Re: [Philmont]: RE: Pace of Backpacking

I've been to Philmont 4 times and done several treks on the Appalachian
Trail. It always seems that whoever is up front gets this special boost and
can really move along. It seems that it is best to put a slower person
leading and then be able to go for several hours without stopping rather
than going like a jack rabbit and then having to have frequent breaks. I
also stress to the scouts leading during the shakedowns that we need to
think of the person in the back, which is probably the most difficult spot
because of an accordion effect. When there are climbs, slow down to perhaps
1/2 or 1/4 pace, but keep moving, and continue at that pace for a little
while so that everyone completes the climb before the crew takes off again.
It is often helpful to have the last person let call out when he reaches the
top of the climb.

Charles Goodwin, Scoutmaster Troop 236 Kettering, OH

----- Original Message -----
From: "James H. Moss" <bsa.rec.law@gmail.com>
To: "Multiple recipients of list philmont" <philmont@troop47.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2006 3:18 PM
Subject: RE: [Philmont]: RE: Pace of Backpacking

> When I went to Philmont as a youth (the dark ages, all the packs were
> internal frame and I had 1 of 2 external frame packs at Philmont that
> year,
> talk about a reversal) The three slowest hikers were first through third
> in
> line then an adult. That was Philmont's policy then. We only hiked as
> fast
> as the slowest person.
>
> Jim Moss
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-philmont@troop47.com [mailto:owner-philmont@troop47.com] On
> Behalf Of Dave Parmly
> Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2006 12:40 PM
> To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
> Subject: [Philmont]: RE: Pace of Backpacking
>
> I commend the participants in this thread. This is the kind of sharing of
> experience that makes this site so valuable.
>
> Crew 506 had a widely-varying array of athletic abilities and hiking speed
> capabilities in Summer 2004. (It seems like yesterday.)
>
> I believe our experience most closely matches Don Roberts when he observed
> that they had a method / madness to the first 3 in the order.
> We did the exact same in that we put a moderate to slow fellow at #1, a
> faster fellow at #2 and an advisor at #3 in the file. The guys developed
> this methodology a year out from Philmont during a 5-day Appalachian Trail
> trek. We actually found putting a peer "ramrod" right behind the #1 man
> helped him go at a faster rate than he normally might have while the adult
> monitored to be sure he wasn't pushed too hard.
> We rotated #1 slot around so that it wasn't always the "slow" guy up front
> and sometimes put the slower guy at #2 to restrain his jack-rabbit buddy.
> Also got more people to play the Navi-guesser role. Again, the adult can
> be
> near the front in the event of navi-guessing sessions or to "suggest" a
> break, change of pace man, etc.
>
> Of course, we employed the Caterpillar on most tough uphill grades which
> also keeps everyone together in the setting in which it's most likely to
> have a break in contact.
>
> Philmont / Backcountry Principle #1 should be : "Everyone stays together
> the whole time on the trail." We saw plenty of 2 man crews, followed a
> few minutes later by a 6 man crew, then even later, by a 4-man crew.
> Unsafe at any speed, my friends. Use the prep hikes to work on these
> things
> and it will make the trail much smoother out west.
>
> Dave Parmly
> Knoxville, TN
>
>
>
>
>
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As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
Scouts and Scouters, do your best to be trustworthy,
loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
-------------------------------------------------------

 
Received on Thu Jan 12 17:44:33 2006