In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Troop 676, an all-male Scouts BSA troop in Bozeman, Mont., a group of dedicated Scouts and Scoutmasters undertook a momentous 50-mile trek to Yellowstone National Park, retracing the historic route led by their first Scoutmaster, Homer Magee, in 1975.
To make the event more special, they invited their sister troop, Troop 619, an all-female troop, to join them on this memorable journey. The five-day adventure was guided by husband-and-wife Scoutmasters, Jason and Katie Daughenbaugh.
The Scouts (ages 11 to 16) and their leaders set off from Hyalite Canyon, just south of Bozeman, embarking on the challenging trek with 9,400 feet of elevation gain. They hiked along the awe-inspiring Gallatin Crest, reaching the northern border of Yellowstone National Park, before exiting through Daly Creek. Breathtaking views of mountain peaks over 100 miles away provided an unforgettable backdrop for the Scouts’ expedition.
“Despite the hardships, these Scouts demonstrated amazing resilience and Scout spirit,” said Katie. “When things got tough, they showed even more resolve. When their feet hurt, they looked for real solutions instead of giving up. When they were tired, they did the work to set up camp according to the principles of Leave no Trace in order to leave the place we camped better than we found it. The troops also completed trail work along the way by removing deadfall over the trail.”
On day one, the group encountered a snow field on the north face of Hyalite Peak, where they met four gentlemen in their 70s planning a course through the terrain. Remarkably, one of the men was a former Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 676. Jason convinced the men that sliding down the snowfield would be the safest route. Before doing so, they called their wives to tell them the plan and assured them they were with Scouts who could rescue them if something went wrong. The plan worked perfectly. The Scouts also extended a helping hand to hikers from Texas who had run out of water, refilling their bottles and sending them on their way.
Throughout the trek, they encountered mountain goats, big horn sheep, elk, deer, marmots, and pika. Wildflowers surrounded them everywhere as well as Hyalite Opals, petrified wood and amazing geological formations. Approaching Ramshorn Peak, they discovered an ancient stone pit. With the guidance of their resident archaeologist, Andy Williamson, they learned that it was once used as a Native American eagle trap. Hunters would hide themselves, covered with brush, and attract eagles for capture.
Troop 676 has a proud history, celebrating 106 Eagle Scouts over the course of their 50 years. Their Eagle Scout projects have contributed significantly to the community, benefiting organizations such as Eagle Mount, local hiking and biking trails, HRDC, Bozeman Health, Family Promise, city parks, and local schools.
Troop 619, Montana’s first all-female troop established on February 1, 2019, has also been making strides, already producing three Eagle Scouts, with more to follow.
“I fell in love with Scouting when I saw how great the older Scouts were as role models and teachers for my young son,” said Jason. “It has been inspiring to see him develop into one of those youth leaders for others. We are grateful for the Scouting traditions started at Bozeman United Methodist Church 50 years ago. So many young men have benefitted and now all youth with the addition of Troop 619. This is a legacy that will continue.”
Thanks to Dianne Stuart for contributing the article and to Renee Stephens for edits. Photos contributed by Troop 676. If you would like to submit an article for consideration, email lido.vizzutti@scouting.org
