From: hadulzo@attbi.com
Date: Fri Mar 29 2002 - 14:14:46 CST
Does anyone have experiences with trek 2they wish to
share? Though not my first choice, it is what the scouts
picked as their first choice and we got it.
> Trek 24
>
> Some general and specific observations about trek 24 ....
>
> General:
>
> 1. With regards to water filters, you shouldn't need one at all on this
> trek. With good planning the water situation is not an issue at all.
> Filter(s) would just be extra weight. Do get extra Polar Pure bottles.
> Philmont will give you one for each two members of your crew. You need
> more ... 1 or 2 should do. It makes it easier to keep up with the
> waiting times than if only 1 or 2 people shared a bottle.
>
> 2. Try to get started early each morning. The hiking is more pleasant in
> the cooler temperatures and you are more likely to see wildlife. Also,
> you are less likely to miss a program because of rain or thunderstorms,
> which can occur mid to late afternoons most days. We got rained out rock
> climbing at Dean Cow because of afternoon rain. Also, we missed the
> Challenge Activities at Head of Dean because we ran out of time due to
> arriving there late.
>
> 3. Don't try to take the first campsite you come to. Send a couple of
> boys to se if there isn't a better one a little further back. Most of
> the time there will be!
>
> 4. The Ranger will probably try to get you to cook everything for dinner
> in one pot, believing it makes cleanup easier. Some of the meals cooked
> this way can be pretty bad. We chose to cook separately where it made
> sense. We ended up taking two 4 liter pots, one 3 liter pot, and a
> frying pan type thing that doubled as a pot cover. This worked well for
> us. Take some spices to liven up the meals. Also, many of the vegetables
> are much better if you let them soak a little to re-hydrate before
> cooking them.
>
>
> Specific:
>
> 1. Day One (Base Camp): We arrived at roughly 10:30 AM. Try to get
> checked in early through logistics. Work with your Ranger to make this
> happen. This accomplishes a couple of things. One, you get an early bus
> out the next day. Two, if you are too late you may not be able to get
> your reservations for horseback riding at Clark's Fork. By the way,
> nobody over 200 lbs. can ride. Our crew thought it was "stupid". Because
> it's very restrictive and they just walked around on the horses in a
> line through the woods. On the other hand, the guys in my crew that were
> in the front of the parade DID get to see a family of bears while on the
> horses.
> Also, have all your rosters and medicals in order before you arrive.
> Incomplete information will only slow you down.
>
> 2. Day Two (Camping Headquarters to Bent): You will have either a
> morning or early afternoon bus ride to Ponil Turnaround. It's about a
> twenty minute ride. From here it's an easy hike to Bent, where you spend
> the time with your Ranger, in training. You will pass the Ponil Cantina.
> We stopped there for root beer, which was wonderful! Use your judgment
> based on time.
>
> 3. Day Three (Bent to Rich Cabins): Another easy hike up a dirt jeep
> road, with almost no elevation gain. It's about 4 miles through a very
> lush and peaceful valley. You will "leave" Philmont proper and enter the
> Valle Vidal for a day. My guys loved the program there ... homesteading.
> Take the tour of the buildings .. It's pretty good! Others may not any
> of it. The evening "campfire" was fun for them too. It was on the porch
> ... mostly jokes and some songs. There are several good campsites there.
> Leave No Trace is the theme here, finding trees can be interesting!. No
> bear cables pre-established. No sumps either. Water is from Ponil River
> only, and therefore needs to be treated. On the way to Rich Cabins keep
> a lookout for the trail to Wilson Mesa you will take the next day. It
> was not well marked, but not hard to discern either with a little
> observation. You should have plenty of time for getting yourselves
> situated. It's also a food pick-up location. No showers.
>
> 4. Day Four ( Rich Cabins to Pueblano Ruins): Your Ranger will leave you
> on this morning. This is your first tough hike. It will probably be as
> tough later in the trek, but you'll be used to the altitude by then. Get
> an early start. You will back track from Rich Cabins almost to Bent. The
> trail to the top of Wilson Mesa is pretty tough. Try to eat lunch at the
> lake at the top of Wilson Mesa .. It's a gorgeous spot! The view across
> the lake to Baldy is wonderful! Try not to think how far away it looks!
> Even if you have eaten lunch before here, take a break here anyway. As
> you come back off the mesa, you will need to check into Pueblano, which
> is just off the trail to the left as you reach the intersection. Do the
> program and then hike on up to Pueblano Ruins (your campsite). Its is
> well worth it to return to the campfire that evening ... it was great,
> and reportedly one of the better ones at Philmont! Good water here out
> of a spigot; no showers yet! Spar pole climbing is loved by all!
>
> 5. Day Five (Pueblano Ruins to Copper Park): This hike, while not all
> that long, is all uphill. The section from Pueblano Ruins to French
> Henry is not all that bad, but your mettle will be well tested on "The
> Wall" (from French Henry to Copper Park). Take a break at French Henry
> for the program ... we ate our lunch there ... before hiking on to
> Copper Park. Check in at French Henry to make sure when you can tour the
> mine. The mine was a big hit with my guys! It is located a ways up the
> trail toward Copper Park.
>
> 6. Day Six (Copper Park): Good water here from a spigot; no showers.
> Side hike Baldy. Get up early ... you hike Baldy and then do a food
> pickup at Baldy Town. First showers at Baldy Town too! You have to
> decide how you want to do them both. We went up the north side,
> "summitted" late in the morning, and returned the same way. Was back at
> our campsite a little after lunch. Bring warm clothes and water up
> Baldy. It can get windy and cold. After lunch we hiked into Baldy. It's
> a food pickup, so you need lots of empty packs, clean clothes, etc. You
> can also wash clothes at the outdoor basin there. Hot showers if I
> recall right! Bushes are the clothes dryers. Small trading post here
> too. We had to buy fuel here. WE got choice of an apple or orange
> apiece! What a luxury! The hike to Baldy is about three miles each way,
> with some fairly steep hills. Above Baldy Town, on the ridge, look for
> the trail you'll take tomorrow to Head of Dean. It's a long, long hike
> tomorrow!
>
> 7. Day Seven (Copper Park to Head of Dean): This is a fairly long but
> relatively easy hike. Do be careful to locate the Baldy Skyline trail.
> Otherwise you wind up walking down a dirt road with a pretty good hill
> to climb before getting into Head of Dean. You have a decision to make
> here. Last year, this is where we did our service project. It took
> almost three hours total time, including the long (1+ mile walk to the
> area where we cleared trees). As a result, we missed the program there.
> We had arrived there just after lunch. It was too late after we got
> back, and the boys didn't want to come back the next day. Plan ahead is
> the lesson learned here. Good water available at Head of Dean, from a
> spigot. You stay at Upper Dean Cow, which is about a mile down the
> trail. It's a dry trail camp, relatively small. It was very crowded when
> we were there. Not a great site.
>
> 8. Day Eight (Upper Dean Cow to Dean Cow): Another long but relatively
> easy hike, almost all downhill. Get an early start, as the trail is
> mostly all a dirt road, and can get very hot later in the day. Rock
> climbing at Dean Cow is good. Hot showers. Good treated water from a
> spigot. Wash basin for clothes. Do the evening nature program ... it was
> about edible plants and was very well done and informative. Get to bed
> early ... rough day tomorrow.
>
> 9. Day Nine (Dean Cow to Harlan): Pack lots of water. Right away it's a
> tough, steep climb out of Dean Cow into Turkey Creek Canyon. Lots of
> rocks. The downhill coming off the ridge into the canyon is pretty
> tough. Then a long, hot, jeep road through the canyon. Look for an
> underpass under the highway off to your right of the dirt road. The
> trail beginning on the south side of the highway and going on to Harlan
> seems to go on forever. It's all uphill, but the grade isn't too bad.
> Harlan has good water from a spigot, great campsites, and a terrific
> program. Shotgun shooting and burro racing.
>
> 10. Day Ten (Harlan to Ute Springs): Easy hike, mostly downhill. Ute
> springs is a nice campsite. Good water, needs purification though. Set
> up camp and send some boys to Ute Gulch to get food. I think it's about
> a half hour walk. We didn't do it, but it might be feasible to side hike
> to Cimarroncito.
>
> 11. Day Eleven (Ute Springs to Clark's Fork): Pretty easy hike. Don not
> miss going through Hidden Valley. The trail is on the south end of Aspen
> Springs. It's very pretty and the view from Window Rock is not to be
> missed. You will also hike by cathedral Rock. You would not believe how
> good canned beef stew, biscuit, and cobbler can be after so many days of
> dehydrated food! Good water from a spigot here; showers too. You will be
> camping about a mile up the trail, at Upper Clark's Fork. Lots of good
> sites. Long day tomorrow! Get a good night's sleep.
>
> 12. Day Twelve (Clarks Fork to Camping Headquarters): Perhaps the
> toughest day yet! Get an early early start! We were hiking at 6:30 and
> reached headquarters around 2:00 PM. Make sure you have plenty of water,
> there isn't any after Clark's Fork usually. We had breakfast at
> Schaffer's Pass. It's all uphill from Clark's Fork. From Schaffer's Pass
> the trail is long switchbacks leading to a very rocky section on the
> Tooth Ridge. Be careful of your footing. Assuming you will be climbing
> the Tooth, be sure to hang your bear bags before getting started. The
> hike from the Tooth into base camp is very easy, but seems to take forever!
>
>
> Brent Steiner wrote:
>
> >Our troop just got the word, one crew will be doing trek 24 and the
> >other crew will do trek 4. Any advice or information about these two
> >treks would be great. Our group ranges from 14 - 18 and the adults
> >range from their late 30's to early 50's, short and long legs and
> >hopefully generally good condition. I like both treks but can only do
> >one. Thanks
> >
> >Brent Steiner
> >Troop 141
> >Philmont 2002 726.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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> >As you gather around this virtual campfire with fellow
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> >loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient,
> >cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent.
> >-------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
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>
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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.
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
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Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Subscribe/Unsubscribe at http://usscouts.org/lists/
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
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Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
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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.
-------------------------------------------------------
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