Pickett State Park - The Scouts Outdid Themselves

D

Don M

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Apr 30, 2000
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I had planned on backpacking in the Smokies this week (to visit the site where Horace Kephart stayed for a few years when he first arrived), but, alas, circumstances changed those plans. When it became apparent that I could spend a little time away, I decided to join my younger scouts, who were camped at Pickett State Park, TN.

Pickett is Plateau country, with ravines that have a lot of interesting overhanging bluffs and natural bridges and arches. The weather was perfect - warm, but not hot, sunny, blue skies. Lots of stars at night.

Hazard Cave. The dark hole farther back is deep, with a lot of space in a room there.

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Small arch.

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Larger arch, over water.

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Small lake. They stock this with trout.

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Beaver Lodge.

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Looks nice. I've been to BSF several times but have never made it over to Pickett. I need to change that next time...
 
Several years ago I issued a challenge to my scouts. If they build a fire without matches or lighter, using natural tinder (no cotton ball with PJ), boil water and make hot cocoa for me, I will give them a SAK Tinker with the Boy Scout insignia on it. In the last 5 years only one scout even attempted it, and he succeeded, even though it was 20 degrees F when he did it. It took him hours trying before he found something that would take a spark.

I gave this same challenge to the current group of younger scouts. They had not exhibited much of a desire to try in the past. Well, last night they decided to take me up on the challenge. They scurried about finding tinder and kindling. They did not even think about dinner, despite the hour. I was impressed. Before the evening was out, 4 of them had succeeded.

They found some dry grass that, when rubbed in their palms, became light and fine enough to catch a spark. They used a magnesium block/firesteel (no magnesium allowed, only the spark), and the edge of a knife. The edge really cut into the ferro rod, and threw tremendous sparks. I'm glad it was not my knife or my ferro rod, both took a beating. But they started fires.

They all chose to use the dry grass they found as the tinder, although I showed them fatwood. A demonstration with fatwood in the morning showed them that it works to start fires. That generated interest among them, especially with one of them, who became somewhat obsessed with the subject.

The first one to finish.

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And my treat for them, scones after dinner.

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Now I need to get some knives. I had one on hand to give to a scout, but I was not expecting four of them to do it, much less in the same evening. Later at least one was bragging to his older brother about what he had done.
 
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I used to live in Tennessee and went there(as well as Big South Fork) MANY times

Thanks for posting these photos Bro

Dr.Bill
 
Awesome pics and comentary,
That is a neat deal you made and make with the scouts.

Bryan
 
Boy, that place is beautiful! We are planning to do some backpacking trips up into TN...thanks for sharing!

ROCK6
 
There were good lessons learned. The boys who were not interested in the challenge observed the whole thing. Another who was busy doing other things related to the effort, but did not build a fire, will likely try soon. And the last one to do it got his tinder lit three times before he could get a fire going long enough to boil a cup of water. Each time he ran out of kindling, and the tinder went out. He was about to give up, but I coached him into finding some good tinder, and emphasized collecting far more than he thought he needed. Then he did it.

It was the first campout for the first one to get a fire going (even though he is 13 yrs old, he had never camped with us before). He said his father had taught him to build fires.
 
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That's really impressive to have four of of them pass the challenge on one trip. I never had any of my scouts pass. Maybe it was because I offered the SAK Soldier as prize instead of the BSA Tinker.

Lots of good rock in that area.
 
I don't know what made the difference this time, except perhaps the competitive spirit kicked in when one of them showed he was serious about trying. Several had said in the past that they wanted to do it, but never seriously tried. This campout presented a good opportunity, since they had already been there 2 days, and had plenty of daylight left with not much else planned.

The combination of dry weather, and carving the firesteel (giving globs of sparks) did not hurt, either. If it had been raining it would have been much more challenging.
 
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Don, my hats off to you for inspiring the youth. Its an incredible service, less so that they were able to succeed in your challenge, but that they found the internal drive and desire to rise to the challenge. Its people like you who are mentoring the future of our nation. Great stuff!
 
Reminds me of my dad, he was scout leader for all 3 of us boys. Lead and teach was a mantra of his.
Nice to see people getting urbanized kids out, not there fault all they know is tv and the internet at 12yrs old.
 
Brings back memories! Keep working with those boys much as possible, they need all the help they can get these days! Great pics and great times.
 
Awesome photos! I love the Tennessee hills :D

Great way to motivate the kids! I really need to get some projects finished up so I can get more involved with one of the groups here.
 
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