The long standing Philmont tradition of thorns, roses and buds on treks is a great device that allows crew members to voice daily concerns, joys, and hopes. At the end of each day the crew gathers, and in turn each participant lets the rest of the group know how their day went and what they were looking forward to for the next day. As the trek progressed I recognized a golden opportunity for me to wrap up what has been a life altering scouting experience, both in terms of our Philmont trek and our journey through scouting over the last eight years. During the last days of our hike I searched my soul for the words to describe the mixed emotions I was experiencing. I even arranged it so that I would speak last during our final gathering. However, once again I underestimated our young men. In turn, almost as if we had discussed it many times over the years, my most private thoughts were reflected back to me in the Roses of the boys.  No one left the circle that night unmoved. I was left with only a few points to share. Sorry though, you'll have to read the rest of these reflection to find out what they were.

    And now for the rest of the story......

    Philmont has been for us much more that the 16 days we were away in June and July this summer. This adventure started for our crew back in August of 2007 when we completed our first shakedown at Redden State Forest. It was a modest start, only a few miles walked, but we learned a few things and moved on. This trend continued on a monthly basis until this past April at Edward J Mack Scout camp. During our shakedowns we refined our gear selections, camping skills and most important, crew leadership. By the time we arrived at Philmont base camp most of our crew was prepared for the challenges that lay ahead.

    For Crew 623-H1 our Trek began on Thursday night July 19th, when we checked in each of the boys, and reviewed information and gear. We settled the crew in for the evening at the Small residence. I am not sure how much settling there was, but I at least did get a few hours sleep. We arrived at Philly Airport at almost the same time (yes they beat us) as Crew H2 which had the balance of our troop members. The flight to Denver was actually shorter than I thought, taking only 3.5 hours. Once in Denver we collected our gear and loaded up on a Charter bus to Peterson AFB. The Delmarva Council trip actually consisted of four crews and 44 participants. H3 was primarily from the St. Michael's MD area and H4 was from Salisbury.

    Peterson AFB is a beautiful facility in the shadow of the Rockies and Pikes Peak. The Boy Scout program is administered by the base fire department. After settling in we were asked if we would visit the fire house for a tour. After dinner we walked over and were treated to a fantastic tour of a very nice (and new) fire station. The boys were given demonstrations of the specialized equipment and allowed to climb over and on the fire trucks. Back in the fire house the boys were shown the personal protective gear and training equipment. At that point the evening got interesting. For those of you who have not seen Tim Carroll in a while, he showed up at check-in sporting a frosted Mohawk, a cowboy hat and mirrored sunglasses. Now I don't want to sound like I'm totally against self expression, but for me a Mohawk, leave alone the frosting was a bit over the top. (I began thinking of devious ways to have it removed before we arrived at the soul of BSA's National program). Back at the fire house a serious competition had broken out between Tim and Mike Price. Before my eyes and without getting myself involved a bet was fostered between Mike and Tim. If Mike won the Mohawk was gone, if Tim won, well there would be two Mohawks to contend with. I must admit at this point I wavered slightly on how I would like to contest to end. True, I would like my crew to be without the frosted squirrel tail, but a picture of Mike with a Mohawk would be rather priceless. In the end the Mohawk was on the floor courtesy of Sgt Linta and his industrial strength shears. (I did however see a bead of sweat working its way down Mike's forehead) The evening ended with the entire contingent a buzz, and it was still the first day!

    The next day we were picked up by the charter bus and traveled to the Arkansas river for white water rafting. Our original disappointment that the section of river we were scheduled to run was closed by the state for being too dangerous was replaced by the excitement to know that the epic water conditions we would face due the extreme snowfall of the previous winter. During our bus ride along the river to our launch point we saw many rafters floating down the river, having been separated from their rafts in the Class III to Class V rapids. During our run one of our contingent rafts was flipped, luckily no one was seriously injured and the boys in the remaining boats were very excited having "saved" members of the contingent. By the end of the day we were wet, cold and very excited. Everyone had already forgotten the Mohawk removal of the previous evening. (except maybe Tim)

    Sunday we had a little later start, so we were able to attend a Church service at the base before we headed off to our next adventure. The charter bus once again picked us up and we traveled to Pikes Peak. I must mention that the first three days we had the same bus driver. Woody was a Alabama transplant who had a unique way of giving us "tour" information and a curious habit of telling us things that we either could not see or were no longer there. At Pikes Peak we rode the Cog railroad to the 14,110 ft peak. The vistas were grand and we gained a real appreciation of the lack of oxygen once we reached the top. Many of us became light headed and walking even at a moderate pace caused labored breathing. After we returned to the base of the mountain, Woody whisked us to the Flying W western dinner theater where we enjoyed a fine chuck wagon dinner (Woody even helped serve the meal) and were treated to a western show, complete with guitars and a fiddle.

    Monday morning we were up early, packing our gear and preparing for our arrival at Philmont base camp. I would like to say that we were well received at Peterson. All of our encounters with the Firemen were outstanding. It is a great thing that the base offers, free lodging and affordable meals and fantastic hospitality. Many thanks to Sgt Linta and all of the Firehouse staff.

    It was about a three and a half hour Drive from Colorado Springs to Philmont Base Camp. The boys enjoyed a couple of movies and the Advisors talked with nervous anticipation. Once we arrived at base camp we were off to the process of getting ready for our Trek. After a short stop at the welcome center, we met our Ranger who escorted us through the process of visiting the Health Lodge, Logistics, Equipment, the commissary, checking out lockers, the assigning of tents in the trail-bound tent city and the dining hall. As with all of the High Adventure bases that I have attended, it's a laborious process, but considering that nearly 700 participants arrive and leave base camp every day I guess we moved along pretty well. Once again Sam Cooksey had a Birthday during one of our High Adventure Trips, and this time he turned 18. His parents had made arrangements to have a birthday cake delivered at dinner. Although I was at a meeting and missed the actual cake event I hear that the Philmont staff did it up right and made a big deal for Sam. After dinner there were meetings for the Crew Leader, Chaplains Aide and Crew Advisor. Later our Ranger performed an equipment shakedown to ensure that we had enough but not to much equipment in our packs. After a long day we gathered for a short walk to the opening campfire which told of the history of Philmont and the surrounding area. After the campfire we thankfully headed off to our tents for a restless sleep in anticipation of the beginning of our Trek.

    Tuesday was day one of our trek. Final phone calls were made to family and friends, travel gear was stowed and a final trip to the trading post was made. Almost before we were ready our bus arrived to transport us to our drop off point and the beginning of our Trek. Our ranger Ryan began our training as soon as we hit the ground. Taking our co-crew leaders David and Mason aside to discuss, well I don't actually know what they discussed, the Adults were told they were on vacation and to let the Crew leaders handle the details. I can't say I got a warm fuzzy on this news, but I did eventually get over it. Speaking of our Co-Crew Leaders, it worked out great for us. David and Mason shared the duties with their usual flair. David the organizer and detail guy and Mason the can-do motivator worked together very well and kept us all on task. It must be said that we did have an ominous start. Logistics insisted on going over our Itinerary on one of the less detail single page maps.  After realizing that we had gone astray, the larger detail maps were pulled out and although we needed to back track a bit, it was at least a short day and we still arrived relatively early in camp. Mason our navigator for the day did have his first thorn but a least he was able to help a crew that was making the same mistake that we did. Once we arrived at our first camp Rayado River, our ranger training continued into the early evening hours. After Dinner, David, Mason, Ryan & I were reviewing our route for the next day, when Ryan exclaimed that our Trek had the most difficult second day hike of any trek at Philmont. Now what you must realize is that the boys and I spent a lot of time reviewing the trek offerings. Some of the criteria we used in our selection process were number of meals we carried before re-supply, staying away from dry camps (we didn't want to carry extra water up a mountain) and a relatively low impact start. The Trek book we received indicated that our Trek #24 had all of these advantages. No more than three days food, no dry camps and the trail was relatively flat for the first four days (Flat for the Rockies anyway) Our Ranger's proclamation at first was met with a patient smile as if he was making a little joke but after a quick review of the detailed map, simple math told the story. Rayado River elevation 7,000 Ft, Lookout Meadow Elevation 9,650 Ft, distance about five miles, wow.

    Wednesday stared out nearly like day one. It took us forever to get packed up, fed and on the trail. After a few miles we were again studying the maps, signs and trails trying to figure out which way to go. It took over an hour to sort it out but we finally worked it out and began the laborious march up to Lookout Meadow. I know deep inside most of our hearts we were saying "what was I thinking when I agreed to this eighty mile trek". Slowly however we continued to make progress and once we made it to camp we realized that yes we could do this. That was both my Rose and Thorn for the day. It was a very difficult climb, but we did it and it gave all of us confidence. After we set up camp, Mason and the water crew headed off for the lake that was allegedly at this elevation with an ample supply. They soon returned to get a clean shirt so they could pre-filter the water, before we filtered the water. After an inspection the supply, we decided to also chemically treat the water and to save it for emergency purposes. Then we decided to eat lunch for dinner to conserve our "good water supply". Before heading off to bed David, Mason & I had a short meeting (I'm not good with the vacation thing) where we discussed having breakfast on the trail after an hour or so of hiking. We also decided on an earlier starting time so that we could arrive at our next camp at or near lunch time. This schedule had served us well during our Northern Tier Trek and we were able to get going faster and finish each day earlier.

    The next morning we said goodbye to our Ranger and headed off on our own. We stopped at the first good water supply, refilled and had breakfast. As planned we arrived at Baubien (our first staffed camp) early and were able to sign-up for a early conservation project, get showers (Cold), send a crew to get food, and get ready for the Chuck wagon dinner. After meeting that tight schedule we continued the trend of breaking camp early, getting a good portion our hike out of the way before breakfast and getting into camp early. This became more important as the Trek wore on. Afternoon thunderstorms became common and we were able to dive into our tents, stay dry, and even work in a nap or two. It also allowed our boys to enjoy camp like they have been doing for years with games of Frisbee, cards and general messing around.

    Over the next few days we began to work our way north. Each of our Scouts took a day leading and navigating. After our trouble navigating the first two days there were a lot more map summits. I must admit I spent time checking as well. After leaving Baubien we first went up and over Schaefer's Pass (another dry camp) where we took a side hike to the Tooth of Time. Then on to Cimarroncitto our next staffed camp (warm showers), Vista Grande, Head of Dean (Cannon) a staffed camp but no showers and finally Ute meadows for our layover day. By then we were pretty beat-up and tired.  We slept in, walked to Baldy Town, and enjoyed hot showers, a visit to the trading post and a re-supply at the commissary where we were offered fresh fruit. Each of our days were filled with challenging hikes, fantastic views and wonderful camaraderie. It is really hard to describe the view from the Mountain tops, even pictures will not do it justice. I think that much like the extreme energy required to hike made the food actually taste good, the amount of effort required to climb these mountains actually made the view much more beautiful and rewarding.

    On day 10 of our Trek we hiked to Miranda camp where we were to pick up our pack Burro for the final two days of hiking. That event got off to a rocky start.  It took forever to get our instructions, pick a burro and load-up. At one point I had two tall skinny kids whispering in my ear, wanting to forget the "mule" and get back on the trial. However once the Burro was prepared to leave and given a proper name (Conquistador), things really looked up. Our burro (Nathan picked it out) was a blast. I had heard horror stories of the stubborn Burros that would not listen, ours however seemed to enjoy the hiking and even trotted a bit on the downhill sections. Our last camp Elkhorn was un-staffed but had a corral (of sorts) to house our Burro and one from another crew. We arrived at Lunch time, set up camp, and had time for a few games of cards before a rather nasty little storm arrived complete with pea sized hail. The noise nearly disrupted my nap!  After dinner and our Nightly gathering, no one was quite ready to bring a close to our final night on the Trek. The Boys actually found an excuse to wander off and talk, allegedly they were looking for the final day's trail head. Soon enough however we headed off to bed knowing that everything would change the next day.

    The final leg of our Trek took us through the staffed camp of Ponil. This was the original base camp of Philturn Scout ranch. The named was changed to Philmont and base camp was moved after Waite Phillips increased his donation to the BSA and added the southern part of the ranch. Since we had a later bus pick-up we were able to relax a bit and even have some of our equipment branded with several of the Philmont brands. The camp even had a Cantina where the boys enjoyed cold root beer and some almost normal food. Time moved quickly however and soon we were hiking to our pick-up point, loading up the bus and returning to base camp.

    Once back at camp we went through the process of checking in, returning our equipment, and getting tents for our Crew. It's funny how everyone felt great once we arrived back at camp. Watching the first day crews fuss over their duties gave us a sense of accomplishment, as if we knew something they just couldn't understand. The closing campfire was a real treat and everyone was ready for a night of sleep in something that wasn't directly on the ground. During our final Day at Philmont we were able to visit the nearby town of Cimarron, enjoy some pizza, and try to assimilate back into the world. Our Travel arrangements home made for a long final day. The Charter bus picked us up at 10:00PM Saturday, traveled to Denver for a 7:00AM flight which put us back into Philly around 12:30PM on Sunday. Even after we arrived back at Lewes we could feel a certain pull not to end the adventure. A few more pictures were taken, handshakes and hugs all around. So ended what is most likely the last great adventure for these Scouts through our Troop program. Even now, nearly a week later, my thoughts keep drifting back to days on the trail, crew gatherings and the majesty of this adventure.

Special Thanks and other notes:

1. To Patrick Sterrett, our Council Executive; Without your assistance this wonderful experience would not have been possible. Your infectious positive attitude made everyone want to be a part of your solution. It is my hope that your Philmont experience rivaled my own. It's a privilege to count you among my closest scouting friends.
2. To Lee Murdoch; Yo brother that was fun. I wish you could have been there! (even if the stoves were late) Although you were unable to enjoy the benefits, your work on this trip was invaluable. Thanks for all the help!
3. To Mike Price, Joe Callahan and Jeff Clark; Your Leadership and dedication made the Philmont experience special to each of our T2540 Scouts. Nicely done
4. To Ken Murr; Your continued work behind the scouting scenes has allowed me to keep the fire burning. For me it has been a great scouting partnership, thanks Ken 
5. To Colleen; without your unwavering support, these Scouting years would not have been possible.
6. Roses and Buds (I cannot even imagine any thorns) As I explained earlier the boys stole most of my thunder at our final gathering I could only add the following
   • Rose #1; To the remaining members of the original 2002 Frog patrol - I have fulfilled my promise to you. National Jamboree, Northern Tier, Sea Base and Philmont, The four great adventures of the BSA. Four Summers, each year better than the last, what a ride!
   • Rose #2; To my HA Crews and Venture Patrol; My deepest thanks. You allowed me to relive my youth and to clean-up a bit of unfinished business. But even more you allowed me into your circle and made me a friend. You made me fell young again. The experience has changed my life and reminded me of the values I was taught so many years ago. And to think I signed up for this thinking I had something to offer you, what a reversal of fortune.
   • Bud #1; So many of my Venture Patrol members have it within their grasp to complete their Eagle Scout prior to aging out of the program. Don't give up, you have time to complete your work. The invitation to the Eagle Scout Club expires on your 18th Birthday and then is forever closed. You can do it (Just ask Sam)
   • Bud #2: It is my hope that all of my Venture Patrol members, especially my charter members, will be able to attend the December Court of Honor to assist me in my final SM Minute. As I explained the last night at Philmont, I'm going to need your help. I'll try to give you plenty of notice

    As always, please contact me with any questions or concerns.

Steve Small

Scoutmaster T2540