The Philmont Forum

After over 3 year's in the making the Philmont Field Guide is now available, check it out! http://www.PhilmontScoutRanch.org/FieldGuide 

The mission of the Philmont Field Guide is to acquaint and inspire staff, campers and visitors to enjoy and learn about the natural and cultural history of Philmont and the surrounding area.  The field guide is composed of eleven chapters:   Understanding nature, flora, fauna, weather, geology, astronomy, cultural history, human impacts, fire management, leave no trace and serving future generations.  The flora and fauna of Philmont are a major focus of the book and cultural history is crucial to a thorough understanding of the ranch.

I'm excited,  got the forwarded email from our scoutmaster with our confirmation. and invited interested persons to sign up. Which  I  gladly did.  Hopefully my oldest son will be able to go, won't let him know till after finals.  It would be three trips for both of us, a record with our troop. I am willing to step aside and let other dads in the troop go if there is interest, going to Philmont is a special experience, especially with your son or daughter.  However, if no one steps up,  HERE I GO,   did I say i was excited?  Woo Hoo!                       Only maybe downside is the date of the trek  July 20 to Aug1,  which is kinda late,   I think about that time it starts to get rainy. But like they say, there is no bad trek at Philmont.

"Coop Wright's Philmont Advisor's Guide" is an unofficial publication developed and supported with input from experienced advisors and Philmont Rangers for over 20 years.  Originally begun by NCAC scouters Coop Wright and Wally Feurtado, it is updated continually throughout each year, in response to changes in Philmont best practices, policies and protocols. There is also a once-annual "overhaul" at the completion of the prior camping season, which was just finalized.

This 100 page guide has proven invaluable to legions of scouters for more than twenty years, yet remains fresh, timely, and insightful.  The guide is a compilation of input from a network of advisors and staffers, which is what makes it unique. That network also includes experienced female advisors, rangers and ranger trainers, which adds an important perspective for the growing Venturing population at Philmont - and gives women the option of contacting peers "off-line" through contact info in the guide for questions.

This guide is written to include best practices for all who trek at Philmont. We will continue to reference campers’ use of both old and new, traditional and ultra-lite products and philosophies, with the belief that has been the foundation of the Philmont Advisor’s Guide: There is no one “right way” to do Philmont.

For more information, use the website link: www.bacphilmont.org/pag.html.  This year's Philmont Advisor's Guide benefits a youth Cancer Survivor's Trek at Philmont, being provided at no cost to scouts who are survivors of cancer.  For more information on this trek, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

 2012 Philmont Program Information 
 2012 Philmont Unit Registration Pkt

Preliminary information is out for registering your unit for the 2012 Philmont backpacking season.

2012 Philmont participants must be 14 years of age on the date of arrival OR have completed the eighth (8th) grade and be at least 13 years of age prior to participation. Philmont can make no exceptions.

The arrival dates for 2012, 12-day Expeditions are June 8 thru August 9. The cost for the 12 day Expedition is $740 per person. Arrival dates for treks of a shorter duration are August 10 thru 14. The cost for the 7 day Expedition is $450 per person. The crew size is 7-12 members, including leaders.

Individual Unit Reservations for the year 2012 will take place during November 2010 using a web-based registration process. A registration information packet with all the instructions for the registration system will be emailed to all interested units by mid-October 2010 and will be posted to www.philmontscoutranch.org in mid-October. Units may request this information by contacting Philmont Scout Ranch at 575-376-2281 x 1139 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Unit Registration Packet is now attached to this article.

can anyone describe the selection of participants and timing for notification for Rayado?  I have been asked to make recommendations for more scouts for this program and have questions from parents for planning purposes.  thanks.