From: Dr. Bob Klein (drbob@troop111.org)
Date: Mon Feb 17 2003 - 13:23:42 CST
Your post implies you are looking to buy 12 identical duffels for your
Crew that are "crafted" to the size of the lockers - is this correct?
Seems to be a needless expense and a possible cause of potential
confusion every time you need to find who belongs to which. Though I
can see where it might help keep your stuff visually separate from
everyone else's at the train depot(s).
There are three storage options at Basecamp. As noted, your Crew will
get 2 standard storage lockers. Per my previous post, my memory is that
these are about 1 cubic yard - but I will defer to the exact dimensions
specified by Coop; I've never measured them. [BTW, the larger locker
referred to in a post a few days ago was, I am pretty sure, a
Ranger/Staffer locker. A few of these were available this past summer
because of the shortfall of Rangers - they would not be available to
Crews most years.]
Back to the standard lockers. These are usually perfectly adequate if
you have a Crew coming directly from home to Basecamp with minimal time
spent travelling or on activities. But each additional day adds more
and more stuff, and soon you've overwhelmed the capacity of the lockers.
Based on my experiences, if you will be more than 2 days from home to
Basecamp, things start getting tight. 3 or 4 days, you'll need to look
at the other options if you don't have your own portable storage locker
sitting in the parking lot (i.e., a van).
As I previously mentioned, the following two options (beyond Crew
Lockers) may or may not be available your year, and you will need to
check with Philmont to see what's up - don't assume they're available,
check!
Option #2 is the Security Hut - they will store *valuable* items on open
shelves in a small room in the hut. I specify *valuable* because this
isn't just overflow storage, but rather things that are of genuine value
that you either cannot or don't want to risk storing in the lockers.
This past summer, they would give you two "tickets" for security
storage, if you needed them. And yes, they will quiz you on what you
intend to store, so as to avoid having the Hut overwhelmed with routine
stuff - we're talking an overgrown closet here, not a big room.
Option #3 is the Warehouse "Overflow" storage area. This is a
(completely unsecured) storage area for items such as coolers and
Totelockers, and you can store such items there by arrangement. You can
also store anything else you want there - but be aware that it's all at
your risk. Other than the fact that it's in a semi-watched and
semi-secure area, there is no effort made to watch the stuff stored in
this area. When I was a Asst. Busmaster and later when I was a
Planemaster, we stored some of the Council stuff there in footlockers,
and had no problems.
There is also a fourth option for people who do a lot of pre-activities
before hitting the Ranch, but intend to head home directly after their
trek - that being, you can mail a bunch of your pre-activity stuff home
when you arrive at Basecamp. I did this one year and it worked well for us.
To get back to your original questions, I wouldn't bother standardizing
your duffel bags - just set a cubic inch maximum and let every Crew
member bring whatever they already have that doesn't exceed that
maximum. As a suggestion, don't set the maximum size as the locker
dimensions times two and divided by twelve - you will certainly need
extra space for other items. So throw in a fudge factor for "Crew"
stuff. Have an "indoor shakedown" just before you leave to check
everyone's carry-on stuff; that should show who's being ridiculous,
while there's still time to correct it.
You don't really need chairs for Basecamp, but I suppose camp chairs
that are going out on the trail would be OK. No way could you fit a
dozen chairs in your lockers, and without insulting anyone's integrity I
wouldn't count on any camp chair left in open storage to still be there
when you returned off the trail.
Other than your Scout uniform, a full set of clean clothes, and personal
cleanliness gear/shower kit, you don't really need anything else for
Basecamp per se. A bottle of detergent, some dryer anti-static pads,
and a roll of quarters is useful if you want to laundry before or after
hitting the trail. [NOTE: Do NOT!!! use scented laundry soap or
scented dryer pads on any trail clothes before hitting the trail!]
I will send a couple of URL's for my equipment lists along in a few
minutes. You may find some useful information there.
- Dr. Bob
Donald S. Roberts wrote:
> I looked at everything I could think of, really I did. Coops Advisers guide
> (which does give locker dimensions, but not a duffel size recommendation),
> Seldon's web page, etc. I can't find it anywhere...
>
> What size duffel fits in the Philmont lockers? We have a 12 person crew
> going in August, and we'll be spending three nights at CHQ (the usual 2 plus
> our arrival day). What size duffels for the gear for the three CHQ nights?
> We're coming on the train, so we won't have a car to lock stuff up in, and
> will need to use the lockers.
>
> Your kind help appreciated (and a hint for Coop to put this in his adviser's
> guide :-). Coops advisers guide says the lockers are "21 inches wide by 22
> inches high by 31 = inches high" (2001 advisor's guide). I assume that last
> dimension is depth, rather than height? Does that mean a 30 inch duffel
> will fit? I can't see fitting twelve 30" duffels in two of those.
>
> Does anyone have a gear list for the CHQ gear, as opposed to the trail gear?
> Just bring extra clothes (including Field Uniform), some money for TOTT and
> laundry? Is a camp chair recommended, or just bring your trail chair or do
> without? What kinds of things do you experienced people bring just for your
> CHQ days.
>
> Regards
> Don Roberts
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