Ockey Family Adventures: Maple Dell Scout Camp

Mark at Scout Camp.

Mark had the oppurtunity to spend a week at Maple Dell this year. He had a great time last year, and he was the only returning scout. Maple Dell is in Payson Canyon, so the boys had to pack all their stuff early and drive up to camp. Dad came for the first few days, so he helped them get all their stuff up to camp. When they got there, they unpacked their stuff and had lunch. Then they headed off to learn merit badges. Mark went to Mammal Study, and it was not very hard at all. He knocked it off in one day! After finishing that, they had dinner, which was pizza, and then they headed back to their camp.

Dad and Mark love going to Scout Camp together.

Mark's troop was in camp Salish this year in the middle of camp. It was way better than the top of Heart Attack hill last year.

The camp is all set up!

Mark had his nice cot and pad for sleeping.

Mom is always glad that these two can go together.

The next morning, they headed off to their opening flag ceremony. At the flag ceremony, they met their commissioner who was named Carson, and their troop friend, Hannah. They made a troop yell, and learned their area yell. They were in area 1, the magic world of Maple Dell. Then they headed off to more merit badges. Mark had Game Design, Rowing, Art, Leatherwork, and Forestry. After Rowing, they had lunch, and after Forestry they had a little free time. During the free time, Mark bought delicious huckleberry soda. After dinner, they went to play at the lake, which was really fun. His troop played on the toys on the lake, and it was a blast. Then the troop went to campfire, which is a program with lots of skits and fun stuff like that. After that, Dad left and the troop went to bed.

Mark with Cayden, who lives two doors down.

Mark enjoyed Scout Camp.

Mark loved all the water activities.

Some of the boys chose to be dunked head first in the water!

These are the boys that Mark spent the week with.

They had to wear their scout shirts to flag ceremony.

The next day was much the same because Mark went to the same merit badges and had flag ceremony. Before dinner, Mark and his friend went to the zipline they have over the lake. You have to climb up the ladder to a platform and then zip down across the lake. It was really fun, and Mark really enjoyed it. Then his family came up for troop night and shared a short spiritual message. After, they had rootbeer floats, and then they went to bed.

Seth was so excited to go to scout camp.

Mark wasn't sure he was excited to see his family!

The whole troop eating Root Beer Floats.

We saw this deer walk through Mark's camp.

The next day, Mark still had his same merit badges. They did the devotional in the morning, and it was a great experience. Their day was mostly the same. That night they had lots more free time, so they went to the lake again and had a great time. That night, they played games and did riddles together as a troop.

The next day, they were finished with merit badges, so they went on a 5 mile hike to Red Lake. It was fun, and they saw a small vole on the way. After that they had lots of free time, so they bought more stuff and had a great time. In the afternoon, they had two campwide games. The first was staff chase, in which the staff ran and the scouts had to go find them. In the chase, Mark's troop got 2nd place! The next game was the Battle of Maple Dell. In the battle, four members of a troop got in a canoe and had to swamp all the other canoes. Mark's troop got out early, but they still had fun. That night, they had another campfire, where there were more funny skits and a slide show about the week at the camp. They got back late, and the troop went to bed immediately.

The next day they got up early and got all packed and ready to go. Once they got inspected, they left and went back to Lehi. They then seperated all the gear and went home. It was such a great trip and an awesome experience, and Mark hopes to go back someday and have another great week at Maple Dell Scout Camp.

**Written by Mark