[Philmont]: Trek 32 recap

Recap of Trek 32 from perspective of Expedition 622-N-1

Expedition 622-N-1 was comprised of nine youth and three adults from Venturing Crew 151, Georgetown. There were six boys and three girls ranging in age from 15 to 19 with the average being 17. The crew chose Trek 32 because it was listed as ?Super Strenuous? and had burros and burro racing, something they wanted to experience.

As we arrived early by coming in on the evening of 6/21 we had the full day of 6/22 to get ready. With all the check-in activities I was certainly glad we had the extra time.

Day 1: One happy surprise is that we were assigned a ranger familiar to us, Will Tranter, who sister was one of our youth and who had his Eagle Scout career in Troop 151, which is the related troop for Crew 151. Despite some familiarity ?problems? Will made it a point to be appropriately aloof and professional in his teaching and guidance. We later ran into a crew from North Carolina who had Will as their ranger and their less biased report confirmed our excellent experience with him.

Day 2: (first trail day) Right off logistics changed us from a first night at Anasazi to Indian Writings (IW) because of campsite limitations at Anasazi. That meant a modestly longer first day hike. The canyon up from Six Mile Gate isn?t the coolest place and the temperature had been into the low 90s on several occasions according to the camp staff. It was hot on Day 1 and the lack of acclimation made this a tough hike. However it also simplified our conservation project decision as being in Indian Writings gave us additional time so we scheduled our conservation project for day 3. The water at IW has a bit of sulphur smell but is considered a good mosquito repellant and they weren?t too bad here. The volleyball competition was fun.

Day 3: Left campsite early for conservation project. This was reseeding and erosion control (spreading straw) up one of the canyons nears IW. Pretty impressive climb up the canyon and a good presentation by com staff on the role of fire in forest management and on the history of the 2002 Ponil Complex Fire. Completed con work at noon, hiked back to IW to pickup gear and continued on to Cottonwood. Cottonwood is one of those camps that don?t go anywhere so it isn?t particularly popular but we had it to ourselves and had one of our best crew campfires.

Day 4: The normal route to Ponil is back to IW and over Hart Peak into Ponil. The crew decided that they had seen enough of IW and decided to take a more roundabout route up through Old Camp over the ridge and down through Horse Canyon. Got into Ponil in time for lunch. It rained this afternoon so tents were pitched with the crew holding the rain fly and tent partners pitching tents underneath. Had time for showers, a bit of cursory laundry, time in the Cantina and the trading post, the chuckwagon dinner and the evening Cantina show. The crew was having such a good time they finally got through with Thorns and Roses about 2200.

Day 5: Crew advisors prepared a chuckwagon breakfast (pancakes and sausage) which gave us two consecutive meals non-dehydrated. We had time because we were picking up our burro and that training didn?t start until 0900 (one of my advisor complaints) and by the time we packed our burro and stopped by for branding we didn?t get on the trail for Pueblano until almost noon. The trail from Ponil to Pueblano isn?t particularly difficult but with the late start we didn?t get into Pueblano until almost 1600. We then hiked up to Pueblano Ruins and sent a four-person team back to the burro pen and got supper it was so late everyone was out of the mood for the camp program at Pueblano.

Day 6: To save time everyone loaded up and the whole crew hiked down to Pueblano and the burro pens. The trail from Pueblano to Miranda is on the new sectional, but to call it a trail is being generous. Most of that trail is still under construction and that meant lots of sliding, climbing over boulders and coaxing the burro through some difficult cuts. The Miranda burro pens are way down the meadow from the cabin so we dropped of the burro and then carried everything up to the cabin and the camp area. Arrived about 1400. With the next day being the Baldy sidehike the crew skipped the mountain ball competition.

Day 7: Up early. The hike through Black Horse is pretty tough. (There is an easier route but it isn?t nearly as picturesque.) We weren?t carrying full packs so it went fairly quickly. Stopped for a break at the mine site and at the snow field and reached the summit by 1100. Lunch on top (along with a short nap) and called home (Cingular service seemed to be best). Now the hard part started: back down to the trail intersection for Baldy Town and over to the commissary. Our food pickup was 72 bags (the reason we had to carry large packs stripped of most gear) and then back to Miranda. The itinerary lists French Henry Mine as a program alternative but I don?t see how that?s doable. The crew was back in Miranda by 1730, tired but happy.

Day 8: After blackpowder shooting at 0800 we started off for Santa Claus about 0945. Lunch at Head of Dean. Arrived Santa Claus at 1430. This was a nice camp with perhaps the best tasting water source, flat tent sites and a wonderful open area for stargazing. After Baldy afternoon naps were welcome.

Day 9: Left early for Upper Bench. Logistics had us mark Bear Canyon as ?HOT? so we got through there and were to Vista Grande by 1030. Set up for supper for lunch and refilled water as Upper Bench is dry. If this spring is dry the water alternatives are limited. Probably had the worst mosquitoes at Upper Bench (mosquitoes also bad at Miranda and though the Black Horse area.)

Day 10: Nothing to hold us at Upper Bench so we were in to Harlan by 1000 giving us lots of time for reloading, shotguns, physical fitness records (see the reloading shack wall) and burro racing. Clearly the most memorable staffed camp, including the fact that my son beat me in trap shooting for the first time ever.

Day 11: Another logistical problem today as last com pickup is at Ute Gulch which is out of the way on the trail to Ponderosa Park via Clark?s Fork. Everyone dropped packs where the trail crosses the road into Ute Gulch and four crew members took off with day packs to pickup up the last three meals. They were back in 90 minutes and after a trail lunch we were in to Clark?s Fork by 1400. After we?d been there about 20 minutes the Troop 151 crew (622-N-5) showed up. After a short visit and restocking water we continued on to Ponderosa Park. After setting up camp we came back down to Clark?s Fork for another chuckwagon dinner. After discussing the merits of hiking the trail to Ponderosa Park in the dark after the staff campfire everyone decided to get back to camp for an early morning start on Tooth Ridge. We refilled water for the trip back up although the spring at Shaeffer?s Pass was flowing. Note: Don?t let down on bear procedures here as there was lots of sign ? scat, prints, etc. ? in Ponderosa Park.

Day 12: Up at 0400 and on the trail as soon as light permitted, just about 0500. Made the base of the Tooth by 0850 and spent and hour on top. Rest of the hike in is, as always reported, long and hot. We were at the ?You made it? gate at 1150 and managed to run the last 75 yards to services. A couple of the boys even managed to ?high port? their packs during the run. Oh, for the energy of youth! Sent adults to finance for locker keys and the crew leader to the Welcome Center for tent assignments and the checklist and everyone was in the shower by 1330, allowing plenty of time to catch the 1430 bus to Cimarron.

This is a rather cursory overview and I have more notes if anyone desires them or has questions. As T.W. Cook noted the Micro-Pur works great and I wouldn?t fool with other purification methods.

Ready for questions.

Gary Boyd
Crew 151 CC
Georgetown, Texas
622-N-1
Trek 32

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Received on Thu Jul 7 13:45:35 2005