This challenging North Country itinerary will take you to Philmont’s highest point and get you great program opportunities along the way. You will start your trek off at Ponil Trailhead before hiking on to Sioux for the night. The next day you will hike to Pueblano Ruins but make sure to hike back to Pueblano to learn logging skills with the Continental Tie and Lumber Co. and to experience their company meeting that night for a great musical experience. You will hike to Baldy Town the next day to prepare for the following day’s summit: Baldy Mountain at 12,441 ft. above sea level. Loop around to Copper Park and down to French Henry to explore the Aztec Mine or do some gold panning! Wake up early to get down to the Mountain Man Rendezvous at Miranda before hiking to Baldy Skyline where you will get a great view to reflect upon your accomplishment the previous day. After spending the night at Baldy Skyline, pass through Head of Dean and work with the facilitators to conquer some of their challenge course events. Next, you will hike to the newly reopened staffed camp: Santa Claus. Here you will enjoy the 12-gauge shotgun shooting and reloading program before camping there for the night. The following day you will spend the night at a new trail camp, Dean Skyline, before heading to Ponil the following day to see what life was like for the cowboys of the old west. Do some Cowboy Action shooting, work on your Conservation Project, eat a Chuck wagon dinner, and listen to western music at the Cantina Show in the evening. The next day’s hike takes your crew over Hart Peak with excellent views of the Sangre de Cristos before heading down to Indian Writings for some archaeology and petroglyphs, then off to Anasazi for the evening. Your last night in the backcountry will be at Chase Cow, one of Philmont’s newest staffed camps, Chase Cow. Here your crew will enjoy rock climbing before hiking to the historic Chase Ranch for a tour and your bus pickup. Next stop… Base Camp! |
Trek Day | Camp | Program Features | Campsite Features | |
1 | Camping Headquarters TB | Opening Campfire | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |
2 | Sioux | Bus to Ponil Trailhead | Trail Camp;  | |
Western Lore / Branding @ Ponil | Trail Camp; (Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; at Ponil) | |||
Ranger Training | Trail Camp;  | |||
3 | Pueblano Ruins | Continental Tie & Lumber @ Pueblano | Trail Camp;  | |
spar pole climbing @ Pueblano | Trail Camp;  | |||
Evening Campfire @ Pueblano | Trail Camp;  | |||
4 | Baldy Town | Mining History ![]() | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |
Assaying ![]() | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
Food Pickup | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
5 | Baldy Town | Side Hike Baldy Mountain | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |
Gold Mining & Panning @ French Henry | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
Mine Tour @ French Henry | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
Blacksmithing @ French Henry | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
6 | Baldy Skyline![]() | Tomahawks @ Miranda | Trail Camp;  | |
Mountain Man Rendezvous @ Miranda | Trail Camp;  | |||
7 | Santa Claus | Challenge Events @ Head of Dean |   | |
8 | Dean Skyline![]() | Shotgun shooting/reloading - 12 Gauge @ Santa Claus![]() | Trail Camp;  | |
9 | Ponil | Conservation | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |
Western Lore / Branding | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
Cowboy Action Shooting | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
Food Pickup | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
Evening Campfire ![]() | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
10 | Anasazi | Hike over Hart Peak @ Indian Writings![]() | Trail Camp; (Showers; at Indian Writings) | |
Archaeology @ Indian Writings | Trail Camp;  | |||
atlatl @ Indian Writings![]() | Trail Camp;  | |||
Tour Petroglyphs @ Indian Writings | Trail Camp;  | |||
11 | Chase Cow![]() | Rock Climbing & Rappelling ![]() |   | |
12 | Camping Headquarters HB | Hike to Chase Trailhead![]() | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |
Tour Historic Chase Ranch @ Chase Ranch | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |||
Awards Campfire | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |||
Program opportunities not included on the official itinerary |
This list is not complete and is dependent on the route you take each day. |
Visit the Villa Philmonte at Camping Headquarters TB on day 1 |
Seton Memorial Library and Philmont Museum at Camping Headquarters TB on day 1 |
Tour Historic Baldy Town at Baldy Town on day 5 |
Muzzle Loading Rifles at Miranda on day 6 |
Side Hike Baldy Mountain at Miranda on day 6 Double Dip |
Cantina at Ponil on day 9 |
Hike over Hart Peak at Ponil on day 9 Double Dip |
Gymkhana at Ponil on day 9 |
Cavalcade at Ponil on day 9 |
Visit the Villa Philmonte at Camping Headquarters HB on day 12 |
Seton Memorial Library and Philmont Museum at Camping Headquarters HB on day 12 |