  
Philmont
Expedition - 2006
"The Scout Ranch"
The 2006 expedition to Philmont was an incredible
adventure, that began on July 22 when we left home, and ended on August 8th when
we returned. It was sixteen incredible
days. The trip was more than a backpacking trip to the
Philmont Scout Ranch, and the scouts that went lived action packed days and
formed memories that will last a lifetime. The following
pictures only hint at the awesome time we had.
Individual prints can be enlarged, and specific frames can be obtained at full
resolution for enlargement by emailing your scoutmaster.
Once we arrived at Philmont, things got busy
fast! Right away, we had a real treat. Chope Phillips
came to greet the Alaskan scouts! Chope's father, the late Waite
Phillips, donated the land that ultimately became Philmont, and so it was a very
special day to have his son come out to greet us. That sure doesn't
happen everyday and it was a real privilege to meet the son of the man who made
it all possible and to shake his hand! After the introductions, we had our
official contingent photo taken, followed by our two crew photos. We
were crew 727-O-1 and 727-O-2.
TENT CITY: On our first
day, we checked into "tent city", and were introduced to our two
respective rangers, James and Mark. We ate in the dining hall, and went through our
gear "shakedown" getting rid of everything we really didn't
need. It was an action packed day, but soon enough we had our
issued gear checked out, our food trek packed, and our extra personal gear stored in
our lockers, ready for the big adventure to finally begin.
   
   
    
ON THE TRAIL: Finally,
the next morning we boarded a bus and headed out into the backcountry! Our rangers
went over the essential map and compass skills we would need for the next ten
days, and then before we knew it we were backpacking in Philmont!
Right away we saw a snake crossing the road, and learned about black widow
spiders and how to avoid them. And, then we saw the world's
only Tyrannosaurus Rex track! Way kewl! We made camp under our
ranger's supervision, learning how to set up our bear bags and cook our meals the "Philmont
Way." We visited Indian Writings, and learned about the ancient
people that once inhabited the area.

  
    
    
   
     
     
  
    
   
HART PEAK:
On our third day we climbed Hart Peak, where our ranger's bid us farewell and
left us to fend for ourselves in the Philmont backcountry. On
we went, finally arriving at Ponil, a fun old-west watering hole where there
were horses to ride, "cattle" to rope, Chuckwagon dinners to eat, and
free-flowing root beer to drink at the local cantina. At Ponil we
also completed three hours of conversation work, a requirement to earn the
coveted Philmont "Arrowhead" and then, just before we left, we
received our burros, and learned a whole new way to
"backpack." Just before we left, we took out a few moments
and did a little branding. Ever branded a nalgene
bottle? Yeah! Wow!

  
    
    
    
  
  
    
   
     
    
     
  
  
  
     
MIRANDA, UTE MEADOWS, PUEBLANO, AND MORE:
We headed west, camping at higher and higher elevations. We dropped
off our burros in Mirando, where we stopped for water. There, we took the
time out to throw tomahawks, and do a little black powder
shooting. Then, it was off again, going on to Pueblano where
we had a great time listening to the beset show at Philmont. After
that, we hiked higher still, spending the night at Ute Meadows. The
following morning, we were hiking up to Baldy Town. We saw lightening storms you wouldn't
believe, and one of our crews even got pounded by hail. Still,
we maintained our spirits and hiked onward, and with each mile under our boots we began to meld into a
cohesive group, with each scout knowing his job and doing it well.
     
     
   
    
     
     
    
  
   
  
BALDY COUNTRY: Rising
to 12,441 feet above sea level, Mt Baldy is the second highest peak in New
Mexico, and the highest peak at the Philmont Scout Ranch. It has
called to scouts from all over the United States, and looms as a physical and
mental challenge that when climbed can change you in ways you never
imagined. More than one boy has committed himself to becoming an
Eagle Scout once he has summated Baldy. Standing on top of the world
gives you a feeling that if you can do this, then you can do
anything. Climbing Baldy draws out the best in you, and requires
steadfast resolve, stamina, and a commitment that is both mental and
physical. Reaching the summit was our goal, and we didn't stop
until every single one of us had completed it.
    
     
     
  
   
     
  
     
     
     
    
     
  
Of course, while climbing Baldy mountain was a
highlight of going to Philmont, there were still more adventures ahead and more
things to do. For the final page of images, follow the Philmont Arrowhead
below with a click of your mouse, and come and
enjoy with us the last pictures of our grand adventure:
Click here for the last of our Philmont Expedition
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