So What Exactly is a Magua?

Magua (pronounced Măg wa) is the name of HSR Director Ray Hayden's 125lb Alaskan Malamute and the unofficial mascot of the Horseshoe Scout Reservation. Often confused with a Husky, Alaskan Malamutes are about twice the size. Both Malamutes and Huskies are sled dogs, however "Mals" were bred to pull extremely heavy loads over long distances, whereas huskies are more of a racing sled dog (you're not likely to find a Malamute team racing in the Iditarod - they're not as speedy as huskies although there have been one or two dog teams that have competed.) This dog was actually never destined to be a racing dog; instead, it was used for heavy freighting, pulling hundreds (maybe thousands) of pounds of supplies to villages and camps in groups of at least four dogs for heavy loads. Malamutes are very strong but also extremely friendly and very gentle. There's a saying that "A Malamute has never met a person he didn't like". The rugged Alaskan Malamute is a working dog and a unique breed which is truly native to North American, best suited to people who love the great outdoors. Wolf-like in appearance, Malamutes shed profusely as do all Arctic dogs. In fact, take note of many bird nests throughout HSR. You'll see that many of them are lined with Alaskan Malamute fur.

The Malamute is a descendant of dogs of the Mahlemuts tribe of upper western Alaska (the breed can be traced back 2,000 to 3,000 years ago). These dogs had a prominent role with their human companions – working, hunting, and living alongside them. The interdependent relationship between the Mahlemut and their dogs fostered prosperity among both and enabled them to flourish in the inhospitable land above the Arctic Circle. For a brief period during the Klondike Gold Rush of 1896, the Malamute and other sled dogs became extremely valuable to recently landed prospectors and settlers, and were frequently crossbred with imported breeds. This was often an attempt to improve the type, or to make up for how few true Malamutes were up for sale. This seems to have had no long standing effect on the modern Malamute, and recent DNA analysis shows that Malamutes are one of the oldest breeds of dog, genetically distinct from other dog breeds. The Malamute dog has had a distinguished history; aiding Rear Admiral Richard Byrd to the South Pole, and the miners who came to Alaska during the Gold Rush of 1896, as well as serving in World War II primarily as search and rescue dogs in Greenland, although also used as freighting and packing dogs in Europe.

You can usually find Magua in the Trading Posts on most Saturday afternoons or catching up on his sleep in one of the Ranger's trucks but you're likely to see him just about anywhere on the Reservation at any time of the day. Stop by and scratch his chest . . . he'll love you forever!

TRIVIA POINT: Magua was named after a character in the book "Last of the Mohicans" as are all of the campsites in Camp Ware.
 

WEEKEND CAMPING AT HSR

 2009 -2010 WEEKEND CAMPING RESERVATION APPLICATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED! 

 Please click here to access our short term, weekend camping web pages, which will guide unit leaders in an easy to follow step by step online reservation process for either camp Ware or Camp Horseshoe during the fall, winter and spring camping seasons. You will also find the information you will need about the facilities and a calendar of cabin availability.

NOW AVAILABLE !!!!
CAMP HORSESHOE VIDEO - DVD

Recently created DVD tells the story our summer camp program and why Camp Horseshoe is one of the premier Scout camps in the country.

Pick up your copy today at the Chester County Council Service Center or by emailing Amy D. (610-696-2900 Ext 25).  You can view the video in it's entirety by clicking on the links below.

Camp Horseshoe Part I

Camp Horseshoe Part II

Leave No Trace Awareness Training

"Leave No Trace is an awareness and an attitude rather than a set of rules. It applies in your backyard or local park as much as in the backcountry. We should all practice Leave No Trace in our thinking and actions--wherever we go".

As part of our commitment as a conservation oriented organization to our environment, the Horseshoe Scout Reservation will continue to offer the three hour Leave No Trace Awareness training on the second Saturday of every month. Registration for our Leave No Trace Awareness training is available online. For more information click here

"The Leave No Trace principles might seem unimportant until you consider the combined effects of millions of outdoor visitors. One poorly located campsite or campfire may have little significance, but thousands of such instances will seriously degrade the outdoor experience for all. Leaving no trace is everyone's responsibility."

Info You Can use . . . 

Bald Eagles nesting in 49 counties of Pennsylvania

HSR Chainsaw Policy

Frequently
Asked Questions

Bald Eagle Protection Act

Age Appropriate Guidelines for
Scouting Activities

Octoraro Lodge 22 Weekend Staff
Service Troop Information