Philmont Shakedown Hike III Sipsey Wilderness Area
May 28 - 30, 2004
Article updated June 8, 2004
Click on photos below to see full size image

       Pushmataha is taking a 24 member council contingent to Philmont Scout Ranch this summer. Eighteen scouts will be accompanied by six adults for the two week backpacking trek in the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico. In preparation for the trek, the participants are taking four “shakedown” hikes. We just completed our third shakedown, a 15 mile, two night trip into the Sipsey Wilderness Area in northwest Alabama.  Our fourth (and final) shakedown hike will be a two night trip to the Odum Scout Trail on Cheaha Mountain, near Talladega, Alabama. Cheaha Mountain is the highest point in Alabama. For this trip, we will meet on June 25 at 1:00 PM at the scout office in Columbus.
sipsey1.JPG (89576 bytes) Packing up at the trailhead
sipsey4.JPG (106323 bytes) Omega Crew ready for the hike
sipsey5.JPG (105907 bytes) Alpha Crew ready for the hike
sipsey9.JPG (99870 bytes) First camp water purification
sipsey11.JPG (72940 bytes) First camp water purification
sipsey12.JPG (89260 bytes) First camp water purification
sipsey14.JPG (110094 bytes) A wet arrival at second night’s campsite – Chris & Charlie
sipsey15.JPG (122631 bytes) Another wet arrival - Vince
sipsey17.JPG (78883 bytes) Swimming in the Sipsey River
sipsey18.JPG (68687 bytes) Omega Crew’s second night campsite beside the river
sipsey19.JPG (86796 bytes) Swimming in the Sipsey
sipsey21.JPG (119293 bytes) Swimming
sipsey22.JPG (114872 bytes) Escargot
sipsey24.JPG (110625 bytes) Sitting in the Eye of the Needle
sipsey26.JPG (142362 bytes) Magnolia blossom
sipsey27.JPG (135714 bytes) Omega crew on the point
sipsey30.JPG (89797 bytes) Cooking
sipsey31.JPG (130736 bytes) Magenta and Mark purifying water in His presence
(recommended desktop wallpaper!)
sipsey35.JPG (67264 bytes) Sunday lunch at the Haleyville KFC
sipsey37.JPG (64794 bytes) Unloading back at the scout office in Columbus

Photo credits:  T19 SM Kevin Davis