No. 1: Start Early: The activities are first come, first served, and thunderstorms occur almost every afternoon in July. The Crew Leader should set an early start to ensure that the crew gets to complete activities and to avoid setting up camp late in the day in a storm. No. 2: Tie sticks directly toContinue reading “Philmont: Top 15 tips and things I wish someone told me before the trip.”
Author Archives: Chris Smith
Philmont: Youth leadership and the role of adult advisors
From the first step off the bus upon arrival to the step back on the bus to leave, the youth Crew Leader, not the adult lead advisor, is responsible for leadership. The three “official” Philmont leadership positions are Crew Leader, Chaplain’s Aid, and Wilderness Pledge Guia. Of these, Crew Leader is, by far, the mostContinue reading “Philmont: Youth leadership and the role of adult advisors”
Preparing for Philmont: Gear
The foremost rule for gear is to go as light as possible and not take unnecessary stuff. Your base weight should be 21-22 lbs or less, equating to 30-35 lbs once loaded with food, water, and crew gear. If your pack is more than that, it is too heavy. Philmont recognizes that people bringing tooContinue reading “Preparing for Philmont: Gear”
Preparing for Philmont: Skills
This is going to be a short post. While some backpacking experience helps, one does not need to know any Philmont-specific skills or procedures before arrival. A Philmont Ranger accompanies every crew for the first few days of the hike and will teach these skills—even if the crew already knows them. A physically fit crewContinue reading “Preparing for Philmont: Skills”
Preparing for Philmont: Getting fit and crew dynamics
The two most important things for a successful Philmont trek are: Everything else – gear and backcountry skills – can be bought or learned after you arrive at base camp. But showing up at Philmont out of shape or with an a-hole in your crew cannot be remedied. On Fitness: Philmont does not allow crewsContinue reading “Preparing for Philmont: Getting fit and crew dynamics”
Philmont: Registering and Picking an Itinerary
Warning: this is a paperwork and planning post, not an adventure post. Philmont offers 7-, 9- and 12-day treks of varying difficulty. This post outlines how to choose the appropriate trek for your crew and get through the registration process. This explains how the process works for individual scout units, not council contingents. In summary,Continue reading “Philmont: Registering and Picking an Itinerary”
Philmont Overview
I just returned from a nine-day trek at Philmont Scout Ranch with my son’s scout troop (Austin Troop 33). It was great fun. This is the first in a series of posts on what to expect, how to prepare, and vital tips for a successful Philmont trek. At the end of the series, I willContinue reading “Philmont Overview”
Northwest Rafting Co. Class III Rowing School Review
Last week I attended the Class III Rowing School put on by Northwest Rafting Company. The school involved 5 days on the Rogue River in southern Oregon where I learned basic oar boat whitewater skills. Here is a short highlight video. My detailed review of the trip is below the video. Why did I signContinue reading “Northwest Rafting Co. Class III Rowing School Review”
Superior Fleece Alpha Direct Hoody Review
The world of outdoor clothing is dominated by large companies with questionable manufacturing practices. But fortunately, there is a whole ecosystem of small companies making great gear. One is Minnesota-based Superior Fleece. I have no connection to this company other than as a customer, and I only discovered them from a mention on a RedditContinue reading “Superior Fleece Alpha Direct Hoody Review”
Sea Base Bahamas
Twice in the past few years our family has gone to BSA Sea Base. My wife and daughter went to St. Thomas in 2022 and my son and I went to the Bahamas in 2023. This post describes the things I have learned about Sea Base that may be useful to other scouters. Overview For SeaContinue reading “Sea Base Bahamas”
Vamonos Baby! 