My experience at Philmont was everything more than magical. Yes, there were ups and downs, but I can’t hear a story without those. Especially ones from Philmont. My favorite parts of Philmont would probably be the number of times mountain lions were close to us but never seen, Clark’s Forks horseback ride, branding, and being a part of the show they do.
The sunrises and sunsets are unbelievable out there and you truly get to see nature at its best. Cimmeroncito’s band get together was also an awesome time – played every good song and missed none. But the hike to Ute Gulch from Cimmeroncito was even more amazing – even through the burn scar you could see so many amazing views of Philmont and it was worth the agony.
Opening and closing campfires are their own magic. You get to learn so much about the camp and why it is the way it is, and you become appreciative of the beautiful place we get to call Philmont very early in your trek. Conservation work was cool, knowing we actually helped future scouters continue going to the camp and see its beauty.
The saying “Philmont changes lives” is nothing but the truth. It opens your eyes and gives you new perspectives to think about what scouting is truly about. But if I could only say one thing about Philmont it would be, “Go, you’ll have a lot to say after.”
