The Nav/Ad’s from Trail Life Troop AL-0236 planned an overnight backpacking trip to MacDill Point in the Cheaha Wilderness. However, a decision was made to turn it into a day hike of the entire route instead due to the threat of severe weather in the forecast for late Saturday.
It started with a wet morning but quickly cleared off. The view in Cheah Wilderness area was stunning with the fog that was rolling out instead of in. The trail was well marked, and the boys learned about reading elevation on topo maps. With only one water crossing, they also learned about filtering water and the importance of staying hydrated while conserving water.
Lunch was eaten at McDill point overlook, where the fog cleared, providing great views for a long distance. The boys got to see the remnants of a plane crash from the late 70’s that is still present along the trail. The afternoon hike was short and enjoyable, with only a couple of other people on the trail. The patrol hiked 7.5 miles with almost 1500 feet of elevation change.
The patrol is looking forward to the next time we are able to hit the trail and hopefully spend the night in the back country.