From: CoopWright@aol.com
Date: Tue Apr 23 2002 - 05:48:35 CDT
I have included a section from the Philmont Advisor's Guide written by two experience female Philmont advisors. Hope it helps answer some questions.
Co-ed Crews
If you are an advisor to a co-ed crew, you need to be comfortable discussing women's issues. Some advisors may feel that it is just not their place to discuss topics such as menstruation with both male and female crewmembers. This is simply not the c
ase. Right from the very start, advisors need to be frank and honest with their crewmembers and provide any information that will make the trek more successful. Open communication with the entire crew will help to encourage better understanding and coop
e
The stress of hiking in the backcountry may induce or delay a woman's menstrual cycle or it may have no effect at all. Therefore it is important to know how to deal with it under wilderness conditions. Each female crewmember, despite the timing of he
r last period, should carry a supply of sanitary products in a waterproof container inside of her pack. A smaller container, such as a Ziploc bag, can be used for daily needs and should be kept handy in a pack's outside pocket. When the crew arrives at
i
Hiking at Philmont is tough but it can be made even more difficult with cramping. Advisors need to be aware that women can experience cramping between menstrual periods. The pain can occur on either side of the abdomen or lower back. Women who regul
arly experience cramping are familiar with its symptoms and are better able to cope with the associated pain. Cramping usually goes away within 36 hours. Sometimes when cramping occurs on the right side it can be mistaken for appendicitis. However, wit
h
Cotton hiking shorts and underwear promote an environment that can cause several unpleasant and debilitating medical conditions for female hikers, such as candidiasis and urinary tract infection (UTI). Because of this, some women may prefer to hike in
nylon blend hiking shorts with a built-in nylon brief, as earlier in the guide. Outward Bound recommends nylon hiking shorts with no underwear to participants in all-female, adult programs. But many women, particularly those in co-ed crews, may prefer
t
The combination of climate, physical exertion, and sanitary conditions at Philmont, provides an increased possibility of candidiasis, or yeast infection, in women. The first-aid kit for co-ed crews should contain a non-prescription anti-fungal medicat
ion, such as Monostat 7. Most adult women know whether or not they need to carry this item for themselves, but teenage girls might be surprised by the infection, so travel prepared.
Philmont is known for its wide open spaces and does not afford very much privacy. This was not a big problem when Boy Scouts alone hiked the trails. With the influx of women on the trail, there has been a change in the backcountry. Most Scouts who a
ttend Philmont are mature enough to handle the change. As an advisor to a co-ed crew in 1990, Wally was particularly impressed by how other crews camping nearby went out of their way to respect of the privacy of the female members of his crew.
Latrines have also had to change at Philmont. Although Philmont is building covered and enclosed latrines, there are still some open air latrines at some of the more remote camp sites. These rustic latrines come in two varieties; the pilot to bombard
ier (two holer, back to back) and pilot to copilot (two holer, side to side) and are the source of some great campfire skits. In fact, some these latrines are so close to the trails that one can watch a crew walk by while doing his daily constitutional.
Washing up can also present a problem for a co-ed crew. Philmont requires hikers to wash up at the sump so that odors can be concentrated. However, the sump is usually out in an open area with absolutely no privacy. Wally's co-ed crew simply washed
in shifts using a large opaque ground sheet that was set up around the sump to provide for some privacy.
Lack of privacy also makes it difficult for women to urinate on the trail. For male crewmembers, it is no big thing. He can relieve himself while leaning nonchalantly against a tree, taking in the great views of the mountains and not even taking off
his pack! For female crewmembers, it can be a little more of an effort. As a result, some female crewmembers may not drink enough water, just to keep from urinating on the trail. Insufficient water intake can result in dehydration and increases the ris
k
Since urination for a woman generally involves a state of partial undress, female crewmembers need to be out of sight of the crew. This usually means heading up around the bend in the trail. In Coop's 2000 co-ed crew, during short packs off breaks or
called pee breaks, the rule was guys head down the trail and gals head up the trail. Female crewmembers usually headed out in groups, providing another set of eyes and ears for other crews that might be approaching on the trail.
You want all of your crewmembers to have urine output that is "clear and copious". If you have a co-ed crew, make sure everyone "camels up" and be ready to take more time on the trail. If a crewmember needs to stop, have the remainder of the crew hik
e ahead while another crewmember stands lookout for any crews coming from behind. Let your crew know that becoming dehydrated can cause severe problems and will slow the crew down even more than stopping to take an occasional leak on the trail.
A quick note on latrine use for both sexes. Urine is basically a sterile product and does not contain the pathogens found in feces. However, it does contain salts that do attract animals. If you are on the trail and need to urinate, the best way is
to urinate right on the trail itself. Remember that the trail is a narrow band of land that has already been sacrificed to allow us into the backcountry. In the old days, we used to tell a camper to just âfind a treeâ. However, urinating on a tree
p
As we discussed in the Personal Hygiene section of this guide, it is extremely important to wash off the salt and grime that accumulates each day to prevent "hiker's rash". Cathie and Mimi recommend that female crewmembers bring bras to Philmont that
can be washed and dried each day. There are an increasing variety of sport bras available, with the largest selection manufactured by Champion, in styles to match individual builds. Champion outlet stores provide a full range of options at significantly
When choosing long pants, female crewmembers may want to consider warm-up style pants with elastic waists and ankle zippers, which allow the flexibility to dress without removing shorts and boots, in areas where privacy is hindered.
If you have questions about woman-specific Philmont issues not mentioned in the Guide and want to get feedback based on other female trek advisors, please feel free to drop a line to Mimi Hatch, mhatch@misti.com or Mary Lane, scoutinfun@yahoo.com.
Cooper Wright
Co-author of the Philmont Advisor's Guide
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