Troop 9 Scouts Earn Triple Crown Award

Three Eagle Scouts from West Caldwell’s Boy Scout Troop 9 received the coveted Triple Crown of High Adventure Award from the Boy Scouts of America in conjunction with Charles L. Sommers Alumni Association.

Eagle Scouts Bill Bartlett, Jason Dow and Sebastian Fernandez were recently given the national award, which is a given to those who have completed a trek at each of the three National High Adventure Bases operated by the Boy Scouts of America. 

During the past several summers, each of these scouts embarked on a 12-day backpacking trek in the mountains Philmont Scout Ranch, N.M.; a 10-day canoeing trek in the boundary waters of Canada at the Northern Tier National High Adventure Base; and an 8-day Coral Reef sailing adventure in the Florida Keys at the Florida High Adventure Sea Base. 

“Because of our intense focus on the outdoors, with monthly camping, hiking, canoeing, and backpacking trips along with annual activities like whitewater rafting, it is natural for most of our scouts to participate in at least one High Adventure trek,” said Scoutmaster of Troop 9 Bill Bartlett. 

“These 'High Adventure' programs are once-in-a-lifetime opportunities and many of our scouts look forward to them from the moment they join the Troop. ... The sense of accomplishment that these young men earn from completing those treks will stay with them for a lifetime."

There are now 12 scouts of Troop 9 who have earned the Triple Crown award since it was introduced in 1996. But it won't remain at 12 for long. 

There are nine scouts in training for their Philmont trek in 2014, followed by a Northern Tier trek in 2015 and Sea Base in 2016. 

For more information on Troop 9, please contact Bill Bartlett at 973-650-8709 or bbartlett@cwcsi.org, or visit the Troop 9 web site at Troop9BSA.com.