Scouts hone climbing skills at weekend camping event

Troop 44 spent the weekend at Ingawanis Adventure Base, participating in COPE, Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience, a program designed to test Scouts’ physical and mental strength through a series of outdoor challenges.

Among the participants were freshman Aiden Neuman and sophomore Elijah Strei, who shared details about the group’s experience and the obstacles they overcame.

The trip began with a minor delay due to travel issues.

“Our Scoutmaster’s flight got delayed,” Neuman said. “That meant we couldn’t camp at the base the night before, so we had to leave early in the morning instead.”

Once they arrived at the camp, the Scouts jumped straight into the COPE program. This time, the challenge focused on climbing, which came as a surprise to many in the troop.

“We got there, and they told us we would be climbing,” Strei said. “That was a more thrilling activity compared to the last time we did COPE.”

The day’s main task involved more than just climbing — Scouts were also responsible for assembling the wall.

“None of the rocks were on the wall,” Strei said. “We had to attach the starting holds at the bottom, then climb up and place the rest of the rocks ourselves.”

Later in the afternoon, the Scouts reversed the process, removing the holds from the wall. For Neuman, this part of the experience stood out.

“They hooked me into a harness and used a belay line to pull me to the top of the wall,” he said. “That way, I could take the holds down from above. It was actually pretty fun.”

Despite the challenges, the scouts agreed that the experience was rewarding and memorable, offering both teamwork and personal growth.