Back 2024 Trek 12-17 Forward


Rugged; Approximately 65 miles; Maps required: south


Trek History: New as 12-13 in 2020; 12-13 in 2021-23; 12-17 in 2024

Begin your adventure by hiking out of Base Camp and make your way uphill to Magpie Camp. Learn valuable camping procedures from your Ranger The next day you're headed up to Urraca Mesa. The staff at Urraca is trained in teambuilding skills and is ready to turn your crew into a high performing machine! Get up early the next morning for a quick trip to Inspiration Point for sunrise and then take the short jaunt over to Crater Lake and the Continental Tie & Lumber Co. for spar pole climbing and logging activities. Finish the evening with the most scenic campfire you’ve ever experienced! The next morning, lace up your boots and head up to Fowler Pass, down to Bonito Creek, up to Webster Pass, and down again to Fish Camp; Waite Phillips’ favorite backcountry retreat. After a quick fly-tying lesson, use your fly to try and catch a trout. Press on towards Lost Cabins trail camp for the night. Stop in the next morning at Apache Springs for resupply and Jicarilla Apache Lore and 3D Archery. Philmont’s rugged western boundary awaits you, so enjoy the beautiful views as you hike to Wild Horse Camp for the night. On the way, though, be sure to visit the homestead at Crooked Creek and tour their rustic homestead and help with chopping wood or tending to the chickens. Rest up for the night so you can be ready to tackle Philmont's second highest peak, Mount Phillips. Along the way you’ll meet the fur trappers of the Rocky Mountain Fur Co. at Clear Creek and throw tomahawks with them before making your way up the mountain. After a memorable hike you’ll camp near the summit and prepare for the next days’ summit of Comanche Peak and on to Sawmill for a unique experience in reloading 30.06 ammunition and firing it on the range. Make your way down the valley the next morning to visit the gold prospectors and miners near Cyphers Mine! Try your hand at panning for gold and blacksmithing and then get a tour of the Contention Mine. Wake up early and head to Cimarroncito for resupply, and to enjoy their Rock Climbing program. On your way to Clarks Fork, you’ll pass right by Waite Phillips’ Hunting Lodge and the Demonstration Forest. Get to Clarks Fork in time for some Western Lore program, a delicious Chuckwagon dinner, and their traditional cowboy campfire. Ride horses the next morning before heading up to your last trail camp, Shaefers Pass. With the end in sight, your crew will be tired, but motivated as you hike the scenic traverse past Shaefers Peak towards the Tooth. Enjoy the view atop the iconic Tooth of Time, then traverse Tooth Ridge Trail as you make your way back to 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: Magpie; Mt Phillips; Shaefers Pass;
- 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;  
2Magpie Food Pickup @ Camping HeadquartersTrail Camp (Usually dry); (Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; at CHQ Trailbound)


 


Ranger Training  
3Urraca Challenge Events  


Campfire  
4Crater Lake spar pole climbing Showers;  


Tie making / Crosscut Saws  


Campfire  
5Lost Cabin Rayado Lodge Tour @ Fish CampTrail Camp; 


Fishing Opportunities @ Fish Camp 


Fly Tying @ Fish Camp 


Hike over Fowler Mesa  
6Wild Horse Jicarilla Apache Life @ Apache SpringsTrail Camp; (Commissary; at Apache Springs)


3D Archery @ Apache Springs 


Food Pickup @ Apache Springs 


Homesteading @ Crooked Creek


Cabin Tour @ Crooked Creek 
7Mt Phillips Climb Mount Phillips @ Clear CreekTrail Camp (Usually dry); 


Rocky Mountain Fur Company @ Clear Creek 


Tomahawks @ Clear Creek 


Muzzle Loading Rifles @ Clear Creek 
8Sawmill 30-06 Shooting/Reloading Showers (wood stoked);  


Climb Comanche Peak  
9Cyphers Mine Conservation Project Showers (wood stoked);  


Conservation Project  


Gold Mining & Panning  


Blacksmithing  


Mine Tour  
10Cimarroncito Rock Climbing & Rappelling Showers;  


Food Pickup  


Campfire  


Visiting Forester  


Chuck Wagon Dinner  
11Shaefers Pass Horse Rides @ Clarks ForkTrail Camp (Usually dry); (Showers; at Clarks Fork)


Western Lore / Branding @ Clarks Fork 


Water @ Clarks Fork 
12Camping Headquarters Closing Campfire Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;  


Climb Shaefer's Peak  


Climb Tooth of Time  


Hike in via Tooth Ridge Trail  
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
MagpieHike Out from CHQTrail Camp (Usually dry);
3UrracaHigh Ropes Instruction & Advanced Challenge Scenarios
Sunrise at Inspiration Point
4Crater LakeContinental Tie & LumberShowers;
Hike over Fowler Mesa
Logging Skills
6Apache SpringsSweat LodgeCommissary;
Corn Grinding
Sporting Arrows
Tipi Tour
Flintknapping
Crooked CreekAnimal Care
8SawmillUte Park Pass Hike PrepShowers (wood stoked);
Hike through 2018 Ute Park Fire Zone
9Cyphers MineStompShowers (wood stoked);
10CimarroncitoHike via Hidden Valley / Window RockShowers;
Climbing Gym
Traverse Wall
11Clarks ForkCowboy CampfireShowers;
Ride out from Cattle Headquarters
Ride over Schaefers Pass
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.