Missouri Scouts Conquer a Low-Ropes Course
Walking along a slackline doesn’t look that hard. You’re basically balancing on a tightly strung nylon strap only a foot off the ground, and the strap seems wide enough that you could easily place your feet on it. But once you get on the slackline, you realize it’s quite a challenge to stay sure-footed.
The Scouts of Troop 911 of St. Charles, Missouri, had each other to lean on as they tried the slacklines and several other obstacles at a local county park.
“Everyone got to know each other better. We could learn each other’s weaknesses and strengths, and we could play off those,” says Life Scout Eva Best, 13. “We learned to trust each other more.”
Left: Scouts with Troop 911 of St. Charles, Missouri, tackle the tire swing obstacle at a local park. Right: Brooke Muschler spots Emerson Wurtzel as she navigates the tire swings.
WORK LIKE A TEAM
Missouri Bluffs Park, also in St. Charles, features a group camping site and a low-ropes course. This course has 10 stations, each with a physical challenge, like balance beams, tire swings and a wooden climbing wall.
Everything was close to the ground, but to stay safe, the Scouts wore helmets and asked park officials to guide them through each obstacle. They also served as spotters to make sure their fellow Scouts didn’t fall. Getting through an obstacle required not only strength and balance but also strategy and teamwork.
“It was fun to see how far we could get,” says Brooke Muschler, 12, a Second Class Scout. “Some tactics really worked for some, but for others, it was just impossible. We had to use a little bit of trial and error.”
Working together helped them get through each obstacle. The tougher the challenge, the more enjoyable it was to overcome it.
“With teamwork, we could get through anything,” says Holly Muschler, 12, a Second Class Scout.
Mackenzie Mack moves a beam so she and Emerson Wurtzel can cross to the next wooden island.
ON THE TRAIL
The park also connects to the Katy Trail, which runs 240 miles across most of Missouri. It used to be a railroad line, but now people use it for hiking, horseback riding and bicycling.
Troop 911 cycled about 7 miles on the trail before heading back to camp, totaling nearly 15 miles. But before they did, they reviewed cycling safety.
Eva Best leads the troop across a truss bridge during a nearly 15-mile bike ride.
“We went over hand signals and what they mean so that we could safely ride together and ride around other people,” says Star Scout Kyra Landers, 15.
Even on the relatively short stretch of the trail, there was plenty to see. The girls spotted chipmunks and a snake. They also pedaled over a truss bridge and checked out the Missouri River.
Left: Holly Muschler, Brooke Muschler and Mackenzie Mack help Emerson Wurtzel through a spiderweb obstacle. Right: Brooke Muschler and Emerson Wurtzel work together to spot Eva Best across the slackline.
The troop didn’t have to go far from home to create memories. You too can find cool places nearby where you can try something new and have a lot of fun. After the campout, the Scouts felt they had bonded, especially many who were new to the troop.
“At our meetings, people are enjoying it a lot more,” says Natalie Williams, 15, a Life Scout. “They can go and see their friends, not just people they do Scouting with.”
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