will be hiking in the George Washington National Forrest. We will meet at the PUMC shed at 8am Saturday and return on Sunday afternoon. Bring a bag lunch with a beverage for Saturday. This will be a dry campout; all Scouts should carry 3 liters of water. Sturdy hiking boots are required. We will stop for a fast food lunch on our way back. Bring small bills to pay cooks ($15) and buy lunch ($10) on Sunday. Cooks should contact me directly before buying food.
The troop will hike 3 miles to the campsite and 3 miles out. If we have enough older scouts and parents that desire a longer hike, we will offer a 8-mile hike in with 3 miles out.
If you have any troop equipment outstanding, return all troop equipment at the Tuesday troop meeting on October 9th. The return of all troop equipment is mandatory. Make arrangements with your PL if you cannot make the troop meeting to return equipment.
We will need at least 6 parents to drive and attend. When signing up please note how many people with packs (including yourself) will fit in your car.
Please RSVP by Tuesday, October 9th at 10pm if you wish to attend.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0A4AABAF2BA3FE3-backpacking
We have scheduled our Fall canoe campout this year for the weekend of September 22 and 23. The outfitter we will be using is River & Trail outfitters (https://www.rivertrail.com/). We will be canoeing on the Potomac river. The cost for canoeing and camping at the Brunswick Family campground will be $65 per scout this can be paid via PayPal (https://www.troop773.com/payments/) and the outfitter has requested that people sign a waiver form prior to our arrival (https://www.rivertrail.com/waiver/) We will need a final headcount by September 14th. We will also be taking volunteers to chaperone, canoe and campout (will need approximately 5 cars). I will provide driving directions for all volunteers. Reminder: All attendees must have already passed the BSA Swim Test.
We will probably be on the water about 3 hours. We should plan to be there at noon, so we can setup our campsite, have lunch and be on the water at 2pm that should get us back to camp around 5:30pm to cook dinner. To do this we want to be pulling away from the church no later than 10:30, so we need to — MEET AT THE SHED BY 9:30AM — to gather gear on Saturday, September 22nd.
DO NOT FORGET TO BRING A BAG LUNCH FOR SATURDAY OR YOU WILL NOT EAT! Also, remember to bring $15 in small bills to pay the cooks, along with $10 for a fast food lunch on Sunday.
We will be doing our traditional stop at McDonalds on the way home so anticipate your scout getting home around 1pm. That is not a commitment so if you have needs to be home before or shortly after that time, you should plan on your own transportation home. Volunteer transportation needs to be able to abide by the schedule I outlined above.
Please go to the Signup Genius to register for the trip as soon as possible we are in need of additional adults to canoe/camp as well as drive. Four cooks and four assistant cooks will be assigned by the Patrol Leaders and should plan to feed 8 people Dinner and Breakfast. If you need to be a cook or assistant cook for advancement, please talk with your Patrol Leader. If you plan on attending or driving (or have any questions), please contact me – Joe Ashcraft
Again, please submit payment of $65 via PayPal at (https://www.troop773.com/payments/) by September 14th and bring a completed waiver form to the Troop Meeting prior to the trip and give them to the SPL.
I have also attached a general packing list to this email.
PARENTS OF NEW SCOUTS: Remember that the troop provides tents. However, your son needs his own sleeping bag and mess kit (or at least a plastic bowl, cup, spoon and fork). Because the canoe trip is like car camping, he can pack in either a backpack or a duffel bag.
Just another suggestion, it is a good idea to wear water shoes or closed toe sandals for the canoe trip. Also, the trip is on rain or shine, so please check the weather and pack accordingly.
This campout is usually fun for everyone; let’s hope for excellent weather!
Please join us for a parent meeting to discuss the upcoming Scouting year, Tuesday, September 11th, 7:30pm, PUMC. New and existing parents should attend this meeting.
Scouts First Class and above are invited to attend the PLC planning meeting on Tuesday, September 4th, 7:00 pm at the Hartmann home. This is a brainstorming meeting to discuss trips, events and meeting topics for the upcoming year.
All parents are invited to our first troop meeting for a parent discussion of the upcoming scouting year, Tuesday, September 11th, 7:30 pm, PUMC. This is a combination meeting for new parents and existing parents to discuss the upcoming year.
Our first campout will be on Saturday, September 22nd. Look for more information soon.
Troop 773 will attend Northern Tier High Adventure July 25th to August 9th.
Troop 773 will attend Goshen Scout Reservation on June 30th to July 7th.
Join us for our Summer backpacking trip to Massanutten. We will hike Duncan Knob.
Scouts BSA Troop 773 offers a year-round adventure-based program designed to encourage effective character, citizenship, and fitness training for youth ages 11 to 17.
Scouting is adventure, family, fun, character, leadership, and more.
In Scouting, youth start with their best right now selves and grow into their very best future selves. It’s fun, hands-on learning and achievement that puts kids in the middle of the action and prepares them for today and life.
In addition to camping, Scouts and adult leaders enjoy many outdoor activities while accommodating the needs of today’s busy families.
Troop 773 was founded in 1958, is sponsored by Potomac United Methodist Church and chartered by The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chapter of the IWLA. The troop has enjoyed serving our sponsoring church by providing church clean-ups, attending Scout Sunday, and more. Since the troop was chartered over 200 Scouts have achieved the rank of Eagle. Our Eagle projects have helped schools, churches, and charities.
Troop 773 camps each month or goes on an overnight adventure. Every year we try to squeeze in backpacking, caving, biking, hiking, canoeing, rock climbing, wilderness survival camping, winter camping, outdoor cooking competitions, rafting, skiing, orienteering, community service projects, and our spaghetti dinner fundraiser.
