RE: [Philmont]: Taking the train to Raton

> From: Vannerson, William G.
> My itinerary says that our trek starts with lunch on Sunday,
> Aug. 1 (801-O).
> Does that mean that we arrive on Sat., July 31, spend the
> night and hit the
> trail on 8/1?
>
No, it means your check in day is 8-1 and that you will hit the
trail on 8-2. The issue is whether you want to finish check in
on your checkin day or possibly have to delay your start of
hiking, or burden everyone with an extra day (for us working
stiffs, that extra vacation day can be killer) by arriving the
day before your checkin day.

Philmont's 12 day treks are really only 10 day treks. You arrive
on check in day, attend the opening campfire, then take a bus to
your trail head the next morning (unless one of the few treks that
hikes out of CHQ). On the tenth day actually on the trail (your
11th day at Philmont with the checkin day), you
return to CHQ and attend the evening closing campfire, spend the
night and your 12th day is your departure day.

THis is a good thing. There are lots of things to see and do
around CHQ, the Phillips mansion, the Seton museum, the trading
post, etc.

>From the west coast, the train arrives at 5pm, so we really have
no choice but to arrive a day early. Easterners are not quite
so constrained, as the scheduled arrival is 11 am. Our 2003
crew went by train and, for an 8-9 trek, arrived on 8-8 to
check in the morning of 8-9 and hit the trail 8-10. Our 2005
crew plans to do the same thing with our 8-5 trek. It does
have the twist of one of the boys coming back from Natl Jamboree
the day we get on the train :-)

Btw, the Raton train station is no longer staffed, so you have to
unload your luggage yourselves. My understanding is that means
no more checked baggage. Fortunately the design of the cars is
such you have no problem finding places to stick your backpacks.

Don Roberts
ASM T1201, CA C1202
Fullerton, CA
Eagle class of 73
Philtrek 05

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Received on Wed Mar 3 18:01:32 2004