Moro Canyon Backpack Trip (2022)

Meet:  Saturday morning, 6:30 a.m. sharp, at the Scout House (eat a big breakfast before arriving).  We will distribute the dinners and cooking gear among the crews (I will send out the cooking crew list later this week). 

Drive up:  Shortly after 6:30 a.m. we will split into carpools and drive to the trailhead at Islip Saddle, about an 80-90 minute drive from San Marino.  We should try to squeeze into as few cars as possible they will charge us for every car over 6 – we can leave extra cars at the Scout House parking lot.  Use 8471 North Pacific Coast Highway for your navigation (you will turn inland from PCH at the stoplight “School-State Park”), when you see the fork in the road, follow the sign to the campground and bear right and then follow the signs to trailhead parking..

Pre-Hike Fun:  Before we hike up to the campsite, we are going to go spend some time on the beach.  Bring sandals or water shoes as you will need them.  Also feel free to bring frisbees, kites, swim suits, etc.  We can leave stuff in the cars before hiking up and there are bathrooms for changing at the trailhead.

Food:  Everyone should bring their own trail lunch for Saturday and breakfast for Sunday, plus any trail snacks you may need.  The troop will provide the dinner for Saturday.  You do not need to bring any cooking gear – the troop will provide backpack stoves, propane fuel, pots, cooking spoons, sponges and soap.  You just need to bring your own mess kit (just a bowl and a fork or spork, and a cup if you will be making hot chocolate or coffee).

Gear:  We hope all our new backpackers had the chance to attend Dr. Reiling’s Intro to Backpacking meeting to learn what to pack.  The Backpacking Checklist on the troop website (http://www.bsa-troop355.org) has a full list of the gear you should bring (from the home page click on Resources then Backpacking Checklist).  In short, you will need a backpacking tent (5 pounds or less), plus a backpack that fits you, plus a sleeping bag that is rated between 15 and 30 degrees F and is about 3 pounds.  These items can be borrowed or rented from REI.

Clothing:   Do not bring cotton clothing of any kind.  You want wool or synthetic hiking socks, a tech hiking shirt, and a fleece or other synthetic jacket, as well as a seam-sealed rain shell or poncho.  Good hiking pants or shorts – preferably zipoffs so you can covert between pants and shorts as needed. Moisture-wicking underwear.  And boots that are broken in, that are comfortable to walk in.  Try not to pack more clothes than you will need – for a one night trip our experienced backpackers will be bringing only the clothes they are wearing on Saturday, plus rain gear, a jacket and a sleep system.

Weather:  The NWS forecasts highs in the low 70s and lows in the low 60s at Crystal Cove Park.  Given that we are on the coast, there may get windy.  And while rain is not in the forecast, in our experience it could always rain no matter what the forecast says, so bring your rain gear and pack covers. Bring your sleep systems (long johns and beanie hat).

Navigation:  We will emphasize proper navigation on this trip.  All scouts should bring a compass – it is an essential component of any scout’s gear.  We will provide the maps for this trip – our scouts will orient the maps before we start hiking, and tell us which way to go. 

Water:   NOTE: This is a dry camp so you will need to bring 4 liters of water to have enough for the hike and for cooking.  

Other Gear to remember:  Insect repellent, sunscreen, TP, first aid kit, headlamp or flashlight.  Extra Ziplock bags for packing out all our trash – don’t bring large trash bags, bring gallon Ziplocks instead.  Check our Backpacking Checklist to make sure you bring everything else you will need.

Additional Questions:  We know it can be difficult to gear up for your first backpack trip, most of us had many many questions the first time we backpacked with the troop.  So please feel free to contact the troop leaders if you have have any questions.  Our main goal for this trip is to have a safe and fun trip – and a big part of that will be helping our new backpackers become experienced backpackers.