I agree on all counts!
----- Original Message -----
From: John LeBlanc
To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
Sent: Wednesday, August 10, 2005 5:01 PM
Subject: [Philmont]: Beyond Philmont part 3 of 3
We ended up with about a liter of water left over, but Id rather bring some back than need some more on the trail and not have it. There is not water available ini the backcountry of the Guadalupes. You simply carry what you need.
This factor alone holds visitor levels in the back country to a low level. For the last two years, fuel cost has cut park visitationto 2/3 of what normally visit the park. The place is not crowded at all.
A wide brimmed hat for the desert sun and our Lekki Makalu Model 2038 trekking poles completed our outfit. They arent cheap, but they sure work well, especially downhill and they keep rattlesnakes at bay without damage to them or us very well thank you. They had also proved themselves well at Philmont.
Oh yes, I wore the same Asolo and Allison her Vasque boots we wore to Philmont with their attendant Smart Wool socks without liners. If it aint broke, dont fix it.
The trail up the mountain is well maintained by the park service. Notice I said well maintained. That isnt the same thing as easy, but it iswell, lets just say its not quite brutal, but almost. Its tougher than anything Philmont threw at us even with the heavier backpacking pack we carried there.
One thing Allison commented on is the trail work. Her comment was after seeing how little you accomplish in the two hours working on trails at Philmont, I really appreciate the work done to build, improve and maintain hiking trails now. Philmont teaches values well.
We are not ones to to be impressed with time and distance calculations while hiking. We hike at our own pace, stop when we need to for a rest or to smell the roses or take their picture, but are not burdened by stopping to take a drink of water as we hydrate on the fly via the Camelback. We simply get there when we get there.
Ah ha! This one would be different.
Even though we dont worry about times, on this one we would watch the time and the weather. Its just like at Philmont in the high country in summertime, only worse! The Guadalupe mountains are known for fierce winds and fierce thunderstorms. An afternoon thunderstorm while at altitude is to be avoided at all cost as they should be in all mountains, but here they are legendary. Its not uncommon to have 18 wheeler box trailers fully loaded blown over on the mountain pass highway just a few miles away. Just to the east, the Delaware mountains are one of a few locations in the US where wind turbines produce an abundant amount of electricity.
So, we kept a watch on the weather and the time on the trail.
It took us five hours to reach the summit and by getting an early start, we were able to spend one and a half hours there enjoying a casual and relaxing trail lunch with newly made friends from the trail. The trek down took only three hours. A nine and a half hour day of hiking is rather long, but it was enjoyable.
We hiked from the desert floor, up through the Pondarosa pine canyons and enjoyed much the vegetation one does at Philmont.
On the summit, there is the usual register which people fill with all sorts of interesting trivia. In addition, there is an triangular marker placed there in 1958 by American Airlines to commemorate one hundred years of overland mail and to memorialize the lives of those early airplane pilots who gave there lives crossing the mountains in the early days of flight just as the mail stage drivers did before them. You see, the Guadalupes are not only hazardous to the stage coaches of the past and the trucks of today, they have downed many a plane also.
Some have criticized the commercialism of this monument in a national park, but lets be truthful. It isnt commercialism, but a tribute to fallen pioneers. Besides, put there in 1958, it was there long before the park was a park. To remove it would be akin to removing the B-24 wreckage from Trail Peak. Thats not what needs to be done. What needs to be done is to understand how difficult times were just a few short years ago and the sacrifices made and what strides this country has made in transportation and communication and not take things for granted like we sometimes do today.
It was a nice climb, exhilarating, but nice. It was also nice to have a campground so near the trailhead and to have selected the only campsite with a large Alligator Juniper over the western edge of the table so that we could sit in the shade while we soaked our feet in a tub of cool water while awaiting the fixing of supper.
Open fires are prohibited in the Guadalupes dry air, so we used the same PhilStove to russtle up some of the same kind of PhilSupper, but no Veg-A-Rice. But thats another story.
We Got in early enough to attend one campfire program and shared it with some Scouts Hobbs, New Mexico. I took the time to thank the leaders for sharing their time with the Scouts. Thats something we should do more often. One of the leaders was wearing a very old Smokey Bear Scout hat and I talked to him about it. He was and Indian about my age and very proud of it as it had belonged to his Scoutmaster. Small world, I have that same style hat that belonged to my Scoutmaster and Im just as proud of it.
It was a good trip up the mountain. I cant think of a better way for a daddy to help celebrate his daughters high school graduation and entrance into the adult world.
As a result of her Scouting experience, Allison has a better appreciation of the natural world and how to enjoy it. She is quite a hiker and enjoys it. During the trip she spoke often of returning with friends to share her findings.
Thank you Philmont for instilling this enjoyment in my daughter just as you did in me some fifty-six years ago.
In retrospect, maybe when she finishes college we will celebrate by climbing Mt. Wheeler, New Mexicos highest. Ill only be 64 then and hopefully still ready, willing and able.
John LeBlanc
Philmont 1959 & 2002
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Received on Fri Aug 12 18:40:00 2005
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