Gratitude High on Altitude

Gratitude to Boy Scouts of America High Adventure Training Team, San Francisco Council:

1. Rancho Los Mochos is “Scouts Own” for "HAT"

2. though you may not see the best sunset tonight.

3. The atmosphere's stable, not a cloud in sight.

4. But rotate one-eighty degrees to the right

5. with true north to the left, and you just might

see an impressionist painting in alpenglow light.

The night opens up with a waxing gibbous

6. and yellow wildflowers closing like tiny “ButterBuds”.

7. My tent’s vents filled with wild cilantro scents,

8. bellies filled with hot mouth-crunching breads.

9. I'm sleeping, warm and painless, upon a "Big Agnes".

10. Rancho Los Mochos has the best food for H.A.T.

11. you will see the best sunrise after owls' last flight

12. when the team is preparing and goes to great heights



13. for my S.P.L. to have high adventure in sight.


1. Ron Milligan

2. James Hood
3. Gary Ely
4. Lance Byard
5. Don Hall
6. David Chase
7. Paul Nakao
8. Jim Belak
9. Dave Latimer
10. George Yee
11. Dewey Phillips
12. Hank Helmholz
13. Terry Pearson
14. photo, Sawtooth Peak, Mineral King, 2007, before Vic Karpenko adjusted my pack!
Thank you, Dick Smith and team, for all of the work these two weekends. Have fun trekking!