[philmont] Trek 31

Keith Hooks writes...

I'm blessed to be returning to Philmont once again this summer, and will be
making my first trek north of the highway. Does anyone have any information
on trek 31 that they'd like for me to pass on to the crew leader?

Comments...

I don't have many particular comments about the north portion of this trek,
it is reasonably straight forward. The "trail" on the north side of Baldy
is a steep slope of loose rock - I have only gone down it with a take a
step, slide a foot, take another step technique. Your food pickup, and
doing program at French Henry come into play deciding which direction you
choose. IF you are going down to Copper Park, there are two routes off the
top - the "slide" to the left and the "switchback" to the right. If you
choose the switchback, make sure your horses in the front realize that
halfway down they have to make a 90 degree left turn (the switchback) to get
over to the other trail. My crew in 2001 and the three others going down
the same time all blew right past it - if they miss it, the slope gets
steeper and the footing worse, eventually dumping you at a small creek where
a trail was being created by all the crews trying to find their way to
Copper Park.

If you have specific questions, fire away.

In the south, note that the map and chart for Trek 31 in the Itinerary Guide
are inconsistent. While there are other inconsistencies in the book (much
fewer than in past editions), the only one I've seen discussed on the List
so far is the mileage of Trek 27 - 80 on the chart, but only 70 in the
profile. For 31, the map shows a squiggly line to the right of Mt. Phillips
camp - the trail down to Cyphers - but that program is not listed and water
is listed as Red Hills. Other treks, like 2 and 3, with a Sawmill to Mt.
Phillips or Comanche Peak day list program at Cyphers and a water pickup
there. Either would work for you, depending on whether your is interested
in double dipping the blacksmithing and the mine tour programs that you will
be doing elsewhere (on 2 and 3, Cyphers is the only option for those
programs.) And whether you want to drop all the way down to and climb back
from Cyphers carrying water for a dry camp. If you do go to Cyphers,
realize that hanging bear bags at Thunder Ridge and only taking day packs
and crew water containers to be filled is an option.

- Al Thomson, Troop 236, Schooley's Mountain NJ
Treks 1999, 2001, and 2003
Autumn Adventures 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008?

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Received on Sat Apr 28 08:47:26 2007