In addition to the fee paid directly to Patriots' Path Council and the purchase of personal equipment, what other expenses should be expected?
Each crew needs to establish a budget and designate a banker or treasurer to handle the funds (a great job for a parent to take on in support of the crew!) for crew expenses. The amount will vary from crew to crew, and should (at a minimum) provide food and fuel for shakedown hikes and any special crew apparel such as T-shirts, hats, or neckerchiefs. Other things that might be considered for the crew budget include fees for CPR and First Aid training, ground transportation to and from the airport and whether crew gear such as stoves must be purchased.
What are the requirements for adult advisors?
In addition to each advisor being a registered member of BSA, adult advisors must complete BSA Youth Protection, Safe Swim Defense, and Safety Afloat training.
What is the requirement for Youth Protection Training for crew members?
Both adult advisors and youth crew members are required to complete the age appropriate BSA Youth Protection training.
What are the major reasons that force crew members off the trail at Philmont?
Hypothermia, dehydration, unsanitary food preparation, and falls are the top four problems which force crew members off the trail. Each of these issues must be addressed during crew training.
How can a crew prepare for coping with the altitude difference?
In addition to good physical conditioning by everyone before Philmont, the tour of southern Colorado is designed to help crew members adjust to higher altitudes before arriving at Philmont.
How many shakedown hikes should a crew have before departing for Philmont?
Most crews find that about three, preferably overnight, shakedown hikes are sufficient, though a mix of overnight and day hikes may be needed to accommodate a crew’s particular ability to schedule shakedowns.
When should a crew do "gear shakedowns"?
Gear shakedowns should be performed during crew training hikes to give everyone a chance to see what others are using and stimulate questions about what works and what does not. In addition, each crew will have a gear shakedown conducted by a staff member at May’s Watchu Mountain Adventure. A shakedown is recommended at a crew meeting, with family in attendance, a week or two before departing for Philmont to insure any gaps in equipment or packing have been squared away (this is also the time for a short briefing to parents, i.e. phone chain for wake-up calls on the day of departure, last minute itinerary questions, contact info, etc.) A next-to-last shakedown should be conducted the night before departure to make sure than the gear on the Philmont equipment list will be on the plane. At Philmont, the crew’s Ranger will conduct a final shakedown before the crew leaves Base Camp.
Where can the water purification tablets used at Philmont (Micropur) be purchased for use on shakedowns?
The water purification tablets now used at Philmont, Katadyn’s Micropur, are available at outdoor stores such as REI and on Amazon. The cost is about $16.00 per package of 20 or 30 tablets.
What is the recommended method of sanitizing personal eating utensils?
A great method is to simply attach a length of 1/8” nylon line to a metal shower rod hook. Drill a small hole in the upper lip of the bowl and the end of the spoon. Attach the cup, bowl and spoon to the shower rod hook and dunk the utensils in water brought to a rolling boil, immersing ALL surfaces for about 30 seconds. The nylon line makes it safe and easy to do the dunking and then hang the utensils to dry. After all eating utensils for the crew have been sanitized, the water is then used to prepare the meal.