Re: [Philmont]: Views

Most Camps do not give out the closest campsite to the first crews.
Granted, they will give some of the closer sites. Most of the time,
camps keep atleast one close camp for the late crews coming in because
they know they will be needing to get camp set up soon. (This is
something I used to teach my crews about trail camps as well, but I
don't know if Rangers still teach it or not. They should.) Basecamp
gives itenerary readout every night so camps can know how many crews
to expect. Not every camp listents to this though.

There is no 10 code for letting camps know there is a bad crew coming
their way (as of 2002 anyway). Camps are discouraged from making
unimportant radio chatter with other camps. There are, however, other
ways of letting camps know about crews that cause trouble. I'll leave
those secrets unsaid. If a crew has not been obeying bear precautions,
I have known camps to radio ahead to warn the next camp so they will
be sure to check up on them. This is a safety thing and I fully
support doing that.

As far as good campsites with views go, the best ones I've stayed at
were not established camps. Dunn Peak, Baldy Saddle, Tooth of Time
(top), Wilson Mesa, top of Urraca. I concur that that one campsite at
Aguilla does have a nice view. There is one campsite at Tooth Ridge
camp I remember going to visit a "problem" crew on one time that had a
nice view. Can't remember the number for it, but it was on the South
side of the trail. Urraca camp has a site way out with a nice view.
Deer Lake Mesa can be pretty sweet when no one is at the camp but just
your crew. Vista Grande, as the name implies, has a great view of
Baldy and the valley that runs up to it from Hwy 64. Lover's Leap,
from the North Western end of the meadow (the end farthest from
Lover's turnaround) is a great place to catch a sunrise as the sun
comes up between Lover's Leap and Ranger Ridge. Sawmill has a
spectacular sunrise as well. The view from Crater Lake's porch is one
of my favorites.

There is some history behind the totem poles at Cimarroncito. I am not
100% clear on it so if someone knows about it, please chime in. From
what I remember being told, those totem poles were used way back when
Cito was a basecamp. At one time, Philmont had 3 basecamps. Olympia
(or Carson Maxwell), Cimarroncito, and Ponil. The way the story goes
I was told is that when a council had been to Philmont 5(?) times,
they were allowed to carve a section on a totem pole. And I'm sure
there's more to the story than just that, but my memory ain't what it
used to be. They are pretty cool to look at if you ever find yourself
at Cito. I think that Philmont should do something to preserve these
poles as they are a part of Philmont's history. But that's just my
opinion.

-- 
Jason Cotting
Retired Ranger
><>
Resume: http://anvilgear.com/fire
"Do what you love and love what you do, anything else is just some
form of slavery" - Royal Robbins
ICQ 19057299 | AOL rangerp2
http://anvilgear.com
-------------------------------------------------------
Scouting E-mail Discussion Lists @ usscouts.org
Subscribe/Unsubscribe at http://usscouts.org/lists/
Listserv Commands at http://usscouts.org/lists/lc.asp
-------------------------------------------------------
Send listserv commands to: listserv@troop47.com
Send postings to:          philmont@troop47.com
List FAQ found at:         http://usscouts.org/lists/faq.asp
List Administrator:        philmont_owner@troop47.com
-------------------------------------------------------
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.
-------------------------------------------------------