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Philmont wait listed at over 500 for 2007


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Just found out our troop is wait listed at over 500 for the 2007 Philmont season. Wow. Looks like we will have to wait until 2008. Is Philmont just that popular? Our troop has made the trip every 3 years. Maybe this new computerized system thought our troop has gone too many times and gave us a lower priority. Anybody else get such a high number?

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I'm not sure how the algorithm works on the Philmont system, but I know we need to re-apply next year for 2008. Since we were so far down on the wait list, will we get higher priority? Don't know.

We are looking into other treking high adventures. We are from Colorado and most of the troop is well equiped to handle our own trek. We are now thinking of arranging our own trek along the Colorado Trail for a week or 10 days.

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New High Adventure Opportunity!

 

Philmont Scout Ranch, in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, will be offering a new and exciting high adventure opportunity for the summer of 2004. This experience will be offered at the Double H Ranch located in south central New Mexico. Crews will participate in a pristine wilderness environment at elevations over 7,000 feet on a seven-day trek. If you and your Boy Scout troop, Varsity team, or Venturing crew are looking for a unique backpacking experience, make sure you are part of the inaugural year of the Double H High Adventure Base. Highlights

 

Located between Datil and Magdalena New Mexico, 2 hours south of Albuquerque, off US Highway 60.

Season will run from June 21st through August 2nd.

Seven Day 50-60 mile trek, utilizing Leave-No- Trace principles.

Over 100,000 acres of rugged terrain to explore.

Visit the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, known as VLA (Very Large Array).

Observe elk, mule deer, bear, and other wildlife.

Participate in exciting backcountry programs that include state of the art black powder, astronomy,

challenge events, geo-caching, and land navigation.

Learn about the Native American culture found in the area.

Projects to assist the Rocky Mt. Elk Foundation in fulfillment of their conservation plan.

 

For more on this exciting opportunity and reservation information: doubleh@philmontscoutranch.org or 505-376-2281

 

 

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"Just found out our troop is wait listed at over 500 for the 2007 Philmont season."

 

 

For those of us who are ignorant, what exactly does this mean? 500 people in line ahead of you? In my council, "troops" don't go to Philmont (I don't think). You have to apply to be part of the Council contingent.(This message has been edited by scoutldr)

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scoutldr,

 

Most councils do a contingent yearly where any boy in the council who puts down the money can go...provided he meets certain criteria. In addition, individual troops can also apply to go to Philmont or any of the other BSA high adventure bases. My son is goingto Northern Tier this summer with his troop. Well, with the boys in the troop who meet the requirements, want to go and have $825 to spend. They will have two crews of 6 boys, 2 adults and 1 interpreter/guide. Last year they did Philmont. As Gern is finding out, the problem is everyone wants to go and they can only handle so many per season. The troops get put on a waiting list. I've heard before how the whole system works and it sounded like you needed a rocket science degree to figure it out. That is why I mentioned the Double H Base. My understanding is that it is being developed to take some of the strain off of Philmont.

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SR is right. We always go as a troop to high adventure, at least those scouts who qualify and willing to pay the price. We rotate between SeaBase, Northern Tiers and Philmont. We are sending 3 crews to Northern Tiers this summer. 2007 was our Philmont rotation. This is the first time our troop was wait listed. I'm not surprised except for the fact we are 500th on the list. Philmont said it was slim to none we would go in 2007. I guess we will continue to put our name in the hat each year until we get a slot.

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Thanks for the info. So there are more than 500 units on the waiting list? That sounds incredible. I guess that, coming from the right coast, it is so cost prohibitive, that most units don't go unless they are part of the Council contingent. From here, the contingent takes 3 weeks.

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I registered our troop for either Philmont or Double H - any date, any length and got put on a waiting list and our troop has never gone to either place.

 

Our council tries to set up a contingent troop too but they usually have about a crew size of 10-12 with no more than 2 or three crews and hundereds of Scouts/Scouters who would like to participate. Yes, they are that popular.

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Yeah, Philmont is in HIGH demand not only by U.S. scouts but world wide! We see scouts come through every weekend. Ways to get to Philmont:

 

- Troop - Get your unit in the lottery and hope your selected (it used to be first come first server, but no more!)

 

- Council Contingent - Each council gets a certain number each year.

 

- OA - There are several treks available to OA members.

 

- Religious groups - Different religions can request a trek. One example is the St. George trek for Catholic scouts.

 

- Trail Staff - They always need help maintaining the trails. A little work and you get a great trek!

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Our troop is taking two crews to Northern Tier this year. The SM just sent out an e-mail yesterday to inquire about interest in Seabase for 2007. We had put in for Philmont and Double H and we were only accepted for one crew for Double H in 2007. With 40 active boys in the troop, one Double H crew won't cut it for high adventure. That is why we are also looking at Seabase to give everyone who wants a high adventure trip in 2007 a chance at participating.

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As a comment,

 

The national bases are not the only places in the world for high adventure:

 

- There are councils with their own HA bases.

 

- There are major trails which have superb HA opportunities (Pacific Crest Trail (John Muir Trail in the Sierra Nevada) comes readily to mind).

 

- Be creative. Do some digging here on the internet.

 

The UPSIDE of going from 1st come, 1st served to the lottery is there were units who broke the rules and went every year. That has been pretty well stopped.

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My unit was over 800 on the waiting list one year. It is very hard, or virtually impossible to get a unit trek for Philmont. They should do like the Colorado DNR and give preferential points in their lottery, at least then a troop would have a chance at getting in every few years.

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