Troop 1107 Philmont Guide
January 27, 2004
This guide contains all the information for Troop 1107’s trip to Philmont this summer. It will grow over time so make sure the date at the top is recent.
Content
- Other information sources1
- Pre-trip activities2
- Uniform wear2
- Travel gear2
- Photo Co-op3
- Trip Itinerary3
- Trip Costs4
- Payment schedule4
- Trek selection5
- Equipment required6
- Physical conditioning12
- Skills13
- Bear management13
- Keeping advisors happy15
Other information sources
This guide is intended to provide you with the information you’ll need for our trip. If you want more general information or get some background, there is a wealth of information about Philmont available online. One of the best overall sources is Selden Bell’s compilation of web page references. It’s located at:
There are other good sources as well. Use “Philmont” as the search key in any good search engine and you can spend all your waking hours between now and the trip reading. There are references to online resources scattered throughout this guide if you want more information about a particular topic.
Pre-trip activities
A trip like Philmont requires skill, attitude, and conditioning. We’ll be conducting several training sessions including shakedown campouts. Each crew member is expected to participate in at least 80% of the training sessions, campouts, and the on going conditioning program. We expect you to make these sessions a priority and schedule around them. That includes missing sports or other activities, restructuring work schedules, and adjusting family plans. We will make allowances for emergencies and other difficult situations. We all have an obligation to the other crew members to be ready for the trip. The adult advisors may drop someone from the trip without refund if that person isn’t ready for Philmont.
Currently scheduled activities –
January 24 Sugarloaf Mountain (Ben G) (postponed)
February 7 Prince William Forrest (Ben W)
March 6-7 Signal Nob (Andrew W.)
March 28 Billy Goat Trail (Andrew O)
April 24-25 Harper's Ferry (Barrett)
May 29 White Oak Canyon (Collin)
May 15-16 Little Devil Stairs (Ryan)
medical forms turned in
backpack inspection and check-in
Uniform wear
Everyone in the crew will wear his Class A uniform (shirt with all patches correct, and scout shorts or pants at these times:
-on the plane out and back
-when arriving at and leaving Philmont’s Base camp
-at meals in Base camp when required
-at Base camp opening and closing campfires
You can wear something over your uniform shirt on the plane.
Travel gear
Everyone will pack their backpack and check it in with the troop on June 26th. We’ll prepare the backpacks for check-in with the airline at that time. You’ll need to bring a second bag with clothes and gear for the two days before we get to Philmont (Colorado Springs) plus clean clothes for the trip home. Depending on what Council schedules for activities we may need to bring a swimsuit and shoes that can get wet for swimming or rafting trip or clothes for mountain biking.
Electronic gear is allowed on the plane and during transportation to Philmont. It will be stowed during activities in Colorado Springs and again when we drive through the gate into Philmont.
Photo Co-op
Rather than have 12 people carry 12 cameras and take12 pictures of the same thing, we’re should institute a photo co-op. In order to save pack weight, we should take one or perhaps two cameras and share them among the crew. One of the Scouts can take on the role of Photographer, although everyone will be able to take pictures. We’ll split the cost of the film and developing. We will establish a cost per person for the co-op.
Trip Itinerary
The itinerary is yet to be set. The details of our time in Colorado Springs remain to be finalized.
June 27 – Fly out of BWI.
TBD
…………………………………
Trip Costs
Some of the costs noted below are fixed. Others are estimated. Estimated costs are marked with (*).
Council Cost – ~$1500 each
Photo co-op - TBD
Crew T-shirts (Cool Max (2 each?) ~ $40
Spending $ on the Trail - ~$40
Spending $ at Tooth of Time Traders – you decide
Contingency Fee - TBD
The T-shirt item covers the cost of two Coolmax t-shirts. We’ll be getting two? Philmont crew shirts for each crewmember. These two shirts will be your two primary hiking shirts for the trek. We also need to buy an extra one for our Ranger at camp so he/she will remember what a great crew we were.
The contingency fee will be used as in case of emergency or to cover
unexpected expenses. Any unused money will be refunded at the end of the trip.
Payment schedule
The payment schedule may be adjusted to reflect changing amounts and deposit needs. Note that the payments don’t include spending money. Each crewmember should bring extra money if they want souvenirs or other extras. There’s a trading post at Philmont and they have some items that are only available at Philmont – nowhere else. There will even be occasions on the trail where some extra money would be good - extra shots at the shooting events, root beer at one of the cantinas, snacks at one of the trail commissaries.
Trek selection
Philmont offers about 35 different treks. The treks differ from each other based on starting point, distance covered, route taken, activities available, scenic spots,
and hiking difficulties among other things. The crew will submit our trek choices numbered 1 to 5 and Philmont will do their best to schedule one of our top choices. We’ll receive a packet of information in March with a card to send back with our trek choices. The sooner we get the card back in, the better chances we have our getting
Trek selection should be based on the following factors:
--How far do you want to hike?
--What do you want to see?
--What do you want to do along the way?
While the program activities are an important part of the trek, they’re not the only consideration. Program activities will take up about an hour per day. Hiking will take six or eight hours a day. Where you want to hike is at least as important as what you want to do. There is a lot of good information online about the characteristics of each trek. See the next section for details. Most of the information is about 2001 to 2002 treks. The treks don’t vary a lot from year to year so we’ll make our preliminary selections based on last year’s data and finalize it once this year’s information is available.
See the following web sites for more information:
Descriptions and maps for each 2001 trek.
Descriptions of each campsite and trek. Includes a trek search mechanism using the 2003 treks
Equipment required
Everyone should be in reasonably good shape by this time as far as gear goes. Look at the previous email that was sent out. We’re really going to focus on lowering pack weight for Philmont. The goal for each crew member is a pack weight of no more than 35 pounds including crew gear, food, and water. That means your pack weight before crew gear, food, and water should weigh no more than 20 pounds. Lower your pack weight by following these steps:
-Determine if you really need the item. Is it something you’re going to use daily or is it something that’s “just in case”. Do you want to carry it for 10 days?
-Do you really need your own item? Can you share the item with a tent mate or others in crew?
-Look for the smallest and lightest item you can find.
Remember that ounces count. You might figure that something that weighs only a little bit won’t matter. If you add a little bit here and a little bit there, pretty soon you’ve added 5 pounds. Carrying 5 extra pounds for 60 miles makes a big difference. A good weight breakdown is:
-Backpack5 lbs
-Sleeping bag3 lbs
-Sleeping pad1 lb
-½ of a tent3 lbs
-clothes & personal gear7 lbs
-crew gear6 lbs
-food & water 10 - 15 lbs
total35 to 40 lbs
Temperatures on the trip can vary from 30 at night at some of the high mountain campgrounds to 90+ during the afternoon at Base camp. Afternoon thunderstorms are common. You’ll need the following equipment. Bring everything on the required list. Be very selective about items on the optional list. Consider sharing with others, etc. If you bring anything that’s not on the list, you’re going to have to convince the crew leader and the adult advisors that you really need it. We will have pack inspections before leaving.
Required clothing:
1 pr long pants (think about nylon zip off pants that convert to shorts. Also if you waterproof them they can be your rain pants)
2 pr shorts
2 pr underwear
2 hiking t-shirts (one or two will be crew shirt – think cool-max or similar fabric)
3 pr hiking socks (wool or synthetic wool)
3 pr sock liners
1 long sleeve shirt
1 shorts or lightweight long underwear for sleeping
1 t-shirt or lightweight long underwear for sleeping
warm jacket or vest (polar fleece or similar)
rain jacket
broad brim hat or baseball type hat
hiking boots
Lightweight camp shoes (sneakers, moccasins, etc)
Knit cap (delete if your sleeping bag has a hood)
Lightweight work gloves (for service project, handling pots, warmth)
Required personal:
Backpack
Rain cover for backpack
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Eating utensils –bowl, spoon, cup
4 liters water carrying capacity
Whistle
Stuff sack with name on outside for smellables
10 ft duct tape
safety pins
Lighter or Matches in waterproof container
Tooth brush
backpacking towel or chamois
Sunglasses
Flashlight
Optional;
Pocket knife (one or two total for the crew)
Gerber, Leatherman or other similar multipurpose tool (one or two total for the crew)
Seat pad
Trekking poles or hiking staff
Gaiters
Lip balm
Book
Journal pad & pen
Games
1 lb personal food/snacks
Soap, toothpaste, sunscreen, bug repellent, camera, or binoculars should all be part of the crew gear
Notes on equipment choices:
Backpack
An external frame pack should hold between 3000 and 4000 cubic inches. An internal frame pack should hold 4000 to 5000 cubic inches because the sleeping bag and other items must go inside rather than get lashed to the frame.
Pack cover
You can get a ready made cover designed to go over a backpack or make one out of plastic (such as trash bags) and duct tape. If you do choose to make your own, use sturdy plastic and reinforce the stress points with duct tape. A thin plastic bag won’t survive 10 days on the trail.
Hiking boots
Good sturdy hiking boots are required. If the ones you have don’t fit or you don’t have any boots, you need to buy them in early May. Don’t buy them before then in case your feet grow. Look for mid weight boots. Lightweight boots don’t have enough support and heavyweight boots are more than you need. If you buy new boots, you must get them before the May campout and you must walk 50 miles in them before we leave for Philmont so they’re well broken in.
No cotton
None of the clothes on the required list can be cotton. That includes underwear. No jeans, no cotton t-shirts, no cotton socks, no sweatshirts, no cotton underwear. Cotton absorbs moisture and takes forever to dry. It can cause hypothermia in cooler weather. The trapped moisture can cause rashes in hot weather. We’ll be washing/rinsing clothes on the trail and they must air dry quickly. The crew shirts will be CoolMax or similar. Get nylon pants and shorts, wool or synthetic socks, polypropylene sock liners, Polar fleece jackets, synthetic underwear
Zip-off legs
If you get a pair of pants with zip-off legs, you can leave one pair of shorts at home.
No underwear
If you get lined shorts, such as lined biking shorts, you can leave one or both underwear at home.
Sleeping bag
Your sleeping bag should be rated down to 20 and ideally should have a built-in hood. If it doesn’t have a hood, you need to bring a knit cap to wear at night. Synthetic bags are preferred over down bags. Down bags lose all their insulating properties if wet.
Sleeping pad
Bring either a closed cell pad (fairly stiff as opposed to the squishy open cell pads) or an inflatable pad (such as Thermarest). Think light.
Sleeping clothes
Your sleeping clothes are used for nothing but sleeping. If you bring long underwear for sleeping clothes, it can be worn in other circumstances in case of emergency.
Raingear
There are several choices for raingear. A waterproof/breathable jacket and pants (Gore-Tex or equivalent) is the most expensive and most flexible choice. You’ll be more comfortable when wearing it while hiking because sweat can dissipate. It can also be worn as a windbreaker. But Gore-Tex is heavier and bulkier than other rain gear. The pants are optional. We’ll be wearing shorts most of the time and hiking in the rain in shorts isn’t a big deal if you’ve got quick-dry fabrics. Gaiters might be a good idea if you skip the pants. If you bring rain pants, you might be able to skip bringing other long pants.
A waterproof/non-breathable jacket and pants (coated nylon or similar) is less expensive. It can work well if you look for ventilation features and are willing to live with more sweat build-up on the inside. It will also work as a windbreaker. It’s more important to be warm than dry.
Note that “waterproof” is the operative word with raingear. Don’t bring something that “water repellent” or “water resistant”. Those fabrics might work for heavy dew or light rain but not a Philmont thunderstorm.
Water containers
You must have enough water carrying capacity to carry four liters (or quarts) and you must have at least two separate containers. A two-liter water bag (such as Platypus) with a drinking tube is highly recommended for one container. Two one-liter bottles or a second water bag can be used for the rest of the capacity. One of the rules at Philmont is that you never go anywhere without water. It’s easier to carry a water bottle than a bag when you don’t have your backpack on. You won’t have to carry them all full very often but we will have some situations where we’ll need extra water.
Flashlight
We’ll get up at dawn and hit the tents when it’s getting dark. About the only time you’ll need a flashlight will be if you need to use the latrine in the middle of the night. In this case you can share a flashlight with your tentmate. If you do bring one, get the smallest and lightest flashlight you can find. Start with fresh batteries and bring one extra set.
Eating utensils
Bring a bowl, spoon, and cup. That’s it. You won’t need anything else. Don’t bring a disposable spoon. Get a good Lexan or other tough plastic spoon.
Pocket knife
Do you really need one? You might have to cut open a food packet but most of them can be ripped. Otherwise, there will be nothing to cut. Share one with someone else. Make it small.
Seat pad
It’s nice to have a dry place to sit if it’s wet out. A hunk of closed cell sleeping pad or a plastic placemat makes a good seat pad. The pad can be used under your feet at night if you have a sleeping pad. You can draw game boards or other entertainments on the pad for use during down times.
Gaiters
Gaiters are plastic wraps that cover the tops of your boots and the bottoms of your legs. They help keep your boots and socks clean and dry when it’s raining, especially if you’re wearing shorts.
Personal food
Each crewmember can bring one pound of personal food/snacks. The food must be carried in your smellables bag.
Smellables bag
Get a nylon stuff sack 12” to 15” long and 6” wide. Write your name on it in big letters. All your personal smellables (food, toothbrush, etc) must be carried in your smellables bag and must be stashed in the bear bag at night.
Plastic bags
Pack your clothes in ziplock bags before packing them in your backpack. This provides another layer of protection from water and allows you to squeeze all the air out and pack them smaller. Line the stuff sack for your sleeping bag with a plastic bag that can be twisted shut before you close the stuff stack.
Names
Write your name on EVERYTHING that you bring so we’ll know whose stuff is whose. This is particularly important for eating utensils and water bags/bottles.
Trekking poles
We’ll be hiking up and down a lot of hills. The upping and downing can be hard on knees, particularly adult knees. Whether it be trekking poles, a hiking staff, or a walking stick, older crewmembers should consider bringing some kind of arm-actuated hiking assist device. Trekking poles are collapsible and lightweight. A solid hiking staff is heavy but can be used as an emergency stretcher pole. Using a pole of some kind can transfer as much as 30% of the load from the legs to the arms, relieving the stress on your knees and leg muscles.