T. J. Bombadil<p>The five-day “Mini” Backpack is something we do with our 7th and 8th-grade Scouts every two years. This year, we had an eleventh-hour destination change from <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/colorado" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>colorado</span></a>’s Flat Tops Wilderness to the much less fire-hazardous West Elks Wilderness near Durango. </p><p>Day 1: Trailhead to Middle Creek along the Lowline. Lots of cows and a forest fire scar. Water scarcity and everyone getting used to heavy backpacks and steep climbs. Crew working to come together.<br><a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/wilderness" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>wilderness</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/backpacking" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>backpacking</span></a> <a href="https://mstdn.social/tags/ScoutsBSA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">#<span>ScoutsBSA</span></a></p>