07/03/2025
Three of our scouts attended the Order of the Arrow - Scouting America Trail Crew at Philmont Scout Ranch these past two weeks. During the week of service, which was the first week for this trail, they set up base camp operations for the remaining weeks, carrying hundreds of pounds of tools, a large bear box, and many many liters of water up a mountain to the base site, and completing 600ft of new trail. The second week they were able to design their own hike and across the 2 weeks hiked a combined 125 miles through the ranch, which is located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Northeastern New Mexico. They summited the highest peak on the ranch (which also is the highest in New Mexico). It rises abruptly, with 3,640 feet (1,110 m) of vertical relief (in 3 miles/4.8 km), from the Moreno Valley to the west and has a total elevation of 12,441 feet (3,792 m).
When we say "Prepared for Life", we mean ANYTHING life can throw at them. These guys took turns leading and navigating their crews, working with scouts from across the country, dealing with inclement weather (rain, snow, high heat), first aid, cooking in the backwoods, and even as the picture shows, doing a nice job of photography.
Imagine the stories they came home with!
