[Philmont]: RE: Mt Phillips

Responding on-list to an off-list question...

Al...one part of our trek takes us from Comanche Camp to Comanche Peak with
a crossing of Mt Phillips along the way. From looking at the maps tonight,
it looks like the east route might make more sense than the west route that
comes up the back of Phillips. Any suggestions on things to consider on
this section? Thanks

Response...

Trek 26? TREKS shows you at Comanche Camp Day 6 after doing program at
Crooked Creek, though you won't be able to help round up the animals after
dinner - something most crews seem to really get a kick out of. Day 7 shows
you at Comanche Peak after doing program at Clear Creek and getting water
there, before heading up and over Mt. Phillips to Comanche Peak. The route
on the map in TREKS is the west route, up the back of Phillips.

I did that trail in '99 on Trek 9 (now 4), though the camps were Clear Creek
to Cyphers Mine. Every night we would run into crews in camp who had gone
over Phillips from the east and then down to Clear Creek, talking about how
tough that trail was. It is steep and not well maintained (it is actually
off the Ranch), but I believe it is probably harder going down it, than up.
Our crew really had no problem with it. If you are going to do the program
at Clear Creek, you will be adding quite a few miles if you backtrack to
Comanche then up through Red Hills to Comanche Peak, not to mention then a
sidehike to Mt. Phillips and back. Personally, I would not do that.

If you are planning to skip program at Clear Creek, then maybe it would make
some sense. I've never been on the trail from Comanche to Red Hills or
either of the trails from Red Hills to Comanche Peak, so I can't comment on
them other than to say virtually every trail I have been on has been in
better shape than the back side of Phillips. There isn't any other
opportunity to substitute another program, if you don't go to Clear Creek.
But, you will have already done black powder rifle at Black Mountain, so
you'd only be giving up your second shot (pun intended) at that, the cabin
tour, which also is similar to Black Mountain, and tomahawk throwing; a day
without program may not be as big an issue as it would be if you hadn't been
to Black Mountain.

Sounds like an opportunity for a crew decision....

- Al Thomson, Troop 236, Schooley's Mountain, NJ
2004 Autumn Adventure (?)
2003 726P2
2002 Autumn Adventure
2001 703E11 Trek 21
2000 Autumn Adventure
1999 703K2 Trek 9 (now 4)

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Received on Fri Jun 13 21:53:54 2003