Philmont Scout Ranch

Andrew Turner, of Washington, returned to the Philmont Scout Ranch in July with his two sons, 31 years after hiking there with his uncle and brother. Turner's son, William, rear, hikes a trail in New Mexico.

(Courtesy photo)

By Loren Kessell

For The Express-Times

It was 1983 when Andrew Turner hiked through the mountains of New Mexico with his twin brother and uncle.

"I was on my uncle's last trek," Turner said. "I finally got back there ... this place leaves a mark on you."

Thirty-one years later, the Washington resident returned to the Philmont Scout Ranch to share with his family the experiences and lessons learned when he was a teenager.

In mid-July, Turner arrived in New Mexico for a 12-day hike with his two sons, his older brother, Joe, and his nephew. Joe Turner's oldest son was the first of three boys in his family to attend a trip. He too had planned on returning this year, but a prior commitment to the Air Force took priority.

The Philmont Scout Ranch is nestled in the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rocky Mountains, near Cimarron. The ranch encompasses just over 127,000 acres donated to the Boy Scouts of America by Waite Phillips, an oilman and philanthropist from Tulsa, Oklahoma.

About 23,000 Scouts every summer backpack through the mountains, where they learn valuable outdoor skills and how to work with others.

"The whole concept remained the same," Turner said. "What changed is the delivery and the logistics are impressive."

During Turner's trip when he was 14, Scouts carried minimal amounts of food and cooked over open campfires. But things have changed since then.

Campfires are no longer used in an effort to prevent forest fires in the dry climate. Portable stoves are used in their place. Dehydrated food is now the staple item with the diet altered depending on the Scouts' needs.

Anyone with a food allergy or special dietary requirement gets appropriate food, and a dietitian creates a meal plan designed around the hike and how many approximate calories will be burned.

Philmont trips boast lessons in wilderness living and a conservation project. Scouts this year fixed a trail by leveling out steep slopes in order to make it flatter and wider. Other activities include archery, rock climbing and mining demonstrations.

A Scout group starts at a home base and backpacks to different campsites along the trail. Hiking lengths vary and the Turners' trip covered 63 miles.

"We had top-notch kids in our group," Turner said. "It went well."

Philmont trips can include the threat of dehydration and large animals native to the area like mountain lions. Although the Scouts didn't encounter any problems, they worked effectively as a team to learn how to handle dangerous situations, if necessary.

The trip included a hike along the trail Turner traversed with his uncle, reliving the past while making new memories with his family. He hopes the journey resonated with the Scouts, especially his sons, as much as it did when he visited three decades ago.

The ranch aims to teach Boy Scouts how to be independent and self-sufficient. Andrew Turner's oldest son is pursuing the rank of Eagle Scout, and Joe and Andrew Turner's younger boys remain active in their troops.

"The application of what you've learned over the years is why you should go," Joe Turner said. "It's the ultimate test of your training."

Just before the Turners' arrival, the 1 millionth Boy Scout entered Philmont. It draws Scouts in every year, and there is no sign of the trend slowing down. Generations of Scouts will find their way to the ranch and someday they can tell their own stories.

"As a kid going there was a sensory overload," Andrew Turner said. "As an adult, I've realized how precious it is to keep it."