I recently had the opportunity to pay it forward as an adult advisor on a high adventure trek to the backcountry at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. I joined the Scoutmaster and Assistant Scoutmaster as one of the required three adults on our troop’s trek, along with five youth scouts, ages 14-17. I am grateful to Marketing Essentials for allowing all team members a chance each year to take some time off to pay it forward by volunteering for a nonprofit organization of their choice.
Leadership and Character Development
Philmont Scout Ranch is considered by many to be the pinnacle of adventure within Scouting America. It is a place where breathtaking landscapes and leadership development converge - a place where teamwork is emphasized. Scouts and their adult advisors rely on each other to navigate the backcountry, overcome challenges, make decisions, and problem-solve together, as a team.
The multi-day backpacking trek helps youth develop leadership skills as they elect a crew leader, wilderness pledge guia (Spanish for guide), and a chaplain’s aide.
Crew Leader - Responsible for organizing the crew, assigning duties, making decisions, and recognizing the capabilities of each crew member. He/she leads by example and practices servant leadership to allow the crew to have an enjoyable and successful trek.
Wilderness Pledge Guia - Helps the crew understand and follow the principles of the Philmont Wilderness Pledge and Leave No Trace. Helps the crew earn the Wilderness Pledge Achievement Award with the help of the Ranger.
Chaplain’s Aide - Leads the crew in following the 12th point of the Scout Law (A Scout is Reverent). Helps the crew earn the Duty To God Award, leads daily devotionals, and facilitates Thorns and Roses each day (where each member of the crew shares what was the most challenging for them that day, what they enjoyed the most, and what they are looking forward to next).
The adult advisor’s main responsibilities include keeping the crew safe, supporting the youth, providing motivation, and helping to settle disputes. But ultimately, the most important part of the role (and oftentimes the most challenging for adults) is to step back and let the youth lead!
More About Philmont
Philmont is a working cattle ranch, and the official Philmont website, philmontscoutranch.org, summarizes what the property is all about:
“Philmont Scout Ranch is Scouting America’s largest National High-Adventure Base. Born in 1938 as Philturn Rocky Mountain Scout Camp, Philmont has become a bustling center for high adventure and training. It covers 140,177 acres of rugged mountain wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rocky Mountains in northeastern New Mexico. Ancient Native Americans chipped petroglyphs into canyon walls. Spanish conquistadors explored the Southwest long before the first colonists arrived on the Atlantic coast. The rugged breed of mountain man such as Kit Carson blazed trails across this land. The great land barons like Lucien Maxwell built ranches along the Santa Fe Trail. Miners, loggers and cowboys have all left their mark on Philmont’s unique history.
Philmont Scout Ranch operates 35 staffed camps and 55 trail camps across the rugged terrain that range in elevation from 6,500 to 12,441 feet. More than 1 million scouts, venturers, and advisors have experienced the adventure of Philmont since its first camping season in 1939.”
The original land for Philmont Scout Ranch was donated to scouting in the 1930s and 1940s by oil baron Waite Phillips, with additional acreage being added in subsequent years.
Learn more about Philmont Scout Ranch.
Conservation and Wilderness Pledge
The Philmont Arrowhead patch is coveted by participants due to the challenges required to earn it (the patch cannot be purchased; it must be earned by the recipient). In addition to the backcountry trek, the crew member must complete three hours of conservation work and fulfill other requirements of the Wilderness Pledge Achievement Program.
Our crew’s conservation project was related to reforestation efforts in the burn zone that resulted from the Ute Park Fire of 2018, which tragically burned 36,740 acres in the area. The project consisted of cutting down invasive plant species from zoned-off areas in order to allow replanted trees to grow and thrive in those areas.
The major points of emphasis in the Philmont Wilderness Pledge are:
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Litter/Graffiti – Each camper should make sure that all trails, campsites and facilities are left neat and clean.
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Wildlife – Respect wild (and domestic) animals. Do not feed or harass any wild animals.
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Water – Remember, you are in a land where water is scarce and very precious. You should never bathe or do laundry or dishes in or near a spring or stream. Do not throw rocks in springs or touch any solar systems. They are easily damaged and the flow of water can be disrupted.
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Trails – Pledge yourself to respect all trails. Do not cut or mark green boughs or trees. Do not cut across switchbacks, and do not alter trail signs.
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Campsites – Each crew is responsible for leaving a neat and orderly campsite. Whether it be in Camping Headquarters, staffed camps, or non-staffed camps, your campsite should be left litter-free with its latrine and sump clean. Fires (if permitted) must be left DEAD OUT.
Philmont Adventure
Up to 24,000 participants take to the Philmont backcountry every summer, with every trek being different. There are similarities in itineraries, in terms of mountain peaks summited and campsites visited, but every individual crew plans their own routes and activities (not to mention the logistics of getting to the area and back home again). My crew’s adventure looked like this:
Fri: left Sidney, OH at 4 a.m. to drive to Waterloo, IN >> took a train to Chicago >> left via train toward New Mexico
Sat: arrived in Reton, NM >> traveled via bus to Philmont Scout Ranch >> had orientation and opening campfire
Sun: taken by bus to our trailhead >> hiked to Indian Writings / Coyote Howl campsite
Mon: hike from Coyote Howl to Metcalf Station campsite
Tue: hike from Metcalf Station to Ponil campsite
Wed: hike from Ponil to Upper Dean Cow campsite
Thu: hike from Upper Dean Cow to Cimarroncito campsit
Fri: hike to conservation project in Ute Park burn scar, cleared invasive plants for reforestation efforts from the wildfire effects >> hike to trailhead for bus ride back to base camp >> closing campfire
Sat: visited the National Scouting Museum >> bus trip back to Reton, NM >> train back toward Chicago
Sun: arrived in Chicago >> explored city during layover >> train ride back to Waterloo, IN
Mon: drove to Sidney >> arrived back home at 4:30 a.m.
It was a tiring trip, challenging at times, and completely worth it! The bonds strengthened among the crew members (made by working together, learning from each other, overcoming obstacles, and the occasional butting of heads) will last a lifetime. Not to mention the honor to be able to mentor young people in their character development and leadership abilities - with hopes that one day they will continue to pay it forward to others. Watch the below video for a 6-minute overview of the experience that is Philmont.
VIDEO: Philmont Scout Ranch Overview
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