A South Ogden Boy Scout troop this week plans to make its mark on Utah's portion of the Pony Express Trail, but not in the way most teenage boys would.
Monday, nine members of Troop 185 began marking 130 miles of the trail in western Utah for their Eagle Scout project.
The Scouts and their leaders will spend six days and five nights living on the trail, posting markers every half-mile from Lookout, east of Simpson Springs, to Ibapah, near the Nevada border.
The project will earn each of the boys their Eagle Scout Award, a 50-mile Hike Badge, and a National Trails Award.
The Bureau of Land Management is supplying 180 vinyl markers and the necessary equipment to install the markers. The National Parks Service will contribute 120 more, totaling 300 markers in all.
After the Scouts place all 300 of the markers, the trail will become more visible to visitors, allowing them to follow the path with greater ease, Valdean Hadfield of the Pony Express Trails Association said in a news release.
"When finished, this marked section of the trail will enable visitors to trace on foot, on horseback or on ATVs, this important part of the National Historic Trails System," she said.
The Scouts received donations from various sources to improve their trip. Larry H. Miller Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Riverdale provided a four-wheel-drive vehicle for the off-road portions of the trail and Pepsi-Cola of Odgen provided drinking water and soft drinks for the week.
The Scouts will complete their project Saturday.
Eagle Scout requirements
To become an Eagle Scout a Scout must:
progress through the six ranks of Scouts
earn 21 merit badges
serve six months in a troop leadership position
plan, develop and lead a service project.
take part in a Scoutmaster conference.
successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review
