RE: [Philmont]: The Burro Issue

Roy Fisher writes
 
> Now we all know and if you do not want to have a burro,
> select a trek that does not include a burro. This should not
> be an issue for next year.
 
Except that eliminates nearly all (or at least a large number) of the treks that include Baldy in the itinerary. Maybe that's a way to steer more crews into the other sections of the ranch. Perhaps a better solution would be to have Itinerary 21WB for crews that want to use burros and 21WO for crews that would rather opt out.
 
The way it is now, Burro Packing is the only *mandatory* program feature at the ranch. Everything else, including campfires, conservation projects, horse rides, etc. is optional (although some are required for the Arrowhead Patch).
 
Comments (on the above and other posts)...
 
1. I saw the line in TREKS about burros being mandatory this year and I was very surprised that it did not become a topic of discussion on the List before this (I did have some off-List with crews that it affected.) Since I had no idea how it would play out, I decided not to seed the discussion and waited for some reports from returning crews.
 
2. Ive mentioned before that my crew (Trek 21) in 2001 took a burro (it would not have been my choice, but I did not get a vote) and it was the highlight of their trek.
 
3. By my count, there are thirteen treks that include Baldy and seven of those include burros. The ones that dont three get up into the Valle and three are rated Super-Strenuous, and really are not substitute routes for the ones with burros.
 
4. In the past (at least in 2004), I understand that about half the crews that had burros available took them, so the mandatory policy affects only the half of crews on the burro treks. Some of the burro treks are among the most popular (particularly #21) and it would be interesting to know how that affects how many crews choose those routes next year, assuming burros are again mandatory.
 
5. The late start for the burro program is a significant issue that needs to be addressed, but since it was one for us in 2001 and hasnt been dealt with yet, Im not holding my breath.
 
6. While I would consider the Conservation project to be mandatory also, it is interesting that burro packing has become the only mandatory program. Anecdotally, I have been told another reason for it was (at least some) Rangers discouraging crews from taking the burros.

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