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

I like the line that Phil said, "a sufficient quantity of wanting".
 
Last weekend, National Capital Area Council (NCAC) had their first training
session. One of my talks was on Keys to Highadventure. Of my 12 crews, 2
reached such an incredible level of boy scouting so I focused on what those
two crews had that the others did not. First and formost was that "all
WANTED to go" and they were not pressed by anyone to do so. It was their
decision and only their decision. Once a person makes a commitment to
going, doing what is require is just the details. Those two crews never had
a problem with:
1. staying together (hiking together within earshot and eyeshot of one
another). Even in base camp, seeing one in the crew I would see the entire
crew.
2. Everyone made a commitment to getting in shape.
3. Everyone attended manditory training and looked forward to attending the
next. (I require 1afternoon to practice, 2 3 day/2 night 15 milers, and a
10 mile hike the weekend before). Sure they had other activities, but they
made a commitment to going to Philmont. The shakedown uncovers: not only
the out of shape hikers, hikers who do not like drinking water (dehydration
risk), hikers who do not like eating the food (hypoglysemic risk), hikers
who do not work in the patrol method, and hikers who do not keep themselves
clean.
 
The hikers who have a "sufficient quantity of wanting" to go to Philmont are
not the problems. Wow, give me an entire crew of them!!!
 
Wally Feurtado
2004 Philmont Trip Coordinator
National Capital Area Council
 
co-author of the unofficial "Philmont Advisor's Guide" available from Cooper
Wright at CoopWright@aol.com
 
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: Phil Brown [mailto:phil@eisnc.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2003 7:36 AM
To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
Subject: RE: [Philmont]: Very Small Scouts (was Pack size?)'

On our 2001 trek, we had 3 scouts that were given limited pack weights by
Philmont due to size. One was 86 lbs that turned 14 on the trail. One was
105 lbs and 14. Another was 125 lbs but 6' tall so he was considered
underweight for his height. All did carry more than the assigned weight,
but not more than they had carried without problems on our shakedowns. We
were very careful about weight of both individual and crew gear knowing that
we had a smaller and younger group. Everyone had a great time and the age
and size of the youths was not an issue. The smaller youth were not
challenged any more than the larger ones (or adults).
 
This summer I saw a youth from Texas named Andrew that was about 55 lbs. He
won the tough man contest at Beaubein telling a tale of fighting a bear
which he admitted might have been a mini bear. We worked with his crew the
next day on our cons project and this kid did more than his share of the
work. His advisors said he was carrying a 20 lb pack without any problem.
 
I would take any size youth as long as he has a sufficient quantity of
wanting to do it and performed well on shakedowns.
 
Phil Brown
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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.
-------------------------------------------------------

 
Received on Tue Nov 25 07:27:09 2003