Day 2 - Base Camp to Lovers Leap
After breakfast, we will wait for our bus at the Welcome Center to take us to Lover's Leap Turnaround, our starting point. Uniforms and other items not going on the trek will be stowed in our vehicles at Base Camp. There is a scale at the Welcome Center for weighing packs. We will finally find out just who has the heaviest and the lightest packs. Both of these people will be given grief during the trek. Both crews will board a school bus and travel to our starting point. Along the way, our Rangers will point out landmarks and tell really bad jokes.
Upon arrival, we will unload all our gear and find a spot to start our day of Ranger training. Our Ranger will go over map reading and orienteering. The orienteering is mandatory because crews do get lost at Philmont and safety is a major concern out there. The hike to Lover's Leap may be one of the best in all of Philmont because of the eye level views of the famed "Tooth of Time" where in 9 days we will finish our trek. There is a large outcropping of rocks known as "Lover's Leap" and the crew can journey out onto them. For those with a fear of heights, you might want to stay back, as it is a straight drop on 3 sides. On our 2007 trek we sat on the precipice and watched a large black bear on the road just below us ( about 240 ft). We ate a trail lunch there and watched the thunderstorms build in the distance.
Our Ranger will be evaluating us while on the trail, looking for anything that might cause us problems while on the trail, from adults that cannot control the scouts, to consistency and teamwork. This is a large responsibility but the Rangers are well trained and do a fine job. Some crews have never backpacked prior to arriving at Philmont, which requires the Ranger to intensify this training. We will not have this problem, our Scouts have worked hard on the training hikes and will be ready for whatever the Ranger has in store for us. The Ranger will go over water purification, cooking dehydrated food, unique first aid situations at Philmont, weather situations, hanging bear bags and using the Red Roof Inn. At night the starts will seem so close you can almost touch them.
Day 3 Teaser - Lover's Leap to Aguila
Upon arrival, we will unload all our gear and find a spot to start our day of Ranger training. Our Ranger will go over map reading and orienteering. The orienteering is mandatory because crews do get lost at Philmont and safety is a major concern out there. The hike to Lover's Leap may be one of the best in all of Philmont because of the eye level views of the famed "Tooth of Time" where in 9 days we will finish our trek. There is a large outcropping of rocks known as "Lover's Leap" and the crew can journey out onto them. For those with a fear of heights, you might want to stay back, as it is a straight drop on 3 sides. On our 2007 trek we sat on the precipice and watched a large black bear on the road just below us ( about 240 ft). We ate a trail lunch there and watched the thunderstorms build in the distance.
| Lovers Leap |
Our Ranger will be evaluating us while on the trail, looking for anything that might cause us problems while on the trail, from adults that cannot control the scouts, to consistency and teamwork. This is a large responsibility but the Rangers are well trained and do a fine job. Some crews have never backpacked prior to arriving at Philmont, which requires the Ranger to intensify this training. We will not have this problem, our Scouts have worked hard on the training hikes and will be ready for whatever the Ranger has in store for us. The Ranger will go over water purification, cooking dehydrated food, unique first aid situations at Philmont, weather situations, hanging bear bags and using the Red Roof Inn. At night the starts will seem so close you can almost touch them.
Day 3 Teaser - Lover's Leap to Aguila
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