From: Chris Summers (chrisinhouston@kingwoodcable.com)
Date: Tue Dec 04 2001 - 10:42:43 CST
This is an issue I feel strongly about so I'm going to soap box it.
Sam Houston Area Council highly encourages Council contingent crews to try
to have only 2 advisors per crew. We are a big council and each summer our
council contingents alone make up 12 full crews at Philmont (144 people).
This past summer our Council contingents and individual Troop/Venture treks
totaled over 750 people predicating. Our emphasis for our contingent crews
is to provide a viable way for the most number of youth to get to go on a
trek. For every crew taking 4 adults vs 2 you decrease the number of youth
going by an additional 16%! You are taking away something from the youth
that the program was designed for and that's not right. Yes, Philmont is a
fun place for those over 21, but I hardly think Waite Phillips had it in
mind to entertain adults when he donated the land to the BSA. Figure 20,000
total are processed through Philmont each year making up 1666 crews if all
crews have 12 members. If every crew had only 2 adults there would be 16778
youth on treks, while adding 2 additional adults per crew would only allow
13336 youth to go. Waite would roll in his grave if he saw those figures.
Furthermore a crew's group dynamics is at it's best when there is a minimum
amount of input from the advisors. Philmont is a place for youth to grow and
show their full potential. If you want to have an adult weighted trek plan
for an Autumn Adventure trek.
As for planning ahead and having extra adults just in case one can't make it
on the trail is no solution at all. Adults should not attempt a trek if they
can not fall into the weight limits and they should be in shape in advance
of the trek. Our Council is considering implementing a policy next year that
we will only accept adult advisors at sign up time for Council contingent
treks if they prequalify with a weigh in and blood pressure check. We've had
too many adults not make the cut at check in.
Philmont has a couple of options for crews that loose advisors at check in
or on the trail because of injuries, one being to assign a ranger at a cost
to your crew or Council, but they will also buddy up crews if necessary.
Almost every crew starting out on a trek has a sister crew that is doing the
same trek. Chances are you won't even know it for the first couple of days,
until you start noticing you are always ending up in the same camp. In the
event you loose your #2 advisor on day 4, the staff camp would advise base
camp and most likely you will be instructed to hike and stay together as a
larger group, i.e. 3 adults advising 20 youth.
Keep Philmont what it was designed for; offering an opportunity of a
lifetime for youth.
YOF
Chris in Houston
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