[Philmont]: Very Small Scouts (was Pack size?)

These posts once again prove the old aphorism about the size of the dog
in the fight, versus the size of fight in the dog. But I will
re-emphasize a point made indirectly by several posters - when you have
questions like this, it really mandates full participation in
challenging shakedown events. Shakedowns are (and should be) primarily
for training in backpacking and Philmont protocols, but they can also be
used as a weeding out or "wake-up" activity if necessary. Day III on
the trail is not the place to find out that a boy really is completely
overmatched, or that his Crew will break down in squabbling and
back-biting when they have to pick up the slack. And yes, this does
indeed happen in some poorly constituted and poorly prepared Crews.

And even this is no guarantee. I had an all-state wrestler on a Crew
about 15 years ago who could carry a piano below 9,000 feet and couldn't
carry a harmonica above 10,000 feet. So if you have no chance for high
altitude shakedowns, you won't know for sure til you're there. But you
can at least give yourself every chance ahead of time with realistic
shakedowns.

- Dr. Bob

SIHIWI@aol.com wrote:
> FYI
> In '93 our troop had a policy that scouts had to weigh 100 pounds to go
> to Philmont. That policy was waived for my son. My son went to
> Philmont, short and small, and he insisted that he carry his full
> compliment of crew gear. His pack weighed about the same as all
> others. No problems. No complaints. (He went back four more times!)
> Again in 1999, took a scout who had to put his pack on laying down, and
> then roll over and get up!!! He insisted on carrying his full
> compliment of crew gear. Again, no problems. No complaints. (he went
> back two years later and has just enlisted in the Army.) Great (small)
> scouts both.
> No questions or comments from Philmont or the Ranger in either case. I
> know things have changed.
> Use your best judgment and allow the scout to do all he can!! He will
> be the better for it.
>
>
> YIP X 6
> IWTGBTP
> Bruce

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Received on Sun Nov 23 06:10:20 2003