Philmont: Top 15 tips and things I wish someone told me before the trip.

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.”

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”

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”