This challenging itinerary will take you to some of the South Countrys most scenic camps with excellent mountain top experiences, a plethora of evening campfires, and great program opportunities along the way. You will start your itinerary by hiking out of base camp to spend the night at one of Philmonts newest trail camps, Heck Meadow. Enjoy the beautiful sunrise before hiking for a quick visit with the forester at the Demonstration Forest but move quickly to Cimarroncito so you can get scheduled for rock climbing! Your next day takes you to on a nice hike up to Thunder Ridge. If you like, you can make a stop at Cyphers Mine to try your luck at panning for gold or take a mine tour! The next day, your crew will climb over Comanche Peak on your way to your summit of Mount Phillips. Enjoy the wonderful views on top of Philmont's second highest peak, then hike down and visit the Rocky Mountain Fur Co. at Clear Creek for some tomahawks and muzzle loading rifles. Say hello to the homesteaders at Crooked Creek as you head to the scenic and tranquil Porcupine camp along the banks of Rayado Creek before heading to Beaubien for a layover for the next two days. While at Beaubien, your crew will enjoy seeing what life was like for the cowboys of the old west. Here you can go horseback riding, eat a chuckwagon dinner, and listen to western music at the campfire program in the evening. They have two different shows, catch them both! The next day takes you over Trail Peak at 10,250 ft. above sea level and the site of a B24 plane crash before you hike down to Bear Caves for the evening. Your crew should hike back to Crater Lake that evening for the Continental Tie and Lumber Companys company meeting campfire with the iconic view of Tooth Ridge as the backdrop. Your crew will enjoy the challenge course of Urraca and their evening campfire the following day before hiking on to Tooth Ridge for your last night in the backcountry. After summitting your final challenge, the famous Tooth of Time, your final stop is right in front of you… 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: Heck Meadow; Thunder Ridge; Tooth Ridge; Unique Campsite: Thunder Ridge; |
Day | Camp | Program Features | Campsite Features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | CHQ Trailbound | Opening Campfire | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |
2 | Heck Meadow![]() | Water @ CHQ Trailbound![]() | Trail Camp (Usually dry); (Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; at CHQ Trailbound) | |
Ranger Training @ Arrowhead![]() | Trail Camp (Usually dry); (Trail Camp; at Arrowhead) | |||
Hike Out from CHQ ![]() | Trail Camp (Usually dry);  | |||
Food Pickup @ CHQ Trailbound | Trail Camp (Usually dry);  | |||
3 | Cimarroncito | Demonstration Forest @ Hunting Lodge![]() | Showers;   | |
Rock Climbing & Rappelling | Showers;   | |||
Food Pickup ![]() | Showers;   | |||
4 | Thunder Ridge![]() | Water @ Cyphers Mine | Trail Camp (Always dry); (Showers (wood stoked); at Cyphers Mine) | |
Gold Mining & Panning @ Cyphers Mine | Trail Camp (Always dry);  | |||
Mine Tour @ Cyphers Mine | Trail Camp (Always dry);  | |||
5 | Clear Creek | Tomahawks |   | |
Climb Comanche Peak ![]() |   | |||
Climb Mount Phillips |   | |||
Rocky Mountain Fur Company |   | |||
Tomahawks |   | |||
6 | Porcupine | Muzzle Loading Rifles @ Clear Creek | Trail Camp;  | |
Homesteading @ Crooked Creek | Trail Camp;  | |||
7 | Beaubien | Food Pickup @ Phillips Junction | Showers (wood stoked);  (Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; at Phillips Junction) | |
Western Lore / Branding | Showers (wood stoked);   | |||
Chuck Wagon Dinner | Showers (wood stoked);   | |||
Campfire | Showers (wood stoked);   | |||
8 | Beaubien | Conservation Project | Showers (wood stoked);   | |
Horse Rides | Showers (wood stoked);   | |||
Campfire | Showers (wood stoked);   | |||
9 | Bear Caves | Crosscut Saws / Tie making @ Crater Lake![]() | Trail Camp; (Showers; at Crater Lake) | |
Campfire @ Crater Lake | Trail Camp;  | |||
10 | Urraca | Challenge Events |   | |
Campfire |   | |||
11 | Tooth Ridge | Sunrise at Inspiration Point @ Urraca | Trail Camp (Always dry);  | |
Water @ Stockade![]() | Trail Camp (Always dry);  | |||
12 | CHQ Homebound | Climb Tooth of Time @ Tooth Ridge | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;  (Trail Camp (Always dry); at Tooth Ridge) | |
Hike in via Tooth Ridge Trail | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post;   | |||
Awards Campfire | 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 | Cimarroncito | Hike via Hidden Valley / Window Rock | Showers; |
Climbing Gym | |||
Traverse Wall | |||
Hunting Lodge | Fishing Opportunities | ||
Hunting Lodge Tour | |||
Hike via Hidden Valley / Window Rock | |||
Cabin Tour | |||
4 | Cyphers Mine | Blacksmithing | Showers (wood stoked); |
Stomp | |||
6 | Clear Creek | Rocky Mountain Fur Company | |
Climb Mount Phillips | |||
Tomahawks | |||
Crooked Creek | Cabin Tour | ||
Animal Care | |||
7 | Phillips Junction | Fishing Opportunities | Commissary; Trading Post; Showers; |
8 | Beaubien | Western Lore / Branding | Showers (wood stoked); |
Climb Trail Peak | |||
Climb Lookout Peak | |||
Cowboy Campfire | |||
9 | Crater Lake | Continental Tie & Lumber | Showers; |
Hike over Fowler Mesa | |||
spar pole climbing | |||
11 | Stockade | COPE | |
Urraca | Challenge Events | ||
High Ropes Instruction & Advanced Challenge Scenarios | |||
12 | CHQ Homebound | Visit the Villa Philmonte | Commissary; Showers; Trading Post; |
National Scouting Museum | |||