Re: [Philmont]: Trek question - Spacing

In a message dated 3/30/2004 4:45:51 PM Eastern Standard Time,
DLANNETTI@vanblk.com writes:
Apparently it is possible to have 2 (or more?) crews starting the same
trek on the same day. How does Philmont (or the affected advisors)
ensure that there is adequate "space" between the crews during the
trek?
At the risk of sounding glib, I'd say "natural selection" plays a large role
in the "space" you get to work with. Day 1 spacing will depend on which bus
you're assigned to leave base camp for the trailhead.

Depending on your pace, you may never see your sister crew, even if you leave
camp 5 minutes apart. We routinely passed our sister crew when we both took
the same trail...even with 30 - 45 minutes or more between us when we left
camp in the AM. They left early, but maintained a much slower pace than we did.
Different crews hike at very different speeds.

Be sure you have good trail etiquette, both for overtaking and being
overtaken.

Spacing is determined by a lot of things: when your crew decides to get up
and get going each day; the number and length of breaks you take along the
trail; the programs and/or side hikes your crew wants to do; how long you stop for
lunch (or breakfast); your collective pace as a crew; photo ops; hydration
breaks; injuries, etc. If you and your sister crew match schedules to the
minute, I'd be really surprised ;-)

Advisors should not interfere with crew decisions on the trail, unless health
& safety matters are involved, in my opinion. Let the crew decide if they
want to rise before the sun, or not. Your routine and tempo will develop the
first few days on the trail. More important than space might be keeping your
crew together on the trail, or having a system that regroups the crew every 30
minutes to 60 minutes. If you get spread out, maintain a buddy system and know
what you're going to do at trail junctions. Keep in mind, everyone won't
have a map, and 200,000 acres is a big spread.

Also, there may be more than one trail taking you from camp to camp. Your
crew should decide each day how they want to hike the day's journey. The only
real "given" is where you are starting and where you are expected to spend the
night.

Charles Pineo
Assoc. Crew Advisor, Trek 4, 721B2
Troop 994 Contingent, Philmont 2003
Woodstock, GA
www.troop994.org

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Received on Wed Mar 31 01:45:27 2004