Philmont was one of the defining moments of my Boy Scouts life in turns of high adventure. If troop campouts can be made out to be a television show, then Philmont would be like that Friday night marathon showing all your back-to-back favorites. Compared with the National Jamboree, Philmont showed a greater focus on the wilderness aspect in scouting and gave me a genuine sense of the old-fashioned outdoorsmen spirit that scouts used to have when the scouting organization was still young.
Before my crew ventured into the real journey of hiking across the enormous land that belongs to Philmont Scout Ranch, like the National Jamboree experience, we took a tour of the areas surrounding the main event and got acquainted with the many unique customs that made New Mexico interesting. Since New Mexico used to belong to the Spanish in colonial times, it was not surprising to see a small town area in Albuquerque that preserved the old Spanish mission theme which was commonplace in the early 1800s. Not only did Albuquerque play host to old Spaniards but the area of New Mexico was also the host of nuclear testing during the World War II era. In dedication of that chunk of American history, we visited a museum that focused on the development of nuclear energy in America’s past. Probably the most enjoyable part would be the tram ride that extended from the city of Albuquerque to one of the highest peaks in the area. The entire crew enjoyed a spectacular view from the top and we had a great time looking down on the city below. After the short one day tour of traveling around Albuquerque it was time to experience the real fun of trekking through the wilderness of Philmont. After one day of medical examinations, emergency procedures, receiving food and equipment, packing preparations, and exploring base camp, we were finally ready to start our big hike. For the first few days we had our ranger Paul show us the ropes (literally). One of the most useful things he taught us was how to make an effective bear bagging system. Within an hour the entire crew was able to make bear bags. Our first hike without our ranger’s help was a big rocky. The crew was walking in the wrong direction for 10 min before we realized we were going the wrong way. However, toward the end of the day we enjoyed a nice spar-poling activity. Some scouts took a lot longer than other scouts, but in the end everyone was able to conquer the high wooden pole and reach the top. In my opinion, it beats the rock climbing back home in Planet Granite any day.
After Crater Lake it was time to say good bye to our fellow ranger Paul who had taught us so much about trekking in Philmont. From then on out we were on our own. Through the many campgrounds we visited, we experienced black powder shooting, blacksmithing, tomahawk throwing, branding, rock climbing, numerous campfires, playing with chickens, and many others.
There were even some activities that we never planned for but still made our Philmont trekking experience that much more interesting. One good example would be our hike up Cathedral Rock. Despite signs of an incoming thunderstorm, our crew decided to continue walking, hoping that the thunderstorm wouldn’t be as dangerous as it looked. To our dismay, the thunderstorm did not change direction and we were forced to walk right in the middle of the lightning’s path. To be honest, it was the only time in Philmont that I worried I might not survive the trekking experience. After a half hour of continuous deafening crackles and explosions from the lightning storm, the storm eventually was at a good enough distance that I considered I was safe from harm’s way.
Probably the most notable event that set myself differently from the rest of the crew during the Philmont trek was my decision to make a drink that came to be known as Mang Juice by my fellow crew members. Since I had still had extra packets of hot cocoa powder and apple & cinnamon oatmeal, I decided to get rid of it as soon as I could. So I poured both of them together into one liter of water and created a very weird solution. I have to admit that no one in their right mind would ever make this concoction for pleasure drinking. However, whenever my energy was low the Mang Juice would help to wake me up and keep me aware that I was still hiking and needed to keep my senses focused. To mark our final day on our Philmont trek, my crew woke up early to catch the dazzling sunrise that was to take place on that morning. On top of the Tooth of Time I saw the best sunrise I have ever seen up to this point in my life. The clouds changed from a dark blob to a cotton candy pink and finally to a white feather-like shape. The entire sky was illuminated with the sunlight’s warmth, and I wouldn’t have preferred to be anywhere else on that morning. As with all experiences in life, anything with a beginning must also have end. After a quick shower, closing campfire, a visit to the trading post, and a game of cards, we took the tour bus to the Albuquerque airport and headed home. However, the memories I made at Philmont will never be forgotten, and it makes me look forward to further experiences like these in the future.
