[Philmont]: Philmont / Northern Tier

As I sometimes tell people with a grin and a tongue in my cheek, If I am in your way, then go around me.
 
Well, if it offends your sinsitivities to mention Northern Tier on the Philmont list, then don't be offended.
 
That being said, here's my take.
 
Go to any group meeting or happening in Scouting and you will find discussions of Philmont as the pinnacle of Scouting. It's just the standard thing. Jamborees don't even come close and neither does Northern Tier or the other high adventure bases.
 
NT does have one problem which is why they started the satellite bases at Attikokan and Bissett. There is a restriction of the number of daily entrants into the Boundary Waters and NT cannot expand that as they have at Philmont.
 
Philmont however, has a lot more people wanting to go than can go.
 
Philmont is sort of a cult thing. I say this as from the inside as a member of the cult. I went in 1959 as a 14 year old and it held that for me then. I went back in 2002 as a 57 year old advisor/dad to a 15 year old daughter. It held the same sort of things for me then as it did 43 years earlier.
 
I went to NT before it was NT as a 21 year old assistant advisor. Nt is different than Philmont, but it's the same.........the same in that it's a very good learning experience for a young person (and an old person) to have.
 
It also did the same thing for my daughter. NOt a month goes by that she dosn't tell me that a certain thing was easier due to experiences she had at Philmont whether it be dealing with difficulty or getting to a decision within a group of people.
 
She by the way, at this very moment sits in our living room watching a movie wiht her boyfriend, an Eagle Scout and Philmont vet. I'll not bother to ask him his views least she accuse me of intruding. I know when to leave thigns alone........sometimes.
 
Somehow right now it's the same as on the trail at Philmont. When kids are doing good, leave them alone.
 
Back to Philmont.......Northern Tier.
 
Philmont is trails, backpacking and program. It's planning on meal pickups, what to take and what not to take.
 
Northern Tier is paddling, portaging, trip planning and how to run an expedition. It's how to pack all you need now cause they don't do 7-11 in the Boundary Waters.
 
Crews have much more choice in what they do and how they do it at Northern Tier.
 
Physically, I'd say that Northern Tier is much more demanding than Philmont. Except for the knees that is. It doesn't have to be because one can stay on Mosse Lake for ten days and never portage, but no pain, no gain.
 
Bing hit on a lot of the things different between the two. I'll take a stab at it and surely will evoke rebuttal, but I think Scouts gain more skills at Northern Tier than at Philmont.
Philmont offers more entertainment value with the various programs. That's just my opinion for what it's worth ( 2 cents).
 
Throw the tomatoes at me all you want.
 
John LeBlanc

                
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Received on Wed Oct 6 23:43:14 2004