Trip Report:
7/17/1999 Travel
Today we woke up at 3:30 - 4:00. We met at the church. Our patrol, the Boulder patrol drove to Pueblo, CO and ate breakfast at McDonalds.
We got to Philmont and ate lunch. We met our ranger.
It rained the whole afternoon. We picked up our food, etc. We went to the Chapel service. We ate dinner. We went to campfire. We went to bed.
Unsigned
7/18/99 Day 1 of Trek
This morning camp was really loud. All of us woke early eager to hike. Once we got to the beginning of our itinerary we immediately got instruction. BC (our ranger) taught us everything about bear safety, maps, and Philmont.
In general, this is going to be the best twelve days we've been together. My biggest worry is our gear. But we're all prepared and learning a lot. When we reached camp, we set up, ate and went to camp Abreu for some really great root beer.
Signed, Justin
P.S. The foods not as bad as they say.
7/19/99 Day 2 of Trek
We are on the trail we saw 2 turkeys today and 3 last night. They were as larg as ostriges. All of us are ready for the rest of the trek and we are having fun we are learing about each other and the wilderness is great
Unsigned
7/20/99 Day 3 of Trek
We woke up and walked to inspiration point and watched the sunrise and then we came back and started heading towards miners park and then did rock climbing and played camoflage
Signed, Grant
7/21/99 Day 4 of Trek
(Yeah baby !)
Today sucked horribly, at least the hiking part. It was supposedly a 5 mi hike, and turned out to be like 7 mi. But, it was a very beautiful hike. Lots of moss & mostly by a river. Ferns too. We crossed 37 bridges, not including small stream crossings. We also didn't get to eat a complete lunch until after 3:00 pm. By the time we got to camp we were all tired, hungry, and complaining. So far we've all enjoyed playing camoflage & pine cone fights.
Signed, James
P.S. It rained a lot !!
PPS. I MISS JANE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7/22/99 Day 5 of Trek
We woke up this morning packed our bags and went and shot the black powder rifles. Then we headed out to Philips Junction and got more food and I sent a post card to my parents who I miss so much. Then we went to crooked creek and made candeles and played on a gigantic teater toter. Then we went to Cumanci creek and that's where we are staying the night.
Signed, Josh
P.S. I miss my parents very much
7/23/99 Day 6 of Trek
"The wake up call"
We woke up at 6 AM. We left Cumanci to go to Clear Creak through Tomahock. We layed around until 1 PM.
We were hiking up Mt. Phillips a 2000 ft elevation gain. We were allmost at the top of Mt. Phillips when the lighting started and rain. Most of us got off the trail but Josh, James and Weston went up a hundred feet up the trail. It was raining softly but the lighting was less then a mile away. So Mr. Miers desided to go get the three lost scouts.
Mr. Toll put up the rain fly we all gathered under it. Then it started poring and not 5 min later BOOM !!! Lighting struck making us all fall to the ground when we felt the shock and compression wave hit us. It started to rain even harder and we were all huddling together we all strarted praying and Sing. Then it started to hail. It continued for 2 1/2 hours.
Looking back on it four things saved our lives. One we got off the trail. Two we got everyone together. Third is we set up the rain fly. James Josh and Weston might have die because the lighting struck 10 ft from James. 15 ft Josh and Weston. If we didn't put up the rain fly we would have died of hypothermia. The "wake up call" was the lighting because God reminded us how great life is.
Signed, Zac Keith
7/24/99 Day 7 of Trek
It started out as a warm day we got our tents set down. And we got out about 1 hour after B1 our sister crew the hike started but prity easy and we got to Tomohalk throing and I hit my beat up hat and it has been hit by black powder too. We also hit other hats. Then we hit the trail again it started to get tierd we hic (...?)
Unsigned
7/25/99 Day 8 of Trek We got to Camanche peak and set up camp. In the morning we got up and broke camp and hiked to Sawmill camp and met our staff member and then set up our camp and did 30-06 reloading and shooting. Then we started a fire in the water heater for the showers which were heated by a wood fire and a large tank.
Signed, Grant
7/29/99 Day 11 of Trek
Ok, I see we've skipped a few days. Right now we're on our way home. We're all looking forward to family & hot showers. I know we all had an awsome time, and some of us will be back, maybe as campers, maybe as staff. The closing campfire last night was great especially this one girl staff member named Amber, who all the guys were wistling and cheering for. So I guess this is it. Bye Bye Philmont.
Signed, James
Final thought ---
Philmont was one of the best experiences that I have ever had now that I look back at it. I got to spend time with my dad and my patrol and also have alot of fun. I hope to go to Philmont again someday.
Signed, Weston
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