During Spring Break, Boy Scout Troop 807 of Coppell climbed to the top of Enchanted Rock in Central Texas as part of a program to teach a new crop of Scouts about Scouting skills.  Troop 807 traveled to “The Rock” in eight vehicles as part of a four-day campout with 30 Scouts, many of who had just joined last month, and eight adults leaders. 

The Troop stayed at El Rancho Cima Scout Camp near Blanco, Texas during the four days of the campout.  They arrived on Saturday, March 15 and spent two days learning various skills, such as cooking and rock climbing at the campsite before traveling to Enchanted Rock on Monday. 

On Sunday, the Troop performed a service project for the Scout Camp by clearing brush around the camp and stacking branches in a gully to help control erosion and water flow.  The service project was part of the Soil and Water Conservation Badge on which the Scouts are working.

The Scouts hiked up the rock monolith to the summit of Enchanted Rock on Monday in two groups.  One group of older Scouts hiked through Enchanted Rock State Park with full backpacks for six miles in preparation for their trip to Philmont Scout Ranch this summer. The second group trekked to the summit and investigated a cave on the north side to learn about the geology of the area in preparation for the Geology Badge. 

While on Enchanted Rock, wind gusts reached an estimated 50 miles per hour, prompting them to tread carefully around the sloping summit.  The only casualty was a hat lost due to the blustery winds.

On Monday evening, with storm clouds converging on the Scouts, the Troop made a hasty move to the safety of the Dining Hall at Camp El Rancho Cima.  There they learned the importance of being prepared for a weather emergency, adapting to the local conditions, and using the facilities that are available.

The next morning, on Tuesday, the Troop packed up and headed back to Coppell just as the heavy rains started.  The caravan of trucks and vans were inundated with rain for the entire six-hour drive back to Coppell, making travel difficult and slow.  At times the convoy slowed to less than 35 miles per hour as the rain fell at a rate of over three inches per hour.  All Scouts arrived home safely, with a new awareness of being prepared for severe weather conditions.  After helping to unpack the Troop trailer in the rain, the Senior Patrol Leader, the Scout leading the Troop on this campout, suggested the next trip should be to the desert.