Philmont Overview

LOCATION AND TERRAIN

Philmont Scout ranch is a national camping area, owned and operated by the Boy Scouts of America.  Philmont is large, comprising 137,493 acres or about 215 square miles of rugged mountain wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rockies.  Thirty-two staffed and over fifty un-staffed campsites are operated at the ranch.  Philmont has high mountains which dominate rough terrain with an elevation ranging from 6,500 to 12,441 feet.

HISTORY

Philmont has a unique history of ancient Indians who chiseled writings into canyon walls . . . Spanish conquistadors who explored the Southwest long before the first colonists arrived on the Atlantic coast . . . the rugged breed of mountain men like Kit Carson who blazed trails across the land . . . the great land barons like Lucien Maxwell who built ranches along the Santa Fe Trail, and miners, loggers, and cowboys.  All these people left their mark on Philmont.

WILDLIFE

Philmont is abundant with wildlife -- deer, elk, coyote, antelope, mountain lion, buffalo, beaver, wild turkey, bear, and others.  Its hills and canyons teem with birds and its streams abound with fish.  Its cool mountains harbor a wilderness of botany -- trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses.

BEAUTY

Philmont is rich in natural beauty, including the soaring Tooth of Time . . . sunrise from lofty Mount Waite Phillips . . .the blue water of Cimarroncito Reservoir . . . the panoramic sweep of the plains from Urraca mesa . . . and sunlight filtering through aspen along the rippling Rayado.

PROGRAM

Philmont provides an unforgettable adventure in sky-high backpacking country along hundreds of miles of rugged, rocky trails.  Program features combine the best of the old west -- horseback riding, burro packing, gold panning, chuck wagon dinners, and interpretive history with exciting challenges for today -- rock climbing, mountain biking, and .30-06 rifle shooting -- in an unbeatable recipe for fast-moving fun and outdoors.

FELLOWSHIP

Philmont means camping with your own unit as well as meeting and sharing experiences with other crews from all over America and from other countries.  This is an opportunity for fellowship and understanding unequalled anywhere in America.

STAFF

Philmont has the finest staff in America.  Each member of the large seasonal staff is carefully selected and trained.  Scouting spirit, knowledge of camping skills, keen interest in their respective program specialties, and a love for Philmont make the staff dedicated to seeing that you have a rewarding and memorable experience.

When you come to Philmont, take advantage of these opportunities.  It is one of the best investments you will make -- the returns are great!

The above was taken from PHILMANAC, A Trekkers Guide to the Philmont Backcountry, written by Rock Rohrbacher, a long-time Philmont staff member.  This publication is available at the Philmont's Tooth of Time Traders.  

Location

Philmont is in north-central New Mexico near the border of Colorado.  Camping Headquarters at Philmont is located a few miles south of Cimarron New Mexico (see map below).

 

History of Philmont

Ponil People

The first people to visit Philmont were probably Asiatic nomads who roamed onto the Great Plains to hunt mammonths, those huge, tusked elephants that grazed the flatlands over 11,000 years ago.  The first inhabitants were the Ponil Indians who shared elements of the Pueblo and Plains Indians.  They hunted, using small arrows and small spears to kill deer and rabbit for the meat.  At the same time, Ponil residents also raised corn.  They probably learned pottery making from the Pueblos, but their earthenware was considerably rougher than that of the more highly skilled Rio Grande people.  Philmont's early Indians lived in semi permanent rock or wooden buildings.  Among the most interesting but least understood aspects of the Ponil culture are the petroglyphs or "Indian writings" found on major sandstone outcroppings along the canyon walls in the north country section of Philmont.  While some of these were evidently made after the abandonment of prehistoric valley sites, the Ponil people probably created most of them before 1400.  By 1400 at the latest, the Ponil people had disappeared from their canyon homes, but new inhabitants soon arrived.  Plains Indians ventured into the region to establish camps from which they could hunt the nearby game supplies.  More important, the Indians soon heard stories of bearded men in shining armor who had been seen to the south.  These conquerors, carrying the flag of Spain, soon marched northward through New Mexico, driving the natives from their retreats.

 

Ponil People 2006

 

Spanish

By the 17th century, Spanish pioneers exteded their control northward from Mexico.  The Catholic friars who accompanied the troops and settlers introduced the Indians to Christianity.  While European settlers approached the Philmont area from the south, other prople entered the area from the north and east.  During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, food shortages, population pressures, and the fear of aggressive neighbors forced many American Indians to resettle.  For the first time since the departure of the Ponil people, new tribes moved into Philmont, where they camped, hunted, and fished.  The area was home foe the Jicarilla Apache, Moache Ute, Comanche, and Kiowa Indian tribes.  They would be the only inhabitants for more than 150 years.  After a long struggle with Mexican and American settlers during the nineteenth century, these settlers were finally expelled, making way for the subsequent development of mining and agriculture along the edge of the Sangre de Cristo's.

American's

During the first four decades of the nineteenth century, thousands of Americans trekked toward the Southwest.  Soldiers exploring the newly acquired Louisiana purchase marched across the Great Plains and into the foothills of the Rockies just a few miles from Philmont.  Trappers, lured by the ease with which valuable beaver pelts could be secured, joined Mexicans and French Canadians along the streams of the Sangre de Cristo's.  Then came the merchants.  Missouri entrepreneurs, certain that a warm reception and ready markets awaited them left for New Mexico.  Sante Fe traders frequently camped on what is now Philmont; by the 1840's a few had decided that it would be a good place to settle.

Mexican

Early in 1841, Mexican Governor Manuel Armijo deeded a huge tract of land, including what is now Philmont, to Charles Beaubien and Guadalupe Miranda.  The boundaries of this tract were typically vague.  The ranch would commence at the junction of the Rayado and Canadian rivers, go north to the Una de Gato creek, continue east to the summit of the mountains, and return south to the place of beginning.  The grant request was approved and Beaubien and Miranda were given possession of the property in 1843.  Permanent settlement on the tract was not established until the late 1840's.

Maxwell Land Grant

Ownership of the property was eventually transferred to a man named Lucien Maxwell.  Maxwell had established the settlement of Cimarron and married Beaubien's daughter.  In 1858, Maxwell obtained Beaubien's share of the property for $2,500.  What became known as the "Maxwell Land Grant" was originally surveyed to be over two million acres of land.  Lucian Maxwell, along with his friend Kit Carson, established homes in Cimarron and Rayado to begin working the property.

Maxwell ran an Indian Agency at the "Old Mill' in Cimarron where supplies were distributed to the area's Indian population.  Because of the vagrancies of the Federal government, Maxwell had to often fund these supplies himseld.  The "Old Mill" is now a museum and is well worth visiting to learn more about the history of the area.

Gold Miners

In October 1866, soldiers from Ft. Union (near Las Vegas, NM) discovered gold on the western slopes of Baldy Mountain.  This started a gold rush that, for a time, rivaled those in Colorado and California.  While most of the area's gold was mined on the western slope of Baldy (Humbug & Grouse gulches & Willow Creek) in the Moreno Valley, major finds were made on the upper, eastern slopes of Baldy.  These included the Aztec, Montezuma, and French Henry mines among others.  The Aztec Mine alone produced more than $4 million in gold during its life.  Along Ute Creek, near the current Miranda Camp, spots of exceedingly rich gravel were worked using hydraulic mining methods.  Towns were established at Elizabeth Town (in the Moreno valley) and at Baldy Town (just below the peak of Baldy Mountain) and remnants of the gold mining activity are still very visible in these areas of Philmont today.  Baldy Town is now a staffed camp at Philmont (with hot showers!) and is a jumping off place for side hikes to the top of Baldy Mountain at 12,441 feet in elevation.

Largely due to a lack of large quantities of water that are needed for mining, most of the activity in the Philmont area stopped in late 1800.  In 1909, mining in the Baldy Town area resumed a second time for a few years.  Exploration continued to some degree in this and the Copper Park area into the 1930's.  During World War I, much of the equipment and rail tracks used in mining were removed for scrap steel.  The Deep Tunnel mine (which went from Copper Park to the west side of Baldy) allowed miners to walk under the peak of Baldy Mountain but was a colossal financial failure.  Lack of materials and labor during World War II spelled a final doom to mining at Philmont.  While active, more than $7 million in gold was taken from the Baldy mining district.

Lumber

The Maxwell Land Grant was sold over time to developers from Europe and settlement began and continued for many more years.  There was significant lumber and sawmill activity, primarily in the North Country areas along the Ponil Creeks with railroads established and removed to support the logging operations.  The Continental Tie & Lumber Company used the Cimarron and Northwestern Railroad company to support their operations.  The C&N Railroad company had a single locomotive, five boxcars, thirty-nine flat cars, and one caboose.  The Continental Tie & Lumber company specialized in cutting lumber for mine props (chiefly for the coal mines in the Raton area), finished lumber for building, and railroad ties.  In the North Country, much evidence of these  activities is still recognizable.

Waite Phillips

Waite Phillips, an oil man from Tulsa, Oklahoma owned a ranch in the Denver and was looking for a larger, more spectacular place for recreation.  In 1922, he purchased the Urraca Ranch headquartered south of Cimarron.  He expanded his holdings by purchasing additional land from other ranchers and the Maxwell Land Grant Company.  Originally, Phillips planned to call his ranch "Hawkeye" in honor of his native state of Iowa but it was soon changed to "Philmont", combining his name and the word "mountain."

Phillips constructed many improvements on his ranch.  These included corrals to accommodate polo ponies, a major ditch to carry water to apple orchards, buildings and lodges.  Phillips built his family mansion "Villa Philmonte" which was the most impressive project.  It is built in a southern Mediterranean style.  The Villa is two stories with a large living room, huge master bedroom with a sun porch, private rooms for the children and servants, and a number of guest rooms.  A large swimming pool and patios surrounded the house.  The Villa Philmonte was visited by Vice-President Charles Dawes, Wiley Post, and Will Rogers among other notables.  The Villa Philmonte now forms the center of the National Training Center and is across the highway from the Camping Headquarters.  Tours of the Villa may be taken almost every day.

Boy Scouts of America

In 1938, Waite Phillips gave the Boy Scouts of America 35,857 acres along the Ponil River along with $50,000 to develop it.  His only requirement was that it be used "for the benefit of the members of the Boy Scout organization."  This was named "Philturn Rockymountain Scoutcamp" and was developed as a "he-man" wilderness camp.  The headquarters for the camp was at the current Ponil camp.  Scouts first visited Philturn in March 1939.  That summer, ninety-nine boys from Texas, Kansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma stayed for a full twelve days, taking part in such varied activities as gold panning and wildlife study.  Ninety additional Scouts camped at Philturn for shorter periods.  In all, 1,863 camper days were spent at the property that season.

In 1941, Phillips offered the rest of his ranch (91,358 acres) which included the Villa Philmonte and the twenty-three story Philtower office building in Tulsa to the Boy Scouts.  Phillips noted that one of America's most important tasks was training its youth.  "The Boy Scouts of America has the most efficient plan and organization to do such work," he concluded.  "The environment of a well-developed Mountain Ranch is the best place to achieve this objective."  Waite Phillips died in 1964 but his impact on Scouting and all the people able to visit Philmont is immeasurable.

In 1962, the National Council of the BSA purchased 10,098 acres in the Baldy area to expand Philmont to over 137,000 acres.  This also preserved the mining relics around Baldy Town so Scouts could experience what life was like during this period of history.

Philmont Today

In addition to the 137,000 acres in Philmont itself, the Boy Scouts of America has made arrangements to permit camping in the Valle Vidal Unit of the Carson National Forest north of the North Country section of Philmont.  Because of the primitive nature of the Valle Vidal, there are no permanent structures constructed.  The staffed camps are in tents, temporary buildings, or buildings that were in existence prior to the establishment of the unit.  All camping in the Valle Vidal is under the "Leave No Trace" principles and all crews must take a Leave No Trace course prior to entering the Valle.  There are no trails in the Valle Vidal.  While it is possible to travel from some of the campsites to others via forest service roads, it is shorter and more enjoyable to "bushwhack" cross-country using maps and compasses.  This puts all the orienteering work we have done to good use!

Philmont Map

The map of Philmont shown here provides a general idea of the locations of many of the major campsites.  It also depicts the four major sections used for camping:  the South, Central, and North Countries in Philmont proper and the Valle Vidal unit of the Carson National Forest.  Although this is a stylized map and is not to scale, the Philmont portion (including the Valle Vidal) represents an area approximately 40 miles north to south and 15 miles east to west -- 600 square miles. 

 

What is a Philmont Trek?

Basically, a Philmont trek is a backpacking adventure that takes your crew from one campsite to another for eleven days.  The different campsites have "programs" that the crew participates in.  On a "typical" day on the trail, the crew will wake up, break camp, eat breakfast, and hike to their next destination camp.  After checking in (and possibly setting up their campsite for the night), they will take part in the program activity.  Following the program, the crew will eat dinner, take part in any evening activities offered by the camp, and go to sleep for the night.  The activities repeat for the eleven days of the trek.

Itinerary Selection

Each crew will have a defined "itinerary" that they will follow that lays out the campsite they will go to each day and the programs they will participate in.  The crews select the "itinerary" that they want from all the available itineraries.  There are 35 itineraries available to choose from.

The itinerary selection process takes place in March of the year of the trek and is very important.  A "TREKS" book containing all the available itinerary information will be sent to the crews in March.  Crews should attempt to closely match their crew's desires and abilities with the itinerary.  Crews will select five itineraries and rank them in their priority order.  They will then send Philmont a postcard (included in the TREKS book) with these selection requests.  Philmont will assign them their highest priority selection based on availability at the time the selection card is received.

Because of the vast number of combinations of campsites and programs available at Philmont and the difficultly of the different itineraries, selecting the right one for your crew can be a difficult task.  While crews will likely fully enjoy any of the programs and campsites, the worst thing that can happen at Philmont is for your crew to select an itinerary that is beyond its physical capabilities.

Philmont Lingo

Many "terms" are used at Philmont (and indeed, in this web site) that may be unfamiliar to those who have never been there before.  Some of these terms are listed here.

Camps -- There are a large number of camps in Philmont's backcountry.  These camps may differ from one year to another as new camps are opened and others closed to let areas recover.  When selecting the itinerary for your crew, you should be aware of the type of camp:

Staffed Camp -- this is a camp with a staff of Rangers who conduct the program at that camp.  There may be a commissary at the camp where your crew picks up food for the next three to four days.  Some staffed camps also have hot showers -- take advantage of them!

Un-staffed or Trail Camp -- this is a camp where you will spend the night while traveling between Staffed Camps.  There are no programs, facilities (other than corrals), or staff at these camps.  Bear bag cables will be available.

Dry Camp -- when your Ranger is taking your Crew Leader through the check-in process at Base Camp, one of the visits will be at "Logistics" where you will learn the current conditions at each camp on your itinerary.  While most camps have water available, some may be "dry".  If your itinerary includes a dry camp, you should find out where to carry the water from and be sure you have containers to carry it in.  You may wish to have your hot meal at lunch on the way to a "dry" camp to minimize the amount of water you need to carry.

Bear-bags -- your crew will be issued bear bags and rope to take with them.  Each campsite in Philmont has nearby "cables."  These cables are strung between two trees and you should throw your rope over them and lift your bear bags up at least 10 feet at night and whenever you are not around the campsite.  In the Valle-Vidal area, there are no established campsites and, thus, no bear cables.  You are responsible for knowing how to use your rope to raise your bear bags without cables.  You will learn these techniques in the Leave No Trace camping instruction you will receive before entering the Valle Vidal but it helps to practice before going to Philmont.  Check the "Bears" page of this website for ideas of how to best deal with bears and bear bags.

Bear-muda triangle -- this is the section of your campsite where you want to keep all food and "smellables".  The bear-muda triangle is the area in the middle of a triangle between the fire pit (cooking area), sump, and bear bags.  No tents should be in this triangle.  Check the Campsite Layout page of this website for a graphic of the Bear-muda triangle.

Camping Headquarters/CHQ/Base Camp -- these are various names for the section of Philmont where you will arrive, check-in, stay until you go out on the trail, return to following your Trek, and stay until you depart.

Crew -- a crew is a group that participates in a Trek.  Crews are a maximum of 12 people (majority youth) and are led by a Crew Leader (youth) and Crew Advisor (adult).  The Crew Leader is assisted by a Chaplain's Aide (youth).  Crews must maintain two-deep adult leadership at all times and co-ed crews (Venturing) must have female adult leaders.  More than one crew may have the same itinerary, these are considered "sister crews".

Day -- At Philmont, you quickly forget what day of the week it is and what the date is!  You always remember what "day" it is however.  Days are numbered consecutively from your arrival at Philmont.  Day 1 is the first day at Philmont (arrival day), Day 2 is the day you depart camping headquarters for the backcountry, Day 12 is the day you return to camping headquarters.  For the purpose of our Council Contingent, we have named Day 0 and Day 13 our travel days.

Expedition # -- Each crew is assigned an expedition number.  This is who you are.  The expedition number is made up of the date of your official arrival at Philmont, a letter that identifies your crew from the others arriving on the same day, and (for contingents) a sequence number that identifies you within the contingent.  This number should be used to mark all equipment and in all communications regarding your trek.  Expedition numbers for contingent crews may be found on this web site.

Itinerary # -- Each crew will be assigned an itinerary.  This is where you go while you are on the trail.  Each itinerary has a number, not a name.  Generally, when you talk to someone about Philmont, you reference your Itinerary number more than where you went.

Latrines -- In Philmont proper, you will use latrines.  These are essentially "outhouses."  In the Valle-Vidal, other than at some of the staffed camps, crews will use "cat-holes" that they are taught to dig in their No Trace Camping instruction.
Often, there is a great deal of spirited discussion over the latrine with the best amenities (?), the best view, or is the most comfortable.  Many Philmont participants have their favorite!
There are several type latrines at Philmont depending on the location. 

Red Roof Inn -- these are classic "out houses."

Single Pilot -- this is a "one-holer" with no walls!

Pilot/Co-Pilot -- this is an interesting "two-holer" variation with side-by-side seating and no walls!

Pilot/Bombardier -- this is another interesting "two-holer" with back-to-back seating and no walls!

Mini-bear -- you are much more likely to have problems with mini-bears than full-sized bears.  Mini-bears are the Chipmunks that are prevalent at Philmont and have an annoying habit of chewing their way into your food through tent walls, backpacks, etc.  Be sure to hang your food in bear bags!

Oop's Bag -- After hanging the crew's bear bags, the crew should leave an unused cord or rope hanging.  Just before bed, when crewmembers say "Oop's, I forgot to put my ________ in the bear bag!", collect all the Oop's items, put them in a stuff sack called the "Oop's bag" and use the unused rope to haul it up with the regular bear bags.  Often, this rope will be threaded through a carabineer attached to one of the crew's bear bags.

Program -- Philmont is about "Programs" -- this is what you do.  These are the activities offered in the various camps throughout Philmont.  A description of the programs available at Philmont may be found by clicking this link:  Programs

Philmont Training Center/PTC -- This is the section of Philmont across the road from Camping Headquarters.  It is the BSA National Training facility and classes are taught to volunteer and professional Scouters during the summer.  Participants in classes at the PTC stay in tent cities that surround it and many have family members with them.  The PTC is in the area around the Villa Philmonte.

Ranger -- a Ranger is a Philmont staff employee.  Each crew will be assigned a Ranger on arrival at Philmont.  The crew's Ranger will assist the crew in the check-in process and will stay with the crew for the first two days and two nights on the trail.  This Ranger is responsible for training the crew in basic Philmont sanitation and camping techniques.  Other Rangers are at staffed camps and Camping Headquarters in various positions.

Ranger Mile -- this is what the Rangers will quote you when you ask how far it is to the next camp -- they will tell you it is "about 2 miles."  Remember that these are "Ranger Miles" and probably bear very little relationship to real miles!  The Ranger who tells you this has most likely:  a) never been to that camp or b) hiked to the camp carrying a daypack that weighed less than five pounds.  Check your map -- two Ranger Miles can easily take you all day to hike with full backpacks!

Sump -- each campsite at Philmont (not in the Valle Vidal) has a sump.  This is where the water used for cleaning and sanitation is drained.  Each crew will be issued a strainer (Frisbee with holes drilled in it) that is placed over the top of the sump and used dishwater poured through it.  Remaining food particles go into the "Yum-Yum" bag.

Tent City --The camping headquarters at Philmont is where you will first arrive and where you will depart from Philmont.  On arrival, crews will be assigned tents in the "trailbound" tent city.  On completion of the trek, crews will be assigned tents in the "homebound" tent city.  These are large groups of Scout wall tents (on platforms with cots) that you will sleep in before leaving for your trek and before leaving for home.  Interspersed throughout the tent cities are bathhouse facilities for youth and adults, male and female.

Trek -- a Trek is one of the available ways for Scouts to go to Philmont.  This is a 12-day backpacking experience known as an "expedition".  Other ways to participate in Philmont include horseback "cavalcades", the Kanik winter program, trail-crew, and Rayado Treks.

Villa Philmonte -- this is the summer home of Waite and Genevieve Phillips -- Philmont's benefactors.  Crews are encouraged to sign up at the Seaton Museum (across the road from the Health Lodge in the adobe building) for tours of the Villa.  It has been restored to show how it was when the Phillips' used it.  The tours are very worthwhile and provide a good deal of background information about Philmont.

Yum-Yum Bag -- when eating utensils and cooking gear are cleaned, there are food particles that remain.  These food particles are put in a "Yum-Yum" bag (generally a Zip-Lock bag) and are carried with the crew to the next staffed camp that will allow disposal.  This gets pretty nasty!  It gives real meaning to the adage of "eat all that you cook and cook only what you will eat!"  Sometimes, the honor of carrying the "Yum-Yum" bag is bestowed on the participant last to get up in the morning or some other similar distinction.

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