Philmont Scout Ranch Summer 2009

When July 24 th to August 5 th at Philmont Generally arrive 2-3 days prior to this for sight seeing Exact dates to be determined by Council organizer

Where Philmont Scout Ranch is the Boy Scouts of America's oldest national high-adventure base. It covers 137,000 acres - about 214 square miles - of rugged mountain wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) range of the Rocky Mountains in northern New Mexico. Thirty-four staffed camps and 55 trail camps are operated by the ranch. Philmont has high mountains dominating rough terrain with elevations ranging from 6,500 to 12,441 feet. Over one million apply yearly for 22,000 treks per year

History Philmont has a unique history of ancient Native Americans who chipped petroglyphs into canyon walls, Spanish conquistadors who explored the Southwest long before the first colonists arrived on the Atlantic coast, the rugged breed of mountain man like Kit Carson who blazed trails across this land, the great land barons like Lucien Maxwell who built ranchos along the Santa Fe Trail, and miners, loggers, and cowboys. All these people left their mark on Philmont.

Philmont Trek Experience A Philmont trek is physically, mentally and emotionally demanding. Each person will carry a 35 to 50 lb.pack while hiking 5 to 12 miles per day in an isolated mountain wilderness, ranging from 6,500 to 12,500 feet in elevation. Climatic conditions include temperatures from 30 to 90 degrees F, low humidity (10-30%) and frequent, sometimes severe, afternoon thunderstorms.

Philmont Trek Experience Activities include horseback riding, rock climbing and rapelling, challenge events, pole climbing, blackpowder shooting, 12 gauge trap shooting, shooting, trail building, mountain biking and other activities that may have potential for injury. Philmont strives to minimize risks to participants and advisors by emphasizing proper safety precautions

Climate Be prepared for extremes of weather. Afternoon temperatures in low valleys can be 100 degrees or more, and night temperatures high in the mountains may be cold enough to freeze a thin crust of ice on water. Philmont can be dry as a desert and then a sudden downpour will soak everything. Prolonged periods of rain lasting several days occur frequently. Fortunately, New Mexico's low humidity allows wet clothing and gear to dry quickly after the rain stops. Rain occurs most frequently in the afternoon and may last an hour, all night, or several days. Small hail or sleet often accompanies rain. Snow is possible, even during the summer. Weather conditions vary from one area of the ranch to another depending upon elevation, terrain, and irregular weather patterns. You should be prepared for all of these weather conditions.

Requirements Each must be a registered member of the BSA Each crew must have at least two adult advisors Max. crew size is 12 (up to four adults over 21)and minimum is 7 Each crew is required to have a majority of youth, and the max number of adults over 21 is four. Ages 18 to 21 may be counted as either youth or adult crew member Participants must be at least 14 by January 1, 2008, or have completed the 8 th grade and be at least 13 prior to participation (NO exceptions)

Requirements All adults MUST have current BSA youth protection training Must have Class III medical exam within 12 months of starting One person in each crew needs to be currently certified in ARC wilderness first aid AND CPR certified.

Health Requirements Must have documentation of tetanus immunization within 10 years Must bring an adequate supply of all medications needed Each needs to read the “philmont risk advisory” Hypertension – participants with Bp consistently greater than 150/95 may be kept off the trail Diabetes – own supplies, good control Seizures – a minimum of 6 months of seizure free period Asthma – must be well controlled – will be excluded if hospitalized or on steroids in past 6 months for control Sickle cell anemia, hemophilia (high altitude hiking) Heart disease

Health requirements Body weight – ANY youth or adult who exceeds the maximum weight limits for height are at “extreme risk for health problems” and WILL NOT be allowed on the trail Those who fall within the limits are more likely to have an enjoyable trek and avoid incurring health risks. Staff physicians at Philmont reserve the right to deny access to the trails to any adult or youth on the basis of the physical recheck at Philmont. All medical evaluation forms will be checked by Philmont medical staff.

Weight Limits (Height-rec wt –Max accepted) 5’0” ’10” ’1” ’11” ’2” ’0” ’3” ’1” ’4” ’2” ’5” ’3” ’6” ’4” ’7” ’5” ’8” ’6” ’9” ’7” & over

Rules The scout oath and law serve as guidelines for behavior In the event a Scout is unable to complete the trek, an adult advisor must accompany him off the trail and arrange for transportation home at scouts expense No scout may tent with an adult other that his parent or guardian

Costs Philmont fee is $ – this does not include unknown costs of transportation, lodging and sightseeing, but a rough estimate would total $1,200-1,300 Philmont stat’s say the average scout spends about $100 Trail money needed totals about $20

Finances Fundraising Personal funds (hey, mom and dad) Possible scholarship established by Waite Phillips – funds divided between only four regions allocated to councils who have units participating. Payment schedule set up by council and paid individually to council

Adult Advisors Each crew is required to have at least two adult leaders, one of whom must be at least 21 years of age. The second adult must be at least 18 years of age. There are no gender restrictions for adult leadership. The advisors' role is primarily coaching, counseling and advising the crew leader. During emergencies the advisor may assume direct leadership of the crew.

Adult Advisors The adult adviser is responsible for the following: Arranging transportation, overnight stops, and meals en route to and from Philmont Ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone in the crew Addressing crew conflicts that may require appropriate discipline Serving as a counselor and coach and giving appropriate guidance to the crew leader

Crew Leader A member of a crew and elected by the crew to be its leader. This is the same relationship a patrol leader has to a patrol. Ideally this young person will have attended council junior leader instructor training or a previous Philmont trek.

Crew Leader The crew leader provides leadership for the following: Making itinerary selections based on the desires and physical abilities of the crew Choosing routes during the trek based on the capability of the crew Setting up and breaking camp Establishing a duty roster Seeing that "smellables" are properly stored and that other precautions are followed to avoid encounters with bears and other wildlife Ensuring that the Philmont Wilderness Pledge is upheld and that every campsite and fire pit is left clean

Expedition Number the number assigned to a chartered unit expedition or council contingent expedition by the Philmont Camping Registrar to identify an expedition and its crews. A crew arriving at Philmont on June 20 will be assigned a 620 number along with a letter of the alphabet (e.g., 620-A, 620-B,etc.). A multicrew expedition will be numbered further (e.g., 620-A-I, 620-A-2, etc.). Please use your correct expedition number in all correspondence with Philmont.

Ranger Guide Upon arrival at Philmont, each crew will be met by a Philmont Ranger. The Ranger stays with the crew for three days serving as guide and trainer in camping and teamwork skills.

Itinerary Each crew has an itinerary which is the hiking schedule for the 10 days on the trail. The itinerary outlines the trails to be taken and the crew's daily destination (either staffed or unstaffed camps.) Varying degrees of difficulty: Rugged, strenuous, super strenuous. The itinerary will be selected after receiving the March mailing of the 2008 Trek Itinerary Guide.

Packing/Overpacking When deciding what equipment to bring to Philmont, always consider each item's usefulness, durability, weight, and bulk. It's always best to travel light. Remember that you are only packing for 10 days on the trail. It has been said that "An ounce in the morning is a pound at night.“ Without suitable equipment you will face unnecessary hardships. Take only what you need. Before your crew departs Camping Headquarters for the backcountry, a shakedown will be conducted to eliminate unnecessary items. These items may be stored in your vehicle or in a locker at Camping Headquarters during your excursion.

Packing Every Philmont trek involves hiking with a lb. backpack between 6,500 and 12,500 ft. elevations for approx miles over the course of 10days. Philmont recommends that participants carry a pack weighing no more than % of their body weight. Pack as light as you can

Equipment shake down

Equipment Issued at Philmont Each crew of seven to 12 is issued the following equipment free of charge (except for damage or replacement charges when returned): One 12-by-12 dining fly (weight about 4 pounds) Two collapsible poles for dining fly (weight about 1 pound) One BSA Philmont backpacker nylon tent with poles for each two people (weight about 5 1/2 pounds) One trail chef kit (either 6-pound or 4-pound): –6-pound kit contains: 8-quart pot 4-quart pot with lid One fry pan with handle –4-pound kit contains: 6-quart pot 4-quart pot with lid One fry pan with handle One chef cutlery kit with two large spoons, one large spatula (weight about 1/2 pound) Two pair of hot-pot tongs (weight about 1/2 pound) One extra 8- or 6-quart pot for washing dishes (weight about 1 pound) Plastic trash bags Salt and pepper Dishwashing soap, hand sanitizer Scrub pads Water purification chemical One 150-foot length of 1/4-inch nylon rope (weight about 2 1/2 pounds) Three bear bags for hanging food (weight about 1 1/2 pounds) Plastic strainer or screen, and rubber scraper (weight about 1/2 pound) Toilet paper

Clothing basics During cold periods, it is especially important to stay dry because wet clothing loses much of its insulating value (90 percent or more). Several light layers of clothing are better than one heavy layer since air trapped between layers of clothing provides a high degree of insulation. As the atmosphere warms, you can remove one layer of clothing at a time for proper body heat management. Keep in mind that wool and polypropylene insulate when wet. Down and cotton lose most insulating value when wet. Cotton layers such as sweatshirts and sweatpants drain body heat when wet and dry very slowly.

Preparation To enjoy the Philmont experience participants must be physically prepared to carry a lb. pack over steep, rocky trails at elevations ranging from 6,500 to 12,500 feet A regular program of physical conditioning for at least three to six months prior to taking a trek is essential. A longer period is required for those unaccustomed to physical exercise. A program of regular aerobic exercise is highly recommended to become physically conditioned for Philmont. Plan to exercise for 30 to 60 minutes 3 to 5 times a week.

Preparation Backpacking is the best way to prepare for a Philmont trek. It is highly recommended that everyone in a Philmont crew fulfill the requirements for Backpacking Merit Badge. These include three 15 mile treks with two overnights each and one 5 day backpacking trek covering at least 30 miles. Fulfilling these requirements will enable you to enjoy a Philmont trek. Select a hilly area for your training. Start with a short hike and a light pack. Increase the mileage and your pack weight as your training progresses. It is important to hike often enough while carrying a pack and wearing the boots which you will use at Philmont to toughen your feet and to break in your boots.