Philmont base camp - history

[Trevorum 24]

Does anyone know when Philmont base camp adopted the use of the two person wall tents? I was browsing on http://maps.live.com and noticed the base camp was laid out in a different pattern. It sorta looks like multiple circles of crew trail tents.

[EagleInKY 14]

I was at PTC in 74 (as a Webelos) and we had them. I was at base camp in 79 and they had them there as well.

[dan 10]

I went to Philmont with a scouter who was there in 1966 as a scout. Looking at the old pictures at Philmont. I said it looks like the base camp has been moved. He said you are right, when I was here last time the base camp was over there, closer to the tooth of time. I asked him if wall tents where used in 66 and he said he thought so.

 

He has some great stories about his trip to Philmont in 66.

How every one carried an axe on their belts, crushing soup cans and burying them. Carrying eggs all day for breakfast the next morning.

[Trevorum 24]

I was told that originally the base camp was at Cimarroncito. At some point (60s? 70s?) it was moved down to the the flats.

 

I'm not sure what is the fly date on the public aerial imagery, but the pattern of tents at base camp sure looks like a series of rosettes, not the linear arrangement there now.

 

[LongHaul 10]

In 1969 Base camp was located where it is now. It may have been more in the direction of the Tooth but definately not at Cimarroncito. It was two man wall tents but I can't tell you the configuration. My photos are to close range, boys and tents. In 69 you buried NOTHING. First breakfast out was oatmeal, we made everything we were given. After breakfast we asked the SPL what to do with the "left overs", he said bury it. Staff guide explained otherwise, we had to build a fire and spread the oatmeal very thinly on a log and burn it, then scrap the burnt stuff off the log and pack it out. (was lighter by a bunch) We completely burnt it at our next campsite in the cooking fire. In 69 we cooked on wood fires not stoves. Needless to say we took orders for food from then on--you order it! you eat it or carry it! We were asked not to even bury "emergency" bathroom visits on the trail because animals dig them up. Carried fresh eggs and bacon in a can after the first food pick up.

LongHaul