RE: [Philmont]: Trail down the tooth

"I don't really see why anyone would be in such a hurry to finish their
trek. A few days later and most people will be wishing they were back out
there. Enjoy those last hours. This is a great crew bonding time. The Tooth
Ridge trail is easy and you can relive moments that you had on the trail.
Great for reflection!"

I think this captures my thinking. Almost every crew that has the
opportunity to take the "trail down from the tooth" is doing it on their
last day. Unlike the walk from schafer's to tooth ridge camp, the walk from
tooth ridge camp to base camp is, frankly in my opinion, a pleasant walk.
Yeah, you get teased over and over again with views of base camp but you
really shouldn't be in a rush to get there. It was also along this segment
of trail that we got to see soaring eagles ... from above ... a sight not to
be forgotten.

The head of the stockade trail was clearly marked on tooth ridge in '04 and
no indication was given in logistics that it, or any other trail off tooth
ridge, was off limits.

Having hiked the old tooth ridge trail many years ago, and this one more
recently I think I'd do either of them again rather than the alternatives.

Our NYLT participants in '05 used the stockade trail to get to the tooth,
don't know their route down.

YIS
Jim
SM T6
PSR '74, '04, '06
www.troop6bsa.org?cmd=philmont
  -----Original Message-----
  From: owner-philmont@troop47.com [mailto:owner-philmont@troop47.com]On
Behalf Of Jason Cotting
  Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2005 12:46 AM
  To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
  Subject: Re: [Philmont]: Trail down the tooth

  Campers are supposed to use the long ridge trail when coming down off of
the Tooth. I don't know why people have to ask why, this is just how it is.

  I agree that that trail is unecessarily long. I've had to hike it many
times. Overall, the Tooth Ridge trail is the safest trail to use. The grade
is decent. This is both good for footing while carrying a pack and also for
the durability of the trail for all the traffic it sees. Not to mention, so
many crews hike this, if you have someone go down, run out of water, etc.
there is plenty of traffic to ensure help.

  The Stockade trail was always my trail of choice when I had to go up or
down the Tooth. I've done part of the Pasture trail. PTC used to use Pasture
trail for taking the kids on a day hike. Not sure if they still do or not.
Last time I did it, a while back, it was kinda over grown in spots.

  To give you an idea of the steepness of the Stockade trail, my best time
for coming down it was 35 min. Going up was around an hour. That was from
the trail sign to the Stockade itself. This is opposed to the hours it takes
going on the ridge trail.

  The down side of anyone considering coming down the Stockade trail is the
hike back to basecamp. Hiking from Lover's TA to base feels like a
deathmarch in the middle of the day.

  I don't really see why anyone would be in such a hurry to finish their
trek. A few days later and most people will be wishing they were back out
there. Enjoy those last hours. This is a great crew bonding time. The Tooth
Ridge trail is easy and you can relive moments that you had on the trail.
Great for reflection!

  --

  Jason Cotting
  Retired Ranger
><>

  My Philmont gear advice:
  http://anvilgear.com/jason/backpacking

  Philring
  http://anvilgear.com/jason/philmont/philring/

  Resume: http://anvilgear.com/fire

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Received on Wed Dec 7 07:10:55 2005