This morning (for me, anyway) we had a virtual Jacktown Packers reunion which included a video with slides and songs from the 20 years that the program was running (1977-1996). As far as I could tell, only one other student from my year (1991) was there; although it was great to see Al Ferry and Dennis Whitehead there. The video was amazing and brought back many memories which I was able to share with Connor as he watched the video with me (but stayed off camera). A special thank you goes out to Lisa M. Schell for setting it all up.
The Jacktown Packers was a high school backpacking program available to students in the Jackson area during either their junior or senior years. Getting into it required applying to the program and being interviewed. It started in the winter with after school classes on geography, ecology, wilderness survival, history of the area we were going to hike, and other pertinent topics. It included reading and discussing a couple of books (such as Centennial by James A. Michener) related to the above topics. We also spent the months leading up to the trip going on several "shakedowns" (backpacking hikes of increasing distances and durations) at local areas.
The main trip was a 20+ day excursion out West. During the trip, the Packers would stop by sites of historical relevance (some on my trip included the sites of the Massacre at Wounded Knee and the Battle of Little Bighorn), cultural exploration (my first rodeo), and adventuring experiences (mine included a white water rafting trip where I fell out of the boat ... and lost my glasses; thus the rest of the trip was a blur). The main parts of the trip were extended backpacking/camping trips that lasted about a week each (mine included hiking the Continental Divide at Yellowstone National Park and making our way through the Beartooth Mountains in Montana--although we had to turn around and rush back due to a blocked pass).
For me 1991 was a pivotal year full of amazing experiences. The top three were when I played as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, went to Boys' State, and was a Jacktown Packer. By far, being a Jacktown Packer had the greatest influence on my life. If nothing else, it honed my desire to live among mountains and appreciate the beauty of nature--contributing factors to my moving to Alaska.
It was nice to relive that experience today and see again some of the amazing people who made it possible.
The Jacktown Packers was a high school backpacking program available to students in the Jackson area during either their junior or senior years. Getting into it required applying to the program and being interviewed. It started in the winter with after school classes on geography, ecology, wilderness survival, history of the area we were going to hike, and other pertinent topics. It included reading and discussing a couple of books (such as Centennial by James A. Michener) related to the above topics. We also spent the months leading up to the trip going on several "shakedowns" (backpacking hikes of increasing distances and durations) at local areas.
The main trip was a 20+ day excursion out West. During the trip, the Packers would stop by sites of historical relevance (some on my trip included the sites of the Massacre at Wounded Knee and the Battle of Little Bighorn), cultural exploration (my first rodeo), and adventuring experiences (mine included a white water rafting trip where I fell out of the boat ... and lost my glasses; thus the rest of the trip was a blur). The main parts of the trip were extended backpacking/camping trips that lasted about a week each (mine included hiking the Continental Divide at Yellowstone National Park and making our way through the Beartooth Mountains in Montana--although we had to turn around and rush back due to a blocked pass).
For me 1991 was a pivotal year full of amazing experiences. The top three were when I played as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, went to Boys' State, and was a Jacktown Packer. By far, being a Jacktown Packer had the greatest influence on my life. If nothing else, it honed my desire to live among mountains and appreciate the beauty of nature--contributing factors to my moving to Alaska.
It was nice to relive that experience today and see again some of the amazing people who made it possible.
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