From: Alan and/or Brenda Thomson (abthomson@goes.com)
Date: Fri Sep 27 2002 - 00:57:41 CDT
The ten member Patriots' Path Council Autumn Adventure crew returned Sunday
night from an outstanding trip. A lot of hiking, fabulous weather (except
for one day), saw a lot of wildlife, and generally had "the full experience"
the three Philmont rookies were looking for.
Saturday, September 14
Had an 8:00 a.m. flight out of Newark for Denver. The agent checking my bag
was a cousin of Father Don, a Philmont chaplain during the summer. Also on
the flight was Jim, a member of the Northern New Jersey Council who helps
out with PPC's annual training weekend for Philmont crews in May - he was
attending a High Adventure training conference at the PTC, which started on
Sunday and we did not see him again after arrival at Denver. A not
untypical rental car snafu - our reserved 15 passenger van was not available
and we had to switch to a company that had one. But by noon we were on the
road south and arrived at Camping Headquarters about 5:00. No one was in
the office, so most of the crew drifted over to the Tooth of Time Traders.
An eighteen member, all female, crew from Norman, Oklahoma was in there at
the same time. They had been sidehiking from Hunting Lodge for the week -
this was there seventh annual trip. Their guide for the past two years had
been Kim, our guide from two years ago. We had noticed on the trip down
that the fields were very green, and were told that there had been "a lot"
of rain the three days prior to our arrival. Also that there were a couple
of small bears across the street at the Philmont Training Center.
Chief Ranger Kevin Stickleman showed up shortly, processed the check-in
paperwork and introduced us to our guide, Laura. She has worked at the
ranch the past four summers, but this is the first fall (she graduated from
college in the spring.) We made plans for her to meet us at the St. James
for dinner, and for medical rechecks, gear shakedown, food distribution, and
other tasks after dinner. When we arrived at the St. James, we noticed
several mule dear in the field across the street were agitated, and then the
bear which was the source of their agitation. However, we did not eat at
the St. James because the Oklahoma women beat us there, and we could not
wait with all the things we needed to get done after dinner. So we moved on
to the Kit Carson, whose dinners are not nearly as good as their breakfasts.
And when one crew member asked about deserts, he was told "We have
strawberry shortcake for desert, but we are all out."
Back in the Advisors' Meeting Room we went through the medical rechecks (one
crew member's blood pressure was high) and the other tasks with Laura,
before heading to the tents about 9:30 - a very long day. During the night
we were awakened by the howling of a pack of coyotes near the tents.
Sunday, September 15
Up at 5:30 in order to be at the Kit Carson for breakfast when it opened at
6:30. We were back at the Advisors' Meeting Room by 7:45. Tom H.'s blood
pressure was still high, and would have to stay at CHQ until it came down.
We were off to Cimarroncito Turnaround at 8:45 and on the trail at 9:15 for
an easy two hour hike to Hunting Lodge. After a tour of the cabin, we
headed off on a sidehike to Cimarroncito, stopping at the old totem poles
(lunch was at campsite 25 behind the poles, which has a picnic table - only
site I've ever seen with one), then on to Hidden Valley and Window Rock. A
gorgeous day with bright blue skies and no clouds. Jeff was having some
difficulties breathing, and decided to stay at the cabin to rest. We were
back at Hunting Lodge at 3:45, and decided to moved on to Clark's Fork,
arriving there about 5:00. The stream was dry, but there was a water
buffalo there. An extension has been built to the porch since I was there
in 2001, as well as the spacious new chuckwagon dinner pavilion. After
dinner, Kevin and Gavin (the medical officer) came by to check on Jeff. Tom
H. was with them for a visit, and thought he'd be able to re-join the crew
the following day.
Monday, September 16
Would have been on the trail at 8:00 except that Jeff's breathing
difficulties made it impossible for him to continue. In the radio call to
CHQ found that Tom H.'s blood pressure had dropped enough for him to go on
the trail, so we had to wait for him to get out to us. On the trail at 9:00
and were making good progress to Schaefer's Pass until Tom M. discovered
he'd lost his camera. He and Bill backtracked almost all the way to Clark's
Fork in an unsuccessful effort to retrieve it. We reached Schaefer's Pass
at 11:30, hung the bear bags, and checked the condition of the spring (still
dry, despite the recent rain). It was another bright clear day. We were on
the trail again at 12:15 for a sidehike across Tooth Ridge to the Tooth of
Time, with a stop for lunch on top of Schaefer's Peak. Reached the Tooth at
3:15, up for the spectacular views, and back down at 4:15 for the hike back.
In camp shortly before 6:30 - everyone was very tired and we ate lunch for
dinner because of the lack of both water and energy. It got very chilly,
and there were intermittent gusty winds overnight.
Tuesday, September 17
A mule deer decided to visit our camp during breakfast, and made several
determined efforts to get into our food before being chased off. The report
on the radio was that Jeff had hooked up with an advanced camping course at
the PTC, which certainly was good news compared to just sitting at CHQ. We
were on the trail at 8:30, heading down to North Fork Urracca Camp, where we
refilled out water containers before heading up the North Fork of Urracca
Creek to Black Mountain Camp. By actual count, we crossed from one side of
the creek to the other 47 times (coming from Miners Park would add one for
48), and there were several places where we would have crossed side
channels, which would get the total up to the low 50s reported by others.
We reached Black Mountain Camp at 1:15 and had dinner for lunch. It was
another warm, sunny, bright blue sky day, though with a few clouds. We were
off to Beaubien at 3:30 and arrived there 5:30. It was very windy
overnight.
Wednesday, September 18
We awoke about 6:30 to the sound of a few raindrops on the tents. Two
coyotes were howling on the edge of the meadow as a couple of crew members
got water for breakfast, but they did not see them. The rains came at 8:00
as we were finishing breakfast, but by 9:00 had slacked off and it started
to clear. Tom H. decided to skip the planned sidehike to Trail Peak, and by
the time we had taken some crew photos on the porch of the main cabin, the
rain returned and Tom W. and Rich O. also opted to stay back. It was 44
degrees when the crew moved out, but we hiked out of the rain almost
immediately (it continued
to rain at the camp). The new trail, which our crew worked on as our
Conservation project in 1999, is very nice, and we were at the bomber
wreckage at 11:00. The weather was clear on the mountain, but we could see
clouds moving in again in the distance. Rather than simply heading back the
way we came, we decided to go down to Fowler Pass and loop back. That
portion of the trail is old and very steep. We at lunch at Fowler Pass in
bright sunshine, but the clouds rolled in just as we were finishing and
minutes after hitting the trail a cold driving rain started. When we
reached Bonita Creek, we decided to take the trail and road up the meadow
rather than the trail in the trees up the slope on the other side. Four
turkeys crossed the road in front of us, and in the distance a couple of
pronghorn antelope took off for the woods. We were back at the cabin 2:20,
and the guys who remained behind had hot water on for us. While we were
gone, another crew (also from Norman Oklahoma, this time all male) had
arrived. Their planned route was Lovers Leap - Crater Lake - Lookout
Meadow - Beaubien - Schaefers Pass - hike return. Their hike from Lookout
Meadow was very wet, and they scratched their planned climb of Trail Peak
because of that. Also while we were gone, a Phil vehicle had arrived with a
food and water resupply for both crews. Our tentative plan had been to move
on to Phillips Junction, but we decided to stay put for a second night at
Beaubien. We had an "Advisor's Coffee" with the Oklahoma crew and turned in
by 8:00. The rain returned, with thunder and lightning, turning to sleet /
freezing rain about 10:00 and then to a wet snow - everyone was awake around
midnight with the tents sagging under the weight - with an inch and a half
or two on the ground in the morning when we got up, and a light snow still
falling. It was the revenge of Beaubien - we spent our first day there on
our Autumn Adventure trip two years ago, and slept in the staff cabin
because the forecast was for four inched of snow above 7,000 feet (which
never came).
Thursday, September 19
The Oklahoma crew decided they were not prepared for snow, and that they'd
hike back toward CHQ, hoping to get a ride at Miners Park or Crater Lake
(later found out they ended up hiking all the way to CHQ, and climbed the
Tooth of Time from there on Friday). The radio report was that there was
snow everywhere above 8,000 feet, and later learned from Jeff that the 8
inches at Baldy Town cancelled his course's planned trip there. The weather
did not look like it would break, but shortly after we hit the trail at
9:15, it did. We were at Phillips Junction at 10:00 and Fish Camp by noon.
It was bright, sunny, and warm, and we broke out the gear to dry. After
lunch and a tour of the cabin, half the crew opted for a sidehike up the
Agua Fria to Apache Springs by way of Bear Canyon and Turkey Canyon. There
were a couple of horses near Fish Camp, and more in the meadows of the
canyons. There was a beaver lodge in the pond in Bear Canyon, but did not
see the animals. When we arrived at Apache Springs there was a herd of
fifty or so elk in the meadow. It was below freezing again overnight, but
no precipitation.
Friday, September 20
Sunrise at Fish Camp is late, as you watch the sunlight spill down the
hillsides and finally reach you at the bottom of the canyon. We were on the
trail 9:30 with its great views of the rocks on the opposite side of the
canyon, stopping for lunch at "The Notch" about 12:30 and arriving at Abreu
about 3:00. Again very warm and sunny, and no clouds. There were about a
dozen cows in the yard of the cabin, and a 24 inch long rattlesnake in the
rocks in front of the staff cabin. Bill and Tom H. went fishing, catching
and releasing one small rainbow trout.
Saturday, September 21
Again very windy overnight, but not cold. Watched another pretty sunrise
spilling down the hillside. We were on the trail 8:30 to Zastrow camp and
at the turnaround 9:20. Jeff was waiting for us there with the van. We saw
several mountain lion tracks on the trail, and several pronghorn antelope in
the field at the main road on our way out. Back in base camp by 10:00, we
got showers and made a last visit to the Tooth of Time Traders before
heading to town for lunch at Heck's and visiting the merchants (Cimarron Art
Gallery, Blue Moon Eclectics, Buffalo Nickel, etc.). In the distance, Baldy
was completely snow covered. Our 3:00 Villa Philmonte tour was moved up to
2:30 because of a big wedding scheduled there at 4:00 (which was why the
Tooth of Time Traders was closed in the afternoon, and several of the
in-town places also were closing so the proprietors could go). Back at our
tents, we met a crew from New Jersey and Pennsylvania checking in (the
Jersey guys from literally the next town). They had an ambitious plan for
their trek: two nights at Ute Meadows (and a Day 2 climb of Baldy) and then
a hike return to base camp by way of Visto Grande, Hunting Lodge, and Tooth
Ridge. After the problem at the St. James the first night, we had made
reservations, and went there for dinner and then onto the Colifax Tavern
(aka "Cold Beer"). It was a quiet night there (again because of the big
wedding?), but the bartended Bridgett was a trip - "doesn't live here, just
visiting her 90 year old grandfather." Heard the coyotes in base camp again
overnight.
Sunday, September 22
Up at 4:30 for showers and to pack the van. Had made arrangements ahead of
time for the Kit Carson to open early for us for breakfast, and were there
at 5:50 and on the road at 6:40. Saw some of Ted Turner's buffalo in the
fields along Route 64. Were making very good time, so were able to take a
short side trip through the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs to view
the rock formations. Unfortunately, we had to get the van back a couple of
hours earlier than we would have needed to based on the flight times, and so
had an extra couple of hours to kill in the airport. That worked out for
Tom M., who's son and his new wife were just back from their honeymoon, so
he had a choice to visit with them.
All in all, just an fabulous trip. The crew was great, the weather was
great (even if it did snow), and visited most of the highlights of the South
and Central portions of the ranch. And between Tom W., Rich O. and myself,
literally a thousand pictures to document it.
- Al Thomson, Troop 236, Schooley's Mountain, NJ
2003 ???
2002 Autumn Adventure
2001 703E11 Trek 21
2000 Autumn Adventure
1999 703K2 Trek 9 (now 4)
P.S. to Selden - Yes.
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