Trail Ready

The crew reviews plans for their 11-day, 65-mile backpacking trek.

The crew during their visit to the National Scouting Museum.

The day dawned clear but cool Tuesday morning. Crew 612-N got everything packed up and returned the excess gear to the van. After some map training with Ranger Danny, they still had time this morning for a quick trip across the street to the National Scouting Museum. The museum moved in 2017 from the Boy Scouts of America's national headquarters in Irving to Philmont in order to share Scouting's rich history with more visitors. As the museum has moved from its original New Jersey location, where it was founded in 1959, to Murray State University in Kentucky, then to Texas, and now at Philmont, it has continued to preserve and tell Scouting's rich story and the positive impact Scouting continues to have on youth and families.

Lunch continued the international theme with calzones and was the crew's last meal before 11 days of trail food. The final activity before departure was to drop off the Scouts' phones at the security office, where they will lie in repose until their return.

Scouts load up the bus with their gear as they ready to depart for the trailhead.

The bus is ready to carry the crew to the Ponil trailhead. Cell signals in the back country will be sporadic, so posts may have long gaps between them in the days ahead.

Continue to follow the troop's 2023 Philmont adventures on the troop blog and check out photos of the trip in the troop's online photo album.