Local Scouts explore Europe on troop’s summer trip – San Diego Union-Tribune

Del Mar’s Scout Troop 713 recently took a two-week European adventure, exploring the natural beauty of Switzerland, France and Italy. The group included 18 Scouts, 10 boys and eight girls, from the Carmel Valley, Del Mar and Solana Beach area, along with six adult leaders in tow.

The Scouts spent 18 months planning the trip, figure out lodging, transportation, meals and activities with support from adults. Scouts Natalie DuBreuil, Bella Yoo and Ben Brzenski were most involved in the planning and the troop members sold popcorn and holiday wreaths to support raise funds for their travel.

In Switzerland the troop stayed at the Kandersteg International Scout Centre, where they hiked 17 miles through hail and rain to the Lötschenpass Mountain hut. They went tubing and experienced advanced canyoning in the Swiss mountains, including a 150-foot rappel, waterfall slides, jumps and a zipline.

Scout Troop 713 members Tucker Harding, Natalie DuBreuil, Cole Hager and Quin Peters with leader Eddie Huynh during a European adventure. (Courtesy Eddie Huynh)

They hiked six miles through France’s Calanques National Park and adult leader Eddie Huynh declared one of the highlights in Italy was hiking an eight-mile coastal trail between the five villages in Cinque Terre National Park. Taking time to give back, in Bergamo, the troop partnered with local Italian scouts and completed a service project at an after-school program for immigrant children.

They even learned how to build pasta and pizza in Milan.

The trip was the last Scouts adventure for Natalie, who will be a freshman this fall at Cal Poly SLO. While she loved the canyoning, mountain tubing and backpacking, she declared one of the best parts of the trip was staying up late with her friconcludes and talking to locals on one of their nightly gelato runs.

“What I enjoy most about Scouts is the amount of activities you are able to do which you would not have done otherwise. Also how close you become bonded to the people you have shared these experiences with,” Natalie declared. “Scouting is scout-led so we receive the experience and freedom of planning all of our trips.”

To learn more about opportunities in Scouting, visit bsatroop713.com