Eleven days of beef jerky and crackers for breakfast.  That is what Boy Scout Troop 807 of Coppell lived on while trekking through Philmont Scout Ranch near Cimarron, New Mexico a few weeks ago.  It may not sound like the trip of a lifetime, but all members of the crew will admit that this trip was the pinnacle of their scouting adventures.

The crew of Boy Scouts and their leaders were on an expedition to change their lives as they hiked 56 miles through the northern New Mexico ranch amid towering mountains, abundant wildlife, tall Lodge Pole Pines and dusty trails.  Twelve members of Troop 807 traveled from Coppell to this premier Boy Scout high adventure base for the opportunity to see an unspoiled wilderness firsthand.

The Scouts traveled through heavy forests, high mountain passes, steep uphill grades, and rocky terrain on the 11 day hike, stopping at remote campsites with none of the comforts of home to which they have grown accustomed.  The scouts were encouraged to enjoy the wilderness with none of the distractions presented by modern technology.  iPods, cell phones and other prevailing conveniences were not to be used on the trail. 

None of the sites had electricity and some had no purified water sources.  At these sites, water had to be obtained from streams or wells and treated for contaminants such as Giardia and various viruses and bacteria.

Each night, the scouts had to place their food and other articles that would attract bears in Bear Bags.  The bags were then hung from cables about 20 to 25 feet from the ground, so that bears could not easily get to them during the night.

While on the trek, the scouts were able to see the world’s only Tyrannosaurus Rex track and writings left on rocky cliffs by the Anasazi hundreds of years ago.

For two days in the middle of the trip, the crew was able to use a donkey to carry some of their food over several trails on their way through part of the high altitude region of the trek.  This burro was nicknamed “Bodie the Burro” by the crew in honor of a former Eagle Scout from Troop 807.  Bodie became an indispensable and much discussed member of the crew for the two days he accompanied them. 

Some trails ascended at steep inclines and presented imposing obstacles to the trek participants, who were carrying backpacks weighing between 45 to 55 pounds.  Many days, the crew had to travel four of five miles over rocky terrain in order to reach the next camp, but some days were tougher than others.  One day the crew had to hike over eight miles, much of which was up hill.  This was also the day that a hailstorm greeted the scouts just as they reached their next campsite after six hours of hiking.

The highlight of the excursion was when the scouts climbed to the summit of Baldy Mountain, which at an elevation of 12,441 feet, is a formidable challenge even for those in good physical condition.  Upon reaching the top of Baldy Mountain, the scouts celebrated by sharing some chocolate and relaxing in the Flintstone Chairs, a set of rocks that resembles the furniture of the popular Flintstones cartoon of the 1960s. 

At that altitude, the wind was gusting at an alarming speed, so the scouts had to make sure none of their gear disappeared over the crest of the mountain.  It took about five hours and numerous stops to reach the peak from the mountain base camp, but it took only about one hour for the scouts to return from the summit.  As the camp rangers explained, the path leading down is always easier.

At one camp, the scouts were able to scale a vertical cliff in the side of a mountain.  The climbing area extended about 100 feet, over which the scouts would climb up and then repel back down to the starting ledge.  Several Philmont staff members were available to assist the scouts with climbing gear and safety ropes. 

At the last campsite, the scouts participated in the celebrated Burro Races at Harlan Downs.  The scouts had to encourage the burros to race, by leading them through the course, around a grass-covered field and back to the stables.  As the Troop 807 crew raced through the course with their burro, other scout troops were prodding their burros through the course also.  The crew raced twice with a different burro each time.  They discovered that some burros were more willing to participate than others.  Bodie, the burro that assisted the crew earlier in the week, was unavailable for these races.

While on the hiking trip, the scouts practiced the Leave No Trace program where each scout pledged to have virtually no impact on the environment.  All trash was disposed of at appropriate camp locations and no residue was left anywhere in the wilderness to spoil the breathtaking vistas and striking landscape.

Several scouts are already planning to return to Philmont sometime in the summer of 2010.  Beef jerky and crackers for breakfast at 12,000 feet may not be too bad after all.  Bodie the Burro will be patiently waiting their return.