We found Amtrak to be our best option in getting to Philmont. Philmont takes care of round trip busses to and from Raton. They monitor the trains progress, and gauge when to arrive to pick you up. As far as your questions go, I will share with you our experiences. Should you have any other questions, I would be more than happy to share info.
1. I don't remember if we looked into luggage per person. I, as the advisor, instructed both crews to pack and secure everything to or inside of their backpack. That counted as 1 piece. They were also told they could bring 1 small to medium carry on duffle for things like a toiletry kit that they might need while on board the train. Also cards, jacket, and snacks. It needs to be relatively small due to the amount of space in the locker you will get at Philmont(2'x2'x3' locker per crew) You will carry and load your own packs, as the station in Raton is unmanned and there is no access to the baggage car.
2. We had 2 crews that went out together. Most of the other crew did not secure their backpacks with an outer covering /layer. As far as I know, everybodies gear made it ok. 7 of my crew, including myself chose to transport our packs in a large duffle bag. The additional security was worth the money. Having spent well over 1500.00 on gear for myself and my 2 boys, I felt an extra 60.00 or so was cheap insurance. You most likely will be handling your packs yourself, but straps and loose ends can get caught in doors, escalators, etc.. I speak from personal observation. I went to Philmont as a youth in 1974 and took Amtrak then too. We had a scout whose pack strap got caught in an escalator belt in Chicago. The entire pack basically tore in half by the time he got it loose. We got our large camo duffle bags through Gander Mountain. They were normally 20.00/ or 30.00, but were on sale at the time for $10.00. The bag allows room for your hiking boots also, if you don't want to wear them to and from Philmont.
3. Scrutiny was a non issue. As long as you have the required paperwork, that's all they check. I use the term "check" lightly. They barely skimmed the info. Ther e really is no reason to carry fuel in your bottles. Fuel can be purchased at Philmont. The exceptions might be various types of butane type cylinders. Contact Philmont as to its availability at base camp. Stoves packed away in your packs will be fine.
4. If you arrive at Philmont earlier than your scheduled day, you will have additional costs involved if you stay at Philmont, due to housing and extra meals. If you roll into camp late on day 1, you can still usually get some things done on your checklist, and they'll run you through the rest on day 2, with an afternoon departure. We didn't leave base camp until 3:30PM on day 2, even though we were completed with registration by 9:00 AM that morning. Just the luck of the draw.
Hope this info helps, and I'm envious of you and your crew. We had a fantastic time.
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Received on Mon Dec 20 12:40:13 2004
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