Completing their 11–day trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico, are Scouts and advisors from Shandon United Methodist Church, Kneeling are Selby Mitchell and John Peebles. Standing are Andy Stevenson, assistant Scoutmaster; Michael Turbeville; Hagood Hemphill; Morgan Mitchell Jr., troop committee chairman; Forrest Hemphill; Will McInnis; Hunter Griffin Jr.; Mac Stevenson; and Hunter Griffin Sr., Scoutmaster. Photo courtesy of Morgan Mitchell Eight Scouts and three advisor’s from Shandon United Methodist Churches’ Boy Scout Troop 37 returned from Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron New Mexico after spending 11 days hiking. Their trek was 68 miles, but including day hikes, the total miles hiked was more like 80 to 85 miles. They also climbed Mount Baldy with an elevation of 12,441 feet.

In order to prepare for this trip, the group held numerous shake down hikes. There were also many miles walked around neighborhoods with a 50 pound pack on their back. A total of 80 pounds was lost by two members of the troop in order to meet the weight requirements set by the Scout ranch.

There was a variety of wild life spotted on the trip including seven bears, mule deer, wild turkeys, and a few snakes. The group had great weather and came home with only a few blisters. Everyone agreed that they were looking forward to a nice long hot shower once at home, as they only got two semi–warm showers on the trail.

According to Wikipedia, Philmont Scout Ranch is a large, rugged, mountainous ranch located near the town of Cimarron, New Mexico, covering approximately 137,500 acres (556 km2) of wilderness in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of the Rocky Mountains of northern New Mexico. The ranch, formerly the property of oil baron Waite Phillips and now that of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), is currently in use as a National High Adventure Base in which crews of Scouts and venturers take part in backpacking expeditions and other outdoor activities. It is the largest youth camp in the world by size and number of participants.

Philmont is also home to the Philmont Training Center, which is the main center for Boy Scouts of America’s national– level training for volunteers and professionals. In addition to its extensive BSA programs, Philmont continues to operate as a ranch, maintaining a relatively small stock of cattle, horses, burros, and bison.

It is the site of the only documented Tyrannosaurus rex track in the world (discovered in 1993 and formally identified in 1994) in North Ponil Canyon by Anasazi Trail Camp.