From the Philmont Guidebook to Adventure: “Philmont issues the BSA Philmont Backpacker tent. If you bring your own tent it must be a 2-person tent. Philmont will allow a single person tent in the event of an odd numbered crew. No bivy sacks.” Take a look at the Philmont Tents video in the Equipment section on the Training Videos page of the Watchu Experience Web site (www.watchu.org) to see what the Philmont-issued tent looks like and how to set it up. In 2012 Philmont introduced a new free-standing style tent that is being phased in as the former tents that rely on guy-lines are retired.
The Watchu-recommended crew consists of an odd number of youth (9) and an odd number of advisors (3). In some crews there will be a need for two single person tents since youth and advisors (except for parents and their children) cannot tent together.
Approximately 3 pounds per person is the current “state of the art” target for allocated tent weight. Keeping this in mind, check out the many single-person tent possibilities at retailers such as those listed in the Equipment section on the Favorite Links page of the Watchu Experience Web site.
A less desirable solution is to use a four-person tent to sleep three. This is not recommended and only permitted for the odd advisor and/or odd Scout. This solution results in three adults in one tent and/or three youth members in another. A four-person tent weighing 9 or 10 pounds hits the weight target and allows adequate room for three crew members. Again, check the many possibilities at the links cited above.
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Breaking news from Philmont: Friday’s Sangre de Christo Chronicle reported that Philmont will be purchasing the adjoining 2,678 acre Cimarroncita Ranch Retreat and expects to use it for camping operations as soon as next summer. Click here to read the entire article.
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Phil Fact: George Webster owned the 70,000-acre Urraca Ranch from 1910 until selling it to Waite Phillips in 1922. He first built a cabin where the Agua Fria Creek joins the Rayado, the spot where Phillips later built his Rayado Lodge and other buildings (today’s Fish Camp).
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The eagles do soar high over Webster Lake!
George Webster
Urraca Ranch, Rayado, New Mexico