Carie Stafford
Boy Scout Troop 270, Troop 1011, and Venturing Crew 270 planned and trained for a whole year for an eleven-day backpacking experience at Philmont Scout Reservation in the Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) range of the Rocky Mountains in Cimarron, New Mexico.
The groups planned a twenty-six-day adventure that took them across the United States to Cimarron, New Mexico, and back home. On the way out to New Mexico, they stopped at President Lincoln’s home and toured the museum dedicated to him in Lincoln City, Indiana; stopped at the Eagle Scout Memorial Fountain in Kansas City, Missouri; The Gateway Arch in St. Louise, Missouri, which is the largest arch in the world; Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Arches National Park in Moab, Utah; Dinosaur National Monument in Dinosaur, Colorado, where the visitor center was built around real dinosaur fossils in the rocks; Pikes Peak (14,110 feet above Sea Level) in Cascade, Colorado; and Great Sand Dunes National Park in Mosca, Colorado, where they sandboarded down the dunes and then took a ride on an antique steam engine from Durango to Silverton Colorado on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
Upon arriving at Philmont Scout Reservation, the three groups split into two crews and experienced two different hikes. Crew 702-R01 took on itinerary 9 and hiked sixty-one miles, and Crew 702-R02 took on itinerary 17 and hiked sixty-seven miles through beautiful back country for eleven days. Their treks were similar in routine, but different in scenery and activities. In those eleven days, they backpacked in the morning to a new camp each day, and each camp offered something different. They learned search and rescue skills, trek survival skills, fly fishing, horseback riding, lassoing cows, chuck wagon dinner, COPE course, archery, knot tying, gold mining, the Civil War, blacksmithing, shooting muzzleloader & .30-6 shotguns, branding, drinking homemade root beer, rock climbing, and rappelling. They also did a conservation project along the way, which included stump removal, rock moving, and trail work. Their hikes brought them up to 11,000 feet above sea level and gave them the most beautiful overlooks of the Rocky Mountains.
Each trek allowed for beautiful views and rugged mesas. Hiking Mount Philips and the famous Tooth of Time to the Trail of Tears, working as a team and learning that you are only as fast as the slowest person in your trek. Meals were similar to MRE’s of the military, and they packed those in and out. Each person backpacked their own gear and food. They set up a camp every night and bear bagged their food in the trees. After days on the trail and surviving the Trail of Tears, ice cream and a shower was heaven.
The morning heading out of Philmont Scout Reservation was bittersweet, but more adventures were awaiting. The next stop on the journey was at the Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian, Amarillo Texas; Palo Duro Canyon in Canyon, Texas, which is the largest canyon in Texas, where they learned how Texas became Texas; Oklahoma City National Monument, Oklahoma City; Memphis Tennessee to the largest Bass Pro Shop in the United States; and lunch at B.B. King’s on Beale Street. Did you know that Beale Street in Memphis Tennessee is a National Historic Landmark? Then they were on to Adventure Science Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Cooter’s Garage of the Dukes of Hazard TV show, Nashville, Tennessee; and to Mammoth Cave National Park, Mammoth Kentucky, where they took an incredible tour of 792 steps and learned about cave and natural rock formations. The final stop was Thurmont, Maryland—Home Sweet Home.
This trip could not have been possible if not for the support of the Acacia Lodge No.155 AF & AM, Thurmont Ambulance Co., the Thurmont Community, Boy Scout and Venturing Crew Leaders, and Mr. John Ruppel. Thank you, to all of you who made this trip of a life time possible for Boy Scouts in Troop 270, 1011, and Venturing Crew 270.
