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Eagle Scout leaves his mark

Scott Condon
The Aspen Times
Aspen, CO Colorado
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BASALT – Marshall Murphy is departing Basalt for college in two weeks but he is leaving a lasting legacy behind.

Murphy created a walking path and built a fishing pier this spring at the rejuvenated Lake Christine, the state wildlife area just a short distance from downtown Basalt. The 18-year-old graduate of Basalt High School undertook the project to earn his Eagle Scout designation. He is a member of Boy Scout Troop 242 of Basalt.

He said he considered a number of projects but as an outdoorsman, the work at Lake Christine seemed best. “I just wanted something that would last longer and I could come back to and say, ‘This is mine,'” he said.



Murphy coordinated a project that required materials from local lumber companies, earth moving services from businesses possessing heavy equipment, and expertise and material from concrete firms. The town of Basalt and Colorado Division of Wildlife endorsed his plan. Ducks Unlimited provided funding.

With all that help, Murphy extended a walking path around the lake a couple of hundred feet and constructed a pier 21 feet into the lake, finishing in June. The wildlife division drained the lake a couple of years ago to fix the dam. They dredged it and made it healthier than it has been in years. Basalt and Ducks Unlimited contributed to the effort to make the shoreline more attractive for the public. Murphy’s work complements the prior efforts, like icing on a cake.




It culminates his 15 years in the Scouts. He started as a Cub Scout in third grade, advanced into Boy Scouts and knew from an early age he wanted to strive for Eagle Scout designation. That requires 21 merit badges, 12 of which are required and nine are electives. The requirements range from personal fitness to intense studies in environmental science. A community service project is also required, requiring roughly 100 hours of work.

An Eagle Scout board of review committee assessed Murphy’s accomplishments July 26 and found him worthy as an Eagle Scout.

In an era dominated by social media, high-tech home gaming systems and cell phones, Murphy said there is still a place for the Scouts. The 13 points of the Scout Oath have remained the same despite the changing times. “It’s still applicable,” Murphy said.

And still appealing. The number of boys and young men participating in Boy Scout Troop 242 has increased in the years since Murphy joined.

Murphy said he will recall his experiences with fondness, from rafting the Ruby/Horsethief canyons of the Colorado River to regular camping outings during warm-weather months.

“It definitely taught me leadership and responsibility,” Murphy said. “It also taught me to be true to yourself.”

Murphy will study mechanical engineering at Colorado State University. He plans to stay involved with the Scouts as a junior leader, open to former Scouts between ages 18 and 21.

scondon@aspentimes.com