Some people would say that hiking 100 miles through the intense heat of New Mexico is purposeless, but they obviously have never experienced Philmont like I have. In today's society, we take for granted the little things in life such as running water, flushing toilets, and daily showers. When you're out in the wilderness for ten days straight, you filter your water with purification tablets before you drink it thirty minutes later. You dig a hole off a trail to do your business, and you make sure you bury it and place a stick to assure no one steps in it. And while showering is an option for the clean freaks out there, you don't shower until you return to base camp nearly two weeks later. While I say this with pride now, my thoughts and opinions of this journey were far different prior to completing it.

            Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico is a hot, desolate chunk of land in the Northeast corner of the state. The temperature is hot, but the air is dry. Minimal humidity along with high altitude means less sweat and more heavy breathing. Upon arrival, even the simplest task such as running for a few seconds would wear me out. The air was much thinner than the air back home in Northern Virginia. Being the Crew Leader of eight boys and two adults was a stressful burden to say the least. It was my responsibility to make sure that we had water for the day ahead, we had camp set up and disassembled at a reasonable time, and most importantly, it was my job to make sure that by the end of the week, no one was at each other's throats about anything. When you place nine city boys in the wilderness for an extended period of time, tensions rise and nerves agitate easily.

            But I won't go into great detail about the trek through the wilderness, as that would take too much time and may very well put you to sleep. Though, I can assure you, when you're out there, there is never a dull moment. I can tell you that as a fifteen year old boy, sixteen as of now, there is no greater thrill I have ever experienced in my life at that point than Philmont and climbing atop Mount Baldy. One of the most difficult and strenuous days on the trail was to climb and summit the 12,441 foot mountain of rocks. The slope was steep and the view was to die for. However, it was a burden on our adult crew members as the physical strength to continue the climb resided in their minds desire to see the summit with their children. My brother and I were both members of the crew and my father also joined as one of the two adult leaders. The other adult leader also had his two sons along for the ride. The week was not only a battle between physical and mental determination, but also a bonding experience between father and son as well as brothers. That's what some could debate Scouting is all about. It's about the things we do together as a troop, but also the experience we share as a family, whether it be blood relation such as my father and brother, or between good friends.

            The expedition did result in sleepless nights for me, however. As crew leader, there are challenges along the way, one of them being where we were supposed to get water for the day. There are places in which we can fill up water along the trail and even as staffed camps that we stay at for the night. But on occasion, we were scheduled to stay at a camp in which there was no water. This was dreadfully referred to as a “Dry Camp.” The night before our stay in a dry camp, I would toss and turn in my two man tent, trying not to disturb my obnoxiously smelly tent mate, the whole while trying to determine how we were supposed to make it through the next day without any water at our nest destination. However, it would always work out in the end, sometimes even resulting in an excess of water. Other threats throughout the week such as myself nearly being bitten by a rattlesnake along a trail, and blisters the size of nickels along the feet of the ill prepared and uncleanly were miniscule to say the least.

            Philmont was the greatest test a scout could ever be put through. Physically, we were all in shape. We were young men, some of us more scrawny than the rest, but in shape young men nevertheless. What was ultimately going to test us throughout the journey was our brain. How badly did we want to complete this trek? How far would we have to walk before we needed to stop for a break? How far could we go before breaking down and begging for our mommies? It was a mental test for sure. One cannot fathom the stress us Scouts endured that week. We were carrying tents, sleeping bags, food, water, clothes, etc. which would often amount to nearly forty to fifty pounds on everyone’s back. Sure, it was painful, but we tolerated it and we hiked on. There was nothing stopping us from reaching base camp and saying to ourselves “Did I really just hike 100 miles and not shower the entire time?”

            I can't truly give you the whole experience of Philmont through words. My advice to you would be to join scouting, whether you are a young man looking for something to do with your time, or whether you’re a father who has a son and is looking for a way to grow closer to him. My view of Philmont was a pessimistic one straight from the start. Immature thoughts such as “why am I even doing this?” or “It’s so hot out and I could be home in an air conditioned house using a flushing toilet.” But as I rode away from Philmont towards Denver International Airport and ultimately home, I couldn’t help but think to myself, “That was an absolutely incredible experience that I want a second shot at later in life.”