1. Preparing for a Philmont Expedition
Venture Crew 140

2. Personal Hiking Techniques

3. The Expedition Coordinator
Responsible for ALL contact with Philmont
Correspondence
Payments
Base Camp administrative matters
Responsible for ALL individual, crew, and contingent paperwork
Final responsibility for all logistical aspects of getting to, attending, and getting home from Philmont

4. Required Paperwork Individual Paperwork we require:
Participant Physical Exam/Insurance Card copy Parts ABC of BSA MedForm
Proof of YPT (all participants over 18) IN THE YEAR OF THE EXPEDITION
CPR & Wilderness First Aid certifications (all participants needs these if at all possible)

5. Required Paperwork Crew paperwork required:
Completed crew roster for check-in
Completed talent release for check-in
CPR & First Aid certifications for check-in
Proof of YPT
APPROVED National Tour Permit

6. Monetary Considerations
The Philmont expedition fee
Contingency/transportation fee
Personal gear purchases
Shakedown expenses
Contingent/crew t-shirts, hats, patches
Tooth of Time Traders
Other spending money

7. Payment Schedule $100.00 deposit due January 31, 2014
Philmont Expedition Fee ($855.00/ person):
$ deposit due January 31, 2014
$ payment due Sep 30th, 2014
$ payment due April 15, 2015
Travel Fee (approx $ per person):
Due May 15th

8. Participant Agreement
Each participant agrees to:
Monetary commitment
Training commitment
Shakedown commitment
Any other commitments or requirements deemed necessary by the unit
Conduct expectations (Scout Oath and Law)

9. Philmont Age Requirements
Scouts/Venturers:
Scouts/Venturers MUST EITHER be 14 by January 1 of year of expedition, OR be 13 and finish the Eighth Grade prior to the expedition.
Participants between the age of 18 to 20 years old can be classified either as youth participants or advisors.

10. When is a Scout ready for Philmont?
Physically, the Scout must be capable of accomplishing the trek and he/she must be the one who wants to go.
The Scout must have demonstrated an ability of being able to take care of their own personal affairs (maturity).
The Scout must have demonstrated the ability to work within a patrol or crew environment either as a leader or follower.
The Scout's parents must have a willingness to cooperate with the advisors for the high adventure trip.

11. The Philmont “Crew” Minimum 7 people – maximum 12 people
Majority must be youth participants – no more than 4 adults (over 21) per crew
Must have at least one advisor over 21 per crew
Crew is led by the youth Crew Leader with the backing of the adult lead advisor

12. The Philmont Crew Leader
The Crew Leader is the youth leader of the trail crew.
All Philmont staff will work with the crew through the Crew Leader.
Staff will generally only approach adulst advisors in front of the crew if there are problems.
Responsible for the day to day operation of the crew.

13. The Lead Adult Advisor Each crew needs a “lead adult advisor”
this is the advisor that the youth Crew Leader and Philmont staff will approach with problems or questions
The lead advisor should include ALL advisors in making any needed decisions concerning the crew

14. Role of Advisors
The #1 responsibility of the advisors is to build and train crews that will work together successfully at Philmont.
Train the Crew Leaders in what is expected from them.
Train the crews in the techniques needed for Philmont success.
Get out of the way! Philmont is the ultimate youth-led Scouting experience.

15. Crew Gear Thoughts
Philmont provides a long list of gear that crews can borrow if they do not own certain necessary gear.
C140 uses almost uses some of our own crew gear.
Tents and stoves
Our gear is usually lighter than Philmont’s gear.
Our crews train using our gear.
See handout of gear list.

16. Crew Gear Inventory & Assignment
Inventory and acquire needed crew gear before shakedowns begin.
Put together crew gear kits for each crew. Each crew uses the same gear from shakedowns through Philmont.
Once gear is assigned, each crew is responsible for maintaining or replacing gear lost or damaged on shakedowns or at Philmont.

17. Personal Backpacking Discipline
Proper care of personal equipment
Proper packing of equipment
Personal neatness and cleanliness
Understanding of the mental and physical requirements of long-distance backpacking.
Willingness to work as part of a team

18. Personal Hiking Techniques

19. Personal Backpacking Gear
We require fairly strict adherence to our personal gear list.
The overall average Philmont pack is 52 pounds. You can do better!
We have personal gear “check-outs” on every shakedown campout.
See attached example gear list from Philmont and from previous trekker.

20. Personal Backpacking Gear
Special comments
Plan to wash clothes and only carry 1-2 changes of clothes. Can wash anytime with water and 2 galloon baggie!
Plan to carry 3 liters of water, each liter weighs 2.2 lb! (total: 6.6 lb of water)
Bring gear that is lightweight and compactable.
You will carry some crew gear: pot, first aid kit, rope, etc.

22. Physical Preparation
High altitude backpacking simulation – stuff a wool sock in mouth, duct tape mouth shut, clothespin on nose, run 5 miles
Need aerobic training, strength training, and MILES in a pack to prepare for Philmont. 
Each participant needs to begin a SERIOUS training regimen by January of the expedition year.
Participants AND advisors that do not prepare physically will be left at home.
The reason I push physical preparation for advisor so hard is that Philmont is the ultimate highlight of a Scout’s time in the program. An advisor who is unable to keep up, or becomes a hindrance to the crew will cast a darker light on this experience.

24. The Philmont Weight Chart
Height
Weight Recommendation
Maximum Allowance
5’0”
97-138
166
5’1”
172
5’2”
178
5’3”
183
5’4”
189
5’5”
195
5’6”
201
5’7”
207
5’8”
214
5’9”
220
Height
Weight Recommendation
Maximum Allowance
5’10”
226
5’11”
233
6’0”
239
6’1”
246
6’2”
252
6’3”
260
6’4”
267
6’5”
274
6’6”
281
6’7” & over
295

25. Personal Hiking Techniques
Posture and stride
The “Lock Step”
Strong exhalation breathing

26. “Smellables” No deodorant No sun screen after morning
Anything with food on or in it must go into bear bag at night.
“sleep clothes”

27. Restrooms

28. Typical Issues (some avoidable)
Blisters
Chafing avoidable
Gear breakdown
Sprains / cuts

29. Philmont Shakedowns
For 2015, we will hold at least three - four shakedown trips.
Participants will be expected to participate in a minimum of two of these shakedowns.
Shakedown planning meetings are held outside of regular Troop/Crew meetings.
Work in at least 7 hours of conservation for each participant, so each will earn the 50 Miler award upon completing their trek.

31. Philmont Shakedowns Train specific skills:
Camp set up "Philmont style" – “bear-muda” triangle, smellables and bear bagging – 45 minutes
Camp tear down – 30 minutes
Cooking, KP, etc
Map and compass (GPS and UTM if using a GPS at Philmont)
Crew and individual hiking techniques
Water purification using tablets
Simulated Philmont meals (freeze dried)

33. Typical C140 Trail Day at Philmont
5:30am – Rise and Shine
6:30am – On the trail
7am – Breakfast
11:30 – Lunch
1:00-3:00pm – Arrive at next camp
3pm – Program
4:30pm – Watermen, and cooks begin work
5:30pm – Dinner
6:30pm – KP done
7:30pm – Thorns, buds, and roses
9pm - Taps

34. 2015 Philmont Shakedowns January – Lone Star Hiking Trail
March– Hill Country State Natural Area
May– TBD

35. Our Philmont Duty Roster
We build a duty roster that includes responsibility for each participant each day
The Duty Roster is the Law
Lists all daily crew duties
For example:
Navigator
Weatherman
Trashman
Bear Bag Team (4)
Waterman (2)
Cook (2)
KP(2)

36. The Philmont Itinerary
The ITINERARY is the “roadmap” you will follow on your 12 days at the ranch – includes camps, programs, food pick-ups, etc.
Philmont offers a wide range of experiences – from “typical” to “super strenuous” – 35 different itineraries
Maximum of 2 crews can start each itinerary each day

37. Crew & Itinerary Planning Worksheet
Participant Preferences:
Type of trek
Program features
Crewmates
Prioritize crew placement based on:
Parent on trip
Crewmate requests
Knowledge of participants ability level

38. Itinerary Selection Meeting
A mandatory crew meeting is needed in February of the expedition year to select each crew’s top 5 itinerary selections
Find a TREKS itinerary book from the previous season if possible – use internet sources if not
Use a worksheet to list camps/programs for each itinerary selected
See attached itinerary treks
List of internet sources for itineraries – Dan Yoder, Selden
Include trek selection worksheet in handout

40. 2005 Contingent T-shirts
Can design our own.
Coolmax material.

41. Keys to Crew Success: A strong Crew Leader (youth leader of the crew)
A crew that understands each other's strengths and weaknesses
A crew that makes a good team
Advisors that stay out of the way
Understanding what is expected and what is to come
Teaching, preparation, and practice
Day to day discipline

42. Keys to Youth Participant Success:
The DESIRE to go to Philmont
A personal understanding of the day to day demands and expectations at Philmont
Personal backpacking discipline
Dedication to physical and mental preparation before the trek
If mom & dad want Little Johnny to go to Philmont, but Little Johnny does not want to go, Little Johnny should not go to Philmont – period.

43. Keys to Adult Advisor Success:
PHYSICAL PREPARATION - if you are not willing to get into the proper shape for this type of experience, do the crew a favor and stay home
Take care of the "little things" - trip related logistics and requirements
Take care of the "big things" - build the best crews possible, then train those crews to be self-sufficient

44. Itinerary Selection
You are in and you are getting ready. What are you going to do when you get there?

45. Pre-Philmont or Post-Philmont activities can add to the fun.
Expedition Add-Ons
Pre-Philmont or Post-Philmont activities can add to the fun.

46. Philmont Day 2 How well did you do? Your first day on the trail.
This is where your vacation begins.
How well did you do?

47. Questions and comments
Remember, we all pay a lot of money to do this…