RE: [Philmont]: Pre-Trek Training Agreements

It is interesting that Coop, Dr. Bob, and I have different implementations to this topic that are essentially the same!! Before anyone commits their money, they know what is required. The shakedown is the ONLY place where a determination as to whether each hiker is in compliance with the rules outlined before they signed up for the trek. It is my experience that hikers who find excuses not to participate are the ones who know that they are OUT OF SHAPE and they are postponing the inevitable. It is during the shakedowns that the following is also learned:

1. Picky Eaters - (ultimately have no energy on the trail).

2. Hikers who do not like treated water (dehydration candidates).

3. Hikers who separate from the crew (hikers who like to hike fast and are not concerned about the rest of the crew which leads to crew separation from taking the wrong trails).

4. Hikers who do not want to do any work in camp (crew meltdown on day 6).

5. Hikers who do not keep themselves clean (hiker's rash and a very smelly situation)

My rule has always been participation in 3 of 4 outings. The outings are:

1. 10 mile hike (November)

2. ½ day training session on camp setup and in camp chores (March)

3. 3 day 2 night 15 mile shakedown (May)

4. 3 day 2 night 15 mile shakedown (June)

5. Optional 10 mile hike the weekend before the trip.

On a side note, when Coop was finalizing the "Advisor's Guide", we learned that Dr. Bob was also working on one. So we asked him for a draft and the topics that he had covered that we had not, Coop asked for permission to include them in our Guide which is why Dr. Bob is mentioned often in the guide!! The concept of the Advisor's Guide emanated from reviewing the after action notes from 1987 LenHok'sin Trial, 1988 LenHok'sin Trail, and 1989-1991 Philmont experiences where all five crews had the same problems. The realization was that we as advisors, we were not training the crews properly.

Wally Feurtado

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From: owner-philmont@troop47.com [mailto:owner-philmont@troop47.com] On Behalf Of CoopWright@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, September 08, 2005 11:02 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list philmont
Subject: Re: [Philmont]: Pre-Trek Training Agreements

Right on with Dr. Bob's assessment. Those of us who have been fortunate to go to Philmont several times have our fair share of war stories about the adults and youth members who weaseled out of pre-trek training only to become a problem on the trail. You have to ask yourself, "Do I want to handle the problem of commitment up front or Day 3 on the trail". You choose. I choose up front.

Cooper Wright
Associate Advisor, Crew 1519
Co-author of the Philmont Advisor's Guide

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Received on Fri Sep 9 06:15:50 2005