Philmont is a
camp run by the Boy Scouts of America in Cimarron, New
Mexico. By all accounts, Philmont isn't a typical "summer
camp".
For anywhere between one week to
two, you spend backpacking (with a fifty
pound pack) with your troop up and down treacherous mountains that the average person would break down and cry upon seeing. Switchbacks are so common, that by the end of your stay there, you walk up hills in a switchback fashion, with all of your friends looking at you like you are from some different planet.
Philmont treks have been known to go above 100+ miles, which first time troops are encouraged not to take, because of the level of difficult it is set at (Legendary). In fact, many workers smile when a first time troop picks "
Normal" difficulty.
Problems on the trail include dehydration, diarrhea, blisters, broken
bones, fist fights over who should do the dishes, bear attacks, leaving somebody up in the bear bag, testicular elephantiasis, thunderstorms, broken water filtration systems, and lost weight.
Mount Baldy, Mount Phillips, and the Tooth of Time are
popular obstacles troops overcome easily.
Dude: So yer goin' to Philmont?
Wide-eyed
scout: Yessir! It's gonna be awesome!
Dude: It was awesome fer me eggsept I got inta fist fight wit my friend over the dishes.
