| 2023 description: 'This MOUNTAINTOP trek will give your crew an opportunity to climb 12,441 ft. Baldy Mountain and venture into the Valle Vidal
unit of the Carson National Forest! Begin by hiking to Bluestem camp for your Ranger Training before heading off to Pueblano
the next morning. Climb spar poles and enjoy the Company Meeting Campfire with the loggers of the Continental Tie &
Lumber Company. On the hike to Baldy Town to pick up food, spend some time in French Henry to mine for gold, blacksmith,
and explore the Aztec Mine, and then ultimately down to Copper Park. Wake up early and hike to the ridge, where you will
hang bear bags and day hike rugged Baldy Mountain before camping at Greenwood Canyon for the night. Enjoy waking up in
the cool canyon and then make your way into the Valle Vidal! Enjoy Iris Park, former site of Philmont’s mountain biking
program, and see remnants of the 2002 Ponil Complex Fire. The next day, make your way to Dan Beard for some team
building challenge events and learn skills to help your crew work together as a team. In the morning, you’ll stop at the historic
homestead of the Rich family, where you can help them tend their garden, feed their animals, and tour their wonderful cabin!
Wave goodbye to the Rich family and head to Sioux, just outside of Ponil, former headquarters of Philturn Rocky Mountain
Scout Camp! Enjoy the western lore program, brand your boots, and a hearty chuckwagon dinner. Wake up early and head
east until you hear the pinging of mauls driving rail spikes echo off the canyon walls at Metcalf Station. Once you are done
building a railroad, head off to Indian Writings where you can check out the Ancestral Puebloan petroglyphs from 1300 CE
before bedding down at Coyote Howl Camp for the night. Your last night on the trail brings you to Chase Cow so you can enjoy
their rock-climbing and bouldering programs, and maybe play a little “Cow Ball”, too! Once you make it to the trailhead, be
sure to take a tour of the historic Chase Ranch House, it is full of amazing artifacts and history! Next stop... Base Camp!' |
| 2022 description: 'Explore Philmont’s rugged North Country and the vast Valle Vidal on this super strenuous trek. Start your adventure with a
tour of the historic Chase Ranch House and spend your first night in Hells Fire Canyon Camp. Try some bouldering at Chase
Cow Camp before making your way to Indian Writings camp. Admire the view from the ridge as you hike into Indian Writings
and be ready to soak in the history of some of the oldest archaeological sites on Philmont Scout Ranch. Next, you will make
your way up to North Ponil trail camp but be sure to stop along the way to help the section gang at Metcalf Station build the
railroad! There is one more stop at Dan Beard before you head north into the Valle Vidal Unit of the Carson National Forest to
experience the incredible ponderosa pine stands and some of the most heavily populated elk habitat in the Southwest. Wake
up in the morning and hike through Ring Place for food and a lesson on weather before making your way to beautiful
Whiteman Vega. You'll see parts of the striking burn scar left by the 2002 Ponil Complex Fire and see how the land is
recovering before making it to Iris Park. Make your way down South to Rich Cabins to enjoy the historic homestead of the
Rich Family and hear their story in their evening campfire program. Enjoy the hike over Wilson Mesa and be amazed by the
beautiful views of the Valle Vidal and Baldy Mountain. Continue South towards Pueblano where the loggers of the Continental
Tie & Lumber Company will invite you to hew a tie or try your hand at the crosscut saw before spending your layover at Ewells
Park. Get your rest and wake up early to climb over Baldy Mountain, then drop into French Henry to explore Lucien Maxwell’s
best gold producing Aztec Mine. Get some rest from your mountain summit day, as you will need to make your way back
down Flume Canyon for your conservation project and last night on the Trail. The next morning, before heading to the trail
head, stop at Ponil to celebrate your trek with your crew and a cold glass of root beer! Don’t miss the bus because your next
stop is back to Base Camp!' |
| Day | 2023 Trek 34 Campsite | 2022 Trek 34 Campsite | Program Differences |
| 1 | CHQ Trailbound | ||
| 2 | Bluestem | Hells fire Canyon | Tour Historic Chase Ranch not included in 2023 trek 34 |
| 3 | Pueblano | Indian Writings | Continental Tie & Lumber included in 2023 trek 34 Campfire included in 2023 trek 34 spar pole climbing included in 2023 trek 34 Rock Climbing & Rappelling not included in 2023 trek 34 Archaeology not included in 2023 trek 34 Atl Atl Darts not included in 2023 trek 34 |
| 4 | Copper Park | North Ponil | Gold Mining & Panning included in 2023 trek 34 Food Pickup included in 2023 trek 34 Mine Tour included in 2023 trek 34 Mining History included in 2023 trek 34 Petroglyphs Tour not included in 2023 trek 34 Railroading not included in 2023 trek 34 |
| 5 | Greenwood Canyon | Dan Beard | Low Impact Camping included in 2023 trek 34 Climb Baldy Mountain included in 2023 trek 34 Challenge Events not included in 2023 trek 34 |
| 6 | Iris Park | Whiteman Vega | Low Impact Camping included in 2023 trek 34 Folk Weather Forecasting not included in 2023 trek 34 Food Pickup not included in 2023 trek 34 |
| 7 | Dan Beard | Iris Park | Challenge Events included in 2023 trek 34 Mountain Biking not included in 2023 trek 34 |
| 8 | Sioux | Rich Cabins | Chuck Wagon Dinner included in 2023 trek 34 Western Lore / Branding included in 2023 trek 34 Animal Care included in 2023 trek 34 Campfire not included in 2023 trek 34 |
| 9 | Metcalf Station | Ewells Park | Blacksmithing included in 2023 trek 34 Campfire included in 2023 trek 34 Conservation Project included in 2023 trek 34 Railroading included in 2023 trek 34 Crosscut Saws / Tie making not included in 2023 trek 34 |
| 10 | Coyote Howl | Ewells Park | Petroglyphs Tour included in 2023 trek 34 Water included in 2023 trek 34 Atl Atl Darts included in 2023 trek 34 Blacksmithing not included in 2023 trek 34 Gold Mining & Panning not included in 2023 trek 34 Climb Baldy Mountain not included in 2023 trek 34 Food Pickup not included in 2023 trek 34 Mine Tour not included in 2023 trek 34 |
| 11 | Chase Cow | Flume Canyon | Rock Climbing & Rappelling included in 2023 trek 34 Bouldering included in 2023 trek 34 Conservation Project not included in 2023 trek 34 |
| 12 | CHQ Homebound | Tour Historic Chase Ranch included in 2023 trek 34 Cantina not included in 2023 trek 34 Western Lore / Branding not included in 2023 trek 34 |