RE: [Philmont]: caterpiller

Having just completed trek #11, the only time we used the caterpillar was on
the trail up the west side of Mt. Phillips. This technique was requested
when a 46 yr old female advisor couldn't maintain the quick pace set by the
scouts and she begged the scouts to leave her behind, stating that she would
proceed at her own pace. To our scouts credit, they refused to leave and
the caterpillar was introduced and implemented. The scouts enjoyed this
technique, but would have only tolerated it for this steep grade. All other
trails we encountered were hiked in normal single file.

Beware, if you use this technique and fall just a little behind to smell the
roses, be prepared for comments like "Hey Mr. Advisor, what's taking so long
on this nice flat trail? Do you need to caterpillar? ;> Have fun - Bruce
Bacon, 718-D1
  -----Original Message-----
  From: owner-philmont@troop47.com [mailto:owner-philmont@troop47.com]On
Behalf Of Jackson Morris
  Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 2004 5:27 PM
  To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
  Subject: [Philmont]: caterpiller

  i guess i am a little confused. i and my crew are from florida, so i
guess it is to be expected. i had read about caterpillaring for several
years, but always figured it was an old technique for the old trails now
filled in with brush and not the new ones at about 7 percent grade. i had
never actually seen it done, after 2 treks. this year, we passed a crew
between aspen springs and cito doing the caterpillar (as we returned to cito
from a resupply at ute gulch in a little more than 2 hours round trip), but
the crew advisers were really old (older than my 60 years) so i figured they
were entitled. my florida crews have always streaked up and down the hills.
i and at least one other crew adviser are usually a little slower, but not
so slow as to be very far behind. so what's the need to caterpillar with
the new trails? maybe up the west side of phillips or over black mountain,
but otherwise i don't see the need. is everyone doing it everywhere anyway?
or is it really uncommon? jackson morris, contingent leader, 608-k, gulf
ridge council, florida

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Received on Tue Aug 10 19:19:08 2004