Alas, Wildcat Lake Is Now Catfish Pond

One ingredient in the summer camp bug juice

was water from Wildcat Lake,

another was genuine bugs from under genuine

Appalachian Trail rocks, and the last was lots

and lots of sugar to help keep all those little campers

excited about being away from home for two weeks.

My first overnight camping trip was at the scout camp at Wildcat Lake. It was a cold Friday night in January and we lugged our equipment up the trail to the rustic open-air cabins.

Our troop leader and the older boys draped the tents across the front and sides.

Shining our green handled right-angle flashlights into the dark woods we scampered through the cold evening prying frozen logs from the crusty ground.

A wet-boot detail disappeared with the Jerry jugs and returned with the water we would need for the night.

A coffee pot and some large sauce pans were set on the open fire to boil the lake water.

Continue reading Alas, Wildcat Lake Is Now Catfish Pond