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San Isabel Scout Ranch, Rocky Mountain Council, near Pueblo, Colorado Leaving Spanish Peaks at 8200 feet, we found ourselves soon at 9000 feet visiting the San Isabel Scout Ranch. Our friends at Spanish Peaks had warned us about the terrible road to San Isabel, but we found it a superhighway--billiard-table smooth compared to the camp roads we had just left. Arriving at the end of dinner, we found Camp Director Pat Christensen in the dining hall and were kindly served dinner, even though we were just a bit late, by his fiancé Jammie. We made arrangements to photograph the camp the following day, discussing those areas that were of most importance to Pat. He introduced us to Garrett Best, Program Director, who arranged a staff photo shoot, something we're always pleased to do and an effort that camp staff seldom has the time or opportunity or equipment to do themselves. We found the camp compact and easy to negotiate, a welcome change from some of the camps we visited which were more spread out, although, it's fair to admit, younger, more athletic Scouts probably wouldn't notice the difference. The watersports programs that we've listed in Scout Camps USA in the past have been discontinued, the result of a failed dam and the pond shrinking to a puddle. The good news is that the camp is taking steps to make use of nearby Lake Isabel for sailing and other possible water-based activities. It must have been Texas Week when we were at camp; it seemed as though fully half the camp was populated by Texans looking for cooler temperatures in which to camp, and cool weather they found– the evening cooled to 50 degrees or so the night we were there – great weather for sleeping and not to be found in the more southern regions of the country. The camp has outgrown its dining facilities, having switched from a patrol-cooking camp to one in which all meals are served. Feeding is in two shifts, which didn't seem to bother the Scouts or Leaders but did seem to wear out the staff, as they performed their premeal camper warmup – six shows a day! Program Director Garrett Best is as energetic a PD as we've run across: Certainly, you can tell this from our photo of Garrett – he's the one flying unassisted three feet off the ground on the Lodge porch. The camp is focused on merit badge advancement, and its easy-to-take temperatures, spectacular views, and compact layout make it, we think, a perfect camp for your younger boys, especially those young enough to still be enchanted by the sight of the practically tame deer who roam the camp property at dusk and dawn. Our critter count: one buck, one doe, two fawns, and a chipmunk. |
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Discover San Isabel!
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