LARS Aerial Survey of GSR and COPE & Tower Inspection

2021-01-13 & 14

At 0900 hrs on 2021-01-13, members of the NCAC COPE and Climbing Committee met with Jim Blanchard, ScD, Chief Scientist of the UAS Academy, for an aerial survey of Goshen Scout Reservation. The primary mission was to discover climbable natural surfaces suitable for satisfing BSA training requirements and supporting a program of climbing on natural surfaces. Recently, we had learned that Section II(A)(7) of Executive Order 72, Gov Northam's stay-at-home order, issued 2020-12-18, was intended mainly to discourage people from after-hours public drinking. More importantly, people were still allowed to stay overnight at private campgrounds in groups of ten or fewer if they wear masks and wash their hands. This meant there was no state-directed barrier to our traveling to or staying at Goshen. We would follow the protocols developed for family summber camp at Camp Snyder. On 2021-01-07, I got a great birthday present; permission from Craig Weston and Phil Barbash to proceed with the expedition. Jim confirmed he could support an expedition on 13-14 Jan if he had at least one other person to act as a non-flying member of the cockpit. I could go, and so could Bruce Weir (Chairman of the Climbing Committee) and Alexander Butterfield (member). Mike Jolly, Goshen Scout Reservation Ranger, agreed to support us. Mission on! The following pictures are from that expedition. Was it a success? We're waiting on the analysis of the imagery. While Jim, Bruce, Alex, and Mike analyse the results of the survey, I'll develop the report from the Committee inspection of the COPE course and climbing tower. Not great, but not as bad as it could be.

	A	B	C
1	Dr. Blanchard and the operations van. 01/13/2021 09:14 AM 4856 KB	Bruce Weir, getting his bearings after a LONG drive from Northern MD. 01/13/2021 09:15 AM 7563 KB	Alex Butterfield, boon traveling companion and keeper of years of knowledge of hiking, climbing, and COPE at Goshen SR during summer camp and special events. 01/13/2021 09:15 AM 4507 KB
2	Me, with Alex in the background. 01/13/2021 09:16 AM 1614 KB	Mike Jolly, with gold; a recent professional survey of Goshen property showing the official boundaries. 01/13/2021 09:25 AM 4025 KB	Photo of surey. 01/13/2021 09:48 AM 3941 KB
3	From left, Bruce, Mike, Alex and Jim, discussing strategy. 01/13/2021 09:56 AM 3861 KB	Mike, indicating possible sites. Notice the site on his left; the boundary is the northerly bank of the Calfpasture River. 01/13/2021 09:57 AM 3914 KB	Bruce and Jim discussing the scope of the aerial survey and mission plans. 01/16/2021 07:01 PM 4509 KB
4	Closeup of southwesterly boundary of Goshen SR. 01/16/2021 07:02 PM 5138 KB	Shale pit. Could construct a concrete rock-like surface, erect it, and add sidewalls making a free standing climbing wall with easy access by Scouts from Camp Bowman, PMI, Marriott, and Baird! 01/16/2021 07:04 PM 9516 KB	To the right, a possible hillside that could be developed into "bunny slope" climbing, provided it was inside Goshen property. 01/13/2021 11:32 AM 8455 KB
5	Lunch. Jim brought MREs to share (Thanks, Jim!). A learning experience for some of us. Far cry from C rations experienced at USAF ROTC camp in 1974. 01/13/2021 11:54 AM 4161 KB	A gift from Alex; high energy chewables. Definitely get again! 01/16/2021 07:03 PM 7024 KB	A second gift from Alex, knowledge of a detailed map of trails around Goshen. Notice the trails southeasterly of the Knob. Notice how they follow the northerly boundary of Camp Virginia and the northerly banks of the Calfpasture River. Looks a lot like the legal boundary. And in the area Mike indicated that had vertical exposed rocks. 01/13/2021 05:41 PM 3979 KB
6	Nightime review of the data. Notice the huge 4K display screen. Nearly as awesome as the highly informative lecture from Dr Blanchard on the science and art of aerial surveying. Stay tuned as the story develops... 01/13/2021 06:59 PM 4370 KB