This strenuous north country itinerary will take your crew through some of the most challenging terrain on Philmont while getting great program opportunities along the way. You will start off your trek at the Chase Trailhead where you can see what living on a ranch in the 1800s was like at the Chase Ranch House. After your first night at Hells Fire Canyon, you will rock climb and try some bouldering on some unique rock formations at Chase Cow. Enjoy the scenic hike across the rim of the North Ponil Canyon and stay at Coyote Howl. Drop into the canyon the next morning to learn about the Ancestral Puebloans that lived in the area, and see the petroglyphs scattered through the camp. You'll then make your way up the canyon to visit the Railroaders of the Cimarron & Northwestern Railway at Metcalf Station. Give them a hand with some rail construction before getting to Rabbit Ear for the night. The next morning you can try your hand at challenge course events at Dan Beard before crossing over into the Valle! Be ready to be engulfed by the scenic meadows of the Valle as you make your way to Ring Place. Ride some mountain bikes and enjoy the wide-open sky and starry night during the Astronomy Program. You'll continue the next night in practicing your low impact camping skills at Greenwood Canyon. Get your rest, as your crew will make the ascent towards the historic Baldy Mining District the following morning. Hang your bear bags and side hike to the summit of Philmont's highest peak, Baldy Mountain before you head down to Azurite to set up camp for the night. After a night of rest, hike through Baldy Town and soak in the mining history of this former gold mining town, pick up food and head to the Rendezvous at Miranda and throw some tomahawks and shoot muzzle loading rifles while you are there! Your burro pick up is the next morning before you make your way to see the loggers at Pueblano. The Continental Tie and Lumber Company will teach you spar pole climbing, tie making, and invites you to the company meeting campfire. The next day you will hike to Ponil and drop off your burro and grab an ice-cold root beer at the Cantina. Enjoy a night of a hearty chuckwagon dinner and the always exciting Cantina Show. Your last morning on the trail offers you the chance to ride horses before you hike to Ponil Trailhead to be picked up by the bus. 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: Rabbit Ear; Azurite; - No photo available for this campsite or this program at this location. Click icon for specific needs. |
Day | Camp | Program Features | Campsite Features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Camping Headquarters | Opening Campfire | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |
2 | Hells fire Canyon | Food Pickup @ Camping Headquarters | Trail Camp; (Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; at CHQ Trailbound) | |
Bus to Chase Trailhead | ||||
Ranger Training |   | |||
3 | Chase Cow | Rock Climbing & Rappelling |   | |
Bouldering |   | |||
4 | Coyote Howl | Water @ Indian Writings | Trail Camp; (Showers; at Indian Writings) | |
Water @ Chase Cow | ||||
5 | Rabbit Ear | Water @ Dan Beard | Trail Camp (Usually dry); (Low Impact Camp; at Dan Beard) | |
Petroglyphs Tour @ Indian Writings | Showers; | |||
Atl Atl Darts @ Indian Writings |   | |||
Railroading @ Metcalf Station | ||||
6 | Ring Place | Challenge Events @ Dan Beard | Commissary; Low Impact Camp;  (Low Impact Camp; at Dan Beard) | |
Conservation Project |   | |||
7 | Greenwood Canyon | Low Impact Camping | Low Impact Camp; Trail Camp;  | |
Leave No Trace Training |   | |||
Mountain Biking @ Ring Place | Commissary; Low Impact Camp; | |||
8 | Azurite | Water @ Copper Park | Trail Camp (Usually dry); (Trail Camp; at Copper Park) | |
Climb Baldy Mountain |   | |||
9 | Miranda | Mining History @ Baldy Town |  (Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; at Baldy Town) | |
Mountain Man Rendezvous |   | |||
Muzzle Loading Rifles |   | |||
Tomahawks |   | |||
10 | Pueblano | Tie making / Crosscut Saws |   | |
spar pole climbing |   | |||
Campfire |   | |||
11 | Sioux | Western Lore / Branding @ Ponil | Trail Camp; (Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; at Ponil) | |
Chuck Wagon Dinner @ Ponil |   | |||
Cantina Show @ Ponil |   | |||
12 | Camping Headquarters | Horse Rides @ Ponil | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;  (Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; at Ponil) | |
Hike to Ponil |   | |||
Closing Campfire |   | |||
Day | Camp | Potential Additional Program Features | Campsite Features |
---|---|---|---|
2 | Camping Headquarters | Visit the Villa Philmonte | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; |
National Scouting Museum | |||
4 | Chase Cow | Bouldering | |
5 | Indian Writings | Archaeology | Showers; |
Metcalf Station | Morse Code | ||
6 | Dan Beard | Leave No Trace Training | Low Impact Camp; |
7 | Ring Place | Astronomy | Commissary; Low Impact Camp; |
Folk Weather Forecasting | |||
Historic Homestead | |||
Side Hike to McCrystal Creek Ruins | |||
8 | Copper Park | Climb Baldy Mountain | Trail Camp; |
Azurite | Geology Training | Trail Camp (Usually dry); | |
9 | Baldy Town | Climb Baldy Mountain | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; |
Tour Historic Baldy Town | |||
Assaying | |||
Miranda | Climb Baldy Mountain | ||
10 | Pueblano | Continental Tie & Lumber | |
12 | Ponil | Cantina | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; |
Western Lore / Branding | |||
Cantina Show | |||
Climb Hart Peak | |||
Gymkhana | |||
Cavalcade | |||
Cowboy Action Shooting | |||
Circle Ride | |||
Wrangler Training | |||
Camping Headquarters | Visit the Villa Philmonte | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; | |
National Scouting Museum | |||
Ride into Cattle Headquarters | |||