2011 Philmont Registration Pkt

Registration requests for 2011 Expeditions for Philmont Scout Ranch will be made on the internet beginning
November 1 thru December 5, 2009.

Note on units receiving priority treatment in the lottery:   Reservations will not be assigned in the order that registration requests are made. Reservations will be pickedrandomly by computer at the close of the registration request period beginning December 6. Special Note: Boy Scout Troops, Varsity Teams and Venture Crews who have officially been on the waiting list for the past four years (2010, 2009, 2008, 2007) will be given priority treatment. These units need to place a registration request and the system will place their reservation before the other registration requests are andomly considered. Units who should have been eligible for this offer but found alternate ways to allow heir youth members to participate in 2010 (i.e. participating in a Council Contingent or joining another unit and participating as part of their reservation) should voluntarily withdraw from the 2011 reservation system and honor the minimum participation requirement of every other year.

Unit representatives may log on to http://philmontreservations.wslive.com/2011 during their assigned week which corresponds to their BSA Region or during the open week. To verify the BSA Region in which our unit is located, please contact your Council Service Center.
▶ Week One: Northeast Region ~ Nov 1 – 7
▶ Week Two: Western Region ~ Nov 8 - 14
▶ Week Three: Southern Region ~ Nov 15 - 21
▶ Week Four: Central Region ~ Nov 22 - 28
▶ Week Five: Open Week ~ Nov 29 – Dec 5
Please Note: Each Region’s schedule will begin at 12:00 am Central Standard Time

EXPEDITIONS:
Length: 12 days & nights
Arrival Dates: Each day June 8 through August 9
Cost: $725 per person
Payment Schedule:
$100/person deposit due Feb 12, 2010
$312.50/person advance Oct. 1, 2010
$312.50/person balance March 1, 2011

Length: 7 days & nights
Arrival Dates: August 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
Cost $441 per person
Payment Schedule:
$100/person deposit due Feb 12, 2010
$171/person advance due Oct 1, 2010
$171/person balance due March 1, 2011

AGE REQUIREMENT
Age requirement for Expeditions and Cavalcades: 2011 Philmont participants must be 14 years of age OR
completed 8th Grade and be at least 13 years of age prior to participation.

[This news story came out on the Philmont mailing list today.  Story can be found at http://www.twincities.com/allheadlines/ci_12916249 - Shane]

Youth's collapse on mountain trek remains a mystery
 
Sunday, July 25, 2009 - www.TwinCities.com

Fourteen-year-old Timothy Nunn's trip to a "high-adventure" camp in New Mexico should have been one of the peak experiences of his life, as it's been for many a Boy Scout.

But Timmy never made it back.

The Edina boy collapsed and died Friday afternoon while hiking with a Northern Star Council Troop 123 crew at the Philmont Scout Ranch near Cimarron, N.M., scouting officials confirmed.

"They had emergency personnel and others who responded right away," said Kent York, marketing director for the Northern Star Council, which includes troops from Minnesota and western Wisconsin. "Despite the troop's efforts and emergency personnel's efforts, they couldn't revive him."

York said the cause of the boy's death is not yet known.

Click on the link below to open the 2009 Philmont trail menu and ingredient list.

 Philmont Trail Food Ingredients - 2009

For you calorie counters out there, the link below is the calorie count for the 2009 Phil-meals.

 2009 Philmeals Calorie Count

These documents can also be found in the Downloads section of the website.

Be Prepared

When we drive through the gate and get out of the vehicles at Philmont, take a deep breath, stretch and enjoy the scenery.  Both you and your crew are likely to be pretty excited.  After months of planning, we have finally made it!  Reality will set in when you remember that we are just one of approximately 30 crews that arrive every day.  And every one of these crews will have to go through the same in-processing routine.  But if you and your crew are prepared, the time can be shortened and the amount of confusion can be lessened.

Try also and remember that other than a few “first things first” items, the order of the in-processing activities described below may vary depending on the number of crews that arrive at the same time that we do and other factors.  Although you may feel the activities look like chaos, it is usually a very well controlled chaos.  Our Rangers will be following Rule 6 on Page 1 of the old Ranger Handbook - “Scramble, Be Flexible” - to get your crew’s check-in completed in the least amount of time possible.  Your attitude and level of preparation for the activities ahead (discussing options with the crew beforehand, being ready when its time, and so forth) will determine to a great extent the level of frustration and difficulty you encounter.

You can find the 2009 itineraries on the Scouting.org website.  Here are some quick links to follow.

2009 Itineraries at a glance

2009 Philtrek Guide (TREKS)

2009 Itinerary/Arrival card

Short Treks Itinerary/Arrival card

This is an essay I wrote a few years ago after returning from a trek.  It explains why Philmont -- and the wilderness in general -- has had such a profound effect on my life.  Each year, as I start preparing another Crew for their adventure, I dust it off and present it to them as a part of their trek preparation.

This is a handout I gave to my Crew before one of our weekend "shakedown" activities in preparation for the Philmont trek. The shakedown occured in February and the weather was especially cold and windy.  The article deals with cold weather comfort and safety.

Other than dealing with an injury to a member of your crew, nothing at Philmont can be as stressful as getting through the first day.  The first day at Philmont is "lovingly" called the Day 1 Marathon for good reason.  There is a specific list of tasks that MUST be completed before your crew can be bussed out to the back country, and there are a few other activities each crew wants to take part in.

The MUST DOs include:

• Arrival at Philmont
• Check-in at Welcome Center
• Meet your ranger
• Administration check-in
• Logistics consultation
• Medical re-checks
• Trail equipment check-out
• Trail food check-out
• Crew shakedown with your ranger
• Crew photos
• Advisors Meeting/Crew Leader Meeting/Chaplain Aid Meeting
• Opening Campfire

Some of the other activities you may want to do include:

• Tour the Villa Philmonte'
• Visit the Tooth of Time Traders
• Visit the snack bar
• Visit the News & Photo Service
• Attend evening chapel

For myself, and most of the adults I've talked to, Philmont Day 1 is the last stressful part of the 18 months of preparations for the trip.  The vacation does not start on Day 1.  The vacation starts on Day 2.  Here are some tips, tricks, and notes to help you get through that first stressful day.