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Whenever you walk around base camp at Philmont Scout Ranch during the summer you will see the "cripples": Boy Scouts, mostly adult leaders, who have broken down on the trail and had to be removed from their crew and evacuated from the backcountry. They are almost always limping but quite often you will find them hobbling around with crutches. For each one you see in the base camp there are many more on the trails that are just barely making it and regretting their decision to come to Philmont. Why is this happening when Philmont is one of the great adventures in Scouting? The two most common errors are insufficient training and carrying too much weight. When these two errors happen simultaneously that person has created a dangerous situation for himself, and his crew.

This Gear Check List discusses lightweight gear that will pass muster at Philmont, and includes the complete gear list used at Philmont in 2005 by Assistant Scout Master, Doug Prosser.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

  • Introduction
  • Context
    • Seasons: Summer - lows to the 40s F, high 80s to 90s F, short afternoon showers common
    • Length: Four days between resupply
    • Where: Philmont Scout Ranch, Sangre de Christo mountains, New Mexico
  • Rationale for Selected Gear
    1. Personal Equipment: Clothing
    2. Personal Equipment: Gear
    3. Personal Equipment: Sleep Systems
    4. Crew Equipment Issued at Philmont
    5. Equipment Provided by Your Crew
  • Conclusion
  • TABLE: Philmont Gear List

# WORDS: 5100

# PHOTOS: 3

# TABLES: 1

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