Sea Base was GREAT! Philmont is COMING!!! Important Meeting and Prep Hike Information

Philmont Crews,

If you’re receiving this email, it’s because you’ve signed up and paid your deposit to join one of our Philmont Crews or you are an adult who has expressed interest in serving as an Adult Advisor for one of our crews.  If you think this is a mistake or if your plans have changed, contact Mr. Timm immediately.

Now that Sea Base is behind us, it’s already time to start thinking about and getting ready for our Trek at Philmont Scout Reservation from June 24th – July 6th, 2025.  The treks may seem to be far off in the distant future, but a Philmont trek takes a full year of preparation and that year starts now!

There are several orders of business that we all need to attend to and keep up with for our crews to be successful.  I recommend you keep this email because it will contain information we’ll come back to all year.

Training

A Philmont trek is not a “come as you are” party.  Being successful requires preparation to build the physical, mental, and crew skills you need.  This is a year-long commitment to yourself and your crew to do what you need to do to properly prepare for your trek.  Our training program will have three parts and that training starts now.  

1. Crew Meetings/Crew Training:  Throughout the year, we will be having Crew Meetings to put out important information; discuss options and make plans; and conduct important training.  These meetings will be mandatory.  If you fail to show up for these meetings, your voice will not be included in your crew’s planning and you will miss important skills training that you’ll need on the trail.

Our first Crew Meeting will be at the church on Monday, August 26th at St. George’s UMC, beginning at 6:30 PM. 

Expect to have a crew meeting at least once a month this year.

2. Conditioning hikes:  The best way to get good at carrying a rucksack is to carry a rucksack.  We will be having group conditioning hikes, at least once and often twice a month on weekends on nearby trails.  These hikes will not be mandatory but are strongly encouraged so you can get out and hike as a crew.  Many of you will find it hard at first to get out and train on your own and these hikes will help you understand where you are and what you’ll need to do in your personal conditioning.  We’ll talk about physical conditioning at our first crew meeting.

Our first conditioning hike is scheduled for Saturday, August 31st.  We will meet in the parking lot of Bull Run Marina at 8 AM and should be finished no later than 11 AM.  Dress for the trail, bring your 10 Scout Essentials, wear the boots you plan to backpack in and bring your pack with 20-25 pounds of gear (DO NOT BRING MORE).

Subsequent Conditioning Hikes are tentatively scheduled for September 14th, October 26th, November 9th, and December 14th.

3. Shake-Down Hikes:  These weekend-long backpacking trips are our capstone Philmont Training Events.  You will go out and backpack as a crew on an individual route and itinerary planned for your crew and put into practice the skills we’ve covered in our crew meetings and additional skills that will be taught on the hikes.  You will learn and practice dividing up and properly packing your personal and crew gear, navigation, finding and purifying water, establishing a “Philmont Campsite” using the “Bear-muda Triangle,” hanging bear bags, and cooking, eating, and washing the Philmont Way.

The shake down hikes are mandatory for all scouts and adult advisors attending Philmont.  Mark them on your calendar now and please make attending them a priority.

• November 22-24, 2024

• March 14-16, 2025

• May 2-5, 2025

Equipment

Each individual and each crew will need to have the proper equipment and know how to use that equipment.  Do not break the bank and buying gear now.  You will end us wasting money on things you don’t need or that won’t really work for you.  We’ll put out useful videos and guides to help you understand what you need focusing on key items and put out the entire Philmont packing list in our first session about equipment.  In the short term, the Troop has some backpacking packs you can borrow and try out before you buy one.

Organization

Right now, we have slots for five crews of 12 (9 youth and 3 adults each).  With the number of youth we have signed up, all five are full.  Any additional scouts who wish to be added will have to go on a waiting list.  We have explored the possibility of adding a sixth crew to give us more flexibility but none are currently available and the next window where we might add one is early October.  As a result, we’re going to hold off on forming crews until we’re sure we know how many to make.  Crew formation is scheduled for our October Crew Meetings.

Financials

Our next payment is due to Philmont at the end of September and we’re going to start collecting that money for youth participants now.  Please make a payment of $800 to Ms. Bulova NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 23rd. The easiest way to make payments is still via Zelle to Troop1865b@gmail.com.  Please remember the “b” and be careful not to add any spaces.  Please contact Ms. Bulova, the Troop Treasurer at: gmbulova@aol.com if you have any question or if you’re having any trouble with Zelle.  If you’re a Troop 1865 Scout who wishes to use their Scout Account, please contact Mr. Scattergood at jeff.scattergood@gmail.com. 

We will not be collecting money from adults until our crew formation solidifies and adult advisors have been selected and appointed. 

Remember, this payment is your commitment to the troop that you intend to go.  Once we send money to Philmont that money is not refundable and the troop will be liable for the full cost of at least 8 slots in at least five crews.  That means if you pay the deposit and decide you do not wish to or cannot go later, you may not be reimbursed for what you’ve already paid in unless we can find someone to replace you on the Crew.  We’ll make every effort to minimize the cost to anyone forced to cancel, but the troop will not assume or pass on to the rest of your crew any additional costs that result from a cancellation.

Finally, don’t worry and don’t be intimidated by all the stuff we need to do this year to get ready.  Philmont is the ultimate scout experience and our Troop has a great system for getting everyone ready so that everyone can have a fantastic time.  All of the Troop’s leadership is looking forward to a great year getting ready and even greater ten days on the trail.

Is ANYONE NOT READY?  

HIKE ON!

Rob Timm

Assistant Scoutmaster

Troop 1865

Fairfax, VA

National Capital Area Council