[Philmont]: Helpful hints from Crew 724-M2

On one of the last nights at Philmont this summer when we had all the guys
sitting around the campfire ring, I asked the crew what helpful hints they
would offer to crews going to Philmont for the first time. Our entire crew
was made up of first-timers so I thought it was a good, though-provoking
question to get them thinking. Here are their thoughts (in no particular
order). Many of these we did. The others are things we wished we had done:

Bring extra camp suds
Need an extra scrubber or two so aren't scrubbing with 2" x 2" squares
Each person bring a good mesh bags for personal smellables
Work to eliminate redundant items (i.e. foot powder, suntan lotion, bug
spray, multi-tools, jack knives, etc)
Sunglasses clearly optional. Didn't wear them nearly as often as we thought
we would.
First Aid kits... don't forget Ace bandages
Water - 2 Nalgenes + a 2-3 liter bladder with hose is ideal. Bring extra
bite valves.
A gardening-type kneeling pad is HEAVEN for sitting on in camp. A great
luxury with no weight.
Headlamps are great - preferred over flashlights
Each crew should be required to have two weight-bearing carabiners
Trekking poles are great!
Finger-nail clippers should be in the First Aid kit
Camp shoes should be sneakers or Keen sandal/shoes. Absolutely no Aqua Sox.
The soles aren't thick enough for support on the rocks around camp.
Purifiers are better than tablets, but the tablets aren't horrible.
Phil Tents worked fine. Roomy and dry.
Bring 120 lightweight tent stakes.... you'll likely need them all.
Gutter spikes worked great, although they could bend.
Paint the heads on the gutter spikes. Orange, for example. They'll be
easier to find.
Tyvek ground clothes worked great.
Anyone with borderline high blood pressure needs to have it treated. It
will be higher at Philmont.
Trail is food is good.
One Small alarm clock for the crew
Having a knee or ankle brace along is not a bad idea.
Frisbee was fun.
Cards were fun.
Only need spoons. No forks or knives (other than pocket knife)
Same color, quick-dry crew t-shirts for the trail help with crew
cohesiveness (and they look good!)
Pull-over fleece jacket is great for cool weather.
UnderArmor works great too.
For travel, pack self-inflating sleeping pads inside pack. (We had one
boy's Thermarest get ripped during travel. Didn't hold air the entire
trek.)
Bring patch kits for self-inflating pads.
Make sure water bottles fit onto the water filters. Quite difficult to fill
them otherwise.
20 degree or 30 degree sleeping bags are ideal. Can't recommend warmer bags
and liners. Too bulky.
Mail pickups at many staffed camps. Plenty of opportunities for mailing
postcards and letters while on the trek.
Cell service is so/so from Mt. Phillips.
Cell service from the Tooth of Time is nearly perfect.
Get to your next staffed camp before noon. Eat lunch there.

Again, these thoughts are from the boys on one of the last nights before
heading into base camp.

Pete Swiggum
Troop 1173
Green Bay, WI
Philmont 2005
Peter.Swiggum@sbcglobal.net
ICWTGBTP!!

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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.
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Received on Fri Sep 23 11:45:21 2005