TimB

Thanks for your comments. Good ones. Helping me to back off and get on with focusing on what I need to do for me. What happens for them is a result as to what they do for themselves. Like I would have never selected an external pack for my scout, but that's what he bought used from an army surplus store. He's thrilled with it. It's their stories to tell and I'm just there to make sure they don't get into danger. They all have the printed guides and same resources we have. I'll get to the airport July 6 and see who makes it.

Thanks. That does help. And frankly it is not even boys from my own Troop. I should back off and just make sure I'm ready and that I'm here to answer any questions from my own son. I do wish that another adult was going with me as we fly 5 of the boys out to Philmont. Or that someone would help them make sure they have everything in their pack. While my son wants the 50 miler award, we can't get that if the crew won't do the 7 service hours ahead of time. Thinking ahead, if a boy has to drop out while on the trek, does an adult need to go with him? Or can we leave him with the Staff and co

Motivating boys for a normal HA trek has its own challenges. I wonder if anyone is also dealing with new challenges in these uncertain times. 1. I am an adult leader going with my son. We are the only ones from our Troop, joining another Troop that has 5 boys and 1 leader. I never met these other 5 boys before a few months ago. 2. Other boys are not attending group workout hikes, not scheduling 7 hours of conservation time for 50 miler, not creating duty roster, etc. Other leader tells me the other boys "just want to go camping at Philmont." That other leader is fully into it, worke

It reads like plain English to me. If I were to rewrite it, I might say: 1. Based on what restrictions are in place for the coming weeks, we can not be ready to start before July 1st, so all events prior to July 1st are cancelled. You will have options for future use. 2. We do not have enough information at this time that would lead us to cancel any activities beyond July 1st. As long as nobody says "no," we will work toward having a season, if shortened. 3. With all the best intentions, we want to have treks starting July 1st. HOWEVER 4. Based on the fact that we have ha

You are right that Philmont stated they intend to make updates May 15 and June 1. Which is tough to hold fast, when the updates from government do not come in regular intervals. I hope to see something from Philmont today, but am not certain it will be complete. Too many questions unanswered by government officials and those at the BSA who need to respond to an ever-shifting landscape.

Wait. They have a 14 day quarantine? Why didn’t our crew leaders know that? We arrive on the 6th of July for a trek start on the 8th and support from Blue Sky while there. I can’t easily reconcile the message to the boys of “yeah that’s the rules, but we decided they don’t apply to us.”

Our crew is 3:1 scout to scouter ratio. That’s better than the NM requests. We will be able to trek with each individual in own tent. Though BlueSky has us sharing hotel rooms and transportation. But we will be flying in, with a change of planes en route. I still don’t have a read on if that will make us acceptable to trek or not. And then if we will have restrictions upon returning. Selfishly I want to go for my boy - and admittedly a bit for me. But it seems we may not get a definite yes or no until we step onto the trail. It feels like the winds can shift that quickly.

The question about the fever may be different now. Would any symptom that could possibly be related to Covid be handled differently? For other illnesses, we have clear medicines and treatments. For Covid, we do not. Does that mean we will have to treat the possibility of Covid infection differently? While most might say "he has just a regular fever" on the trek, and ignore the possibility of Covid, would the BSA set parameters for what we "should" do to shift liability over to the adult who makes that determination?

And we lost one adult. Down to 6 scouts and 2 adults. Worried now about what happens if anyone gets a fever on the trail - or in the two weeks before the trek. How will Philmont pre-screen or handle those possibilities? I hear that on the 15th, we will get more information on specifics of Philmont's plan.

We just heard that Philmont after July 1 is a go. I also heard other high adventure are going too. While I get your worries about someone getting sick during, that is a risk we have to take any time. Yes, it is more serious now - with air travel to the location. The other risk we will have is that there could be a 14 day self quarantine upon return. Personally, I do not think that going ahead with this is the safest or sanest option. However, my son and I have decided to go ahead, knowing he will not get this chance again. Next summer is his last before college and knows he will want

Following along here. We are operating under the assumption that our Philmont trek will happen for us in July (12 Day). However, I don't know how it can. There is such a risk of a second wave shutting down the country again. It seems a short window to get in a real couple of shakedown hikes, and not all trails are open. Even the AT is still closed, I believe. There is such a need to train, to travel, to shop, to prep, and with a high likelihood that forced closures will happen again - it is tough to ask crews to put up the time and money. Like I said, we are planning as if we are going, as