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Philmont Scout Trip

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Describe your goal: Prepare and successfully complete the 12 day (15 day including travel) high adventure backpacking trek and expedition at Philmont Scout Ranch, the Boy Scouts of America’s premier high adventure in the rugged northern New Mexico wilderness from June 16 – June 30, 2016. Provide a brief overview of your planned activities to achieve your goal: It all started with one of the assistant scout master contacting Philmont to get our troop on the wait list and then following up periodically to get us confirmed in July 2015. To participate and enjoy and the Philmont experience, a participant needs to be physically prepared to carry a 35 to 50 pound pack over steep, rocky trails at elevations ranging from 6,500 to 12,500 feet. This …show more content…

We had numerous required crew planning meetings to plan for the expedition, to pick our itinerary based on the mileage and activities while on the trail, to elect crew leaders and to plan to procure crew and personal gear. Since we had to carry lot of weight which included personal gear, food for 3-4 days and 4-5 liters of water, we had to plan and buy personal gear that did not take up too much volume and heavy, so there was enough room and weight available to carry the crew and Philmont gear, which included tent, clothes line, 3 stoves, fuel tanks, cooking pot/pan, rope, bear bags, tent stakes, trowel/shovel, dining fly, toilet paper, iodine tablets for water filtration, collapsible water jugs, etc. We met again in January and March to finalize the details of what we were expected to carry, to elect crew leaders, quartermaster and crew guide; we also went over trip planning and other details. I was elected the “Wilderness Guia” (Spanish for guide) for the crew, which involves helping the crew understand the principles of the Philmont Wilderness Pledge, following the leave no trace principle while on the trail, and ensuring that campsites are left clean. I also read the handbook for Philmont which covered the safety measures, necessary gear, and rules to abide while on the trip. I reviewed the Philmont website for information on do/don’ts, what to expect, physical fitness and conditioning required to take such a strenuous hike and how to prepare for the trip. Philmont participants are required to be physically prepared to carry a 35 to 50 pound pack over steep, rocky trails at elevations ranging from 6,500 to 12,500 feet. This requires a regular program of physical conditioning for at least three to six months prior to taking a trek is essential. So, my dad and I started to go on a 6+ mile practice

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