Here is a summary of the Lost Valley Trip, based mostly on the daily e-mails sent by Dr. Bryon.
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We all met at Jerebek park and drove out to Lost Valley. The drive went fairly quickly and when we got to the dirt road, the drivers were given a CD to play during the 10 mile drive off road into camp. The CD had some relaxing music on it and a narration of the highlights of the drive such as research station, the Pacific Coast Trail and Mt. Gorgonio. 
On arrival we were met with some rain showers (no thunder!) as we arrived, but the boys had camp together in a snap. No small feat, as we had double the normal amount of people in our campsite: dining flies were rapidly assembled, and then the troop tents went up, and cots were assembled and put into tents. We actually fit just fine! It didn’t take long for the cards to be broken out.
Everyone got the “Blue Swimmer” at the swim check, and we were the second troop through, so there was no line!
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The merit badge cards were all filled out with the older boys helping the younger boys.
Late that day we got to meet our camp staff, Andrew and Megan, and eat at the Beckman Dining Hall for the first time. The ‘Atta-Scout program was started and the boys eagerly started collecting points by filling pitchers of water, clearing tables and helping each other and the ASMs. Those points would eventually be redeemed to avoid the real chore of cleaning restrooms and others would be given some candy.
The opening campfire was a blast, with songs, stunts, and skits (ask your son about “Choose your own adventure . ..” and the “Travelocity Gnome .. . .”).
Monday:
This day and each morning the day was started by the Polar Bear Swim for 30 minutes then some yelling loud enough to wake up Anza and every other camper or staff member in Lost Valley.
Our 12 first year campers were all enrolled in the swimming merit badge. The swimmers went over safe swim defense and practiced a number of different swimming skills.
The rest of the gang were spread out all over the reservation .. ..lifesaving, woodcarving, camping, COPE (older boys-Challenging Outdoor Personal Experince), geology, etc. They just get on their bikes after looking at the map, and off they went!
After swimming, the first year scouts got to go fingerprinting at the Grace Handicraft Center
and after that the first year scouts went to the Ahwahnee Center for the First Aid Merit Badge.
Tuesday:
Shane M, Mitchell I, Reed H, Josh S, Jacob Z., Kyle F., and Duncan did an incredible job this AM with the opening flag ceremony and invocation . . .the Program Director came up to them afterwards and said “Awesome!”
The pool staff is still talking about how well the new Scouts knew their Safe Swim Defense. They see thousands of Scouts a year, and they have had NONE that know the stuff as well as our Scouts!
For the boys taking camping and first aid merit badge, they feel it is almost all review, which means our Troop’s program is preparing them well!
Free time is often spent at the Grace and Irvine Trading Posts where the boys can buy drinks, snacks and other camp and scout related items. They can also earn beads and buy material to make a lanyard.
Alex had his Life Scoutmaster Conference.
2nd Class Scoutmaster Conferences were completed by Shane M., Colin, Jered and JQ.
Keith and Troy were already at 3 merit badges each, as they were blazing through handicraft.
Reid B. was carving away at wood, and was preparing for Wilderness Survival (with Reed “Double Eâ€, Too!).
Shane S., Shane M, Nathan, Duncan, Mitchel, Jared, Michael F., JQ, Evan, Colin, CJ polished off finger printing, and were still swimming, doing first aide and looking forward to leatherwork on Wed.
Tim, Michael S. and Marvin were busy at the stables with the horses.
Kyle F. was feeling great, and was finished fingerprinting and was taking on 6 more merit badges …
The young men of COPE (Bryan, Josh, Dan, Sean) shot black powder muskets today, and did serious damage to various objects. . . .
Kevin and Dan and Brandon were swimming great for Lifesaving. . .
Grant was carving and tying together wood in woodcarving and pioneering. . .
Dario was in the water (on purpose) in the canoeing drills.
Michael M. had already completed Mammals!
David M. already has finished the qualifying for shotgun merit badge!
Christian had tackled orienteering head on, and was doing great.
Matt is with the Environmental Science group, and took on pottery that night.
Kyle S. went out on the horse riding overnight tonight. . .
Garrett finished pottery already, and was looking for woodcarving. . .
Jake T. was our lone weather guy. . .and since he started, he was able to keep the rain away.
Harrison was strengthening his pioneering skills, and along with Marvin, was the Karaoke champ here in camp to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” The whole staff gathered outside our camp for the performance.
Jacob. Z. continued his march toward earning three Eagle required merit badges!
We started to get cards, letters and packages from home that elevated our already sky high sprits.
Finallly, the Scouts put up a GREAT gateway with the Troop Banner, and it is the talk of the camp. The Troop received a perfect score on the first campsite inspection. And did so each day afterwords too!
Thursday:
It was warm and the Scouts were drinking lots of water, and doing well!
The Reed/Reid team slept out to earn the Wilderness Survival Merit Badge.
Each of the Scouts of Troop 301 got a free Lost Valley T-shirt, since we had our reservation in before the deadline over a year ago for this week AND we got a free ice cream. Hagen Daz no less! We had a improptu Troop Song fest! Before the ice cream many got to do a “Troop Shoot” with the 22-caliber rifles at the rifle range.
Our Young Men Of Cope (Sean, Bryan, Dan, Josh) spent the morning on the “High Course,” where they climbed cable ladders, went across multiple 30 foot high challenges of wire cable bridges and a 4 inch wide beam . .their payoff was the incredible zip line down the canyon! Man they had fun. . . .
Friday:
It was a warm morning, and we talked about wetting down the shirts to keep cool during the day.
Kyle S. got 100% on his canoeing test. ..the only one ALL summer!
Honor Scouts for the week were planned to be recognized Friday by the camp staff, but for technical reasons it didn’t happen until Saturday morning. We had three. Usually a Troop gets one. Our three were David M., Jacob Z., and Michael F.
We had a great Staff hide n’seek game, the aquacade (water games), and triathlon. Troop 301 won the aquacade, came in first and third in the team Tri and had Keith A. tied for third in the Iron Man! Our ASM team (Mr. Davis, Mr. Zimmer and Mr. Stachwick) competed in their full class A uniforms. Yes, Mr. Davis swam his part in his full class A, complete with hat and socks.
The carnival and western show capped off the week with songs, skits and carnival activities. The carnival included a tug of war, whip cracking and fire truck demonstrations, homemade local Root Beer, the staff search, face painting and much more.
I think there was a fairly universal feeling among the Troop 301 adults about what a pleasure it was to have been to be with Troop 301 scouts this week. Staff members kept coming up to us, and complementing us on how well behaved, attentive, and interested our Scouts had been this week. . .I and those adults that went this week echo their sentiments.