My Trek

Logistics

Dates · Check-in · Medical · Burro · Gear

Emergency contact

(575) 376-2281

This is the Philmont emergency number. Brief your family before you leave. Philmont staff can reach crews in the backcountry but it takes time.

01

Important dates

Key dates from arrival through departure. Four Base Camp days before the trail starts, eleven trail days, then home.

Depart home · Arrive at Philmont

Sun Jun 14

Fly to Albuquerque or drive to Cimarron. Transfer to Philmont. Check in at Villa Philmonte. Do not plan evening activities — rest and stay hydrated.

Stay & Play · Medical recheck

Mon Jun 15

Medical recheck happens this morning — do not schedule anything else until it is complete. After recheck, medications can be repackaged for the trail. Afternoon is Stay & Play: high adventure activities, trading post access.

Base Camp check-in day

Tue Jun 16

Ranger orientation. Gear check and final pack weights. Food issue. Crew and advisor briefings. Eat dinner at the Base Camp dining hall. Early bed — trail starts tomorrow.

Trail start · Day 1

Wed Jun 17

Breakfast at the Base Camp dining hall. Ranger leads us to the trailhead. On trail by mid-morning.

Trail Day 11 · Return to Base Camp

Sat Jun 27

Final trail day. Crew hikes out and returns to Base Camp. Showers, laundry, and a real meal. Tooth of Time Traders open for gear and patches.

Fly home

Sun Jun 28

Depart Philmont. Transfer to Albuquerque for return flights. Trek complete.

02

Basecamp check-in

The first day at Base Camp is very busy — many stops to complete before you're cleared for the backcountry. The Ranger guides the crew through the entire process.

Tip: Crews that arrive before 10:00 AM typically complete all Base Camp procedures in a single day.
1

Welcome Center

  • ▸Crew Leader and Lead Advisor check in and receive tent assignments
  • ▸Ranger meets the crew here immediately after check-in
2

Drop off gear at tents

  • ▸Everyone carries water, rain gear, and prescription medications for the rest of the day's stops
  • ▸Lead Advisor brings any roster changes and payment paperwork
  • ▸Crew Leader brings an unmarked overall map and their Crew Leader Fieldbook
3

Crew photo

  • ▸Can be taken in field uniforms or crew t-shirts
  • ▸Extra prints available via the Philmont Photo Archive
4

Camping Registration

  • ▸Ranger, all Advisors, and Scouts 18+ go inside — rest of crew waits outside
  • ▸Outstanding payments made; certifications and IDs checked
  • ▸Crew roster turned in
5

Outfitting Services

  • ▸Receive crew gear: tents, bear bags, bear rope, pots, dining fly, etc.
  • ▸Receive food for the first days of the trek
  • ▸Purchase fuel for the stove
6

Medical Recheck

  • ▸All crew members review medical forms with Philmont Infirmary staff
  • ▸All prescriptions must be in original labeled containers — including EpiPens and inhalers
7

Mail Room

  • ▸Pick up any gear shipped to Philmont ahead of time
8

Shakedown

  • ▸Ranger runs a full gear check — necessary gear confirmed for trail, non-essential gear stored at Base Camp
9

Logistics Trip Plan

  • ▸Crew Leader and Lead Advisor called into Logistics separately
  • ▸Receive info on campsites, trails, programs, water sources, and horse rides
  • ▸Crew Leader needs unmarked overall map and Crew Leader Fieldbook
10

Security

  • ▸Receive lockers if the crew did not travel in personal vehicles

Day Schedule

Before 10:00 AMArrive at Welcome Center (target)
11:30 AMLunch — Base Camp Dining Hall
4:45 PMDinner — Base Camp Dining Hall
5:45 PMCrew Leadership Meetings — Hardesty Casa Center (Crew Leader, Chaplain's Aide, WPG, Advisors)
7:00 PMChapel Services
8:15 PMOpening Campfire — meet at Welcome Center
6:30 AM (next morning)Breakfast — Base Camp Dining Hall

First buses to the backcountry leave at 8:00 AM; last buses at 3:00 PM. Most crews depart roughly 24 hours after arriving at Philmont.

03

Medical recheck

Medical recheck clears every person for the backcountry. Philmont does not bend on these standards. Come prepared.

BMI (under 21)
40
BMI (adults)
32
Blood pressure max
160/100
Denied means denied. Philmont will not allow backcountry access to anyone who does not meet their standards. There is no negotiating at the gate.

Requirements

  • ▸All prescription medications in original labeled containers — no exceptions
  • ▸Emergency medications (EpiPens, inhalers) must be present, in-date, and sufficient for full trek
  • ▸Annual Health and Medical Record complete, signed, and uploaded to Philmont Gateway before arrival
  • ▸Blood pressure medication must be taken consistently before arrival — altitude raises BP above home baseline

Medications may be repackaged for the trail after med recheck is complete — not before.

Emergency protocols and first aid references → Safety

04

The burro

The crew picks up a burro on Trail Day 7 and manages it through Trail Day 9. It carries a share of the crew's gear — and earns the same care as any crew member.

Pickup

Trail Day 6 (Jun 22) · Miranda Burro Pens

Drop-off

Trail Day 7 (Jun 23) · Ponil

  • ▸Staff at Miranda will show us how to load the burro — follow their instructions exactly
  • ▸Burros are stubborn by design. They will stop. This is not a malfunction.
  • ▸The crew's pace adjusts to the burro, not the other way around
  • ▸Assign handlers in rotation so no one person manages the burro all day
  • ▸Do not let the burro eat along the trail without staff guidance
05

Trading posts

Four trading posts along the route. Stock up on snacks, patches, and anything you've run short on.

Baldy Town

Trail Day 5

Snacks, patches, gear items. Accepts cards and Apple/Google Pay.

Budget: $20–40

Ponil

Trail Day 7

Trading post and cantina — root beer, snacks, patches. Accepts cards.

Budget: $20–40

Clarks Fork

Trail Day 10

Possibly limited items.

Budget: $10–20

Tooth of Time Traders

Day 12 (Base Camp return)

Full gear store — leather belts and buckles, Philmont jackets, branded gear, patches. Accepts cards.

Budget: $50–100+

06

Cell service & electronics

Essentially none in the Philmont backcountry. Once we leave Base Camp on Day 2, do not count on calling or texting until Day 12.

Electronics

No electricity in the backcountry. Bring a charged battery pack — it is your only option.

  • ▸Phone in airplane mode at the trailhead — keeps it there
  • ▸Offline maps, photos, and planning reference only
  • ▸Battery pack charged to full before we step off the bus
07

Food resupply

Food is issued in buddy-pair bags at three points during the trek. Weights below are for planning — actual bag weights may vary slightly.

HQ pickup

HQ Day

Trail Days 1–4

Per person
5.8 lbs
Buddy pair
11.6 lbs
  • ·Issued crew gear
  • ·Micropur tabs (10/person)
  • ·Toilet paper

Baldy Town

Trail Day 5

Trail Days 5–6

Per person
2.9 lbs
Buddy pair
5.8 lbs
  • ·Micropur exchange
  • ·TP resupply

Ponil

Trail Day 7

Trail Days 7–11

Per person
5.8 lbs
Buddy pair
11.6 lbs
  • ·Micropur exchange
  • ·TP resupply
08

Dry camp

One camp on this trek has no water on-site. Fill everything you're carrying before you arrive — there's no source until the next morning.

Santa Claus · Trail Day 2
Thursday, June 18, 2026 — None at campsite

Protocol

  1. 1Cook and eat DINNER at last water source during lunch stop
  2. 2Carry cold lunch bag into camp — eat as camp dinner
  3. 3Breakfast next morning is no-cook
  4. 4Carry 1–2L drinking water into camp only
  5. 5Zero cooking or cleaning at the dry camp