Waite`s Way: Crews then and now

June 24th, 2016
Phil News
Issue Three
Skyler Ballard/PhilNews
Waite’s Way: Crews then and now
Ellyn Washburne, the Philmont Musicologist, plays her violin at
Hunting Lodge. Alex Cenci/PhilNews
Making music and memories
Eleanor Hasenbeck
Staff Writer
A Philmont campfire may
not always have a fire- fire bans
sometimes bar open flames in the
backcountry- but it always has
music. As Philmont’s Musicologist
in the position’s inaugural year,
Ellyn Washburne helps make sure
the tunes at campfires across the
Ranch never miss a beat.
“When you’re out in the woods,
you either don’t have your iPod
or your iPod dies, and you can’t
listen to the music you normally
listen to,” she said. “It kind of goes
back to the way it used to be before
that stuff was invented. You have
to make music yourself or listen to
other people play it, so live music
takes on an even more special
role.”
Washburne supports camps as
they build their performances.
They consider a number of
important
elements:
crowd
interaction, delivery, focus and
message. Camps choose music to
create a theme in their campfires.
Staff at Ponil’s Cantina Show sing
of cowboys, while the Crater Lake
boys perform songs about the
hardships of logging.
At interpretive camps, staff also
consider the time period in which
their characters would’ve been
singing. Pueblano, for example,
doesn’t perform anything written
after 1930 until their after-show.
Continued on page 5
Dave Sharp, top right, and son Ryan Sharp, bottom left, smile for their first crew photo
together at Philmont on June 16, 2016.
Suzannah Evans
Staff Writer
Waite Phillips was dedicated to
ensuring that the youth of tomorrow
would be given exquisite, life
changing opportunities. From
donating the land for the largest
Boy Scout Camp in America to
envisioning the Philmont Training
Center, Phillips arranged for youth
and leaders to work together to
improve the world.
The Boy Scouts of America
offers a way for both age groups
to improve alongside one another.
One very special way this occurs
is with parents and children.
Summers are a great time for
parents and children to bond. There
really isn’t a better way to deepen
a family connection than by hiking
mountains together. Most Scouts
who participate at Philmont are
only a few years aways from
leaving home. A summer together
at Philmont allows for a lifelong
memory and something to talk
about and reminisce over for years
to come.
Philmont has seen generations
of Scouters since it opened in
1938. Since then, alumni have
brought their children and even
grandchildren back to backpack
these beloved trails together.
Wanting their children to grow
in the ways that they had, fathers
and mothers sign up to advise and
accompany their youngsters.
One such family is represented
by three generations this summer.
Jim Sharp is here with his son,
Dave, and his grandson, Ryan. The
Sharps are with Troop 555 from
Columbus, Ohio.
Continued on page 3
2 | PhilNews
News and
Photo Team
Marketing Manager
Bryan Hayek
NPS Manager
Cassidy Johnson
PhilNews Editor
Hannah McCarthy
PhilNews Writers
Suzannah Evans
Eleanor Hasenbeck
Photography Manager
Tyler Sanders
Photographers
Drew Castellaw
Alex Cenci
Skyler Ballard
Clay Helfrick
Gabriel Scarlett
Lex Selig
Madelynne Scales
Photo Lab Lead
Sean McElligott
Photo Lab Techs
Nathaniel Aron
Liam Inbody
Lead Marketing
Specialist
Alexander Bohlen
Marketing Media Staff
Thomas Officer
Lead Videographer
Kreable Young
Videographer
Claire Ficke
PhilmontScoutRanch.org
Friday, June 24, 2016
Friday, 24
Saturday, 25
Salsa NightBaldy Pavillion
7:30 p.m.
PTC Closing
Campfire
June 24-July 14
Sunday, 26
Monday, 27
Tuesday, 28
Wednesday, 29
Thursday, 30
5 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
PhilNews Deadline PTC Opening
Campfire
Ecology (CTC)
Leave No Trace
(CTC)
Geology (CTC)
PTC Western
Night
9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Haircuts in SAC
($15)
Brat Day!
Friday, 1
Saturday, 2
Tie Dye
Services Gravel
Area
5 p.m.
Angel Fire
PhilNews Deadline Adventure
Astronomy (CTC)
Forestry (CTC)
Friday, 8
Saturday, 9
Sunday, 3
Sunday, 10
GPS and Navigation
(CTC)
Monday, 4
Tuesday, 5
Wednesday, 6
Thursday, 7
11 a.m.- 1 p.m.
July 4th BBQBaldy Pavillion
PTC Western
Night
9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Haircuts in SAC
($15)
Taos Plaza Live
Monday, 11
Tuesday, 12
Wednesday, 13
Thursday, 14
8 p.m.
Dodgeball- Baldy
Pavillion
9 a.m.- 5 p.m.
Haircuts in SAC
($15)
Taos Plaza Live
8 p.m.
Root beer floatsSSAC Kitchen
5 p.m.
Brat Day!
PhilNews Deadline
Taos Pueblo Pow Taos Pueblo Pow
Taos Pueblo Pow
Wow
Wow
Wow
Event
Descriptions
Activities Staff
Taos Plaza Live is a summer
concert series, located in the Taos
Plaza. Throughout the summer,
there is a free concert every
Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 8
p.m.
Rio Pueblo Open Disc Golf
Tournament is a PDGA B-Tier
sanctioned tournament at Sipapu
Ski and Summer Resort. It is open
to pros and amateurs.
Round 1: Picuris Pueblo Disc
Golf Course | June 25, 2016
This high desert course offers
Featured sites
Activities Staff
Dawson Cemetery
What/Why:
Dawson was the site of two
separate coal mining disasters in
1913 and 1923. Dawson was a coal
mining company town founded in
1901 when rancher John Barkley
Dawson sold his coal-rich land
in northern New Mexico to the
Dawson Fuel Company. The Dawson Railway was built
connecting the town to Tucumcari,
New Mexico. The mines were
productive, and by 1905 the town
boasted a population of nearly
2,000, later reaching around
9,000.
Dawson did not become a ghost
town until 1950, when the Phelps
Dodge Corporation shut down the
mines. At closure, Mine Six was
Taos Plaza Live
GPS and Navigation Astronomy (CTC)
(CTC)
Olympic Event
spectacular views, creative routes
and great shot variety.
Round 2: Two Gray Hares Disc
Golf Course | June 25, 2016
With its pastoral setting and
minimal climbing, Two Gray Hares
offers creative pin placements and
shot variety that’s easy to navigate. Round 3: Sipapu Disc Golf
Course | June 26, 2016
Hailed as one of the most scenic
disc golf courses in the country,
Sipapu’s alpine course features
epic shots, incredible elevation
changes, stream crossings and
amazing wildflower meadows.
Alabama Shakes is playing at
Kit Carson Park in Taos on August
6.Tickets: $60 in advance, $65 day
the largest producer, and several
other mines had been previously
closed out because of declining
demand. The town of Dawson is
now largely gone, with only a few
buildings remaining. The only significant remaining
landmark in Dawson is the
cemetery, which is on the National
Register of Historic Places. The
cemetery is filled with iron crosses
painted white marking the graves
of many miners who died in the
mines.
Dawson Cemetery is open to the
public year round for free.
Directions to Dawson Cemetery
from CHQ 41 mins 22 miles
1. Turn left onto NM-21N - 4.5
miles
2. Turn right onto US-64 E 12.7 miles
3. Turn left onto A 38 (this turn
is just before you reach Cold
Beer) - 4.6 miles
4. Dawson Cemetery will be on
your right
P
Movie Night
SAR and Infirmary
(CTC)
PTC Western Night
of; Doors: 6:30 p.m.; Show: 7:30
p.m.
Angel Fire Adventure is on
July 3, 2016. Enjoy breathtaking
mountain scenery with a run
through picturesque Angel Fire,
New Mexico. The gentle rolling
course is great for the beginning
and avid runners, and poses just
enough of a challenge for those
looking to test their endurance.
The elevation might take your
breath away, but the views are
worth it!
Taos Pueblo Pow Wow is a
gathering of Indian Nations in a
common circle of friendship.
Indian Country is made up
of many tribal nations, bands,
villages, and pueblos, each with
their own traditional tribal beliefs
and practices. A pow wow is
the common fiber which draws
Indian people together. It is a time
for sharing with old friends and
making new friends; a time for
singing and dancing. It is a time
for trading craft goods and trading
songs.
For Fiesta de Taos the good
people of Taos celebrate the Feast
of St. Anne and St. James, as they
have for centuries. The annual
event, popularly referred to as
“The Taos Fiestas,” allows the
local population to put aside their
labor for two days and bask in the
leisure of the holy days.
What/Why:
Mostly a ghost town now,
Elizabethtown began in 1866
with the founding of area gold
mines and the Mystic Copper
Mine. It was New Mexico’s first
incorporated town.
Founded by the commander of
Fort Union, Captain William H.
Moore, and named for his daughter,
Elizabeth Catherine Moore, the
town grew to over 7,000 residents
at its height of prosperity in 1870,
and it was designated the first
seat of the newly formed Colfax
County. In 1872 there were only
about 100 residents left as the
mines dwindled, and the county
seat was moved to Cimarron. The
town revived somewhat when
the Atchison, Topeka and Santa
Fe Railroad passed nearby in
the early 1890s, making mining
feasible once again. The village
was also part of the Colfax County
War. A fire took most of the town
in 1903, and the town mostly died
out by 1917 with the decline in the
mines.
Serial killer Charles Kennedy
lived between Elizabethtown
and Taos, luring weary travelers
to dine and stay with him at his
cabin; he may have killed 14 or
more people. Kennedy was killed
by a group of angry vigilantes, led
by the notorious Clay Allison.
Directions to Elizabethtown
from CHQ 49 mins 33.8 miles
1. Turn left onto NM-21N - 4.5
miles
2. Turn left onto US-64 W 23.8 miles
3. Turn right onto NM-38 W 4.9 miles
4. Turn left onto Elizabeth Town
Overlook - 0.2 miles
5. Turn left onto B 22 - 0.1 miles
6. Turn right onto Comanche
Creek Rd. - 0.2 miles
Elizabethtown
PhilmontScoutRanch.org
Philmont Olympics
As the nations of the world
will be competing for honor and
glory this summer, so shall we, the
Philmont staff, compete with one
another. There will be four events
over the course of the summer
where single representatives or
small teams from each department
will vie for ultimate victory. The
PSA has agreed to be a neutral
arbiter for the event and their
judgements will be final. Each
athlete must be a Philmont staff
member, able to perform in the
event if chosen, and prepared
to carry his or her department to
glory.
Teams
For the purposes of this event,
all Base Camp departments and
the PTC will be grouped together,
and the Horse Department will
compete with the Backcountry
h Department. Each team will have
s a liaison that will be responsible
s for coordinating with Activities.
The four teams and their liaisons
e are:
d • Backcountry and Horse
Department-Jimmy Fritze
(Backcountry Manager)
e
•
Base Camp and PTCg
Savannah Moore (Security)
•
ConservationNathan
d
Coney
(ADC
for
t
Conservationists)
y
Will
Suggs
l • Rangers(Associate Chief Ranger)
e If you want to represent your
r department in the Olympiad,
e contact your team Liaison.
Conservation Tetrathlon
The second Olympic event
will take place on July 8. Prepare
yourselves for Conservational
Glory. The conservation event will
take place at The Rocky Mountain
Scout Camp. The four events are
as follows:
Fuel Canister Sledge
One team member must smash
as many empty fuel canisters as
possible in 30 seconds to contribute
to the Ranch’s sustainability
efforts. Canisters must be fully
flattened and checked through a
predetermined slot.
UTM Signpost Installation
Install a UTM signpost with
your partner, using a digging bar
and post hole digger. Each team
will be ranked in two categories:
time of completion and sturdiness
(judged by a shove from a PSA
official).
Time
Sturdiness
1st
500,000pts
500,000pts
2nd
300,000pts
300,000pts
3rd
150,000pts
150,000pts
4th
100,000pts
100,000pts
Rock Rolling
You and your partner, using rock
bars and brute Philmont elbow
grease will move a rock from one
predestined spot to another. Points
will be awarded for time.
PhilNews | 3
Friday, June 24, 2016
Continued from page one: Crews then and now
Jim first went on Trek in 1960
and returned with David in 1986.
Both are eager for Ryan to share in
the experience, as they find it to be
one of a kind.
“It’s incomparable, you know?
There’s no place where you can
have as fantastic of a backpacking
experience with all the program
and neat people. It’s the Mecca of
Scouting,” said Dave.
Jim’s hopes are high for his son
and grandson.
“[I hope they gain] great
comradery and outdoor leadership
skills and fun. It’s a great
experience!” said Jim.
Ryan is excited to participate at
Philmont.
“The main reason I wanted to
do Boy Scouts was because of the
High Adventure [opportunities].
Philmont was one of the big things
on my list,” said Ryan.
Hailing from Spring, Texas is
Crew 1333. Among this Crew are
two father-daughter pairs. Andy
Fike, who came to Philmont for
the first time in 1983 is here with
his daughter Camryn.
“I heard that it was going to be
really fun,” said Camryn.
Olivia Larson is here with her
father, Chris, who is returning
after his first trek in 2006. Chris
first went on Trek with Olivia’s
brother a few years ago.
“My brother said that [Philmont]
was really pretty, and that it was a
great experience,” said Olivia.
Representing San Antonio,
Texas is Troop 501. Several fathers
are experiencing their first Trek
with their sons, while Matt Dooley
is returning, this time, with his son
Evan.
Matt hopes that his son takes
more away from Philmont than
solely a great hiking experience.
“Evan is the Crew Leader, so
beyond him exercising the Scout
skills that he has learned, I’m
really looking forward to him
developing his leadership skills...
and bringing [his group] together
as a team over the next ten days,”
said Matt.
Evan looks forward to growing
with his comrades.
“[I’m looking forward to] going
out here with a really good group
of friends and having a great
time,” Evan said.
Phillips’ vision has already
been tangibly seen in the work
of the Philmont Scout Ranch
and Training Center. As he was
a family man himself, Phillips
probably would have been full of
joy at the sight of children and
their parents hiking the hills he
once called home.
Work Crew Sprint
Load a pack with necessary gear
for a work crew run (provided) and
sprint 300 meters, then alternate
with your partner who must sprint
back to the start/finish line.
The following point system will
be used to score the Fuel Canister
Sledge, Rock Rolling and Work
Crew Sprint.
Time
1st
1,000,000pts
2nd
800,000pts
3rd
600,000pts
4th
500,000pts
Members of Venture Crew 1333 sit in front of the Tooth of Time for their crew photo on June 16,
2016. Many father-daughter pairs like the Fikes and Larsons (pictured here) will enjoy treks together
throughout the summer.
Submissions to the
PhilNews are welcome anytime!
If you would like a chance to contribute
to the PhilNews,please send your
articles, story ideas,and/or creative
writings to the PhilNews Editor at
npsphilnewsdepartment@gmail.com.
Deadline: Saturdays @ 5p.m.
4 | PhilNews
PhilmontScoutRanch.org
Friday, June 24, 2016
PSA Volunteer Vacation: New program to debut in September
Phil Winegardner
Board Member
Philmont Staff Association
Would you pay to come back
and work a week at Philmont?
The answer was a definite YES!
for 30 PSA members who signed
up to participate in the first PSA
Volunteer Vacation taking place
this coming September 17-24. The
event sold out in two hours when
registration opened March 1.
The PSA Volunteer Vacation was
designed as an opportunity to get
out to the Philmont backcountry,
get dirty, and give back to
Philmont in a lasting, meaningful
way. This program will be an
annual event, and in 2016 we will
be building a new spur trail off the
Sawmill and Thunder Ridge trail
connecting the brand new Whistle
Punk trail camp to the top of Cito
Peak – where no trail has gone
before. Eventually, this trail will
go to Cypher’s Mine, providing a
route through a seldom used part
of Philmont. After one night in Base Camp,
the volunteers will be shuttled to
Sawmill and then hike to Whistle
Punk Trail Camp – home for the
next 5 days while they work on the
trail construction.
At the end of the week, the
workers will be rewarded with a
little rest and relaxation. They’ll
hike to a destination of their
choice and spend a night on the
trail before being picked up the
next day.
ConnecttoPast,
Back in Base Camp, for the last
night, they’ll be treated to a steak
dinner and recognition provided
by Philmont.
The PSA Volunteer Vacation
gives new meaning to the familiar
IWGBTP slogan. Not only do you
“Get Back” to Philmont, but now
you can “Give Back” to Philmont.
What a great opportunity for PSA
members! This year’s Volunteer
Vacation may be sold out, but start
planning for the 2017 program.
Details will be announced in
January 2017.
PRESENT,
The Volunteer Vacation patch
can be earned by those who
particpate in the week-long
service opportunity.
andfuturePhilmontstaffwiththe…
PHILMONTSTAFFASSOCIATION
Lookforwardto:
HighCountrymagazine,year-roundevents,PSAwaterbottlesandotheritems,
booksaboutPhilmonthistoryandlore,SeasonalStaffScholarships,andmore!!!
It’sjust$15.00forayear’smembership!
I-CampthisformtothePSAorstopbyourofficenexttotheBeaubienRoomatPTC.
SIGNUPNOW!!!
www.philstaff.org
Name: _______________________________________________ Position/Dept.:
______________________________________________
MailingAddress: _______________________________________ City,State,ZIP:
______________________________________________
Birthday:_______________________________________________ Email:
______________________________________________________
Signature:______________________________________________ MARKHEREFORPAYROLLDEDUCTION(throughJuly31):_____
PhilmontScoutRanch.org
PhilNews | 5
Friday, June 24, 2016
Continued from page one: Making music and memories
“Music is the voice of the culture
of a time period,” said Austin
McCord, a Program Counselor
at Pueblano. “There’s so much
emotion expressed through these
songs. For example, workers who
were having awful days would
sing songs like ‘Shanty Man’s
Life’ [a work song about logging
in the lonesome woods] to express
how awful their work was but how
proud they were to be doing it.”
Washburne travels to camps
throughout the summer, twice
to each staff camp, to give
performers feedback and improve
their performance. She’s also
working to document campfires
digitally and physically. She
uploads audio recordings of each
performance she attends to the
internet. She’s only missed one
since she began uploading them in
2014-- Pueblano, last summer.
Washburne is also building
files of music specific to each
backcountry camp. In the past,
camps have been able to pull from
a handful of songs they find in
their program boxes, but campfires
were largely put together from
scratch during a few weeks at the
beginning of each summer.
“Philmont is a really interesting
place for music, because there’s
so many people involved in it
who normally wouldn’t consider
themselves musicians, or even
listen to the type of music that’s
played at Philmont outside of
Philmont,” Washburne said. “In
the backcountry camps even if you
don’t play music, you’re usually
still involved in the campfire,
whether singing or banging a
tambourine or telling a story.”
For Washburne, the position
is a labor of love. Music brought
her to Philmont. Her father was
inspired to play guitar after being
on staff at Philmont in the 1980s.
He suggested she work at the
Ranch and play in the campfires.
She’s done it ever since she started
in 2010.
She’s been singing since she can
remember. By her early teens, she
was already able to play piano and
violin. Today, she’s added guitar,
mandolin and a bit of of bass and
banjo to her repertoire. Washburne
has an undergraduate degree in
music, and she’s currently pursuing
a graduate degree in musicology at
the University of Kentucky.
Washburne says she has been a
part of many simple moments that
build a Scout’s experience. Once,
while working at Beaubien, the
staff invited a participant to play
the bass. The next evening on
her days off, Washburne saw the
same camper at Crater Lake. At
her suggestion, he played the bass
there too. After the summer ended,
she received a message from the
Pueblano staff members listen as Ian Shown plays the National
Anthem on the saxophone before the start of Loggerball on
Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at Pueblano. Skyler Ballard/PhilNews
Ellyn Washburne sits in the audience and takes notes during the Clarks Fork campfire performance.
She notes things that stand out to her during the performance: things that she liked, improvements
and constructive criticisms. Alex Cenci/PhilNews
Scout’s father, thanking her for
giving the boy a chance to play. It
had shaped the camper’s trek.
“There’s been several times like
that, where something that really
took very little effort for me and
didn’t seem to be a big deal, turned
out to be a big deal,” she said. “I
like moments like that.”
For Washburne, music is a
crucial part of Philmont.
“When people play music
together it’s a human activity
that you’re all participating in, so
it’s kind of a bonding experience
a lot of times,” she said. “At
the same time there’s already a
community here at Philmont, so
the community creates the music,
but also the music helps create the
community.”
To listen to Washburne’s
campfire recordings, visit
philmontfieldrecordings.
bandcamp.com.
Alex Brady plays the washboard
during the Clarks Fork campfire
performance. Alex Cenci/PhilNews
David Brown, left, Carter Smith, middle, and Conor Walsh, right,
laugh together during their performance on Tuesday, June 14, 2016
at the Ponil Cantina show. Skyler Ballard/PhilNews
6 | PhilNews
Chaplain’s Corner: A Philmont crew
Elder Paul Anderson
LDS Chaplain
Drew Castellaw/PhilNews
Pastor Peter Vaught
Protestant Chaplain
The opportunity to be a
part of Philmont Scout Ranch
came 56 years after I heard of
this wonderful place. My first
exposure to the idea came in
1960.
At 12 years old, I was a newly
minted Tenderfoot Scout. Our
Scoutmaster painted a beautiful
scene describing Philmont as
he told of loading up the burros
with gear and setting out for each
day’s hike. Since that day I have
been dreaming of coming to the
Philmont Ranch.
Why did it take me 56 years?
An excellent question for which
I have no answer. I mentioned it
to the Charter Representatives
for my churches as I served local
congregations for 37 years. But the
idea never went anywhere. After
my retirement from the obligation
of serving a congregation, I
finally had the free time to make
my dream a reality.
Last winter I mentioned
my dream to a member of my
local council. Sometime later,
I received an email from him
indicating that Philmont was
accepting applications for their
Chaplaincy ministry, and here I
am.
PhilmontScoutRanch.org
Friday, June 24, 2016
My ministry has been marked
by service to the local church
with detours into the hospital
chaplaincy: Notably general
hospital,
psychiatric
and
substance abuse wards. I have
also served on national and local
camp staffs in the Chaplaincy
role.
One important aspect of the
Philmont Chaplaincy program
is the sense of community
we Chaplains feel. We are
comfortable in our personal
faith. We also want to facilitate
the faith of each staff member
and Scout as they discover and
follow their own path to faith.
It is a joy to live and serve with
my colleagues. I am proud to call
them my brothers.
I live in Tucson, Arizona
with my wife Carrie Beth. My
service to the local church is split
between support for the church I
attend on Sundays and my work
with pastors and churches south
of the border once a month.
Carrie Beth, and I look forward
to the joy of being here in this
beautiful place with all of you as
we drink in the physical grandeur
of this corner of paradise.
In 2015 a crew arrived at
Philmont full of excitement
and eager to hit the trail and
experience the magic of hiking
the trails in God’s country. As
part of their pre-hike preparations
they attended an evening Chapel
Service. They listened to the
experiences of returning crews and
were encouraged by the Chaplain
to work together, look out for each
other and look for those special
moments when God could touch
each of them.
Eleven days later they came
back to Chapel Service. This time
they were asked to share their
experiences. First the thorns,
which were the mud the rain and
the cold, the usual struggles. Then
they were asked to share their
roses. Four of them spoke up
and shared the same experience.
It was being together on top of
Mount Phillips and the entire crew
having their own Mountain Top
Experience.
Alex Cenci/PhilNews
Henri Chaix
Catholic Chaplain
As the Seminarian from the
Archdiocese of Bordeaux (in
the Southwest of France), I have
After the service, one of the
advisors came forward to say
thanks and then he said that the
boys didn’t tell the whole story.
“Would you like to hear the rest
of the story?”
Of course the answer was yes!
Having left the service, they got
together to make some goals for
their trek. One of the boys, we’ll
call him Michael, had a slight
physical handicap and it was a
little harder for him to hike, so the
crew made a pact that they would
look out for each other, help each
other and what ever they did they
would do it together as a crew.
Climbing Mount Phillips is one
of the more challenging side hikes
and was to test their pact. They
began the hike, full of excitement
and determination. After a while Michael started to
get a little tired and one of the boys
asked if he could carry Michael’s
sleeping bag. Later another boy
asked if he could carry his tent.
Another boy asked if he could
carry his crew gear and finally,
a boy asked if he could carry
his pack. Hiking without being
weighed down with a pack and
gear, Michael did well for a while,
but reached a point where he had
no more energy. In spite of all the
encouragement and help from his
crew, he could go no further. They
were near the top, and two of the
advisors looked at each other and
one said to the other, “Will you
carry my pack?” He gave his pack
to the other advisor, and then went
over to Michael, put him on his
shoulders and carried him to the
top of the mountain.
On Top of Mount Phillips, that
crew knew the meaning of the
Pure Love of Christ. They had
worked together and felt the JOY
of helping someone accomplish
something he could not do by
himself. They had found the love
and joy of working together to
do a hard thing. They truly had
a Mountain Top Experience. I
pray that each of us who comes
to Philmont can have our own
Mountain Top Experience, by
working together and loving each
other.
May God bless us in everything
we do!
the chance, thanks to Padre, to
discover Philmont and to spend
one month with all of you!
I arrived two weeks ago and
unfortunately will have to leave in
two weeks, because of the end date
of my student visa. Nevertheless,
this short time here is a real gift
for me, and I especially appreciate
all the moments shared with you,
whether it is at meals, on trails for
a hike, at the Catholic services, or
somewhere else in Base Camp.
After graduating from high
school, I took two years in
university, studying mechanical
engineering. Having the idea of
priesthood in my mind for a long
time, I decided to discern this
important question by taking one
year of propédeutique, which is a
specific year in France in which
we take time to pray and to listen
the Lord concerning a religious or
priestly vocation.
I decided after this year to enter
the seminary, and was sent by my
bishop to Brussels, Belgium to
study in a Jesuit university. After
two years of philosophy, and one
year and a half of theology, my
rector of seminary sent me to
Washington D.C. to study in the
Catholic University of America
for my last spring semester.
Having been a Boy Scout in
France in the Scouts Unitaires de
France movement, I am so happy
to discover the Boy Scouts of
America through Philmont! It is
also great to discover this beautiful
part of America. I thank all of you
for your wonderful welcome,
friendship and kindness! It is a
deep enjoyment to meet you!
Thanks to Philmont, thanks to
you, and thanks be to God!
PhilmontScoutRanch.org
PhilNews | 7
Friday, June 24, 2016
The Ranger Mile: Exploring the Valle Vidal
Caleb Burns
Associate Chief Ranger
The height of the season is
quickly approaching and the
backcountry is filling up fast, so
it might be time to set your sights
beyond Philmont’s boundaries.
Seek respite from the crowds by
heading off property and into
the Valle Vidal (Valley of Life).
Within this 100,000 acre section
of the Carson National Forest, one
can find abundant wildlife, grand
vistas, a couple ghost towns, and
meadows full of Rocky Mountain
Iris and Golden Banner.
Drive five miles east of
Cimarron on Highway 64 and
turn onto Forest Road 1950. This
unpaved road is well maintained,
but the drive is long and it can be
hard on vehicles, so keep your
Bryan Hayek, Philmont Marketing Manager, stands atop Little
Costilla.
speed under 25 miles per hour
and don’t go if you don’t have a
spare tire. Once you have boots on
the ground, don’t underestimate
it. There are few trails in the
Valle Vidal, so brush up on your
navigation skills and bring plenty
of water and Micropur.
Most folks hold off on a trip
to the Valle, or Vall, as it has
become known in the parlance
of our times, until after the first
of July. This is because the area
past Clayton Corral is closed to all
human uses so as not to disturb elk
calving. This closure means that
Little Costilla is off limits until
July 1.
Little Costilla is a great hike,
but the only reason to hike up
a mountain is for a view of the
bottom. Instead, stay at the bottom
for a view that is up close and
personal.
A hike along the Middle Ponil
Creek is well worth the trip and
can be done in a long day or as
an overnight. The Middle Ponil
is flowing strong, so the creek is
flanked by vibrant flora and the air
is cool and refreshing.
You can start your hike off at
Shuree Ponds and follow the creek
all the way back to Ponil, where
you can catch a ride back to Base.
If sunshine and meadows are
more your thing, then you should
consider turning off on the road
to Iris Park. Climb the hill and
head cross-country to the well at
Iris Park. From there, follow the
stream bed over to Beatty Lakes
and marvel at the sea of grass
before you. Ride the meadow
down into the canyon leading back
to the Philmont fence line where
you will be greeted by the friendly
staff at Dan Beard.
From here, the hike down Bonita
Canyon and into Ponil is a perfect
way to cap off your journey.
Enjoy your hike!
8 | PhilNews
Samuel Largent uses a fitting guide to help find the pack best
suited for Kenneth Storm before he goes on trek. Fitting a pack
properly is essential to the comfort and performance of the crew
member. Lex Selig/PhilNews
Packing in the fun
Eleanor Hasenbeck
Staff Writer
Outfitting Services is finding
better ways to equip hikers hitting
the trail. With the canister fuel
recycling initiative and new packs
available for participants to rent,
the department is helping Scouts
and staff save money.
When a crew comes off the
mountain, they can donate leftover
white gas and canister fuel at
Outfitting Services. White gas is
emptied into larger drums, then
refilled into smaller containers,
where it is ready for staff to take
on their own treks. Canister fuel
containers are weighed, and staff
calculate how full the canister is.
The canisters are marked with a
percentage, then placed in a yellow
roll-top cabinet nearby Outfitting
Services where it is free for crews
and staff members to take.
Crews and staff members
can also give empty canister
fuel containers to staff camps,
which then place it in recycling.
Conservation staff then sorts
and recycles gas canisters, thus
keeping hazardous materials out
of New Mexico’s landfills.
Another exciting advancement
for Outfitting Services this year
was the purchase of 114 new
Osprey packs available for
participants to rent. These packs
are created with pack rental
programs, like Philmont, in mind.
They’re easier to size, making it
a quick pull on a velcro tab to fit
PhilmontScoutRanch.org
Friday, June 24, 2016
a pack to a person. They come in
70+5, 80+5 and 90+10 liter packs.
All old packs are also getting a
pick me up. This year, Outfitting
Services is washing rental packs as
they come off the trail. This keeps
older backpacks looking like new,
and perhaps more importantly,
smelling like new.
With more packs being rented
than ever before, fresh backpacks
are good news. For Scouts, the
pack rental program can make
Philmont more affordable.
“They don’t have to spend $200
on a brand new pack when they’re
just going to outgrow them,” said
Sam Schoevaars, Manager of
Outfitting Services. “If they can
put all the wear and tear on our
packs, it saves them money.”
Schoevaars said this allows
participants to allocate funds to
other things they’ll need on the
trail, like better boots or a good
rain jacket.
32 oz. of white gas is weighed
out to be sold to a crew before
they head out on trek. White
gas is handled and stored very
carefully at Philmont because
it is highly flammable. Lex Selig/
PhilNews
The bricks for the Campaign
for Philmont are ready to be
set into the new SSSAC porch
by volunteers on June 17,2016.
Madelynne Scales/PhilNews
Tek Kreidler, left, and Will Dugger, right, remove old bricks Friday,
June 17, 2016 from the porch at the SSSAC. Madelynne Scales/PhilNews
A firm foundation in service
Suzannah Evans
Staff Writer
The blank pavers outside the
Silver Sage Staff Activity Center
are being replaced with pavers
bearing the names of generous
donors. These donors are all
members of the Philmont Staff
Association.
“The bricks we are laying
are for our capital campaign for
Philmont,” said Dollie O’Neill,
Executive Director of the PSA.
Activities staff members, PSA
staff members, Rangers on work
days, and various other staff
volunteers are removing over 900
bricks and replacing those that are
Dollie O’Neil, Executive
Director of the PSA, sets out
the new bricks Friday, June 17,
2016 on the porch of the SSSAC.
Madelynne Scales/PhilNews
blank with 314 new ones.
Trip Corder, Activities Manager,
was overseeing the event.
“The idea is [that] anybody who
has time and wants to help, can,”
said Corder of the volunteering
staff members.
Corder expressed his excitement
for staff members to have a special
connection to the porch.
“It’s easy to see the bricks and
have no idea how they got there,”
said Corder.
These 314 new bricks carry the
name of the donor(s) and “C4P”
which stands for “Campaign for
Philmont.”
Those whose names appear
f
s
t
f
p
w
y
e
P
i
R
on the bricks donated $350 ort
more to the Philmont Capitaly
Campaign. This campaign lastedy
from 2011-2013. The proceedsr
went to Philmont improvements,i
from the new Philmont Trainingw
Center bathrooms to Backcountryf
furniture.
The PSA has been around for
40 years, and over the last several
years, they have raised $2.5 million
for Philmont improvements. The
PSA is now involved in a new
campaign.
“The Philmont Staff Association
is raising money for the Building
Home Seton Museum & PSA New
Office Building,” said O’Neill.
Will Dugger, Ranger, removes a brick Friday, June 17, 2016 from the
porch at the SSSAC. Madelynne Scales/PhilNews
PhilmontScoutRanch.org
Philmont and Beyond:
Upcoming career events
Eric Martinez
Associate Director of Program
Thank you for your hard work so
far in the summer! It is exciting to
see the summer taking shape and
to hear all the positive feedback
from the crews. As the summer
progresses and you start looking at
what comes next, I wanted to let
you know of a few special career
events to aid in your “what’s after
Philmont?” search.
Firstly, as mentioned earlier
in the season, we are conducting
Recruiting & Resume Workshops
this summer to help you recruit
your friends to work out here next
year and to help you write a great
resume to assist in your job search
in the off season. These events
will be held in the Baldy Pavilion
from 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. on July
e
PhilNews | 9
Friday, June 24, 2016
20, July 22, July 27, July 30, and
August 3.
The second special event is the
Professional Scouting Reception
where you can meet and hear
from Scout Executives and BSA
professionals about careers in
the BSA. This is a great time
to network with councils from
around the country and learn more
about the Scouting profession.
This event will be held at the Villa
Philmonte Pool on July 21 from
7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. If you are
interested, send me an I-Camp and
I will add you to the list.
The third event will be a
presentation by representatives
from the United States Forest
Service,
Bureau
of
Land
Management,
and
other
government agencies to give
you tips and tricks for getting
employment within the federal
government. The date is to be
announced but we are looking at
holding the event sometime during
the last two weeks of July. More
updates will follow.
The last career event is the Winter
Job Fair. Ski and snowboard resorts
from New Mexico and Colorado
will be present in the Silver Sage
Staff Activities Center on August 2
from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. and on
August 3 from 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
This will be a great opportunity
to network with resorts if you are
interested in working in the ski and
hospitality industry this winter.
Thank you again for all the
great work you are doing this
summer and let’s keep delivering
wilderness and learning adventures
that last a lifetime!
Thoughtfulness
Mark Anderson
Director of Program
“We are thoughtful in all we do.”
What
does
the
“thoughtfulness” mean?
word
•
Occupied with or given to
thought;
contemplative;
meditative; reflective:
•
Characterized
manifesting
thought:
by
or
careful
•
Careful,
mindful;
heedful,
or
•
Showing consideration for
others. Attentive.
Thoughtfulness
implies
a
concern for comfort and the good
of others. It implies providing
little attentions, offering services,
or in some way looking out for
the comfort or welfare of others. It
implies sparing others annoyance
or discomfort and being careful
not to hurt their feelings.
“We are thoughtful in all we do.”
Thoughtfulness is character.
But thoughtfulness is even more
encompassing than character. It is
part of the fabric that resides deep
within each of us – thoughtfulness
applies literally to every internal
and external activity.
Thoughtfulness is key to
customer service and those chance
encounters with our participants
and visitors that can happen each
day.
Thoughtfulness is key to
employee interactions and support.
Thoughtfulness is key to
understanding the brand.
Thoughtfulness is key to how
you feel about your work and how
you go about your work.
“We are thoughtful in all we do.”
By thinking about this we can
realize the need to develop the
invaluable habit of considering
that no action of ours is without
consequences
for
others
and anticipating what those
consequences could be.
I ask you to adopt the concept
“We are thoughtful in all we do”
on a personal basis. I would also
encourage you to adopt it as one of
the important values of your team
here at Philmont.
The quality of our time here
at Philmont Scout Ranch this
summer requires that we act upon
our ability to relate and connect
with those around us.
Theodore Roosevelt said, “The
most important single ingredient in
the formula of success is knowing
how to get along with people.”
Through our action, by being
thoughtful in all we do, we can
enhance each person’s experience.
Summer Chapel
services every night
7 p.m.
Held at Camping Headquarters, the
following services are offered:
Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, and Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
10| PhilNews
Friday, June 24, 2016
PhilmontScoutRanch.org
Games drawn by Cassidy Johnson
PhilmontScoutRanch.org
PhilNews | 11
Friday, June 24, 2016
Learning from the best
Suzannah Evans
Staff Writer
Scouts may expect to spend
most of their time at Philmont
hiking and climbing the Rocky
Mountains, however, they will
descend these hills with so much
more. From learning how to
lead their crews, to practicing
safe bear procedures, Scouts
leave the Ranch more mature
and knowledgeable than when
they came. With this newfound
knowledge and maturity, they are
able to positively impact their
communities back home.
One way in which Scouts
may find themselves enriched
is by partaking in the Visiting
Foresters’ program. Scouts will
learn how to care for the forests
around them and will gain respect
and admiration for the trees and
wildlife through which they are
walking.
Additionally, they will learn
how to prevent forest fires and
how to check the health and age of
trees. Scouts will especially enjoy
finding the age of a live tree by
using an increment borer.
Between Hunting Lodge and
Clarks Fork lies the 40 acre
Demonstration Forest. Every
summer,
visiting
Foresters
come and educate Scouts and
participants on how to better
preserve and protect the forests
around them.
The Demonstration Forest was
started by the American Tree Farm
Organization.
Each pair of Foresters stays for a
week at a time. During this period,
they stay at the nearby Hunting
Lodge.
This past week, two Foresters
from Missouri enlightened Scouts
on Forestry Management.
Greg Hoss and Rick Thom
are retired from their positions
in the Missouri Department of
Conservation, but they decided to
return to Philmont for their fifth
and fourth year, respectively, as
volunteers. In the late 1960’s Thom
was a Staff Member at Philmont
while Hoss was a Camper.
Visiting Foresters, such as Hoss
and Thom, spend anywhere from
10 to 30 minutes educating Scouts
partaking in any of the 21 out of 35
treks that offer the Demonstration
Forest on the itinerary.
“We let the Scouts know that
they control the time,” said Thom.
Some Crews are able to spend
more or less time at the Foresters’
station depending on how much
time they have. Crews might
choose to walk through the
Forest and learn different forest
management techniques from
the educational boards that are
displayed throughout.
Hoss spent 40 years fighting
forest fires. His aim is to help
Scouts learn how to care for the
forests they visit and how to
Visiting forester Richard Thom shows a group of Philmont staff members how to determine the age of
a tree by counting the rings on a sample taken with an increment border on Tuesday, June 14, at the
Demonstration Forest. Thom says that the spacing between the rings can show if the tree had a hard
growing season or an easy one. Alex Cenci/PhilNews
prevent forest fires.
Hoss stated that it was probable
that the forests of today look very
different than they did when the
miners first arrived.
“This is not how this forest
naturally would have looked when
the miners showed up,” said Hoss
Over the years, because of
human disturbance, trees have
grown closer together, causing
fires to gain quicker traction.
“The fires used to be a real
mosaic, now they are pretty
devastating,” said Hoss.
Hoss talked about how, despite
the fact that it might take years,
forests do recover. Additionally,
over the years, new conservation
methods and theories have been
utilized. He said that there are
certain management techniques
that were once thought of as bad,
but are now seen as beneficial.
“We’ve let the forests go for
so long, thinking that cutting and
burning was bad, and now we are
finding out that we should have
cut and burned [some more of the
forest.]”
Hoss explained that prescribed
burning and cutting can help
preserve the forest so that future
generations can enjoy it as we do
today.
Visiting Forester Greg Hoss, back, talks about identifying
the age of a tree using an increment borer on a trunk on
Tuesday, June 14, 2016 at Demonstration Forest. Drew
Castellaw/PhilNews
This tree trunk slice demonstrates how to identify the life events of a tree on Tuesday, June 14, 2016
at Demonstration Forest. Drew Castellaw/PhilNews
12| PhilNews
Friday, June 24, 2016
PhilmontScoutRanch.org
Below: Jaclyn Christianson, PTC Pony Wrangler,
assists 10-year-old PTC participant, Andrew, with
his helmet before his pony ride. Andrew and the
other kids in his group will also have another chance
to interact with the animals at PTC later in the
week. Clay Helfrick/PhilNews
Below: Clarks Fork Camp Director Justin Kernes
speaks to the camp participants during the
camp’s campfire on Tuesday, June 16, 2014.
Drew Castellaw/PhilNews
Beaubien Wrangler Andrew Banken sits on the porch of the Wrangler’s cabin overlooking the Beaubien meadow.
Skyler Ballard/PhilNews
A member of Troop
101 from Ohio bats
off the “tee” during
a game of Loggerball
at Pueblano on
Wednesday, June 15,
2016. Skyler Ballard/
PhilNews
Caleb Peurifoy relaxes in the grass at the PTC
Thursday, June 16, 2016 prior to embarking on a day
hike with his fellow Deputies. The Deputies are a
group of 8-10 year old boys who participate in Cub
Scout-level activities through the Philmont Training
Center. Madelynne Scales/PhilNews
Participants from Springfield, Missouri sit inside the living room of Hunting Lodge where every night
the staff have a relaxed evening program of music and trail stories around the fireplace. Clay Helfrick/
PhilNews