Nothing worthwhile was ever accomplished without the will to start, the enthusiasm to continue and, regardless of temporary obsticals, the persistence to complete" ~ Waite Phillips (Donor of Philmont Scout Ranch) |
The start of out Philmont trip started in Naperville,IL There both crews from troop 466 loaded all of their gear with them into a train going to Raton,NM. With a couple stops here and there we arrived at Raton in no time.
Day 1 After a quick 45min bus ride to Philmont Scout Ranch we and a good nights rest, we where of on trail right away. The first day was short and sweet. We got on trail at about 11:00hrs and after about an hour on trail we had our first stop at Ponil. We ate lunch and then we where back on trail. Then we hiked for about another hour we got to our camp. We set up cooked and clean up after dinner and went to bed ready for the next day. Day 2We woke up at around 05:00hrs to start breakfast, break camp to get on trail by 07:00hrs. we had to hike 4 miles to get to our next trail camp Pueblano Ruins. But, we had to climb up 1,475ft in elevation. That means we were going up at a 15-20% grade. When we finally got to the top we still had about 2 miles left until we reach Pueblano to check in. We hiked maybe half a mile before we had a medical emergency. Our adult advisor was reporting signs of a heart attack. Luckily our trail guide had his cell phone on him. Within 15min he was in a SUV being rushed back to Raton hospital. As he left we got back to hiking to get to Pueblano. When we arrived we checked in, gave the current status to the staff members of our situation and started program. We decided to go gaffing then to the campfire after dinner and clean up. After the campfire we went back to camp to get rest for the hike to Baldy Town.
Day 3old,andWe woke up early again to get on trail to hike up to French Henry and then to Baldy Town. But, there was a problem. When our Adult advisor do to the medical emergency we only had one left. Our second adult was only 18 years old,and because of BSA's youth protection policies. The crew was required to have no less than 2 adult advisors one being over the age of 21. So in order for us to stay on trail we had to team up with crew 625-J1 to Baldy Town where a replacement advisor would join our crew. We did get to French Henry where we ate lunch and participated in program. French Henry was built on a gold mine and served as a work site for gold miners. They had tours of the Aztec mine, blacksmithing and gold panning. The next tour wasn't until 13:00hrs so, we decided to eat lunch and go gold panning. Our crew was allowed to pan from the streams in the camp. One of the members of our crew found actual gold. Its was only a tiny flake worth noting more than dirt though. We then hiked up to the Aztec mine and took a tour inside the mine. Once we got out we finished our hike to Baldy Town. We set up camp for 2 nights ate dinner and went into Baldy Town. This little town was once a community for gold miners and there families. It had an actual school with 500 kids attending it! We took our only showers of the trip and went to bed for the hike to the top of Baldy Mountain.
Day 4Its was the day we have been waiting for. Our summit up to the top of Baldy Mountain. We woke up early, cooked, ate, cleaned up breakfast and started hiking. Baldly Town is 10,000ft in elevation and Baldy Mountain is 12,441ft in elevation. It was Wilson mesa all over again. I say that because right before the strait climb to the peak, our second advisor's asthma was catching up with him. So, he had to stay back with another advisor from 625-J1 as we climbed to the top of Baldy Mountain. We finally made it to the peak of Baldy Mtn. The tallest mountain at Philmont. After an hour taking in the view of Philmont we descended, got back to camp to eat dinner and get rest for the next day.
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Day 5replacementAfter the usual routine we hiked down to Miranda. There we trowed tomahawks and ate lunch. We then hiked up to Head of Dean. We where then informed by staff that a replacement advisor will be with us the next day. So all we did was relax, eat dinner and went to bed.
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Day 6For the first time through out the whole trip we slept in. We where awaken by burrows that grazed all the way from Ponil at 09:00hrs. We then met our replacement adviser packed up camp and hiked to Dean Cow. But, we where caught hiking in the middle of a thunder storm and where forced to take lighting position. We sat in the rain for 45mins with lighting striking all around us. When it cleared up we got back on trail right away and arrived at Dean Cow. As we arrived another storm was approaching and we were unable to go climbing. So we just relaxed, told stories and went to bed.
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Day 7We woke up early to go rock climbing and repelling at Dean Cow. After we finished program we started the hike to Harlan. On our way there we went under an under past to a high way that cuts right throw Philmont. We sat under the underpass for an hour before we started hiking again. It was another rough hike. You would think after Baldy town it would be all down hill but that wasn't the case for us. This was our longest day. We covered 11 miles and gained 305ft in elevation. We finally arrived at Harlan late and hungry. So we ate and went to sleep.
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Day 8
arrivedWe woke up really late. On top of going up 940ft in elevation we had to do our conservation project. We worked 3 hours, cutting down trees, smashing rocks and making switch backs for a new trail at Philmont. The trail we helped create would make it easier for scouts to get to the Dear Lake Mesa. We arrived just on time to our conservation site. The staff at the conservation site said that they never seen a crew hike up to the site that fast with full packs on. They even said it takes most crew an hour to get to the site with no packs on. We got there in 30mins with fully loaded packs. After we finished our project we kept hiking to reach Dear Lake Mesa. All we did there was eat lunch and take in the view of Dear Lake. Then we got to our last trail camp of our trek Devil's Wash Basin. It was still early in the afternoon. So after we set up camp, we just relaxed and chilled around the campfire. The next two days where the biggest days of the trek.
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Day 9We woke up on one of the greatest days in America. It was the 4th of July and I couldn't ask for a better morning. We got on trial right away and we ate breakfast was we went. We wanted to get to Cimarroncito ASAP. We got there at about 14:00hrs and started rock climbing and repelling. Only this time, we saw something we weren't used to. We saw Base camp. It was actually base camp. We were able to see the Dinning hall, the trading post and the cars. It gave us hope that we would get there in no time.
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Day 10
We woke up to go to advance rock climbing. This was only offered to crew with Itinerary 15. At the top of the cliff side 60ft in the air you could see the peak of Mount. Phillips and Base camp. Once we finished climbing we went back to our camp site and talked about the trip. The ups and downs and the thoughts of tomorrow. Our last day on trail was only 12 hours away and we where excited.
Day 11
excitedThis was it. Our last day on trail at Philmont. Just to think that 10 days ago, we were being driven out to the Ponil turnaround, and now we are hiking to the Cito turnaround where we will be picked up and driven back to base camp. As we hiked we visited Mr. Phillips Hunting lodge. The staff members there gave us a quick tour of the lodge. After the tour we hiked to the Cito turn around. Our pickup time was 14:45hrs and we arrived at the turnaround at 12:00hrs. So we picked a shady spot underneath a tree and played some cards and ate lunch. Then, we heard something in the distance. A wind of a turbo on a diesel engine. It was the bus! Every single one of us jumped in the air at he same time freaking out. After we loaded up the bus with our gear we got back to base camp. We took our showers, washed our clothes and went into town. I then requested to see the person in charge of the closing campfire. I talked to her about me giving a special thanks to 625-J1 for being scouts to us. I stood in front of 500 scouts, that all returned to base camp the same day we did, and gave 625-J1 a big thank you. I told the scouts in front of me how much it meant to me that they let us hike with us until a replacement advisor showed up. I told them "Because of you my crew and I had the chance to finish Philmont all the way without a worry of being taken of trail."
Day 12
It was a great and beautiful morning. We went to the dinning hall too eat some breakfast, then we where on our way to Raton to go back home to Illinois. That was a trip I will always remember. It showed how much of an effect scouting had on young men. We didn't end being chickens and went back to base camp on our first day. We didn't think that Climbing a Mountain was impossible, and after all of the things that Philmont threw at us, we pushed throw and prevailed. I would recommend this type of experience to any scout, adult or human being in the world. It is an opportunity very few of us will ever get.