This challenging North Country itinerary will take you to Philmonts highest point and get you great program opportunities along the way. You will start your trek off at Ponil Trailhead before hiking on to Bluestem 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 campfire that night for a great musical experience. You will hike to Baldy Town the next day to prepare for the following days 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, as well! Wake up early to get down to the Mountain Man Rendezvous at Miranda before hiking to Ringtail, where you will get a great view to reflect upon your accomplishment the previous day. After spending the night there, 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. After Santa Claus, you will spend the night at 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 chuckwagon dinner, and listen to western music at the Cantina Show in the evening. The next days 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 Philmonts newest staffed camps. 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! | ||||
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: Bluestem; Ringtail; Unique Campsite: Bluestem; Ringtail; |
Day | Camp | Program Features | Campsite Features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | CHQ Trailbound | Opening Campfire | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |
2 | Bluestem![]() | Western Lore / Branding @ Ponil | Trail Camp (Always dry); (Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; at Ponil) | |
Ranger Training @ Sioux | Trail Camp (Always dry); (Trail Camp; at Sioux) | |||
Food Pickup @ CHQ Trailbound | Trail Camp (Always dry); (Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; at CHQ Trailbound) | |||
Bus to Ponil Trailhead | Trail Camp (Always dry);  | |||
Water @ South Ponil Creek![]() | Trail Camp (Always dry);  | |||
3 | Pueblano Ruins | spar pole climbing @ Pueblano | Trail Camp;  | |
Crosscut Saws / Tie making @ Pueblano | Trail Camp;  | |||
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 | Climb 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 | Ringtail![]() | Mountain Man Rendezvous @ Miranda | Trail Camp (Usually dry);  | |
Tomahawks @ Miranda | Trail Camp (Usually dry);  | |||
7 | Santa Claus | Challenge Events @ Head of Dean |   | |
8 | Dean Skyline![]() | Water @ Santa Claus![]() | Trail Camp;  | |
12 Gauge Shotgun shooting/reloading @ Santa Claus![]() | Trail Camp;  | |||
9 | Ponil | Conservation Project | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |
Western Lore / Branding | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
Cowboy Action Shooting | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
Chuck Wagon Dinner | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
Campfire ![]() | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
Food Pickup | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers;   | |||
10 | Anasazi | Climb Hart Peak ![]() | Trail Camp;  | |
Petroglyphs Tour @ Indian Writings | Trail Camp; (Showers; at Indian Writings) | |||
Archaeology @ Indian Writings | Trail Camp;  | |||
Atl Atl Darts @ Indian Writings | Trail Camp;  | |||
11 | Chase Cow![]() | Rock Climbing & Rappelling ![]() |   | |
Bouldering ![]() |   | |||
12 | CHQ Homebound | Awards Campfire | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |
Hike to Chase Trailhead![]() | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |||
Tour Historic Chase Ranch @ Chase Ranch | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |||
Day | Camp | Potential Additional Program Features | Campsite Features |
---|---|---|---|
2 | CHQ Trailbound | Visit the Villa Philmonte | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; |
National Scouting Museum | |||
3 | Pueblano | Continental Tie & Lumber | |
5 | Baldy Town | Tour Historic Baldy Town | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; |
Mining History | |||
Assaying | |||
6 | Miranda | Muzzle Loading Rifles | |
Climb Baldy Mountain | |||
7 | Head of Dean | pickup crew based challenge events | |
9 | Ponil | Cantina | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; |
Cantina Show | |||
Climb Hart Peak | |||
Gymkhana | |||
Cavalcade | |||
10 | Anasazi | Tyrannosaurus Rex Track | Trail Camp; |
12 | CHQ Homebound | Visit the Villa Philmonte | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; |
National Scouting Museum | |||