Some Random Philmont Questions

[Brad P]

The end of July will be here soon, so finalizing some things.

1. Do your crew members bring any personal snacks to start the trek? I know hot sauce is highly suggested, but anything else that you’ve found works?
2. For scouts, is the mug suggested for cantina root beer or does it need to handle a hot drink like hot chocolate?
3. What paperwork do I need to carry on the trek? Do I need to carry the ABC forms for all crew members? What else?
4. I understand that sometimes we will pass through a camp and can potentially participate in activities that aren’t on our trek.  Is there a strategy for doing this?
5. I’ve read mixed reviews on using paint strainers instead of the Frisbee. If we brought 12 strainers and a few Ziploc bags for storing them after use, would that be a good strategy?
6. When our flight arrives back at Dulles shortly before 6am (red eye flight home), if the parents are there to pick up their scouts, we’re allowed to go to the airport bar if we take off the Class A, right?

[David Y]

1. No snacks or food of any kind. We do carry Morton Seasoned Salt or a spice wheel..
2. They may take a lightweight plastic cup for hot liquids.
3. You will turn in all your paperwork and Health and Medical forms at check-in. The Crew Leader is required to always have his Crew Leader Copy of your itinerary and Duty Roster and that is all, nothing else.
4. You may participate in any activities at Philmont. First come, first served. Get there early.
5. The sump strainer Frisbee Philmont issues is re-usable and all you need. Why carry anything else?
6. Don’t miss the opportunity to indulge in an adult beverage at the St James Hotel in Cimarron after your trek. Send the Scouts to eat pizza while the adults eat and indulge at the St James. There are a lot of other adults in uniform having a beer there.

[Brad P]

Don’t miss the opportunity to indulge in an adult beverage at the St James Hotel in Cimarron after your trek. Send the Scouts to eat pizza while the adults eat and indulge at the St James. There are a lot of other adults in uniform having a beer there.

Hmmmmm.  That’s surprising.  I assumed we were on duty 24/7 during a Philmont trek and that meant no alcohol.

You will turn in all your paperwork and Health and Medical forms at check-in. The Crew Leader is required to always have his Crew Leader Copy of your itinerary and Duty Roster and that is all, nothing else.

Thanks.  I knew the crew leader had those responsibilities, just wondering if I needed to pack more.

We have a couple more shakedowns this month.  My crew is three 14 year olds and four 15 year olds, so we’re young and not much backpacking experience.  I have one 21 year old former scout in our troop who did leadership training at Philmont, but otherwise we’re all Philvirgins.  We’ll get it done and I appreciate the scouters who are helpful.

[Jeffrey Peters]

Do your crew members bring any personal snacks to start the trek? I know hot sauce is highly suggested, but anything else that you’ve found works?   We brought two small spice shakers of Old Bay. We gave one to our ranger when she left along with a crew shirt for her. We are a Maryland Troop so Old Bay is the glue that hold us together.

I understand that sometimes we will pass through a camp and can potentially participate in activities that aren’t on our trek.  Is there a strategy for doing this?   Arrive early and ask to participate. Remember that the camp shuts down for lunch and depending on when you are at Philmont you can expect afternoon thunderstorms.

I’ve read mixed reviews on using paint strainers instead of the Frisbee. If we brought 12 strainers and a few Ziploc bags for storing them after use, would that be a good strategy?  I don’t think Philmont uses the Frisbees any more. In 2017 we where issued a small strainer. We used paint strainers to cover the issued strainer.  having each scout carry a 1 gal zip lock for that type of trash is a good idea.

[Brad P]

Arrive early and ask to participate.

I’ve emphasized many times that will will be early to bed, early to rise so we can hike in cooler weather and not miss our programs.  Plus, reduce the chances of hiking in the afternoon rain.

[Jeffrey Peters]

Don’t miss the opportunity to indulge in an adult beverage at the St James Hotel in Cimarron after your trek. Send the Scouts to eat pizza while the adults eat and indulge at the St James. There are a lot of other adults in uniform having a beer there.

I saw this when I was at Philmont and had dinner at the St. James.   It is not for me. If I am responsible for the safety of others children then I need to make sure I am fit for that job.  Will one or two beers impair me ?  Probably not, but the optics are bad if something does happen.  I really enjoy a good cigar and bourbon but I will not smoke or drink if I am wearing anything that could identify me as a scouter. That meant that last season at a minor league baseball game I realized that I was wearing a BSA marked   hat  and that I did not have a beer at the game. I understand that others believe different  but this is just me.

[Brad P]

I saw this when I was at Philmont and had dinner at the St. James.   It is not for me. If I am responsible for the safety of others children then I need to make sure I am fit for that job.

That’s been my approach, too. I’m a light drinker.  There have probably only been a couple of times in my life where I drank enough that I might not pass a breathalyzer (and of course I did not drive).

Sitting down with my fellow scouters for a beer with dinner coming off the trail would be absolutely wonderful.  One of our adults turns 21 just before we go and if he indulges, I’d love to buy him a beer.  I think we just have to hold off until we get home.

[David Y]

Trash in the backcountry and at staffed camps is already an issue. Philmont banned turkey roasting bags for that (and other) reason. Limit or avoid items that will cause more trash.

Philmont used to issue Frisbees full of small holes as a food strainer over the Camp Sump thus the common term Sump Frisbee.

If you view Philmont’s “How to Wash Dishes” video, you will see now Philmont issues a large MSR Deepdish Plate with a bunch of small holes in the shape of a triangle in the bottom along one side as a “food strainer”. One is also shown with a spatula in it in the How to Pack a Backpack video.

If your troop does not backpack regularly or your Scouts are not profiecent at backpacking skills all of your crew should view all of Philmont’s How To videos and practice their methods at troop meetings and on weekend backpacking trips long before you go, it will make your expereince more enjoyable.

“Philmont should be enjoyed, not endured.” Moonshine

[Gerry H]

RE: “gifts of Old Bay”

We are also a Maryland troop, and when I took the local PASS training 2 years ago at Broad Creek, the two PSR staffers teaching us joked that having extra “Old Bay” was like having a spare carton of cigarettes in (old time) prison.

With that in mind, we were toying with the idea of carrying as a spare 2 ounce container of Old Bay for each staffed camp, plus our Ranger. Did your Ranger appreciate the Old Bay?

[James A]

1. Do your crew members bring any personal snacks to start the trek? I know hot sauce is highly suggested, but anything else that you’ve found works? We didn’t bring personal snacks to start. However, you quickly accumulate your own snacks from swap boxes, or because you don’t eat something right away. So it’s totally normal that you’ll have your own food stuff in a ziploc. 
2. For scouts, is the mug suggested for cantina root beer or does it need to handle a hot drink like hot chocolate? Abreu cantina had paper Pepsi cups for the root beer. I don’t think many Scouts brought a mug or used one if they did. Adults all did for coffee. 
3. What paperwork do I need to carry on the trek? Do I need to carry the ABC forms for all crew members? What else? No paperwork on the trail. 
4. I understand that sometimes we will pass through a camp and can potentially participate in activities that aren’t on our trek.  Is there a strategy for doing this? When you arrive at a camp, you’ll get a “porch talk” in which you’ll find out about their drinking water, where the trash/swap box/recycle containers are, and what programs are available. If something fits in your schedule, you can do it. The one days we had terrible weather in the afternoon we were on the trail instead of set up in the next camp because we spent several hours doing program while passing through a camp. It was a good program, so still worth it. 
5. I’ve read mixed reviews on using paint strainers instead of the Frisbee. If we brought 12 strainers and a few Ziploc bags for storing them after use, would that be a good strategy? They give you a frisbee and it works fine. 

[Jeffrey Peters]

Did your Ranger appreciate the Old Bay?

I think ours did. We gave  her Old Bay and a crew t-shirt. We were lucky when we arrived back at base camp that she was in camp so we also took her to dinner at the St. James.  When we pulled into MIners Park we found a Maryland State Flag pinned to a wall. They told us the guy who ran the camp was from Maryland but he was on his days off.  My son is at Sea Base right now and he brought the Old Bay.  You can make everything better with old bay.

[Author]

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