RE: [Philmont]: Reducing Fuel Load

For the price of 5 ounces and a can of tomato juice, you can make a pretty
decent wood-burning stove. As far as the experiential aspect, scouts can
learn a lightweight backpacking technique that way, but they also have to
understand that rain happens and when wood gets wet, it won't burn well. So
toting fuel is still something that is important in an environment like
Philmont.

 Joe Tavares
Richardson, TX

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-philmont@troop47.com [mailto:owner-philmont@troop47.com] On
Behalf Of tholland@san.rr.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 6:22 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
Subject: RE: [Philmont]: Reducing Fuel Load

I like the idea of campfires, but I don't think they significantly reduce
the fuel load outside the immediate area of the campsite. Campsites cannot
be a large percentage of the total Philmont acreage. The good side it that
the campsites themselves will be more protected from wild fires, but it
won't significantly effect all of Philmont. Just my 2 cents.

Thom Holland
San Diego, CA

Original Message:
-----------------
From: Dr. Bob Klein drbob@troop111.org
Date: Tue, 02 Aug 2005 17:28:30 -0400
To: philmont@troop47.com
Subject: [Philmont]: Reducing Fuel Load

The upside of campfires is indeed reduced fuel load. The downside is
further and further walks to go get it, as the season wears on. Prior to
the wholesale switchover to camp stoves, it was routine for Scouts to wander
several hundred feet to find firewood, especially at heavily used camps. My
1970's Crews assigned firewood gathering to half the Crew - it was one of
THE major tasks at each campsite, and almost the first thing we would start
doing during camp setup. In those cases where we knew we were getting close
to our final campsites, those members of the Crew that were able would start
carrying wood found near the trail, just to reduce the workload after we
arrived.

I am pointing this out not to impress everyone with how tough we were, but
rather to remind everyone of the now increased risks of wood-gathering far
afield when we have appreciable numbers of mountain lions on the Ranch. To
my recollection, mountain lions weren't even thought about in the 70's (John
L. may have some insights here), and if they were present they were
certainly scarce. Not any more. I would state that wood gathering out of
sight from campsites is now unsafe except in groups of four.

- Dr. Bob

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As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow Scouts and Scouters,
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obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
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As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow Scouts and Scouters,
do your best to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind,
obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
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As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------