As always, John's comments are spot on, and I'm guilty of careless wording.
I was *not* advocating that sunscreen was not needed by anyone. In my own
case, I don't like smearing stuff all over me, so I brought (and wore) a
long-sleeved UPF 40 shirt and long pants in addition to my very protective
wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking glasses.
Should I have gooped up and used the SPF-30 lip balm I did bring? Of course.
Where UV protection is concerned, more is better. My father died of
melanoma, and I know first-hand how vicious it is.
Regarding the bug dope, when I say I "didn't need" it, I mean that on our
particular trek on the dates we were at Philmont, the five mosquitoes I
swatted at Miranda weren't enough justification to pull it out and use it.
Again, I was not advocating that it's a useless item for everyone, or even
for myself. The whole mosquito-hell thread on this list from the early South
country treks last June proves the value of carrying it. I'll have that
bottle of bug stuff on my next trip to Philmont, and hope I won't have to
use it again. Kind of like Murphy's Law.
Apologies to anyone who got the wrong idea from my quickly scribbled
message.
>Ched Hudson
ASM, Troop 994
Fairfax Station VA
Philmont 67, 04
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-philmont@troop47.com [mailto:owner-philmont@troop47.com]On
Behalf Of John LeBlanc
Sent: Monday, September 06, 2004 5:40 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
Subject: [Philmont]: Sunscreen & Lip Balm
<< Brought, didn't need: lip balm, plastic mirror, bug repellant,
sunscreen (even on the clearest days, the sun wasn't strong enough to need
it...except at lower elevations like 6-Mile Gate and in Base Camp. Although
I'm light-skinned, one of our scouts is more sensitive and applied it
religiously.)>>
Let me comment on the above, especially on two items stated as "not
needed".
A more factual statement would be "even on the cloudiest days, at
altitudes ranging from 6,000 to 11,000 as it does at Philmont you need both
lip baum and sun screen whether you think you do or not".
Not trying to be ugly, but I will stoically disagree.
I'll accept " I took, but did not use" or "I took, did not use but
probably should have", but will not accept "did not need" as far as lip baum
and sun screen are concerned.
First off, the "lower elevetions" at Philmont are in excess of 6,000 feet.
Secondly, at that altitude, one receives a lot more UV radiation for a
similar time exposure that at sea level. Thirdly, at the "high altitude" of
Philmont you are in excess of 11,000 feet. The air is much thinner and the
UV filtering effect is much less.
Rule of thumb, if you need sunglasses, you needed sun screen a lot sooner.
I don't have the exact figures on how much more exposure you get at those
altitudes, not am I going to look it up. If that is necessary, you can look
it up.
However, based on fifty years of experience using UV protection at high
altitudes and just anytime you are outdoors, Philmont is one place that you
DO NEED sun screen and you not only need lip baum, you need lip baum with
sun screen in it.
To not take and not use lip baum w/ sun screen and sun screen on exposed
skin while on the trail at Philmont is just asking for trouble. It's akin
to not putting all the smellables in the bear bar because you "didn't need
to" ot "I did not see any problem".
Out on the trail, you need it. Don't be fooled into thinking otherwise.
And yeah, I've heard all the "I didn't have any problems", but skin
cancers take years to develop. So does lung cancer but I think we all
understand the futility in the statement "I smoke but don't have any
problems".
Of course, you don't have to depend on my judgement, just talk to a
dermatologist.
Take and use sun screen on the trail at Philmont.
And if you get into one of Philmonts mosquitoe havens, and the conditions
are just right, you'll wish you had some bug dope. Just a small bottle of
about 1-2 oz will be enough.
Living on the Gulf coast, we deal with mosquitoes 24 X 7 X 365, but my
most memorable mosquitoe filled night of misery was near St. Stockton, Texas
in the middle of the Chahuahuan desert where it only rains about 9 inches
per year. That was one miserable time without "bug dope".
Philmont has them, but not in many places, but where they
are.........well, enough said.
John LeBlanc
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