My father was recently in the hospital for some surgery. While recovering he was in the room with Chris Simonetti, a fellow scouter. My pap came home joking that he needed to take his trader patches in so they could swap some patches. I realized that my dad can’t even go to the hospital without being somehow involved in scouting.

Here is a list of everyone we met along the way and the names of our crew members:

Advisors: Don Walters
               Julie Sutsko
               DJ Walters
Members: Charlie McKarchy (crew leader)
                 Jared Wagner
                 Wyatt Wagner
                 Cody Cooper
                 Robert Bowersox
                 Michael Cavanaughal (chaplian)
                 Tiffany Bollman
                  Kelli Walters
Ranger: Trent Mullett (Florida)
Pueblano boys: Karl Sparks (Archy)
                        Jared Wicker (Oscar)
                        Frankie Shako Dioguardi (Frank)
                        Andrew Brownele

Travel day 5

Friday, July 31st, 2009

Pittsburg-Lewistown. Finally home!

We'll be at Lewistown around 11. We got into Pittsburg around 5. I slept the whole way from Chicago to Pittsburg. It was so nice to relax and catch up on some much needed sleep.

And as Greenday's "Good Ridence" plays in our minds, our 16 day journey finally ends here.

"And I hope you've had the time of your life...."

Travel day 4

Thursday, July 30th, 2009

Chicago-Pittsburg

We got to Chicago on time. I've read 127 pages of my book from Raton to Chicago. I finally got a Chicago sweatshirt. and charged my Ipod. It's been a smoother ride this time. Next stop: Pittsburg, Pa

Travel day 3


Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

Base Camp-Raton Train Station

Well, today we leave. We didn’t get the chance to go into Cimarron but we saw the Villa and the Seaton Museum.

We got to see Trent before we loaded up on the bus to go the Raton. We had pizza from a local delivery pizza place. Trent brought us Oatmeal Crème Pies. We compacted 2.5 pizza boxes into the oatmeal box. It was packed full! Our bus comes at 3 to take us to Raton. And our train comes at 5:45. So we have an hour to waste in Raton.

GPS stats: (Around Base Camp) : 4.39 mi

Thorn: Leaving Philmont

Rose: Having a great day at Base Camp before having to leave. And pizza with Trent

Bud: Safely getting home

Trail day 11


Tuesday, July 28th, 2008

Flume Canyon to Ponil-Base Camp

GPS Stats: Mileage: 6.98 mi

Today is a short 3 mile day. Wyatt Wagner got kicked by Cracker 3 times and Zeus stepped on my foot while we were packing them.

We got to Ponil today and then another ¼ mile to Ponil turnaround. We got root beer at Ponil and played some horse shoe. Linda, our bus driver back to base camp was a crazy driver. We hit a mud puddle and the back tires were off the ground. I probably went 6 inches out of my seat. DJ and I hiked the last 3 miles of our trek in our FiveFingers. It was ok as long as we avoided the huge, sharp rocks, mud puddles, and the burrows feet.

Back at base camp we got some free time. I spent $140 at Tooth of Time Traders not including what I spent before hitting the trial. We (Tiff, DJ, and I) got some wash done and cleaned everyones class A’s. After that was finished Tiff and I went for a shower. It was so nice to get clean seeing as how we hadn’t showered since Miner’s park.

Closing campfire was the same as it was 2 years ago, but was still touching.

Thorn: Zeus stepped on my foot while I was wearing five fingers.

Rose: Showering, hiking out the last day in FiveFingers, getting ice cream and root beer.

Bud: ‘real food’, hopefully seeing Trent before we leave and going home.

Trail day 10


Monday, July 27th, 2009

Miranda to Flume Canyon

GPS stats: Mileage: 11.69 mi

Today we got a late start on the trail. We had to learn about Burros and how to take care of them and pack them correctly. We got two of them, one was white 71. We named him Samson and then later changed it to Zeus because he was so big. The other one was Blue 45 aka Cracker. He was pretty small and cute.

We hike to Flume Canyon tonight. We are about 6 miles away from Miranda. I led Zeus most of the way until he kept trying to eat my pack and tent. Then I handed him over to someone else. The burros were both pretty well behaved and good walkers, they weren’t awfully slow.

We stopped at Pueblano for spar pole climbing. We signed up for a 4:00 time slot. We hiked on to Flume where we set up camp and ate supper early. Dad and I stayed back to do dishes and hang to bear bags. We got to Pueblano in time to see our crew climb. Archey (a staff member) challenged us to switch gear from one person to another under 45 sec. We tried and tried and finally got it at 37 sec. We got a bag of chips out if it. The Pueblano campfire was great! By far my favorite campfire ever. DJ filled 21 minutes on my memory card and filled his too. We stayed long after campfire talking to the staff. One guy built a banjo for $100. It was great. DJ got a picture of it.

We got back to Flume by 11:30

Thorn: Zeus was being stubborn sometimes.

Rose: Pueblano campfire and staff

Bud: Root beer at Ponil

Trail day 9


Sunday, July 26th, 2009

Layover day in Miranda, Hiking Baldy

GPS stats: Mileage: 15.79 mi

Elevation: 12,441 ft

Speed: unrecorded

Baldy was amazing! It was so windy and cold it made me feel like a real mountaineer. I tried to call Sev twice but he didn’t answer. I called mom and Remington. Dad tiered up when he talked to mom. Dad, DJ, Tiff and I all walked hand in hand to the top. Julie has a video of it. I got two rocks from Baldy; DJ got me one on the way down to French Henry and DJ got himself one of the top of Baldy that is the size of his boot. And I got three from gold panning.

Thorn: none

Rose: Finally seeing/ getting to the top of Baldy.

Bud: Getting closer to base camp

Trail day 8


Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Santa Clause to Miranda (day 1)

GPS stats: Mileage: 9.6 mi

Elevation: 8 800 ft

Speed: 3.2 mi/hr

Today we’re at Miranda. This camp is beautiful. You’re hiking along the trail when you come to a vast meadow, there are white pines lining all sides of this camp and over the tops of the trees you can see the reddish mountain top that gave Baldy it’s names. It is absolutely gorgeous.

We’ll be here for two days and tomorrow we hike Baldy. I’ve waited two years to summit Baldy, so I can’t wait. We’ll be on the trail before day break. It should be exciting! Baldy is 12,441 ft in elevation, that’s 11,700 or more feet about Lewistown.

We shot muzzle loader today. That was fun. I really like Miranda so far and the staff has been great.

Thorn: None

Rose: Shooting muzzle loader

Bud: Summiting Baldy.

Trail day 7


Friday, July 24th, 2009

Vista Grande to Santa Clause

GPS stats: Mileage: 7.91 mi

Elevation: about 8000ft

Speed: about 2.8 mi/hour

Today we went from Vista Grande to Santa Clause. Not much to say about today. Santa Clause was a staff camp at some point, there’s an abandoned cabin here. I finally figured out black magic! It is so obvious, I’m going to teach it to Seven Mountains Staff when I get home. We played black magic with B2 tonight, only Bill and Colton figured it out.

Thorn: More blisters

Rose: Spending time with B2 ( we’ve been so busy hiking we haven’t spent much time with our sister crew)

Bud: Seeing Baldy and having a layover day in Miranda.

Trail day 6


Thursday, July 23rd, 2009

Harlan to Vista Grande via Devils Washbasin

GPS stats: Mileage: 10.3 mi

Elevation: roughly 7500ft

Speed: slow

Went from Harlan to Vista Grande. Stopped at Devil’s Washbasin for conservation. For our conservation we helped build a trail from Devil’s Washbasin to Deer Lake camp. DJ pulled out some HUGE rocks. There was a staff member there (Dan) that reminded me a lot of Severin. After conservation we ate lunch on the top of the mesa, which ended up being a very bad decision. On our way down Deer Lake Mesa it started hailing again. A lightning bolt hit not more than 10-15 feet away from us! No lie. Pretty sure my hart skipped quite a few beats. The hail hurt so badly. It covered the hills of the Mesa it looked like snow.

Thorns: Feeling too worn down. Not having enough energy and getting 3 blisters due to having a great lake in my boot after the hail storm.

Roses: Puddle jumping. And being able to see Baldy from Deer Lake Mesa.

Buds: Getting one day closer to Baldy

Trail day 5


Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Clarks Fork to Harlan via Ute Gultch and Window/Cathedral Rock

GPS stats: Mileage: 12 miles

Elevation: 7500

Speed: 2.7 miles/hour

Today we hiked from Clark’s Fork to Harlan and stopped at Ute Gultch to pick up food. We had lunch at Ute Gultch witch was probably the best decision because the trail to Harlan was so bare. There was no tree cover at all. DJ got majorly dehydrated on the way to Harlan and we had to lighten his pack. But he’s doing fine now.

I’m slowly starting to miss home but I know once I leave here I’ll miss Philmont even more.

Thorn: Bad headache after getting into camp

Rose: Beautiful day rain held off until we get to camp and set up camp

Bud: Getting closer to Baldy

The view from Window Rock.

Ute Gulch Commissary

Trail day 4


Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

Miner’s Park-Clarks Fork via Tooth of Time Ridge

GPS stats: Mileage: about 15 mi

Elevation:

Speed: 3.1 mi/hour<-- Amazing speed!

Today was a great day! We got up at 4, tore down camp pretty fast and nicely. We were at Shaffer’s Pass by 8 and on top of the Tooth by 10. We had a 15 mile day! And we were in camp before 2. This is incredible time.

The view from the Tooth was just as I remembered it to be. We’re camping at Clark’s Fork tonight and we had a chuckwagon dinner. The chuckwagon dinner was beef stew and biscuits and peach cobbler for dessert. It was the closest thing to real food since we hit the trail.

I finally saw a mini bear! I was beginning to think they were extinct.

I’m ready for bed. 15 miles in 9 hours is so exhausting.

I broke my sporkniff in half tonight, I went to put it in my squishy bowl and it broke. Dad duct taped it back together for me. I’ll but a new one tomorrow.

We’re headed to Harlan tomorrow and pick up food at Ute Gultch Commissary. We are planning to stop by Window and Cathedral rocks. I think it’s going to be a good day tomorrow.

They sang Wagon Wheel at the campfire tonight. It was a great staff camp. I have to write some post cards tomorrow.



Thorn: feeling a bit dehydrated going over the Tooth and having sucky chlorine water mixed with Gatorade.

Rose: Seeing the views from the Tooth of Time and seeing a mini bear!

Bud: Window Rock and seeing parts of Philmont that I haven’t seen yet. (I’ve seen everywhere until this point)

The Tooth of Time from Base Camp. The Tooth was the icon of the west when it was being settled. It symbolized that people were getting close to Santa Fe, Arizona.

Julie is holding a white bull. The white bull was given to female participants until the 80s when it was discontinued. Females that completed their trek were to wear the tail of the bull over their shoulder on a jacket or vest.

Trail Day 3

Monday, July 20^th, 2009

Urraca Mesa to Miner’s Park

GPS stats: Mileage: 12.25 mi

                Elevation: 8035ft

                Speed: 2.8 mi/hr

I’m sitting at Inspiration Point right now. We had to get up at 4 am to be here. Unfortunately we had to wait for another crew because staff saw a mountain lion last night. But we are now looking at the sunrise and behind us is Urraca Mesa’s peak. It is said that there is a spot on the Mesa that looks like an eye, and whoever is brave enough to sleep there for a night hears from the lost Boy Scout and other ghostly creatures. 

I think it’s going to be a great day and I can’t wait to rock climb in my fivefingers!

Got into camp at 12 pm. Not bad time for an 8 miles day.

Rock Climbing was amazing! I climbed the hardest one; names sweet tooth. We saw six bucks and two doe.

We once again have to get up early tomorrow.

Thorn: None

Rose: Climbed the hardest natural rock wall at Miner’s Park

Bud: Seeing the views from the tooth of time once again.

Trail Day 2

Sunday, July 19^th, 2009

Rim Rock to Urraca

GPS stats: mileage: About 4 miles

                Elevation: 7,918ft

                Speed: 2.4mi/hour

We made it to Urraca! We started hiking around 7 am. Had a 1000ft elevation and CATed the whole way. CAT is where the person in the front steps off the trail and then the next person takes 5-7 steps and steps off the trail and when the end of the line comes around to the first person they get back in line. It looks like a caterpillar. We made it to the top of Urraca Mesa around 9:45ish and got into camp around 10:45. That is making amazing time. Hopefully we’ll keep up the speed as we lighten out packs. After getting into camp we did some challenge courses. Only did a few and then we got rained out. Second day of rain, hopefully it doesn’t stay that way. On our challenge course we did the human knot. We stopped that after at least 15 minutes after realizing it wasn’t going to work. Then we did a think where we had to lock hands and go through a tire without breaking hands or touching the tires. I was first to go through. We also did another things where we had to swing on a rope to the other side of a lot that was blocked off by a log without spilling any water from a Nalgene.

We had canned chicken, crackers, and nutter butters after the challenge course. After that we went to set up camp. Hopefully we can break camp earlier tomorrow. We’re having Fettuccini tonight for supper.

We played a game called black magic; I still haven’t figured it out. I wrote postcards to Gram and Pap and Todd and Juli.

We’ve hiked 8 miles out of 83. Trent, our ranger, gave us pound cake and chocolate icing. It was the closest to a home-cooked cake we’ve had.

Urraca Mesa is known for mountain lions so I’m not coming out of my tent tonight!

Thorn: Not seeing a mini bear yet; mini bears are chipmunks on steroids. And not figuring out the black magic game.

Rose: seeing the crew come together on the challenge course and getting to the top on the Mesa as fast as we did. We really have a great crew for this trek.

Buds: Sunrise from Inspiration Point and getting to rock climb at Miner’s Park tomorrow. Long day ahead of us!

My view as people pass in CAT.

Swimming pool?

Panoramic view of Philmont's south country.

"If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space"

Trent, our ranger from Florida.

Most important thing while in Philmont: Stay hydrated.

Christmas card picture? DJ, Dad, Myself, and Tiffany

Tire challenge.

Trail Day 1

Saturday, July 18^th, 2009

Zastrow Turnaround to Rim Rock

GPS stats: Mileage:2.78 miles

                Elevation:7,200ft

                Speed:2.9 mi/hr

Well today we hiked to Rim Rock Camp. Rim Rock is a non-staff camp but we went through Abreau. It rained while we were making supper. Then it hailed. We couldn’t get the stoves started because of the elevation and the cold weather. Dad and I took cover under the dining fly. While we were under there he said something very touching. He looked at me and said, “You know you are my inspiration. To see you put on a 40 some pound pack and hike like you did today gave me power.” I almost cried. After we ate we did dishes, hung bear bags, did devotions and thorns and roses.

My thorn: having a heavier pack then I would have liked. (You are only supposed to have a pack 20% of your body weight)

Rose: Being back at Philmont and seeing how our group can work together.

Bud: Seeing the amazing views at Urraca Mesa.

Let me explain thorns and roses; they are done everyday after supper while we are all sitting around the campfire circle. A thorn means something bad that happened that day, or something you didn’t like about the day. A rose is the highlight of the day, or something that you really enjoyed. A bud is your expectations for the next day.

After devotions it got me thinking about how I don’t really connect with God like I should. So I’ve decided to start reading the Bible (unfortunately I only read the Bible while we were on the trail, it just sits on my nightstand now).

Zasrow Turnaround sign

Pack Line before we head out for Rim Rock

Very flat in the south country 

Our female leader with a group of cows at Abreau

The main house at Abreau

Another building at Abreau

Our campsite at Rim Rock; that green tent looking thing is the dining fly I was talking about in the body of this post.