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{{Short description|Large ranch for youth high adventure in New Mexico, US}} | |||
{{Redirect|Philmont}} | {{Redirect|Philmont}} | ||
{{Multiple issues|{{Overly detailed|date=June 2023}} | |||
{{More citations needed|date=June 2023}}{{Original research|date=March 2024}} | |||
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{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2012}} | |||
{{Infobox WorldScouting | {{Infobox WorldScouting | ||
| type = campsite | | type = campsite | ||
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| name = Philmont Scout Ranch | | name = Philmont Scout Ranch | ||
| location = ] | | location = ] | ||
| map = {{location map|USA#USA New Mexico|lat_deg=36.45417|lon_deg=-104.95583|border=infobox|caption=}} | |||
| map = NMMap-doton-Cimarron.PNG | |||
| website = {{URL|http://philmontscoutranch.org}} | |||
| map-size=100 | |||
| coords= {{coord|36|27|15|N|104|57|21|W|region:US-NM_type:landmark|display=inline,title}} | |||
| website = http://philmontscoutranch.org/ | |||
| country = United States | |||
| coords= {{coord|36|27|15|N|104|57|21|W}} | |||
| country = ] | |||
| f-date = 1938 | | f-date = 1938 | ||
| founder = ] | | founder = ] | ||
| owner = ] | | owner = ] | ||
| members = |
| members = 35,054 campers (2013)<ref>{{Cite web |title=2013 BSA Year in Review |url=http://www.scouting.org/About/FactSheets/YearinReview.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411032234/http://www.scouting.org/About/FactSheets/YearinReview.aspx |archive-date=April 11, 2010 |access-date=August 7, 2014 |publisher=Boy Scouts of America |df=mdy-all}}</ref>}} | ||
'''Philmont Scout Ranch''' is a |
'''Philmont Scout Ranch''' is a ] located in ], United States, near the ] of ]; it covers {{convert|140,177 |acres}} of wilderness in the ] on the east side of the ] of the Rocky Mountains. Donated by oil baron ] and originally operated under the name "Philturn Rockymountain Scout Camp",<ref name=murphy1976/><ref name="historyturn">{{cite web | url = http://www.scouting.org/philmont/about/index.html | title = About Philmont | work = Philmont Scout Ranch | publisher = Boy Scouts of America | access-date =August 31, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061024060657/http://www.scouting.org/philmont/about/index.html |archive-date=2006-10-24}}</ref> the ranch is owned and operated by the ]. It is a National High Adventure Base where crews of Scouts and Venturers take part in ] treks and other ]. By land area, it is one of the largest youth camps in the world. During the 2019 season, between June 8 and August 22, an estimated 24,000 Scouts and adult leaders backpacked through the Ranch's extensive backcountry. That same year 1,302 staff were responsible for the Ranch's summer operations.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cordeiro |first=Mark |date=2019-08-14 |title=Philmont by the numbers |url=https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/philmont-by-the-numbers/ |access-date=2022-11-25 |website=Philmont Scout Ranch |language=en-US}}</ref> | ||
Philmont is also home to the |
Philmont is also home to the Philmont Training Center, the ] and the Seton Memorial Library. The Training Center is the primary location for BSA's national volunteer training programs. Philmont is a working ranch, maintaining small herds of cattle, horses, ], and ]. | ||
The only documented '']'' track in the world was discovered within the camp's boundaries in 1993 in North Ponil Canyon by the Anasazi Trail Camp. It was formally identified in 1994.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 28, 2011 |title=Online guide to the continental Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the Raton basin |url=http://esp.cr.usgs.gov/info/kt/footprint.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928235257/http://esp.cr.usgs.gov/info/kt/footprint.html |archive-date=September 28, 2011}}</ref> | |||
There are three other high adventure camps that the BSA owns and maintains: the ] in Minnesota, as well as Manitoba and Ontario in Canada; ] in the Florida Keys; and ] in southern West Virginia. | |||
==Location and geography== | ==Location and geography== | ||
] | ] | ||
{{Main|Geography and ecology of Philmont Scout Ranch}} | |||
{{More footnotes|section|date=November 2010}} | |||
] | |||
Philmont is located in the ] of the ] of ]. The closest village is ], which sits at 36°27'13.04" North, 104°57'29.81" West (36.4536222, -104.9582806).{{Geographic reference|1}} The address of the ranch is usually given as 17 Deer Run Rd., Cimarron, NM, 87714. It is also about 20 miles (30 km) west-northwest of ], and 35 miles (56 km) southwest of ]. It is about 12 miles (19 km) across (east to west) at its widest point, and about 30 miles (48 km) long. There are no mountains to the south of Philmont, or to the east (indeed, part of the eastern fringe of the ranch is ]) but the interior is quite mountainous.{{Citation needed|date=October 2010}} | |||
Philmont is located in the ] of the ] of ]. The closest village is Cimarron, New Mexico. The address of the ranch is usually given as 17 Deer Run Rd., Cimarron, New Mexico, 87714. It is also about {{convert|20|mi}} west-northwest of ], and {{convert|35|mi}} southwest of ]. Philmont is about {{convert|12|mi}} across (east to west) at its widest point, and about {{convert|30|mi}} long (north to south). There are no mountains to the south or east of Philmont. The interior of the ranch is mountainous but a small part of the eastern area is ].<ref name=murphy1976>{{cite book |last=Murphy |title=Philmont, A History of New Mexico's Cimarron Country |url=https://archive.org/details/philmonthistoryo0000murp_d4p4 |url-access=registration |first=Lawrence R |year=1976 |location=Albuquerque |publisher=University of New Mexico Press |isbn=0-8263-0438-9}}</ref> | |||
The lowest elevation is 6,500 feet (1981 m), at the southeast corner. The highest point is the peak of ] at 12,441 feet (3792 m), located on the ranch's northwest boundary. The most recognizable landmark is the ] at 9,003 feet (2744 m), a granite monolith protruding 500 feet (150 m) vertically from an east-west ridge. Tooth of Time Ridge, and the latitude line on which it sits, mark the boundary between the central and southern sections of Philmont. The boundary between the central and northern sections is around ], which runs just south of the narrowest part of the 'I'-shape, which is only a few miles across. | |||
] | |||
Aside from Baldy, the ranch contains a number of prominent peaks. Directly south of Baldy lies Touch-Me-Not Mountain, which is located in Cimarron Canyon State Park. The South Country is home to a series of six difficult peaks, namely Mount Phillips, Comanche Peak, Big Red, Bear Mountain, Black Mountain, and Schaefers Peak. The final prominent South Country peak is Trail Peak, which is popular for its relative ease, its nearness to ], and the wreckage of the crash of a ] bomber in 1942 near its summit. | |||
Philmont's lowest point is the southeast corner at {{convert|6500|ft}} and its highest point is the peak of ], located on the ranch's northwest boundary, at {{convert|12441|ft}}.<ref name=murphy1976/><ref name=rohrbacher1997>{{cite book |first=Rock |last=Rohrbacher |title=Philmanac, A Trekkers Guide to the Philmont Backcountry |year=1997 |publisher=CSS |location=Lima, Ohio |lccn=99219198 |isbn=0-7880-1469-2}}</ref> Aside from Baldy, the ranch contains a number of prominent peaks. The South Country is home to a series of six difficult peaks, namely ], Comanche Peak, Big Red, Bear Mountain, Black Mountain, and Schaefers Peak, as well as Trail Peak, which is popular for its nearness to ], and the wreckage of the crash of a ] bomber in 1942 near its summit. Of the ranch's various peaks with trail access, Black Mountain is widely considered the most difficult, followed closely by Baldy and Big Red. | |||
Of the ranch's various hikeable peaks (where a trail leads to the peak), Black Mountain is widely considered the most difficult, followed closely by Baldy and Big Red. Other prominent landmarks on the ranch include Grizzly Tooth, Window Rock, Deer Lake Mesa, and ]. | |||
The most recognizable landmark is the ] at {{convert|9003|ft}}, a ] monolith protruding {{convert|500|ft}} vertically from an east-west ridge. Tooth of Time Ridge, and the latitude line on which it sits, marks the boundary between the central and southern sections of Philmont. The boundary between the central and northern sections is around ], which runs just south of the narrowest part of the 'I'-shape, which is only a few miles across. Other prominent landmarks on the ranch include Grizzly Tooth, Window Rock, Deer Lake Mesa, Wilson Mesa and ]. | |||
Urraca Mesa was owned by Elias Cory an immigrant from Lebanon who is related to the parties who started that oldest democracy in the Mid-East. After a tragic automobile accident, the ranch was re-possessed for unpaid taxes. These circumstances might give extra reason for its being allegedly ]. | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
Native Americans of the ] ] and ] once inhabited Philmont. A few Native American ] sites exist in the northern section nearby the 'Indian Writings' camp, and various camps seek to preserve Philmont's Native American heritage. | |||
On April 22, 1942, a ] crashed into the side of Trail Peak. Some of the wreckage still remains, including a wing and propeller, and because of its location, it is the world's most visited airplane crash site.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cass |first=William F. |title=The last flight of Liberator 41-1133: the lives, times, training & loss of the bomber crew which crashed on Trail Peak at Philmont Scout Ranch |date=1996 |publisher=Winds Aloft Press |isbn=978-0-9702972-0-4 |location=United States}}</ref> | |||
On April 22, 1942, a ] crashed into the side of Trail Peak. Waite Philips led a rescue crew up, but the 7 men on board were killed on impact. Among the casualties was ] Roland L. Jeffries and Star Scout Charles O. Reynard, Jr.<ref> PBase Photo Sharing, Troop 120 Carmel, Philmont photos 2006</ref> Some of the wreckage still remains, including a wing and propeller, and because of its location, it is the world's most visited airplane crash site.<ref> Amazon Books</ref> | |||
===Private ownership=== | ===Private ownership=== | ||
], an icon of Philmont Scout Ranch]] | |||
In the mid-19th century, the ] crossed the plains just southwest of Philmont. The ] owes its name to this trail; travelers knew that once they passed it, they had only one week to go until they reached ]. Philmont's strategic location along the trail spurred some interest in it. In 1841, ] and ] obtained a large land grant from the ] government, including the present ranch. Soon the grant fell into the hands of Beaubien's son-in-law ], who played an important role in developing and settling it. Maxwell sold the ranch to the ], which gave up and handed it on to a Dutch development company, which decided to parcel it out to ranchers. | |||
The ] crossed the plains just southwest of Philmont in the mid-1800s. The ] owes its name to this trail; travelers knew that once they passed it, they had only one week to go until they reached ]. Philmont's strategic location along the trail spurred some interest in it. In 1841, ] and ] obtained a large land grant from the ] government, including the present ranch. Soon the grant passed on to Beaubien's son-in-law ], who played an important role in developing and settling it. Maxwell sold the ranch to the ], which gave up and handed it on to a Dutch development company, which decided to parcel it out to ranchers. | |||
One of the most prominent ranchers was ], who ran the Abreu Rayado Ranch from the 1870s |
One of the most prominent ranchers was ], who ran the Abreu Rayado Ranch from the 1870s till his death in 1901. Operating from the ], he raised cattle, goats, and sheep and grew crops. The family owned this property until 1911, when they sold most of it off. One of the sons remained on the ranch near the site of ], a present staffed camp, and his ] was preserved for years. Eventually, the ] structure was abandoned, and it collapsed. The foundation of this building now serves as the foundation for the Abreu cantina. The house was reconstructed in 1998 about {{convert|100|ft|m}} uphill. | ||
The history of |
The history of mining at Philmont dates back to the years immediately after the ]. U.S. soldiers were stationed in the West after the war, as the ] was driving out the ]. At ], some stationed soldiers traded with Native Americans for float ]. In 1866, the soldiers went up ] in search of this copper, but instead found gold. They could not stay to mine the gold due to the approaching winter, but by the time they returned in the spring, the area was overrun with prospectors.<ref>{{Cite thesis|last=Murphy|first=Lawrence R.|date=1965|title=Boom and bust on Baldy Mountain, New Mexico, 1864-1942|url=https://repository.arizona.edu/handle/10150/551819|language=en-US|pages=8–14}}</ref> Scores of gold mines were ] and operated into the early 20th century on what was once the ], now modern day Philmont. Today, the Contention Mine, located at Cyphers Mine, and the Aztec Mine, located above French Henry, are open to guided tours. | ||
Wealthy oil magnate and wilderness enthusiast ] amassed a large part of the old land grant in the 1920s, totaling over {{convert|300000|acre|km2}}. Phillips built a ] in the lowlands of Philmont. He turned the ranch into a private game reserve for himself and friends, and built a number of hunting lodges and day-use camps. He chose not to provide electricity at the remote camps. A few of these original camps, including Fish Camp and the Hunting Lodge, have been preserved, complete with ], ]s, and unique design features indicative of Phillips's often eccentric taste. | |||
=== |
===Donated to Boy Scouts=== | ||
Phillips sometimes allowed others, including a few Boy Scout troops, to visit his ranch. He was so impressed with the Scouts that in 1938, during the ], he donated {{convert|35857|acre|km2}} of his land to the ]. His only condition was that the property be used "for the benefit of the members of the Boy Scout organization".<ref name=murphy1976/> He donated a second, larger section of land later in the 1930s, requiring only that this section pay its fair share of taxes on any portion devoted to competitive commercial operations.<ref name=murphy1976/> | |||
], an icon of Philmont Scout Ranch.]] | |||
Phillips sometimes allowed others to visit his ranch, including a few Boy Scout troops. He was so impressed with the Scouts that in 1938, he donated 35,857 acres (145 km²) to the ]. In giving it to the Scouts, he included three provisions: that his horse Gus could stay there until his death, that his family could come and visit the ranch, and that it remain a working cattle ranch. They initially named it the "Philturn Rockymountain Scoutcamp".<ref name="historyturn">{{cite web | last = | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = | url = http://www.scouting.org/philmont/about/index.html | title = About Philmont | work = Philmont Scout Ranch | publisher = Boy Scouts of America | accessdate = 2006-08-31}}{{dead link|date=May 2008}}</ref> The word 'Philturn' comes from Waite Phillips's name, together with the "Good Turn" he did by donating the property. In 1941, Phillips added more Philmont property, including the Villa Philmonte, bringing the total to 127,395 acres (516 km²). (Contrary to popular belief, Phillips did not give his entire ranch to the BSA, but only those properties that would have the most recreational value. The total donation comprised about 40% of the ranch.) To help fund the upkeep of Philmont, he threw in his Philtower office building in ]. The ranch's name was changed at this time to the "Philmont Scout Ranch and Explorer Base". | |||
In 1941, Phillips added more Philmont property, including the Villa Philmonte, bringing the total to {{convert|127395|acre|km2}}. Contrary to popular belief, Phillips did not donate his entire ranch to the Boy Scouts, but only that portion of the property that provided the most recreational value. The total donation comprised about 40% of the ranch. To help fund maintenance of Philmont, he also donated the Philtower office building in ]. In 1963, vice-president of the National Council ] contributed funds to purchase another {{convert|10098|acre|km2}} of land within the ], consisting of the Baldy Mountain mining area. In 2015, the Boy Scouts of America purchased {{convert|2684|acre|km2}} that was once operated as a camp called Cimarroncita Ranch. | |||
Philmont was run differently in the early years than it is now. Half a dozen "base camps" were constructed at strategic locations. A visiting group of Scouts would stay at one of these camps for a week, and day-hike to surrounding locations of interest. If the Scouts wanted to visit a different area, they would pack up their gear, hoist it onto ]s, and hike to another base camp. Eventually, possibly due to the advent of modern lightweight metal-frame backpacks and other ] technology, the program was restructured to be backpacking-based. | |||
In 1989, the Boy Scouts obtained a renewable special use permit to the ] Unit of the ] from the ]. This allowed Scouts to hike and camp in the area. Philmont operates three staffed camps—Whiteman Vega, Seally Canyon, and Ring Place—and two trail camps in that area. Those camps serve around 3,000 Scouts each summer. In return, each camper is asked to contribute three hours of conservation work in the Valle on projects approved by the Forest Service. | |||
In 1963, through the generosity of ], vice-president of the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America, another piece of the Maxwell Land Grant was purchased and added to Philmont. This was the Baldy Mountain mining area, consisting of 10,098 acres (41 km²). | |||
Rich Cabins, a historical farming cabin on ]'s ], is operated as a staff camp. | |||
In recent years, Philmont has also been able to gain use of the ] Unit of the ]. Since 1989, Philmont has had a series of five-year special-use permits from the Forest Service, allowing crews to hike and camp in the Valle Vidal as part of their Philmont treks. Philmont operates three staffed camps— Whiteman Vega, Seally Canyon, and Ring Place —and two trail camps in that part of the Valle. Those camps serve around 3,000 Philmont campers each summer. Each camper performs three hours of conservation work in the Valle on projects approved by the Forest Service. | |||
===2019 mortgage=== | |||
In addition, Rich Cabins, a historical farming cabin on ]'s ], is also operated as a staff camp. | |||
Philmont was mortgaged in March 2019, in order to support the BSA financially while it was settling sex abuse cases. An oversight committee member claimed that this was in violation of the 1938 donation that gave the organization the land, but the BSA disagreed.<ref name ="TribuneMortgage">{{cite news |url=https://www.sltrib.com/news/nation-world/2019/11/22/boy-scouts-mortgage-vast/ |title=Boy Scouts mortgage vast Philmont ranch in New Mexico as collateral |first=David |last=Crary |work=The Salt Lake Tribune |date=November 22, 2019 |access-date=December 12, 2019}}</ref> | |||
==Philmont traditions== | |||
===The Philmont Hymn=== | |||
The "Philmont Hymn" <ref>{{dead link|date=December 2010}} {{dead link|date=November 2010}}</ref> the ranch's official song was written by John Benton Westfall (1928-May 9, 2009) in 1947 when he was 19. Westfall was the lone staffer at Visto Grande (then called Cimarron Bench Camp) at the time. Westfall, who at the time was a student at ] wrote the song on a trip home to Kansas on a train from Philmont influenced by the "click-click, click-click" of the tracks. He would later be a professional scouter in Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma and worked as a salesman for Phillips Petroleum.<ref></ref> | |||
=== |
===Early organization=== | ||
In its early days, Philmont had a half dozen "base camps" constructed at strategic locations. Visiting Scouts lived at one of these camps for a week and could take day hikes to surrounding locations. To visit a different area, the Scouts packed their gear onto ]s and hiked to another base camp. Today, the program is based on backpacking, and Scouts carry all their gear, living in tents while on expedition.<ref name="summitpost">{{cite web |first1=Mark |last1= Doiron |first2=Alex |last2= Wood |title=Philmont Scout Ranch |url=https://www.summitpost.org/philmont-scout-ranch/469372 |website=summitpost.org}}</ref> | |||
The "Philmont Grace" (also known as the Worth Ranch Grace or simply the ]) is a prayer recited before meals at many Boy Scout camps and events around the U.S. It was originally written in 1929 by A. J. Fulkerson, Camp Director at Worth Ranch Scout Camp in ], ]. | |||
==Programs and activities== | |||
The original version of the grace, still used today, is:<br /> | |||
] | |||
''For food, for raiment,''<br /> | |||
''For life, for opportunity,''<br /> | |||
''For friendship and fellowship,''<br /> | |||
''We thank Thee, O Lord. Amen.'' | |||
==Programs and activities== | |||
===Trek=== | ===Trek=== | ||
The standard and most popular Philmont program is the backpacking ''trek''. A typical Philmont trek lasts 12 days and covers anywhere from {{convert|56|mi}} to {{convert|106|mi}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://philmontscoutranch.org/Camping/TrekPlanning/~/link.aspx?_id=5AACEC8FADB44047AAF4606CB49AEA3C&_z=z |title=Itineraries At Glance |access-date= 7 August 2014}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
The standard and most popular Philmont program is the ''trek''. A typical Philmont trek lasts 12 days and covers anywhere from 50 to 103 miles (80 to 166 km) of trail. In 2010 there were 35 different trek itineraries, ranging from challenging to super strenuous. Each trek is unique, covering distinct regions, peaks, and camps. A group of Scouts on a trek is called a ''crew''; most crews are assembled by troops, Venturing crews, or local councils. A crew consists of eight to twelve people, with two to four adult leaders, a chaplain's aide, Wilderness Pledge Guia, and a crew leader. A ''contingent'' consists of one or more crews from the same council (see ]), traveling together. ''Sister crews'' are crews that follow the same itinerary and are usually from different troops. Around 360 trekkers arrive at base camp every day of the season. | |||
The first crews receive their guides, or ], on June 8, and the last crews receive their Rangers on August 14. During the last few weeks of the season crews may be placed on shortened itineraries, which run from 6 to 9 days in length (compared to the typical 12). | |||
] | |||
A typical crew's experience is as follows: | |||
The crew arrives in ], checks in at the Welcome Center, and meets its ], a trained staff member from the Ranger Department. He or she assists them in the various Base Camp ("processing") procedures, which consist of completing all paperwork at Registration, verifying their itinerary with Logistics, checking out gear at Services (such as a dining fly, bear ropes, bear bags, and water purification tablets), and receiving health checks at the Health Lodge. | |||
A crew also receives several days' worth of Philmont trail food, packaged in bags which feed two people each; the exact quantity depends on the crew's itinerary and the day on which it is scheduled to reach the next commissary (see ]), but is usually 3 days worth of food. Philmont also provides optional cooking supplies. | |||
] | |||
The crew spends its first night in the Trailbound side of Tent City, where the trekkers sleep in canvas tents. The next morning, they eat breakfast at the dining hall, have their crew photo taken, and board a bus to one of the ranch's several trailheads (called "turnarounds" because they consist of a loop in the road for the bus to turn around). | |||
The ] verifies the trekkers' general backpacking knowledge and teaches them specific Philmont procedures, such as bear procedure and latrine usage. Rangers stay with their crews on the trail for two days and depart on the morning of the third day. In the next eight days the crew will hike through the Philmont wilderness, staying at various ] and unstaffed "]" scattered about the Ranch. On the final day, the crew returns to Base Camp, sometimes by bus from a turnaround or by climbing over the ] and hiking directly into Base Camp. During the final day at Base Camp, the crew cleans up, returns various Philmont-issued supplies, and attends the closing campfire. | |||
===Conservation Department=== | ===Conservation Department=== | ||
There are six divisions of the Conservation Department in the summer, each led by an Associate Director of Conservation - Work Crew, Forestry Crew, Conservationists, GIS, Environmental Education (ROCS, Trail Crew Trek), and Order of the Arrow Trail Crew. Work Crews are staff groups who are responsible for maintaining and creating campsites and trails. Trail Crews and other staff known as Advanced Teams are the first Conservation staffers to begin hiking and clearing the trails, one month prior to the first participants' arrival. Conservationists live in staff camps or spike camps and lead conservation projects for treks passing through their camp. The GIS staff map trails, campsites, and other features of the Philmont Backcountry. In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the BSA, Northrop Grumman donated high-resolution geospatial data of the ranch to Philmont. GIS and the Conservation Department use the data to create enhanced maps and improve conservation efforts throughout the ranch. The Division of Forestry's priority is forest fuels reduction. Using chainsaws, a masticator, a skidder, and a portable sawmill, these crews create defensible space around staff camps and strategic shaded fuel breaks to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and improve the health and productivity of Philmont's forests while utilizing the wood in construction projects around the Ranch. Slash from the thinning projects is piled and burned and a prescribed fire program is being developed to maintain desired forest condition. The Forestry crews work year-round, and each staff member receives detailed training in chainsaw operations, as well as an overview of forest management and fire ecology.<ref name="esri news">{{cite web | url=http://www.esri.com/news/arcnews/summer11articles/the-boy-scouts-of-america-earn-a-complete-geospatial-picture-of-its-philmont-ranch.html | title=The Boy Scouts of America Earn a Complete Geospatial Picture of Its Philmont Ranch | date=Summer 2011 | access-date=August 16, 2012 | author=Olesak, John F.}}</ref> | |||
The groups of trail workers known as "A-team" or Advanced Team are the first Conservation staffers to begin hiking and clearing the trails, one month prior to the first participants' arrival. | |||
====Roving Outdoor Conservation School==== | |||
The five divisions of the Conservation Department, each led by an Associate Director of Conservation (ADC), are Conservationists, GIS, Order of the Arrow Trail Crew (OATC), Environmental Education (R.O.C.S., Trail Crew Trek), and Work Crew. | |||
Conservationists live in staff camps and lead conservation projects for treks passing through their camp. The GIS staff map trails, campsites, and other features of the Philmont Backcountry. OATC leads Order of the Arrow members on a two week experience — one week building trail and one week on a trek of the participants' design (not a standard pre-determined itinerary). ROCS instructors lead both male and female crews on a 21 day experience that encompasses most of Philmont and the Valle Vidal, in which participants are taught over 20 structured lessons including, but not limited to, conservation techniques, hydrology, geology, dendrology, land management practices, ecology, and soil science. Trail Crew Trek instructors lead participants on a fourteen-day education experience rooted in service through conservation. Participants build trail for seven days and then go on a seven-day trek anchored in conservation and environmental science education. Finally, Work Crews are staff groups who are responsible for maintaining and sometimes creating campsites and trails. | |||
Also see: ] | |||
Also see: ] | |||
===Order of the Arrow Trail Crew=== | |||
A 14-day program for ] (OA) members between the ages of 16 and 20, inclusively, allowing participants to work on various conservation projects around the ranch before embarking on a self-devised, week-long trek. | |||
In Trail Crew, participants are led by Foremen, employed by the Philmont Conservation Department, and spend the first week of the program building a trail to be used by the thousands of scouts and scouters who visit the ranch each year. | |||
On the trek, participants have the opportunity to enjoy the ranch which they have given service to, and take part in many program activities. Trail Crew is very popular because of the unique experience which it provides and its attractive price tag. Compared to a regular Philmont trek, OATC is $200 (plus transportation), and is used by many Scouts as a way to get to Philmont at a much more affordable price. Although the program is inexpensive, many OA lodges and sections will give scholarships to Arrowmen in need of assistance with the program or travel costs. | |||
===Trail Crew Trek=== | |||
A fourteen-day educational program that enables participants to begin working towards the prestigious William T. Hornaday Conservation Award. The award was initiated in 1914 to inspire Scouts to become involved in conservation and environmental stewardship. Since its inception, only 1,100 Scouts have earned this award. Trail Crew Trek involves seven days of building trail, a seven day educational trek throughout Philmont, hands-on experience with a variety of conservation projects on the ranch, and visits from guest speakers involved in conservation and resource management. | |||
The Roving Outdoor Conservation School (ROCS), started in 2000, is a twenty-one day trek program that is open to males and females between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one. ROCS is an educational backpacking experience rooted in conservation and environmental science education. Throughout the trek participants have lessons rooted in environmental science, visits from guest speakers, and the opportunity to work on conservation projects with the Philmont Conservation Department and the U.S. Forest Service in the Valle Vidal Unit of the ]. While on the trail participants learn about ecology, botany, dendrology, geology, hydrology, forestry, soil science, fire ecology, environmental policy, ] principles, ], conservation techniques, and wildlife, range, and land management practices. Participants tackle conservation projects ranging from trailbuilding to meadow encroachment to timber stand improvement to erosion control to streambed restoration. Participants are exposed to the land management challenges facing the West, as well as the rest of America. The program focuses on empowering participants so that they may transfer what they learn on the trail to their lives back home.<ref name="ROCS">{{cite news |last1=Wendell |first1=Bryan |title=Tell your Scouts about ROCS and TCT, two of Philmont's best-kept secrets |url=https://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2015/05/08/tell-your-scouts-about-rocs-and-tct-two-of-philmonts-best-kept-secrets/ |work=Aaron on Scouting |publisher=Scouting Magazine |date=2015-05-08}}</ref> | |||
===Ranger Department=== | ===Ranger Department=== | ||
] | ] | ||
] | |||
Rangers are responsible for ensuring that all participants know all required skills and procedures needed for backcountry treks.<ref></ref> They generally will also hike along with crews on the 12-day treks for the first two days on the trail, during which time they teach and observe the crew. They are also responsible for maintaining a ready search-and-rescue team at all times for use on Philmont property or in surrounding areas. The Ranger Department also consists of Mountain Trek Rangers, who are responsible for taking out the week-long Mountain Treks associated with the Philmont Training Center. | |||
The Ranger Department was founded in 1957 by Clarence E. Dunn, Jack Rhea and Dr. Ray Loomis, the former of which served as chief ranger for 14 years. Rangers are responsible for ensuring that all participants know all required skills and procedures needed for backcountry treks, and for coaching the youth leadership to help them develop their skills and confidence and have a successful trek.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.scouting.org/HighAdventure/Philmont/Camping/organize.aspx|title=Organize Your Crew|access-date=May 9, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080801215354/http://www.scouting.org/highadventure/philmont/camping/organize.aspx|archive-date=August 1, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> They hike along with crews on the 12-day treks for the first two days on the trail, during which time they teach and observe the crew. They are also responsible for ] on Philmont property and in surrounding areas. The Ranger Department also includes Mountain Trek Rangers who lead the week-long Mountain Treks that originate in the Philmont Training Center. | |||
Rangers are overseen by Ranger Trainers, who are experienced staffers who have finished at least one (usually two or more) season as a Ranger. Ranger Trainers, often referred to as "RTs," are responsible for training and supervising Rangers. RTs typically oversee 8-10 Rangers (organized in a Training Crew) and are themselves expected to take out two backpacking crews per summer. | |||
] | |||
The Ranger Department was founded in 1957. During the summer of 2007, the Philmont Staff Association coordinated a 50th Anniversary Ranger Reunion at the ranch. Over 300 former Rangers attended this event. | |||
During summer 2010 the Ranger Department consisted of approximately 250 members,{{fact|date=May 2011}} including the Ranger Trainers and members of "upper leadership" (program coordinators, Associate Chief Rangers, and the Chief Ranger). There were 26 Ranger Training Crews and a rotating contingent of Rangers from the three largest ], as well as a small group of Mountain Trek Rangers. | |||
Ranger Trainers, experienced staff who have finished one or more seasons as a Ranger, train and supervise Rangers. Each trainer oversees from 8-10 Rangers in a Ranger Training Crew and are expected to lead two backpacking crews per summer. In the summer of 2013 there were roughly 240 people in the Ranger Department, organized into 25 training crews. Upper ranger leadership consists of coordinators for the Rayado, Mountain Trek, Service Academy, and scheduling programs, four Associate Chief Rangers, and the Chief Ranger. During the summer of 2007, the Philmont Staff Association coordinated a 50th Anniversary Ranger Reunion at the ranch. Over 300 former Rangers attended this event. | |||
===Rayado Program=== | |||
A prestigious and very strenuous twenty-day program. Scouts are challenged physically, mentally, and spiritually. Rayado crews, each accompanied by two of the Ranger Department's selected members, are put together by Philmont staff and consist of people from different parts of the country. A person may only be a Rayado participant once, a Ranger may only be assigned to a Rayado crew once, and staff members are disqualified from participation in Rayado treks. | |||
===Ranch Hands=== | ===Ranch Hands=== | ||
A program in which young men and women can earn an eight day ] trek at Philmont by participating in an eight day work session. Participants work with the Horse Department staff taking care of Philmont's 250 head of horses and 80 head of burros. Participants help by hauling hay and feed, saddling horses, helping keep the horses shod, and assisting on Philmont trail rides. The work can be strenuous and requires top physical and mental conditioning. After the eight day work session, the Ranch Hands crew gathers together and embarks on an eight day Cavalcade under the leadership of a Horseman and Wrangler. | |||
A program in which young men and women can earn a discounted eight-day ] trek at Philmont by participating in an eight-day work session. Participants work with the Horse Department staff taking care of Philmont's 250 head of horses and 80 head of burros. Participants help by hauling hay and feed, saddling horses, helping keep the horses shod, and assisting on Philmont trail rides. The work can be strenuous and requires top physical and mental conditioning. After the eight-day work session, the Ranch Hands crew gathers together and embarks on an eight-day Cavalcade under the leadership of a Horseman and Wrangler.<ref name="ranchhands">{{cite web |title=Ranch Hands |url=https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/philmonttreks/individualprograms/ranchhands |website=philmontscoutranch.org |access-date=2023-06-20}}</ref> | |||
===National Advanced Youth Leader Experience (NAYLE)=== | |||
A high-intensity Boy Scout leadership course taught exclusively at Philmont Scout Ranch. It is based on backcountry high adventure skills and began in the summer of 2006. The course is available to Boy Scouts age 14 through 17 who have completed their local council ] (NYLT) course, or the local council's former JLT training course, and will be held during six one-week sessions. Based at Philmont's Rocky Mountain Scout Camp and taught at various locations across Philmont Scout Ranch, NAYLE replaces the National Junior Leader Instructor Camp (NJLIC), known in its last year as the National Youth Leader Instructor Camp (NYLIC). Unlike NYLIC, NAYLE is not intended to specifically train staffers for local NYLT courses. The program hones youth leadership skills through ethical decision making and participation in Philmont Ranger backcountry training. The program is strongly grounded in the philosophy of ]. | |||
===National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience=== | |||
====Program components==== | |||
{{Main|National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience }} | |||
:* Patrol planning and goal setting | |||
National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE) is a high-intensity Boy Scout leadership course taught at Philmont Scout Ranch. It is based on backcountry high adventure skills and began in the summer of 2006 replacing the previous National Junior Leader Instructor Course. The course is available to Boy Scouts and Venturers aged 14 through 20 who have completed their local council ] (NYLT) course and is held during six one-week sessions.<ref name="NAYLE FAQ">{{cite web | url=http://www.nayle.org/faq.html | title=Frequently Asked Questions | access-date=November 9, 2012}}</ref> Based at Philmont's Rayado Ridge Leadership Camp and taught at various locations across Philmont Scout Ranch, the program hones youth leadership skills through ethical decision making and participation in Philmont Ranger backcountry training. | |||
:* ] | |||
:* ] | |||
:* ] Camping | |||
:* ] Land Navigation | |||
:* ] (SAR) Methods | |||
:* ] | |||
=== |
===Historic programs=== | ||
* ''']s''' are similar to standard treks, but are conducted on horseback. The packing restrictions are even more intense than a regular trek as participants are only allowed two standard sleeping bag stuff sacks to pack everything into, including their sleeping bags. The participants focus more on horse care than on other programs at the camp, though they still do take part in many other activities. Calvalcades last only 7 days total, with 2 days being in base camp. | |||
* '''Mountain Treks''' are a 6 day backpacking experience for youth ] participants. | |||
* The ''']''' (ROCS) teaches participants about ecology, conservation techniques, and trail construction methods. ROCS also is noted for being the only program to eat regular food while on the trail, instead of the normal freeze dried food. | |||
* ''']''' program | |||
* ''']''' is a winter program similar to ]'s ]. | |||
* Guided activities such as fishing, winter camping, and skiing, are offered throughout the year. | |||
===Historic programs=== | |||
====Philbreak==== | ====Philbreak==== | ||
The Philbreak program ran from 2003 to 2009, and returned in 2019. It was an "alternative spring break" program started in 2003 to help restore Philmont Scout Ranch after devastating forest fires. From 2004 to 2007, the participants worked on the Urraca Trail, which is intended as a day hike for those attending the Philmont Training Center. Participants in the seven-day program were expected to work eight- or nine-hour days in all types of conditions. The program took place during three separate weeks during March. Participants also had an opportunity to take a ski break at ]. In 2008, the design of the program switched to mirror that of Philmont's Kanik. Participants spent three days and two nights in Philmont's backcountry as well as provided service on the final day. The program ended in 2010. In 2019, after the ] in 2018, Philbreak returned with four week-long sessions in March to help with fire mitigation.<ref name="Philbreak">{{cite web |title=Philbreak|url=https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/philmonttreks/secondseasonprograms/philbreak/|website=philmontscoutranch.org |access-date=2023-06-20}}</ref> | |||
==Philmont facilities== | |||
==Awards== | |||
By meeting the challenge of Philmont, participants are considered to be worthy of awards. The awards represent the Philmont experience that can never be sold or traded; only earned. | |||
] | |||
=== |
===Camps=== | ||
<!--{{Main|Philmont Scout Ranch camps}} --> | |||
:An individual camper award is presented by their adult advisor when they have: | |||
] | |||
:* Attended opening campfire--"The New Mexico Story." | |||
Philmont operates from one large base camp, including Camping Headquarters, the ], the Philmont Training Center and ], fire response facilities, cattle headquarters, and an administration area.<ref name=philranch>{{Cite web|url=https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/|title=Home|website=Philmont Scout Ranch}}</ref> During the 2012 season there were 34 staffed camps and 77 unstaffed or "trail camps". Only some trail camps have a potable water source. Camps without water are referred to as "dry camps". Most of Philmont's camps are about {{convert|2|mi}} apart. Old camps are closed or relocated and new camps are opened every few years. Some camp sites are closed due to changing safety protocols. For example, camps were once located on top of Urraca Mesa and in the Baldy Saddle but these are unlikely to reopen because the locations are at risk for lightning strikes.{{cn|date=April 2024}} | |||
:* Completed a Philmont-approved itinerary with your crew. | |||
:* Completed three hours of staff supervised conservation work or a camp improvement project on Philmont and took advantage of every opportunity to learn about and improve our ecology, and practiced the art of outdoor living in ways that mnimize pollution of soil, water, and air. | |||
:* Fulfilled the personal commitment to the Wilderness Pledge. | |||
:* Live the Scout Oath and Law | |||
== |
==Philmont traditions== | ||
:All Philmont itineraries can qualify crew members for the 50-Miler award as it relates to distance. 3 of the 10 required service hours must be done at Philmont. The award is secured through participant's local council service center.{{fact|date=May 2011}} | |||
===Philmont Hymn=== | |||
==="We All Made It" plaque (WAMI Award)=== | |||
The "Philmont Hymn" is the ranch's official song and was written by John Benton Westfall (1928-May 9, 2009) in 1947 when he was 19. Westfall was the lone staffer at Visto Grande (then called Cimarron Bench Camp) at the time. Westfall, who at the time was a student at ] wrote the song on a trip home to Kansas on a train from Philmont influenced by the "click-click, click-click" of the tracks. He later became a professional Scouter in Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma and worked as a salesman for Phillips Petroleum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.philstaff.org/2009/05/in-memory-john-westfall/|title=In Memory: John Westfall|first=Douglas|last=Fasching|date=May 10, 2009}}</ref> | |||
:An award presented by Philmont to each crew (leader) that: | |||
:* Demonstrated good camping practices and Scouting spirit. | |||
:* Followed an approved itinerary and camped only where scheduled. | |||
:* Fulfilled the commitment to the Wilderness Pledge. | |||
:* Took advantage of every opportunity to learn about and improve our ecology, and practiced the art of outdoor living in ways that minimize pollution of soil, water, and air. | |||
<blockquote><poem>Silver on the sage, | |||
==="Wilderness Pledge Guia (Guide)=== | |||
Starlit skies above, | |||
:Philmont has asked each participant to sign the Philmont Wilderness Pledge which declares that he or she will do everything possible to preserve the beauty and wonder of the Philmont Wilderness and our neighbor's properties through good Scout Camping. | |||
Aspen-covered hills, | |||
:Eligibility: | |||
Country that I love.'' | |||
:# Youth Crew members and adults are eligible to participate in the program. | |||
:Program: | |||
:# Take part in the Ranger lead training for the Philmont Wilderness Pledge and Leave No Trace. | |||
:# Follow all Pilmont Camping Practices as outlined by the Ranger throughout the trek. | |||
:# Practice all Philmont Bear and Wildlife procedures throughout the trek. | |||
:# Take part in the seven trail discussions with your crew hat will focus on one of the seven principles of Leave No Trace and find examples of the focus principle during that day of the trek. | |||
:# Complete three hours of conservation work under the direction of a member of the Philmont Staff. (This requirement is also one of the requirements to earn the Philmont Arrowhead Patch. These hours count for both awards.) | |||
Philmont, here's to thee, | |||
] | |||
Scouting paradise, | |||
Out in God's country, | |||
Tonight.'' | |||
Wind in whispering pines, | |||
===Duty to God Award=== | |||
Eagle soaring high, | |||
Under the guidance of a crew chaplain's aide, each participant in a trek may work to fulfill the requirements of the Duty to God Award. Requirements include attendance at a religious service, participation in at least three daily devotionals and leading Grace before a meal. | |||
Purple mountains rise, | |||
Against an azure sky.'' | |||
Philmont, here's to thee, | |||
Scouting paradise, | |||
===Camps=== | |||
Out in God's country, | |||
{{Dablink|For an article covering each individual camp, see ].}} | |||
Tonight.</poem></blockquote> | |||
] | |||
Philmont now operates from one large base camp. For the 2007 season there were 34 staffed camps and 65 unstaffed camps, known as "trail camps". Trail camps may, or may not have a nearby water source. Those without water are referred to as "Dry Camps". Philmont's camps are generally set no more than a couple of miles apart. Every few years new camps are created, such as the House Canyon Trail Camp in 2007, and camps are closed or relocated, for instance Comanche Camp was relocated in 2006 due to flooding. Currently there are in excess of 25 closed camps, many of which will never re-open as a result of evolving safety protocols. For instance camps once located on top of Urraca Mesa, or in the Baldy Saddle will likely never reopen as their locations posed lightning risks. | |||
=== |
===Philmont Grace=== | ||
{{main|Wilderness Grace}} | |||
Base Camp is the center of all Philmont administration, ingress, and egress. Most of its area is occupied by Camping Headquarters; ancillary facilities include the ] (devoted to ]'s ] and other works), the ] and ], the fire response facilities, the cattle headquarters, and the administration area.<ref>{{dead link|date=December 2010}}</ref> Its population exceeds that of Cimarron on most nights of the summer, according to the hiker's pamphlet. Mark Anderson is the current head of programs. | |||
The "Philmont Grace" (also known as the Worth Ranch Grace or simply the ]) is a prayer recited before meals at many Boy Scout camps and events around the U.S. It was originally written in 1929 by A. J. Fulkerson, Camp Director at Worth Ranch Scout Camp in ], Texas.<ref name="Normand">{{Cite book |last=Normand |first=Pete |title=Palo Pinto Campfires |date=1980 |publisher=Split Rock Press |location=Fort Worth, TX |pages=107–108| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=zvnOXwAACAAJ}}</ref> | |||
] over the Philmont entrance sign at Base Camp, a famous tradition. During the summer of 2009, the sign was hit by a bus and subsequently removed.|170px|right]] | |||
Its primary facilities are: | |||
* The Welcome Center, a large pavilion, which serves as a waiting area for crews arriving or departing from the ranch, as well as crews leaving or returning on a trek. The Welcome Center's small office offers check-in instructions and general information. | |||
* Camp Administration/Logistical Services, which manage registration and orchestrate all the ranch's operations. | |||
* Two dining halls, one for campers and one for staff. | |||
* Services, a large L-shaped building whose facilities include: | |||
** Rental and return of gear and issuance of trail food | |||
** Lockers, where crews may store anything they have brought but do not want to take on the trail | |||
** A post office, which handles mail for staff and crew members | |||
* The Health Lodge. Health officers communicate with backcountry staff by radio, and can dispatch Suburbans to retrieve patients if necessary. | |||
* Tooth of Time Traders, which sells all manner of camping and backpacking gear as well as a large selection of souvenirs. | |||
* The Snack Bar, in the same building at the trading post, which sells a variety of snack foods, beverages, and ice cream. | |||
* Four chapels of four different faiths: ], ], ], and ]. Each chapel holds services every evening, and most incoming and some outgoing crews attend these. | |||
* Three tent cities: Trailbound, Homebound, and Staff. Each contains several showerhouses. The staff tent city's capacity is roughly 900, though it is rarely full; Trailbound and Homebound each hold between 400 and 500 trekkers. | |||
The version of the grace, as it is used at Philmont, is: | |||
====Trail camps==== | |||
A trail camp is a camp without a permanent staff presence. Trail camps always contain several campsites, but they can be spread out over half a mile of trail or more, so that there is no sense of crowding. Each trail camp is identified by a map, attached to a tree or the side of a latrine at every trail which passes through it. | |||
<blockquote><poem>For food, for raiment, | |||
Individual campsites are marked by: | |||
For life, for opportunity, | |||
* A wooden sign nailed to a tree which indicates the campsite number. Signs are not supposed to be touched by anyone, in order to preserve them. | |||
For friendship and fellowship, | |||
* A metal ]. This may be used for small fires unless a fire ban is in place, which is often the case, given Philmont's dry climate. | |||
We thank Thee, O Lord. Amen.</poem></blockquote> | |||
* A ]. This is an L-shaped plastic pipe, with a two-foot vertical section and a ten-foot horizontal section perforated like a sieve. Most of it is underground, and the top is capped with a piece of mesh.<ref></ref> Sumps are used to dispose of dirty dishwater. | |||
* Several campsites usually share a bear cable away from the campsite. This is a metal cable strung between two sturdy trees at least ten feet above the ground; it is used to hang ]s containing items that might attract animals. | |||
]s hikers will find on their trek]] | |||
* Several campsites also share a latrine or toilet. Philmont latrines have the possibility of housing spiders below the seat, which is why campers are encouraged to remove possible pests on the underside of the boards with a stick. The latrines come in numerous configurations, but all of them are for excrement only, and are not to be urinated in, in order to reduce smell: | |||
** The open-air style with two adjacent seats is affectionately called the "pilot to copilot" design; this results from the joking conversation which often takes place between two campers using the toilet simultaneously. | |||
** The other open-air configuration, called the "pilot to bombardier", is generally preferred because its two seats are back-to-back and offer somewhat more privacy than the "pilot to copilot". | |||
** Occasionally a "single pilot" - one open-air seat — may be found. | |||
** The enclosed configuration, with walls and a red roof, is known as a Red Roof Inn. Older Red Roof Inns contain two adjacent seats and no door, while newer models have two back-to-back seats, with a wall between. | |||
** "Time Machines" (also called port-a-pots) are very rare to find in the backcountry, only found in places such as French Henry. | |||
== |
==Natural disasters== | ||
===1960 tornado=== | |||
] | |||
On June 25, 1960, a ] F0 ] swept through Philmont's base camp area, downing about 300 tents located on a flat near Ranch Headquarters and depositing camping gear over Tooth of Time Ridge. Four 1960 National Jamboree troops from New Mexico—Troops 78, 79, 80 and 82—had gathered at Philmont for a shakedown camp. Three other New Mexico troops had gone to Camp Zia for their shakedown. The troops each had 32 boys, two Assistant Scoutmasters and one Scoutmaster. Troops were camping in wall tents which they had decorated before going to the Jamboree. Each wall tent had a wooden frame with a thick wooden roof pole for support. The boys were learning how to cook over charcoal fires and the fires had just been started for the evening meal. The twister arrived without warning. As the wind suddenly increased, boys ran to secure the tents, but to no avail. The winds swept up tents, fires, men and boys, rolling nearby automobiles and leveling the camp. Injuries included broken bones, blunt force injuries from flying debris—including shattered roof poles—and burns from charcoal fires and equipment ignited by the fires. The twister also leveled a nearly completed cinder block chapel. After the passage of the storm, gear and equipment could be seen in the funnel cloud as it left the area. Camping equipment was found as far as 14 miles away from the campsite and was recovered by ranch hands. Boys were housed for the night in other facilities, and the next day boys passed among piles of recovered equipment to reclaim what they could.<ref>J. K. Byrne, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 79; information taken from 1960 Jamboree Bulletins #7 and #8, F. A. Dunn Jamboree Chairman, and Troop 79 Roster dated April 5, 1960 R. H. Carlson Scoutmaster Troop 79</ref> Although there were no fatalities, 33 Boy Scouts and a Scout leader received injuries.<ref>(1) {{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202083001/https://www.weather.gov/abq/svrwxclimo_fat_inj|archive-date=December 2, 2019|url=https://www.weather.gov/abq/svrwxclimo_fat_inj|title=4. Philmont Scout Ranch|work=Top 10 Deadliest/Injurious Tornadoes Since 1950 (New Mexico)|location=]|publisher=]: ]: ]|access-date=December 2, 2019}}<br>(2) {{cite book|first1=Randall M.|last1=MacDonald|first2=Gene|last2=Lamm|first3=Sarah E.|last3=MacDonald|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wmeCYsNft98C&pg=PA120|title=Chapter 8: Philmont|work=Images of America: Cimarrón and Philmont|page=120|year=2012|location=]|publisher=]|access-date=December 2, 2019|lccn=2011943058|isbn=9780738595276|oclc=769988255|via=]|quote=Cimmaron and Philmont have withstood their share of severe weather. A fierce tornado struck base camp on June 25, 1960, leveling camper tent city and a chapel, before depositing camping gear over the Tooth of Time Ridge.}}</ref> | |||
Many camps have several live-in staff members who are in charge of the camp's "program", which consists of a wide variety of activities. Camps often carry a historical or modern theme, such as logging (Crater Lake and Pueblano), mining or blacksmithing (French Henry, Cypher's Mine, and Black Mountain), fur trapping and mountain man life (Miranda, Clear Creek), challenge events (Dan Beard, Head of Dean, and Urraca) or western lore (Beaubien, Clark's Fork, or Ponil). The program in a camp is run by staff known as Program Counselors. These Program Counselors are supervised by a Camp Director. | |||
===1965 flash flood=== | |||
Specific program activities include ] rifle loading and shooting, ] shooting and reloading, ] shooting, trail rides on horseback, ] packing and racing, rock climbing (on artificial towers as well as actual rock faces at Miner's Park, Cimarroncito and Dean Cow), tomahawk throwing, ], ] training, mountain bicycling, Mexican homesteading, blacksmithing, goldpanning, obstacle courses, archeological sites, spar pole climbing, and a variety of campfires and evening programs. | |||
On June 17, 1965, a large ] occurred at Philmont. Heavy rain throughout the area caused waters in Rayado Canyon and the ] to rise to extreme levels;<ref name="PhilNews">{{cite web | title = The flood of '15: Philmont comes together |publisher=PhilNews|date= 24 July 2015| url = http://www.philmontscoutranch.org/filestore/philmont/pdf/Philnews_2015/2015PhilNews_7.pdf | access-date = 2016-01-14 }}</ref> up to 12.42 feet at the highest.<ref>{{cite web | title = CIMARRON RIVER (NM) ABOVE CIMARRON |publisher=]| url = http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=abq&gage=CMMN5 | access-date = 2016-01-14 }}</ref> After June 17, water levels gradually decreased over the course of several days.<ref>{{cite book |date= 2012|title= Cimarrón and Philmont|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=wmeCYsNft98C&q=flood&pg=PA120 |publisher= ]|page= 120|isbn=978-0-7385-9527-6}}</ref> The impacts of the flood included the destruction of several campsites<ref name="PhilNews"/> and the loss of many old photographs and documents kept at Philmont,<ref>{{cite web | title = "Philmont" Filmmaker Back at Ranch |publisher=PhilNews|last=McNair|first=Ben|date= 14 July 2011| url = http://www.scouting.org/filestore/philmont/pdf/Philnews_2011/PhilNews201106.pdf | access-date = 2016-01-14 }}</ref> however no injuries or deaths resulted from the flood.<ref>{{cite book |last= Spears|first= Mit|date= September 1965|title= Boys' Life: Scouting Death Valley|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=EsRugrzjGSwC&q=flood&pg=PA4 |publisher= ]|page= 4}}</ref> The flood occurred during an ] year.<ref>{{cite web|title= El Niño and La Niña Years and Intensities | publisher=Golden Gate Weather Service|last=Null|first=Jan|date= 4 January 2016|url= http://ggweather.com/enso/oni.htm | access-date=2016-01-15}}</ref> | |||
===Ponil Complex Fire=== | |||
Most staffed camps contain several campsites of the same sort which appear in trail camps (with the exception of French Henry); however, the primary distinguishing factor is the presence of one or several cabins. There is always a main cabin, where an arriving crew is given a "porch talk" by one of the staff members. This includes information about available program, location of trash receptacles, and other timely information such as the presence of "problem bears." Camps in the ] (Seally Canyon, Ring Place and Whitman Vega) have ]s, large circular semi-permanent tents which allow for bear defense but may be removed in the off-season in the interest of ] camping, rather than cabins. | |||
The Ponil Complex Fire started on June 2, 2002 and burned until June 17. The burn zone covered {{convert|92000|acre|km2}} total; {{convert|28000|acre|km2}} of Philmont, {{convert|4000|acre|km2}} of the Elliott Barker Wildlife Area, {{convert|25000|acre|km2}} of the Valle Vidal, {{convert|20000|acre|km2}} of the WS Ranch and {{convert|15000|acre|km2}} of the UU Bar Ranch. One third of the burn zone was totally burned while another third was only lightly to moderately burned. About one third of the burn zone escaped relatively unharmed, due to being sections of valleys that the fire jumped over or being not as dried out and likely to burn because of nearby water.<ref name="ponil">{{Cite web|url=https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/9693/middle-ponil-complex-fire-new-mexico|title=Middle Ponil Complex Fire, New Mexico|date=2002-06-06|website=earthobservatory.nasa.gov|language=en|access-date=2020-04-09}}</ref> | |||
Most staffed camps have a swap box—a box in which crews may place unwanted food and take anything they might desire. Predictably, swap boxes tend to fill up with foods that people tend not to like, get too much of, or food no one wants to carry. | |||
The burn zone is currently revegetating, some areas of which were reseeded while others began recovering naturally. | |||
With several exceptions, staffed camps accept garbage (not trash), send and receive mail, and offer purified water. The exceptions are those camps which have no road access or where the camps receive their supply shipments by burro. All staffed camps also contain ]s, by which staff members can communicate with Logistical Services, the Health Lodge, or each other. The radio is used for all manner of communication, including notifications of the movements of the ranch's various vehicles, logistical inquiries between camps and Base, major and minor medical issues, and a nightly itinerary read-out which often includes world news and a weather forecast. The ranch's non-stationary staff are assigned unit numbers, by which they identify themselves on the radio. The ranch also employs a variety of esoteric radio ]s for rapid communication. | |||
===2015 flash flood=== | |||
In all, there are 34 staffed camps currently at Philmont Scout Ranch, by name: Abreu, Apache Springs, Baldy Town, Beaubien, Black Mountain, Carson Meadows, Cimarroncito, Clark's Fork, Clear Creek, Crater Lake, Crooked Creek, Cypher's Mine, Dan Beard, Dean Cow, Fish Camp, French Henry, Harlan, Head of Dean, Hunting Lodge, Indian Writings, Miner's Park, Miranda, Phillips Junction, Ponil, Pueblano, Rayado, Rich Cabins, Ring Place, Sawmill, Seally Canyon, Urraca, Ute Gulch, Whitman Vega, Zastrow. | |||
] | |||
{{Main|2015 Philmont Scout Ranch flash flood}} | |||
On the morning of June 27, 2015, heavy ] occurred in a great portion of Philmont, causing a flash flood. The flood also affected some other nearby areas in Colfax County that morning, including ]s and small towns around Philmont. One youth Scout, Alden Brock, who was situated in a campsite within the staff camp Indian Writings, drowned while being swept away by the flood and died. Brock's death received nationwide attention, especially from the Scouting community.<ref name="details">{{cite news | title = Details of deadly flash flood that killed Boy Scout raise questions of oversight |newspaper=]|last=Chacón|first=Daniel|date= 26 September 2015| url = http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/details-of-deadly-flash-flood-raise-questions-of-oversight/article_ba4cd170-af60-5eb7-a7af-22f77c9a41b8.html | accessdate = 2016-01-15 }}</ref> | |||
===Commissaries=== | |||
A commissary is a small warehouse which is stocked by weekly truck shipments with trail food for campers, real food for backcountry staff, and various other supplies. Sometimes there is a small room in the warehouse that holds a trading post, which sells a small variety of odds and ends, including postcards, postage, and games, along with repair kits, ] for crews' stoves, and other backpacking necessities. A crew typically stops by a commissary every 3–4 days in order to limit the quantity of consumables carried by the crew at any given point. Food is initially issued by the Services building in Base Camp, and is resupplied at the commissaries. | |||
===Ute Park Fire=== | |||
===Philmont Museum and Seton Memorial Library=== | |||
{{Main|Ute Park Fire}} | |||
] | |||
On May 31, 2018, a ] started one mile east of the community ]. The cause remains under investigation. By the morning of June 1, the Ute Park Fire had almost doubled in size to {{Convert|8000|acre|km2|0}}, burning entirely on private land, including Philmont Scout Ranch.<ref name="PhilmontFire">{{cite web|url=http://philmontscoutranch.org/about/fireinformation.aspx|title=Fire Information|website=Philmont Scout Ranch|access-date=July 1, 2018|archive-date=July 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704035749/http://philmontscoutranch.org/About/FireInformation.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> Twelve structures at Philmont, all unoccupied and non-residential, were reported as burned.<ref name="PhilmontFire" /> All backcountry treks at Philmont Scout Ranch for the entire 2018 summer season were cancelled,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://krtnradio.com/2018/07/05/philmont-scout-ranch-announces-closure-for-2018-summer-season/|title=PHILMONT SCOUT RANCH ANNOUNCES CLOSURE FOR 2018 SUMMER SEASON – KRTN Enchanted Air Radio}}</ref> though PTC courses—including the ]—remained in session.<ref>{{cite web |title=2018 Conferences |url=http://www.philmontscoutranch.org/PTC/ConferencesE.aspx |website=www.philmontscoutranch.org |access-date=10 September 2018}}</ref> The fire burned a total of 26,000 acres at Philmont, damaging 200 campsites.<ref>{{cite web|last=Leggette|first=Shellye|date=Aug 27, 2019|title=Record breaking camper numbers at Philmont Scout Ranch one year after Ute Park Fire|url=https://www.koat.com/article/record-breaking-camper-numbers-at-philmont-scout-ranch-one-year-after-ute-park-fire/28838018|website=KOAT Action News|access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref> | |||
Philmont is also home to the '''Philmont Museum and Seton Memorial Library''', which offers exhibits relating to the ranch's history and the history, art, and natural history of the Philmont area. The ] Memorial Library is a research library containing Seton's personal collection and an extensive collection of volumes pertaining to western lore and the history of the area. Crews at the beginning or end of their trek can come here to sign up for a tour of the ]. | |||
=== |
=== Cooks Peak Fire === | ||
On April 17, 2022, a ] started 10 miles south of the Kit Carson Museum at ]. Heavily impacted areas of the fire include northern Mora County and southern Colfax County. The cause still remains under investigation. Zastrow Cabin, which was located in Philmont's south country, was destroyed. Philmont staff along with wildland firefighter personnel have wrapped the Fish camp Cabin, as well as other buildings within the south country.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cooks Peak Fire Updates |url=https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/cooks-peak-fire-updates/ |access-date=2022-04-29 |website=Philmont Scout Ranch |language=en-US }}{{Dead link|date=February 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The fire was largely contained before the season began, allowing crews to proceed with their treks as normal. | |||
The '''Kit Carson Museum''' is a ] that operates in the summer in ], located {{convert|7|mi|km}} south of Philmont's headquarters. Interpreters demonstrate 1850s period frontier skills and crafts including blacksmithing, cooking, shooting and farming. The museum also features exhibits about frontiersmen ] and ], who founded a colony at Rayado. | |||
==Notable former staff== | ==Notable former staff== | ||
* ] |
* ] – Ranger in the 1970s and Director of Conservation; first American to summit ] in 1990.{{Citation needed|date=November 2012}} | ||
* ] |
* ] – Ranger in 1961; also served on the Philmont Ranch Committee,<ref> {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101006123912/http://www.nesa.org/eagletter/2007-W.pdf |date=October 6, 2010 }} National Eagle Scout Association, Eagletter Winter 2008</ref><ref>High Country – Philmont Staff Association – October 2007</ref> Later a record-breaking aviator. | ||
* ] |
* ] – 1949 guide (forerunner to the Rangers),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.defense.gov/|title=U.S. Department of Defense|website=U.S. Department of Defense}}</ref> later ]. | ||
*] – Wrangler from 1974–1976; cowboy and later a nationally recognized singer.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://przen.com/pr/rw-hampton-named-2018-recipient-of-philmont-staff-associations-distinguished-staff-alumni-award-przen-33251720|title=R.W. Hampton Named 2018 Recipient of Philmont Staff Association's Distinguished Staff Alumni Award|website=PrZen}}</ref> | |||
*] – Ranger in 1980; US Air Force General and 21st ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.philstaff.org/membership/academy-rangers/service-academy-gen-david-goldfein/|title=General David Goldfein | |||
|website=PhilStaff}}</ref> | |||
==Astronaut training== | |||
] | |||
] and the ] used the site to geologically train the ] in June 1964. In the words of Phinney, the site was "...probably more like lunar geology." Training included recognizing "both ] and ] rocks, orientation with ]s, measuring and describing stratigraphic sections, ] measurements, recording of field notes ... and geophysical traverses that included taking measurements with ]s, ]s and ]s in an attempt to determine subsurface structure." Astronauts who would use this training on the Moon included ]'s ] and ], ]'s ] and ], ]'s ], and ]'s ]. Notable geologist instructors included G.D. Robinson.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Phinney |first1=William |title=Science Training History of the Apollo Astronauts |date=2015 |publisher=NASA SP -2015-626 |pages=58,186,220}}</ref> | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
* ] | |||
] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | * ] | ||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | * ] | ||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | * ] | ||
* ] | * ] | ||
* ] | |||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
==Further reading== | ==Further reading== | ||
{{Refbegin}} | |||
* William F. Cass, ''Return to the Summit of Scouting/a Scouter's Midlife Journey Back to Philmont,'' ISBN-0923568298, Wilderness Adventure Books, 1993. | |||
* {{cite book | publisher = Wilderness Adventure Books | last= Cass | first = William F. | date = 1993 | isbn = 0-923568-29-8 | title = Return to the Summit of Scouting/a Scouter's Midlife Journey Back to Philmont}} | |||
* William F. Cass, ''The Last Flight of Liberator 41-1133: The Lives, Times, Training & Loss of the Bomber Crew Which Crashed on Trail Peak at Philmont Scout Ranch,'' ISBN-0970297203, Winds Aloft Press, 2000. | |||
* {{cite book | publisher = Winds Aloft Press | last= Cass | first = William F. | date = 2000 | isbn = 0-9702972-0-3 | title = The Last Flight of Liberator 41-1133: The Lives, Times, Training & Loss of the Bomber Crew Which Crashed on Trail Peak at Philmont Scout Ranch}} | |||
* Stephen Zimmer & Larry Walker, ''Philmont: A Brief History of the New Mexico Scout Ranch,'' ISBN-0865342938, Sunstone Press, 2000. | |||
* |
* {{cite book | publisher = Merril Press| last= Connelly | first = Michael | date = 2001 | isbn = 0-936783-30-3 | title = Riders in the Sky: The Ghosts and Legends of Philmont Scout Ranch}} | ||
* {{cite book | publisher = TIBS Incorporated | last= Huffman | first = Minor S. Sr. | date = 1988 | isbn = 0-6852-7012-2 | title = High Adventure Among the Magic Mountains: Philmont, the First 50 Years}} | |||
* Lawrence R. Murphy, ''Philmont: A History of New Mexico's Cimarron Country,'' ISBN-0826302440, University of New Mexico Press, 1976. | |||
* {{cite book|first1=Randall M.|last1=MacDonald|first2=Gene|last2=Lamm|first3=Sarah E.|last3=MacDonald|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wmeCYsNft98C|title=Images of America: Cimarrón and Philmont|year=2012|location=]|publisher=]|access-date=December 2, 2019|lccn=2011943058|isbn=9780738595276|oclc=769988255|via=]}} | |||
* {{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/philmonthistoryo0000murp_d4p4|title=Philmont: A History of New Mexico's Cimarron Country|last=Murphy|first=Lawrence R.|year=1976|edition=2nd|location=]|publisher=]|isbn=0826304389|oclc=5396293|lccn=72076828|access-date=December 6, 2019|via=]}} | |||
==References== | |||
* {{cite book | publisher = Sunstone Press | last1= Zimmer | first1 = Stephen | first2 = Larry | last2= Walker| date = 2000 | isbn = 0-86534-293-8 | title = Philmont: A Brief History of the New Mexico Scout Ranch}} | |||
;Specific | |||
{{ |
{{Refend}} | ||
;General | |||
* {{dead link|date=December 2010}} | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
* {{cite web | url = http://www.philsearch.org | title = Philsearch: An interactive trek planner and virtual ranch tour}} | |||
{{Commons category|Philmont Scout Ranch}} | |||
* {{cite web | url = http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp_505 | title = USGS Professional Paper 505}} Geologic history of Philmont Scout Ranch | |||
{{Scoutorg BSA|locations}} | |||
===General=== | |||
{{Scouting}} | |||
* - official site | |||
{{Philmont Scout Ranch}} | |||
* , an unofficial site which contains some information and a basic message board | |||
{{Authority control}} | |||
* - Villa Philmont, Seton Memorial Library and Philmont Museum, Kit Carson Museum at Rayado | |||
* , official website of the Philmont Trading Post | |||
* , a ] covering all things Philmont | |||
* | |||
* - a message board and photo gallery for registered users to share information and experiences about Philmont and other Scouting high adventure. | |||
* , a geologic story of Philmont Scout Ranch made by the US Department of the Interior | |||
* A searchable database of Philmont trek itineraries and other information | |||
* First person interview conducted on May 5, 2009 with Elliot "Chope" and Virginia Phillips, son and daughter-in-law of Waite Phillips. Original audio and transcript archived with | |||
* http://www.philmontmovie.com/ The most comprehensive set of documentaries made about Philmont on DVD and Blu-ray. Hi lights the history and development of the Philmont and show the impact by following a crew through the peaks and valleys of their trek. | |||
] | |||
===Applications=== | |||
* and additional information | |||
* and additional information | |||
* and additional information | |||
===Staff=== | |||
* | |||
* , an archive of messages from mainly former staff members | |||
* | |||
===Other=== | |||
* collected by Selden Ball | |||
* of Philmont with points of interest marked. | |||
{{scouting|places}} | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | |||
] | ] | ||
] |
Latest revision as of 07:31, 8 January 2025
Large ranch for youth high adventure in New Mexico, US "Philmont" redirects here. For other uses, see Philmont (disambiguation).This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
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Philmont Scout Ranch | |||
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Black Bull, symbol of Philmont | |||
Owner | Boy Scouts of America | ||
Location | Cimarron, New Mexico | ||
Show map of the United StatesShow map of New Mexico | |||
Country | United States | ||
Coordinates | 36°27′15″N 104°57′21″W / 36.45417°N 104.95583°W / 36.45417; -104.95583 | ||
Founded | 1938 | ||
Founder | Waite Phillips | ||
Attendance | 35,054 campers (2013) | ||
| |||
Website philmontscoutranch | |||
Scouting portal |
Philmont Scout Ranch is a ranch located in Colfax County, New Mexico, United States, near the village of Cimarron; it covers 140,177 acres (56,728 ha) of wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the east side of the Cimarron Range of the Rocky Mountains. Donated by oil baron Waite Phillips and originally operated under the name "Philturn Rockymountain Scout Camp", the ranch is owned and operated by the Boy Scouts of America. It is a National High Adventure Base where crews of Scouts and Venturers take part in backpacking treks and other outdoor activities. By land area, it is one of the largest youth camps in the world. During the 2019 season, between June 8 and August 22, an estimated 24,000 Scouts and adult leaders backpacked through the Ranch's extensive backcountry. That same year 1,302 staff were responsible for the Ranch's summer operations.
Philmont is also home to the Philmont Training Center, the National Scouting Museum and the Seton Memorial Library. The Training Center is the primary location for BSA's national volunteer training programs. Philmont is a working ranch, maintaining small herds of cattle, horses, burros, and bison.
The only documented Tyrannosaurus rex track in the world was discovered within the camp's boundaries in 1993 in North Ponil Canyon by the Anasazi Trail Camp. It was formally identified in 1994.
There are three other high adventure camps that the BSA owns and maintains: the Northern Tier National High Adventure Bases in Minnesota, as well as Manitoba and Ontario in Canada; Florida National High Adventure Sea Base in the Florida Keys; and Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in southern West Virginia.
Location and geography
Main article: Geography and ecology of Philmont Scout RanchPhilmont is located in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico. The closest village is Cimarron, New Mexico. The address of the ranch is usually given as 17 Deer Run Rd., Cimarron, New Mexico, 87714. It is also about 20 miles (32 km) west-northwest of Springer, New Mexico, and 35 miles (56 km) southwest of Raton, New Mexico. Philmont is about 12 miles (19 km) across (east to west) at its widest point, and about 30 miles (48 km) long (north to south). There are no mountains to the south or east of Philmont. The interior of the ranch is mountainous but a small part of the eastern area is prairie.
Philmont's lowest point is the southeast corner at 6,500 feet (2,000 m) and its highest point is the peak of Baldy Mountain, located on the ranch's northwest boundary, at 12,441 feet (3,792 m). Aside from Baldy, the ranch contains a number of prominent peaks. The South Country is home to a series of six difficult peaks, namely Mount Phillips, Comanche Peak, Big Red, Bear Mountain, Black Mountain, and Schaefers Peak, as well as Trail Peak, which is popular for its nearness to Beaubien, and the wreckage of the crash of a B-24 bomber in 1942 near its summit. Of the ranch's various peaks with trail access, Black Mountain is widely considered the most difficult, followed closely by Baldy and Big Red.
The most recognizable landmark is the Tooth of Time at 9,003 feet (2,744 m), a dacite monolith protruding 500 feet (150 m) vertically from an east-west ridge. Tooth of Time Ridge, and the latitude line on which it sits, marks the boundary between the central and southern sections of Philmont. The boundary between the central and northern sections is around U.S. Route 64, which runs just south of the narrowest part of the 'I'-shape, which is only a few miles across. Other prominent landmarks on the ranch include Grizzly Tooth, Window Rock, Deer Lake Mesa, Wilson Mesa and Urraca Mesa.
History
Native Americans of the Jicarilla Apache tribe and Ute tribe once inhabited Philmont. A few Native American archaeological sites exist in the northern section nearby the 'Indian Writings' camp, and various camps seek to preserve Philmont's Native American heritage.
On April 22, 1942, a B-24 Liberator crashed into the side of Trail Peak. Some of the wreckage still remains, including a wing and propeller, and because of its location, it is the world's most visited airplane crash site.
Private ownership
The Santa Fe Trail crossed the plains just southwest of Philmont in the mid-1800s. The Tooth of Time owes its name to this trail; travelers knew that once they passed it, they had only one week to go until they reached Santa Fe, New Mexico. Philmont's strategic location along the trail spurred some interest in it. In 1841, Carlos Beaubien and Guadalupe Miranda obtained a large land grant from the Mexican government, including the present ranch. Soon the grant passed on to Beaubien's son-in-law Lucien Maxwell, who played an important role in developing and settling it. Maxwell sold the ranch to the Maxwell Land Grant and Railroad Company, which gave up and handed it on to a Dutch development company, which decided to parcel it out to ranchers.
One of the most prominent ranchers was Jesus Gil Abreu, who ran the Abreu Rayado Ranch from the 1870s till his death in 1901. Operating from the Rayado Settlement, he raised cattle, goats, and sheep and grew crops. The family owned this property until 1911, when they sold most of it off. One of the sons remained on the ranch near the site of Abreu, a present staffed camp, and his homestead was preserved for years. Eventually, the adobe structure was abandoned, and it collapsed. The foundation of this building now serves as the foundation for the Abreu cantina. The house was reconstructed in 1998 about 100 feet (30 m) uphill.
The history of mining at Philmont dates back to the years immediately after the Civil War. U.S. soldiers were stationed in the West after the war, as the U.S. Army was driving out the Native Americans. At Fort Union, some stationed soldiers traded with Native Americans for float copper. In 1866, the soldiers went up Baldy Mountain in search of this copper, but instead found gold. They could not stay to mine the gold due to the approaching winter, but by the time they returned in the spring, the area was overrun with prospectors. Scores of gold mines were excavated and operated into the early 20th century on what was once the Baldy Mining District, now modern day Philmont. Today, the Contention Mine, located at Cyphers Mine, and the Aztec Mine, located above French Henry, are open to guided tours.
Wealthy oil magnate and wilderness enthusiast Waite Phillips amassed a large part of the old land grant in the 1920s, totaling over 300,000 acres (1,200 km). Phillips built a large residence in the lowlands of Philmont. He turned the ranch into a private game reserve for himself and friends, and built a number of hunting lodges and day-use camps. He chose not to provide electricity at the remote camps. A few of these original camps, including Fish Camp and the Hunting Lodge, have been preserved, complete with wood-burning stoves, oil lamps, and unique design features indicative of Phillips's often eccentric taste.
Donated to Boy Scouts
Phillips sometimes allowed others, including a few Boy Scout troops, to visit his ranch. He was so impressed with the Scouts that in 1938, during the Great Depression, he donated 35,857 acres (145.11 km) of his land to the Boy Scouts of America. His only condition was that the property be used "for the benefit of the members of the Boy Scout organization". He donated a second, larger section of land later in the 1930s, requiring only that this section pay its fair share of taxes on any portion devoted to competitive commercial operations.
In 1941, Phillips added more Philmont property, including the Villa Philmonte, bringing the total to 127,395 acres (515.55 km). Contrary to popular belief, Phillips did not donate his entire ranch to the Boy Scouts, but only that portion of the property that provided the most recreational value. The total donation comprised about 40% of the ranch. To help fund maintenance of Philmont, he also donated the Philtower office building in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In 1963, vice-president of the National Council Norton Clapp contributed funds to purchase another 10,098 acres (40.87 km) of land within the Maxwell Land Grant, consisting of the Baldy Mountain mining area. In 2015, the Boy Scouts of America purchased 2,684 acres (10.86 km) that was once operated as a camp called Cimarroncita Ranch.
In 1989, the Boy Scouts obtained a renewable special use permit to the Valle Vidal Unit of the Carson National Forest from the United States Forest Service. This allowed Scouts to hike and camp in the area. Philmont operates three staffed camps—Whiteman Vega, Seally Canyon, and Ring Place—and two trail camps in that area. Those camps serve around 3,000 Scouts each summer. In return, each camper is asked to contribute three hours of conservation work in the Valle on projects approved by the Forest Service.
Rich Cabins, a historical farming cabin on Ted Turner's Vermejo Park Ranch, is operated as a staff camp.
2019 mortgage
Philmont was mortgaged in March 2019, in order to support the BSA financially while it was settling sex abuse cases. An oversight committee member claimed that this was in violation of the 1938 donation that gave the organization the land, but the BSA disagreed.
Early organization
In its early days, Philmont had a half dozen "base camps" constructed at strategic locations. Visiting Scouts lived at one of these camps for a week and could take day hikes to surrounding locations. To visit a different area, the Scouts packed their gear onto burros and hiked to another base camp. Today, the program is based on backpacking, and Scouts carry all their gear, living in tents while on expedition.
Programs and activities
Trek
The standard and most popular Philmont program is the backpacking trek. A typical Philmont trek lasts 12 days and covers anywhere from 56 miles (90 km) to 106 miles (171 km).
Conservation Department
There are six divisions of the Conservation Department in the summer, each led by an Associate Director of Conservation - Work Crew, Forestry Crew, Conservationists, GIS, Environmental Education (ROCS, Trail Crew Trek), and Order of the Arrow Trail Crew. Work Crews are staff groups who are responsible for maintaining and creating campsites and trails. Trail Crews and other staff known as Advanced Teams are the first Conservation staffers to begin hiking and clearing the trails, one month prior to the first participants' arrival. Conservationists live in staff camps or spike camps and lead conservation projects for treks passing through their camp. The GIS staff map trails, campsites, and other features of the Philmont Backcountry. In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the BSA, Northrop Grumman donated high-resolution geospatial data of the ranch to Philmont. GIS and the Conservation Department use the data to create enhanced maps and improve conservation efforts throughout the ranch. The Division of Forestry's priority is forest fuels reduction. Using chainsaws, a masticator, a skidder, and a portable sawmill, these crews create defensible space around staff camps and strategic shaded fuel breaks to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and improve the health and productivity of Philmont's forests while utilizing the wood in construction projects around the Ranch. Slash from the thinning projects is piled and burned and a prescribed fire program is being developed to maintain desired forest condition. The Forestry crews work year-round, and each staff member receives detailed training in chainsaw operations, as well as an overview of forest management and fire ecology.
Roving Outdoor Conservation School
The Roving Outdoor Conservation School (ROCS), started in 2000, is a twenty-one day trek program that is open to males and females between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one. ROCS is an educational backpacking experience rooted in conservation and environmental science education. Throughout the trek participants have lessons rooted in environmental science, visits from guest speakers, and the opportunity to work on conservation projects with the Philmont Conservation Department and the U.S. Forest Service in the Valle Vidal Unit of the Carson National Forest. While on the trail participants learn about ecology, botany, dendrology, geology, hydrology, forestry, soil science, fire ecology, environmental policy, leave no trace principles, environmental ethics, conservation techniques, and wildlife, range, and land management practices. Participants tackle conservation projects ranging from trailbuilding to meadow encroachment to timber stand improvement to erosion control to streambed restoration. Participants are exposed to the land management challenges facing the West, as well as the rest of America. The program focuses on empowering participants so that they may transfer what they learn on the trail to their lives back home.
Ranger Department
The Ranger Department was founded in 1957 by Clarence E. Dunn, Jack Rhea and Dr. Ray Loomis, the former of which served as chief ranger for 14 years. Rangers are responsible for ensuring that all participants know all required skills and procedures needed for backcountry treks, and for coaching the youth leadership to help them develop their skills and confidence and have a successful trek. They hike along with crews on the 12-day treks for the first two days on the trail, during which time they teach and observe the crew. They are also responsible for Search and rescue on Philmont property and in surrounding areas. The Ranger Department also includes Mountain Trek Rangers who lead the week-long Mountain Treks that originate in the Philmont Training Center.
Ranger Trainers, experienced staff who have finished one or more seasons as a Ranger, train and supervise Rangers. Each trainer oversees from 8-10 Rangers in a Ranger Training Crew and are expected to lead two backpacking crews per summer. In the summer of 2013 there were roughly 240 people in the Ranger Department, organized into 25 training crews. Upper ranger leadership consists of coordinators for the Rayado, Mountain Trek, Service Academy, and scheduling programs, four Associate Chief Rangers, and the Chief Ranger. During the summer of 2007, the Philmont Staff Association coordinated a 50th Anniversary Ranger Reunion at the ranch. Over 300 former Rangers attended this event.
Ranch Hands
A program in which young men and women can earn a discounted eight-day Cavalcade trek at Philmont by participating in an eight-day work session. Participants work with the Horse Department staff taking care of Philmont's 250 head of horses and 80 head of burros. Participants help by hauling hay and feed, saddling horses, helping keep the horses shod, and assisting on Philmont trail rides. The work can be strenuous and requires top physical and mental conditioning. After the eight-day work session, the Ranch Hands crew gathers together and embarks on an eight-day Cavalcade under the leadership of a Horseman and Wrangler.
National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience
Main article: National Advanced Youth Leadership ExperienceNational Advanced Youth Leadership Experience (NAYLE) is a high-intensity Boy Scout leadership course taught at Philmont Scout Ranch. It is based on backcountry high adventure skills and began in the summer of 2006 replacing the previous National Junior Leader Instructor Course. The course is available to Boy Scouts and Venturers aged 14 through 20 who have completed their local council National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT) course and is held during six one-week sessions. Based at Philmont's Rayado Ridge Leadership Camp and taught at various locations across Philmont Scout Ranch, the program hones youth leadership skills through ethical decision making and participation in Philmont Ranger backcountry training.
Historic programs
Philbreak
The Philbreak program ran from 2003 to 2009, and returned in 2019. It was an "alternative spring break" program started in 2003 to help restore Philmont Scout Ranch after devastating forest fires. From 2004 to 2007, the participants worked on the Urraca Trail, which is intended as a day hike for those attending the Philmont Training Center. Participants in the seven-day program were expected to work eight- or nine-hour days in all types of conditions. The program took place during three separate weeks during March. Participants also had an opportunity to take a ski break at Angel Fire. In 2008, the design of the program switched to mirror that of Philmont's Kanik. Participants spent three days and two nights in Philmont's backcountry as well as provided service on the final day. The program ended in 2010. In 2019, after the Ute Park Fire in 2018, Philbreak returned with four week-long sessions in March to help with fire mitigation.
Philmont facilities
Camps
Philmont operates from one large base camp, including Camping Headquarters, the National Scouting Museum, the Philmont Training Center and Villa Philmonte, fire response facilities, cattle headquarters, and an administration area. During the 2012 season there were 34 staffed camps and 77 unstaffed or "trail camps". Only some trail camps have a potable water source. Camps without water are referred to as "dry camps". Most of Philmont's camps are about 2 miles (3.2 km) apart. Old camps are closed or relocated and new camps are opened every few years. Some camp sites are closed due to changing safety protocols. For example, camps were once located on top of Urraca Mesa and in the Baldy Saddle but these are unlikely to reopen because the locations are at risk for lightning strikes.
Philmont traditions
Philmont Hymn
The "Philmont Hymn" is the ranch's official song and was written by John Benton Westfall (1928-May 9, 2009) in 1947 when he was 19. Westfall was the lone staffer at Visto Grande (then called Cimarron Bench Camp) at the time. Westfall, who at the time was a student at Pittsburg State University wrote the song on a trip home to Kansas on a train from Philmont influenced by the "click-click, click-click" of the tracks. He later became a professional Scouter in Iowa, Kansas, and Oklahoma and worked as a salesman for Phillips Petroleum.
Silver on the sage,
Starlit skies above,
Aspen-covered hills,
Country that I love.
Philmont, here's to thee,
Scouting paradise,
Out in God's country,
Tonight.
Wind in whispering pines,
Eagle soaring high,
Purple mountains rise,
Against an azure sky.
Philmont, here's to thee,
Scouting paradise,
Out in God's country,
Tonight.
Philmont Grace
Main article: Wilderness GraceThe "Philmont Grace" (also known as the Worth Ranch Grace or simply the Wilderness Grace) is a prayer recited before meals at many Boy Scout camps and events around the U.S. It was originally written in 1929 by A. J. Fulkerson, Camp Director at Worth Ranch Scout Camp in Palo Pinto County, Texas.
The version of the grace, as it is used at Philmont, is:
For food, for raiment,
For life, for opportunity,
For friendship and fellowship,
We thank Thee, O Lord. Amen.
Natural disasters
1960 tornado
On June 25, 1960, a Fujita scale F0 tornado swept through Philmont's base camp area, downing about 300 tents located on a flat near Ranch Headquarters and depositing camping gear over Tooth of Time Ridge. Four 1960 National Jamboree troops from New Mexico—Troops 78, 79, 80 and 82—had gathered at Philmont for a shakedown camp. Three other New Mexico troops had gone to Camp Zia for their shakedown. The troops each had 32 boys, two Assistant Scoutmasters and one Scoutmaster. Troops were camping in wall tents which they had decorated before going to the Jamboree. Each wall tent had a wooden frame with a thick wooden roof pole for support. The boys were learning how to cook over charcoal fires and the fires had just been started for the evening meal. The twister arrived without warning. As the wind suddenly increased, boys ran to secure the tents, but to no avail. The winds swept up tents, fires, men and boys, rolling nearby automobiles and leveling the camp. Injuries included broken bones, blunt force injuries from flying debris—including shattered roof poles—and burns from charcoal fires and equipment ignited by the fires. The twister also leveled a nearly completed cinder block chapel. After the passage of the storm, gear and equipment could be seen in the funnel cloud as it left the area. Camping equipment was found as far as 14 miles away from the campsite and was recovered by ranch hands. Boys were housed for the night in other facilities, and the next day boys passed among piles of recovered equipment to reclaim what they could. Although there were no fatalities, 33 Boy Scouts and a Scout leader received injuries.
1965 flash flood
On June 17, 1965, a large flash flood occurred at Philmont. Heavy rain throughout the area caused waters in Rayado Canyon and the Cimarron River to rise to extreme levels; up to 12.42 feet at the highest. After June 17, water levels gradually decreased over the course of several days. The impacts of the flood included the destruction of several campsites and the loss of many old photographs and documents kept at Philmont, however no injuries or deaths resulted from the flood. The flood occurred during an El Niño year.
Ponil Complex Fire
The Ponil Complex Fire started on June 2, 2002 and burned until June 17. The burn zone covered 92,000 acres (370 km) total; 28,000 acres (110 km) of Philmont, 4,000 acres (16 km) of the Elliott Barker Wildlife Area, 25,000 acres (100 km) of the Valle Vidal, 20,000 acres (81 km) of the WS Ranch and 15,000 acres (61 km) of the UU Bar Ranch. One third of the burn zone was totally burned while another third was only lightly to moderately burned. About one third of the burn zone escaped relatively unharmed, due to being sections of valleys that the fire jumped over or being not as dried out and likely to burn because of nearby water.
The burn zone is currently revegetating, some areas of which were reseeded while others began recovering naturally.
2015 flash flood
Main article: 2015 Philmont Scout Ranch flash floodOn the morning of June 27, 2015, heavy rain occurred in a great portion of Philmont, causing a flash flood. The flood also affected some other nearby areas in Colfax County that morning, including highways and small towns around Philmont. One youth Scout, Alden Brock, who was situated in a campsite within the staff camp Indian Writings, drowned while being swept away by the flood and died. Brock's death received nationwide attention, especially from the Scouting community.
Ute Park Fire
Main article: Ute Park FireOn May 31, 2018, a wildfire started one mile east of the community Ute Park, New Mexico. The cause remains under investigation. By the morning of June 1, the Ute Park Fire had almost doubled in size to 8,000 acres (32 km), burning entirely on private land, including Philmont Scout Ranch. Twelve structures at Philmont, all unoccupied and non-residential, were reported as burned. All backcountry treks at Philmont Scout Ranch for the entire 2018 summer season were cancelled, though PTC courses—including the National Advanced Youth Leadership Experience—remained in session. The fire burned a total of 26,000 acres at Philmont, damaging 200 campsites.
Cooks Peak Fire
On April 17, 2022, a wildfire started 10 miles south of the Kit Carson Museum at Rayado. Heavily impacted areas of the fire include northern Mora County and southern Colfax County. The cause still remains under investigation. Zastrow Cabin, which was located in Philmont's south country, was destroyed. Philmont staff along with wildland firefighter personnel have wrapped the Fish camp Cabin, as well as other buildings within the south country. The fire was largely contained before the season began, allowing crews to proceed with their treks as normal.
Notable former staff
- Wally Berg – Ranger in the 1970s and Director of Conservation; first American to summit Lhotse in 1990.
- Steve Fossett – Ranger in 1961; also served on the Philmont Ranch Committee, Later a record-breaking aviator.
- Donald Rumsfeld – 1949 guide (forerunner to the Rangers), later United States Secretary of Defense.
- R.W. Hampton – Wrangler from 1974–1976; cowboy and later a nationally recognized singer.
- David Goldfein – Ranger in 1980; US Air Force General and 21st Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.
Astronaut training
NASA and the USGS used the site to geologically train the Apollo Astronauts in June 1964. In the words of Phinney, the site was "...probably more like lunar geology." Training included recognizing "both igneous and sedimentary rocks, orientation with geologic maps, measuring and describing stratigraphic sections, strike and dip measurements, recording of field notes ... and geophysical traverses that included taking measurements with magnetometers, gravimeters and seismometers in an attempt to determine subsurface structure." Astronauts who would use this training on the Moon included Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 12's Pete Conrad and Alan Bean, Apollo 15's David Scott, and Apollo 17's Gene Cernan. Notable geologist instructors included G.D. Robinson.
See also
- Chase Ranch
- James P. Fitch
- Geography and ecology of Philmont Scout Ranch
- Girl Scout National Center West
- Mount Phillips (New Mexico)
- Vermejo Park Ranch
- Wilderness Grace
References
- "2013 BSA Year in Review". Boy Scouts of America. Archived from the original on April 11, 2010. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
- ^ Murphy, Lawrence R (1976). Philmont, A History of New Mexico's Cimarron Country. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 0-8263-0438-9.
- "About Philmont". Philmont Scout Ranch. Boy Scouts of America. Archived from the original on October 24, 2006. Retrieved August 31, 2006.
- Cordeiro, Mark (August 14, 2019). "Philmont by the numbers". Philmont Scout Ranch. Retrieved November 25, 2022.
- "Online guide to the continental Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in the Raton basin". September 28, 2011. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011.
- Rohrbacher, Rock (1997). Philmanac, A Trekkers Guide to the Philmont Backcountry. Lima, Ohio: CSS. ISBN 0-7880-1469-2. LCCN 99219198.
- Cass, William F. (1996). The last flight of Liberator 41-1133: the lives, times, training & loss of the bomber crew which crashed on Trail Peak at Philmont Scout Ranch. United States: Winds Aloft Press. ISBN 978-0-9702972-0-4.
- Murphy, Lawrence R. (1965). Boom and bust on Baldy Mountain, New Mexico, 1864-1942 (Thesis). pp. 8–14.
- Crary, David (November 22, 2019). "Boy Scouts mortgage vast Philmont ranch in New Mexico as collateral". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
- Doiron, Mark; Wood, Alex. "Philmont Scout Ranch". summitpost.org.
- "Itineraries At Glance". Retrieved August 7, 2014.
- Olesak, John F. (Summer 2011). "The Boy Scouts of America Earn a Complete Geospatial Picture of Its Philmont Ranch". Retrieved August 16, 2012.
- Wendell, Bryan (May 8, 2015). "Tell your Scouts about ROCS and TCT, two of Philmont's best-kept secrets". Aaron on Scouting. Scouting Magazine.
- "Organize Your Crew". Archived from the original on August 1, 2008. Retrieved May 9, 2008.
- "Ranch Hands". philmontscoutranch.org. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
- "Frequently Asked Questions". Retrieved November 9, 2012.
- "Philbreak". philmontscoutranch.org. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
- "Home". Philmont Scout Ranch.
- Fasching, Douglas (May 10, 2009). "In Memory: John Westfall".
- Normand, Pete (1980). Palo Pinto Campfires. Fort Worth, TX: Split Rock Press. pp. 107–108.
- J. K. Byrne, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 79; information taken from 1960 Jamboree Bulletins #7 and #8, F. A. Dunn Jamboree Chairman, and Troop 79 Roster dated April 5, 1960 R. H. Carlson Scoutmaster Troop 79
- (1) "4. Philmont Scout Ranch". Top 10 Deadliest/Injurious Tornadoes Since 1950 (New Mexico). Albuquerque, New Mexico: United States Department of Commerce: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: National Weather Service. Archived from the original on December 2, 2019. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
(2) MacDonald, Randall M.; Lamm, Gene; MacDonald, Sarah E. (2012). Chapter 8: Philmont. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. p. 120. ISBN 9780738595276. LCCN 2011943058. OCLC 769988255. Retrieved December 2, 2019 – via Google Books.Cimmaron and Philmont have withstood their share of severe weather. A fierce tornado struck base camp on June 25, 1960, leveling camper tent city and a chapel, before depositing camping gear over the Tooth of Time Ridge.
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ignored (help) - ^ "The flood of '15: Philmont comes together" (PDF). PhilNews. July 24, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- "CIMARRON RIVER (NM) ABOVE CIMARRON". National Weather Service. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- Cimarrón and Philmont. Arcadia Publishing. 2012. p. 120. ISBN 978-0-7385-9527-6.
- McNair, Ben (July 14, 2011). ""Philmont" Filmmaker Back at Ranch" (PDF). PhilNews. Retrieved January 14, 2016.
- Spears, Mit (September 1965). Boys' Life: Scouting Death Valley. Boy Scouts of America. p. 4.
- Null, Jan (January 4, 2016). "El Niño and La Niña Years and Intensities". Golden Gate Weather Service. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- "Middle Ponil Complex Fire, New Mexico". earthobservatory.nasa.gov. June 6, 2002. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
- Chacón, Daniel (September 26, 2015). "Details of deadly flash flood that killed Boy Scout raise questions of oversight". Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved January 15, 2016.
- ^ "Fire Information". Philmont Scout Ranch. Archived from the original on July 4, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2018.
- "PHILMONT SCOUT RANCH ANNOUNCES CLOSURE FOR 2018 SUMMER SEASON – KRTN Enchanted Air Radio".
- "2018 Conferences". www.philmontscoutranch.org. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
- Leggette, Shellye (August 27, 2019). "Record breaking camper numbers at Philmont Scout Ranch one year after Ute Park Fire". KOAT Action News. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
- "Cooks Peak Fire Updates". Philmont Scout Ranch. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
- "NESA President Steve Fossett: A Tribute" Archived October 6, 2010, at the Wayback Machine National Eagle Scout Association, Eagletter Winter 2008
- High Country – Philmont Staff Association – October 2007
- "U.S. Department of Defense". U.S. Department of Defense.
- "R.W. Hampton Named 2018 Recipient of Philmont Staff Association's Distinguished Staff Alumni Award". PrZen.
- "General David Goldfein". PhilStaff.
- Phinney, William (2015). Science Training History of the Apollo Astronauts. NASA SP -2015-626. pp. 58, 186, 220.
Further reading
- Cass, William F. (1993). Return to the Summit of Scouting/a Scouter's Midlife Journey Back to Philmont. Wilderness Adventure Books. ISBN 0-923568-29-8.
- Cass, William F. (2000). The Last Flight of Liberator 41-1133: The Lives, Times, Training & Loss of the Bomber Crew Which Crashed on Trail Peak at Philmont Scout Ranch. Winds Aloft Press. ISBN 0-9702972-0-3.
- Connelly, Michael (2001). Riders in the Sky: The Ghosts and Legends of Philmont Scout Ranch. Merril Press. ISBN 0-936783-30-3.
- Huffman, Minor S. Sr. (1988). High Adventure Among the Magic Mountains: Philmont, the First 50 Years. TIBS Incorporated. ISBN 0-6852-7012-2.
- MacDonald, Randall M.; Lamm, Gene; MacDonald, Sarah E. (2012). Images of America: Cimarrón and Philmont. Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9780738595276. LCCN 2011943058. OCLC 769988255. Retrieved December 2, 2019 – via Google Books.
- Murphy, Lawrence R. (1976). Philmont: A History of New Mexico's Cimarron Country (2nd ed.). Albuquerque, New Mexico: University of New Mexico Press. ISBN 0826304389. LCCN 72076828. OCLC 5396293. Retrieved December 6, 2019 – via Internet Archive.
- Zimmer, Stephen; Walker, Larry (2000). Philmont: A Brief History of the New Mexico Scout Ranch. Sunstone Press. ISBN 0-86534-293-8.
External links
- "Philsearch: An interactive trek planner and virtual ranch tour".
- "USGS Professional Paper 505". Geologic history of Philmont Scout Ranch
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