Back 2024 Trek 12-11 Forward

50 Miler South


Rugged; Approximately 60 miles; Maps required: north


Trek History: New as 12-6 in 2023; 12-11 in 2024

Spending time in the heart of Philmont’s South Country, this itinerary gives crews the opportunity to complete all requirements for their 50-Miler award. Starting in basecamp, hike to Arrowhead Camp, and spend time working on your camping skills in the shadow of the Tooth of Time! The next morning, pass through the Demonstration Forest on your way to Hunting Lodge Camp. At the Demonstration Forest, spend one hour learning about historical and modern forestry practices, and set the stage for the remainder of your conservation work to fulfil your 50-Miler requirement. The next morning, wake up early and hike to Cimarroncito to pick up food and spend time in the bouldering gym. Don’t linger too long, or you will be late to the Stomp show at Cyphers Mine! Enjoy the music and stories before heading to bed in one of the mining camp's muck shacks. Wake up early the next morning and pack extra water, as you climb up and over Mt. Phillips to Clear Creek Camp. Spend time at the summit enjoying the view of the Moreno Valley and Wheeler Massif before descending into old growth forests and the headwaters of the Rayado River. The next morning, try your hand at fur trapping and muzzle loading rifle shooting before packing up and hiking down the Rayado Creek Canyon to Phillips Junction for food. Spend time relaxing on the porch before hiking the mile and a half to Beaubien for their chuckwagon dinner and Cowboy Campfire show! The next morning side hike Trail Peak and then head down to Lower Bonito Camp to set up camp. Meet up with the stream restoration team the next morning to complete your next six hours of conservation program. Spend the day working to restore the Bonito Creek to its healthy, historic conditions by building erosion control features and fencing to prevent animals from causing further damage. Following your day of hard work, hike down to the Abreu family homestead to spend time with their animals and enjoy the New Mexican dinner and a tall mug of root beer. Enjoy the next day's hike to Crater Lake Camp, where you can learn to climb spar poles and take part in the company meeting of the Continental Tie & Lumber Co. Hike the short distance to Miners Park Camp, and set up camp before hiking to the natural rock climbing area to enjoy spectacular views of the great plains and the Urraca Watershed. Relax in the evening, before waking up early to reach the North Fork Urraca Conservation project, completing your last three hours of work on a new hiking trail that will connect the heart of the South Country to the plains and Basecamp. Spend the rest of the day traversing the ridgeline to Tooth Ridge Camp for the night. Spend your last morning in the backcountry side-hiking the Tooth of Time, and take in the views before heading back to camp and hiking down the Tooth Ridge into Basecamp!!

Per the Guidebook to Itineraries: "Due to potential emergencies, such as catastrophic fires, Crews must not deviate from their assigned itinerary. Changes are only permitted for bona fide medical emergencies and must be approved in advance by the Logistics Department."

Dry Camps: Tooth Ridge;
- No photo available for this campsite or this program at this location. Click icon for specific needs.

DayCampProgram FeaturesCampsite Features
1Camping Headquarters Opening Campfire Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;  
2Arrowhead Food Pickup @ Camping HeadquartersTrail Camp; (Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; at CHQ Trailbound)


Bus to Webster Trailhead


Water  


Ranger Training  
3Hunting Lodge Visiting Forester @ Cimarroncito (Showers; at Cimarroncito)


Western Lore / Branding @ Cimarroncito 
4Cyphers Mine Food Pickup @ CimarroncitoShowers (wood stoked);  (Showers; at Cimarroncito)


Campfire @ Cimarroncito 


Climbing Gym @ Cimarroncito 


Gold Mining & Panning  


Blacksmithing  


Mine Tour  
5Clear Creek Tomahawks  


Rocky Mountain Fur Company  


Climb Mount Phillips  


Climb Comanche Peak  


Water @ Cyphers MineShowers (wood stoked);
6Beaubien Western Lore / Branding Showers (wood stoked);  


Chuck Wagon Dinner  


Muzzle Loading Rifles  


Food Pickup @ Phillips JunctionCommissary; Trading Post; Showers;
7Lower Bonito Climb Trail Peak Trail Camp; 
8Abreu New Mexican Homestead Showers;  


Cantina  


Mexican Dinner  


Conservation Project @ Lower BonitoTrail Camp;
9Bear Caves Campfire @ Crater LakeTrail Camp; (Showers; at Crater Lake)
10Miner's Park Tie making / Crosscut Saws @ Crater LakeShowers;  (Showers; at Crater Lake)


Food Pickup  


Rock Climbing & Rappelling  


Traverse Wall  
11Tooth Ridge Conservation Project @ North Fork UrracaTrail Camp (Always dry); 


Water @ Stockade
12Camping Headquarters Climb Tooth of Time Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;  


Hike in via Tooth Ridge Trail  


Closing Campfire  
Warning: Itinerary details provided by PhilSearch are for planning purposes only.  Only the current year's "Treks" book and the addendums to it, if any, should be used for final trek selection.

Crews passing through staff camps are not scheduled for program. If time and space allow, some crews may be able to participate in some of the programs offered.

DayCampPotential Additional Program FeaturesCampsite Features
2Camping HeadquartersVisit the Villa PhilmonteCommissary; Showers; Trading Post;
National Scouting Museum
4CimarroncitoRock Climbing & RappellingShowers;
Hike via Hidden Valley / Window Rock
Traverse Wall
5Clear CreekMuzzle Loading Rifles
Cyphers MineBlacksmithingShowers (wood stoked);
Gold Mining & Panning
Stomp
Mine Tour
6BeaubienClimb Trail PeakShowers (wood stoked);
Climb Lookout Peak
Cowboy Campfire
Phillips JunctionFishing OpportunitiesCommissary; Trading Post; Showers;
8AbreuHomesteadingShowers;
Ride out from Cattle Headquarters
10Crater LakeContinental Tie & LumberShowers;
Hike over Fowler Mesa
spar pole climbing
Logging Skills
Miner's ParkCrate StackingShowers;
11North Fork UrracaHike via North Fork Urraca
StockadeCOPE
12Camping HeadquartersVisit the Villa PhilmonteCommissary; Showers; Trading Post;
National Scouting Museum
Ride into Cattle Headquarters
This list is not complete and is dependent on the route you take each day.