LIGHTWEIGHT BACKPACKING GEAR GUIDE - Weebly



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BSA-SDIC High Adventure Team

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| |SUPPLEMENT |

Revision 2

“Remember, the key to successful backpacking is to go lightly”

- Philmont Guidebook to Adventure.

This is the Philmont supplement to the BSA-SDIC High Adventure Team Comfort Backpacking Guide. That guide is oriented towards a lightweight backpacking approach and should be used as the primary source of information for outfitting a Scout with a lightweight backpacking kit . This supplement only covers the few Philmont requirements in putting together a lightweight backpacking kit and it covers lightweight alternatives to the Philmont issued crew gear. In addition, it presents a copy of Philmont’s Campsite / Bear Procedures.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PHILMONT SUPPLEMENT: RECOMMENDATIONS, REQUIREMENTS & RESTRICTIONS

Backpack 3

Sleep System 3

Shelter System 3

Clothing Items 3

An Important Advisory on Clothing Material 3

Convertible Zip-Offs 3

Trail Shoes 4

Rain Gear 4

Rain Jacket 4

Rain Pants 4

Essentials and Miscellaneous Items 4

Compass 4

Personal Hygiene Kit 4

Kitchen 5

Note about Cooking 5

Kitchen Clean Up Logistics 5

Stove 5

PHILMONT ISSUED CREW GEAR 6

Shelter 6

Kitchen Set 6

Cooking Utensil Kit 6

Hot-Pot Tongs 6

Dish Washing Pot 6

Dining Fly 7

Yum-Yum Frisbee 7

Scraper 7

One Camp Trowel 7

Bear Bags 7

Bear Ropes 7

Water Treatment 7

Other Miscellaneous Equipment Issued at Philmont 7

PHILMONT SCOUT RANCH’S BEAR PROCEDURE – BE BEAR AWARE 8

BACKGROUND 8

PHILMONT GENERAL BEAR PROCEDURES 8

PHILMONT CAMPSITE SET-UP 9

TENT SET-UP 9

SMELLABLES 9

GARBAGE 10

FIRE RING - COOKING AREA 10

SUMP 10

BEAR BAGS 10

OOPS BAG 10

PERSONAL SANITATION 10

NUISANCE NOTIFICATION 11

BEAR ENCOUNTERS 11

PHILMONT RECOMMENDATIONS, REQUIREMENTS & RESTRICTIONS

Backpack

Philmont recommends a minimum internal backpack capacity of 4000 cu. In.. This capacity recommendation is based from a traditional backpacking style and not a lightweight approach. Using a lightweight approach will permit a smaller (and lighter) backpack that will still have adequate volume to carry everything needed (because your backpacking kit will be small). You should still aim for approximately 50 liters (3000 cubic inches) of volume as listed in the BSA-SDIC High Adventure Team Comfort Backpacking Guide.

Sleep System

Philmont recommends a 3 season sleeping set-up (30 deg minimum), as does the BSA-SDIC High Adventure Team Comfort Backpacking Guide.. Utilize the weight recommendations in the BSA-SDIC High Adventure Team Comfort Backpacking Guide.

Shelter System

Philmont has a minimum capacity requirement of 2 persons per shelter and it has restrictions on which types of shelter can be used. Shelters such as a plain tarp, a backpacking hammock and a bivy sack shelter are not permitted Philmont.

Tents – Philmont’s outfitting department can & does issue two man tents, BUT their tents are 5-1/2 lbs each, so they are too heavy to be used in a lightweight backpacking kit.

Tarp Canopy – (Tarp enclosed from all sides) This type of shelter is ACCEPTABLE to be used at Philmont generally without any restrictions. Philmont prefers a bath tub type floor to be utilized in conjunction with the tarp canopies. These floors can either be from the canopy’s manufacturer, or a homemade version of a bath tub floor..

This type of shelter is a much lighter and simpler alternative to a regular backpacking tent.

Tarp-Tent. – This type of shelter is ACCEPTABLE to be used at Philmont without any restrictions. This type of shelter is a much lighter and simpler alternative to a regular backpacking tent.

Tarp – (Tarp open on one or more sides) Philmont does not permit plain tarps as sleeping shelters, This type of shelter is only permitted (required actually) to be utilized as dining fly for your crew..

Bivy Sack –Philmont does not permit bivy sacks to be used exclusively as a sleeping shelter, plus they don’t meet Philmont’s minimum capacity requirement for shelter.

Backpacking Hammock – Philmont does not permit hammocks because they don’t meet Philmont’s minimum capacity requirement for shelter.

Clothing Items

All of the recommendations in the BSA-SDIC High Adventure Team Comfort Backpacking Guide, apply to Philmont. The following items have additional notes

An Important Advisory on Clothing Material

Philmont guidelines allow for cotton-blends based on the assumption of you carrying extra changes of clothes if the cotton based clothes become wet. Using the lightweight approach as outlined in BSA-SDIC High Adventure Team Comfort Backpacking Guide, cotton is NOT allowed in a backpack clothing system because 1.) if cotton or a cotton blend material becomes wet, it’s a serious heat loss liability; slow to dry combined with the problem of not being able to wick moisture way from your skin (minimizing its contact), and instead it wicks the moisture by dispersing it out to a greater area of skin contact.- not good for conserving your core warmth. 2.) For a lightweight approach, there is minimal redundancy. The lightweight kit will in general, will have only one change of quick drying clothes per layer, so all layers must be quick drying.

Convertible Zip-Offs

Convertible to shorts or pants. At Philmont, long pants are required for some of the Program Camp activities (such as horseback riding) These should be made of lightweight, breathable, quick-drying synthetic fabric. With the zip-off feature they can also serve double duty as an extra pair of hiking shorts, which then can be later converted to your long pants for those Philmont Program camps that require them.. The classic BSA synthetic Switchback uniform pants are good candidates for this use.

Trail Shoes

Philmont recommendations are unfortunately oriented to traditional (heavy) style of backpacking, in which they promote heavy hiking boots for footwear. Using the lightweight approach outlined in BSA-SDIC High Adventure Team Comfort Backpacking Guide, .will allow the use of trail-runners which are much lighter, more comfortable, more breathable, and dry faster than traditional hiking boots. With a lightweight load, trail runners become the better choice. Remember to take Hydropel foot protection.

Socks

Philmont recommendations are a wicking liner sock combined with a heavy rag-wool type outer sock. This recommendation is oriented to traditional style backpacking, to be used in with a heavy traditional style of hiking boots. Using the lightweight approach outlined in BSA-SDIC High Adventure Team Comfort Backpacking Guide, .will allow the use of single layer wicking synthetic, wool, or wool blend socks which are lighter, more breathable, and dry faster. With a lightweight load, and combined with trail runners, this style of sock becomes the better choice..

Rain Gear

Rain Jacket

The top half of a rain suit. At Philmont ,a waterproof-breathable shell jacket with a hood is required.. Pullover style is acceptable. A lightweight shell is great for layering in the wind or chilly mornings. Thrifty examples such as Dri-Ducks and/or Frogg-Toggs jackets are extremely lightweight, but are not very durable so they will require a little extra care to preserve them.

Rain Pants

The bottom half of a rain suit. At Philmont, waterproof-breathable pants shell is required.. These lightweight shells are great for layering in the wind or chilly mornings. If you are considering to re-use these pants as your hiking pants, be aware they might be too hot to use as hiking pants on a sunny afternoon (shorts would be better for those situations anyway).

Poncho: Philmont does not accept ponchos as rain protection, This is because of the risk of becoming wet from wind driven rain. Currently, at Philmont only a rain suit is acceptable for rain protection.

Essentials and Miscellaneous Items

All of the recommendations in the BSA-SDIC High Adventure Team Comfort Backpacking Guide, apply to Philmont. Only the following two items have additional notes

Compass

A simple compass with a base-plate is all you'll need. Navigation with a map is always an important skill to have in the backcountry. Philmont maps are in 1:24.000 scale, so having that scale on your compass is useful.

For a Philmont trek, most trails are marked at intersections, but they are not so well marked that you can put your map & compass away and forget them. Also, those intersection signs are not to be fully trusted.

Philmont has a 4 “T” rule went it comes to their sign posts:

1.) Don’t Trust,

2.) Don’t Touch,

3.) Don’t Turn, and

4.) Don’t Tickle

At least one Philmont Program Camp will need you to use a compass & map on an individual basis as a part for its program activity.

Personal Hygiene Kit

As a reminder, Philmont is bear country so AVOID SCENTED ITEMS. Please, repackage items into smaller containers/bottles. These items can be stored in a simple plastic Ziploc freezer baggie.

Kitchen

The Philmont the kitchen set up is aligned with the patrol method, so your crew’s set up will need to be for at least for two people at a time – more likely an entire crew (which is the approach Philmont recommends and issues equipment for).

Note about Cooking

The many portions of the Philmont issued food doesn’t require cooking. Most dinners & a few breakfasts are either freeze dried or dehydrated. ."Cooking" for those meals (if that's what you call re-hydrating with hot water) is the primary method done. This re-hydrating can be done either in a pot (which is what Philmont recommends youl do) or in the lightweight style where the pot is only used to boil water, and re-hydrating is done either in the packaging bag the freeze-dried meal comes in or in an alternative Ziploc bag .

Kitchen Clean Up Logistics

We’ll go over this method when we do our training hikes.

The lightweight/minimum effort style is this: Everyone eats their food in the bag provided, or in a bag they bring (most times supported by a bowl which serves double duty a catch basin if the bag is breached). If not using a bag, then the bowl will have to be “pre-washed” by finger-washing with the portion of the Scout’s drinking water and then that "wash" water in the bowls be chugged down by the Scout himself (ala Leave No Trace (LNT) method – “human sump” not as bad as it sounds and it serves as motivation to eat from a bag, *smile*). Scouts then lick their eating utensil clean.

Washing dishes becomes greatly simplified and a chore with next to no work involved. With this LNT method there is only a little soapy grey water to be poured down the waste water sump.

Another benefit of this method is that the screening filter for waste water sump– the “yum-yum Frisbee”, is not really needed. No use for the yum-yum bag, because any left over food particles are left in the Ziploc bag. No use for the scrubbie because there are no pots to scrub because the pots were only used to boil water..

It is recommended to double bag each bag in case of a breach, puncture or leak (which rarely happens if careful), and re-use the outer bag. Some are concerned about freezer bags giving off potentially harmful chemicals, but the Ziploc site says otherwise: (see their #1 FAQ).

Bottom line: Can’t beat the fast clean-up, and it also saves on the weight of the extra fuel that would be needed to boil more extravagant amounts of wash water. In comparison, the extra weight of the bags is negligible, Because of the time savings is so great, most lightweight crews love this system (the rest got used to it),

Stove

Philmont requires the use of a backpacking stove, but only supports two types of fuel at their backcountry re-supply points: Gas and Canister.

Canister Stove – Philmont does carry canisters at its backcountry resupply points, but does not have approved disposal capability at its backcountry camps. So empty canisters will have to be safely punctured & crushed then carried out. (A Jetboil Crunch-It tool works well for this task) Philmont recommends these type of stoves.

Gas Stove – Philmont does carry white gas at its backcountry resupply points. Philmont recommends these type of stoves.

Alcohol Stove – Philmont does not have carry alcohol fuel at its backcountry resupply points. So, that would require carrying a 10 day supply of fuel, which would negatively offset an alcohol stoves weight advantages over a canister stove, Per BSA mandate these type of stoves must be commercially sourced – no homemade ones. While Philmont does not prohibit these type of stoves, it does give them a “not recommended” rating.

Solid Fuel Stove – Philmont does not have carry solid fuel tabs at its backcountry resupply points. So, that would require carrying a 10 day supply of fuel, which would negatively offset a solid fuel stoves weight advantage over a canister stove, While Philmont does not prohibit these type of stoves, it does give them a “not recommended” rating.

Wood Stove – Philmont prohibits wood cooking fires or wood fueled stoves,.

No Stove –. Philmont requires a backpacking stove, so this approach is prohibited there.

PHILMONT ISSUED CREW GEAR

Philmont will issue gear to your crew if you do not bring your own. The Philmont gear is very heavy and is designed to take the constant abuse that Scouts can deliver (assuming they are not careful). If you plan ahead you can use lightweight alternatives and NOT have to take Philmont's heavy gear.

Each crew of seven to twelve is issued the following equipment free of charge (except for damage or replacement charges when returned). As stated above, lightweight crews can choose to bring these items from home so that they can have the benefit of 1.) Carrying a much lighter load, and 2.) Practicing using their own equipment on their shakedown hikes.

Philmont gear is particularly heavy for their sleeping shelter, the dining fly, the kitchen kit, and the ropes for the bear bag.

Shelter

Philmont’s outfitting department can issue two man regular backpacking tents, BUT their tents are 5.5 lbs each, which are too heavy to be used in a lightweight backpacking kit. They also issue a heavy ground sheet with it that adds another pound! A much lighter and better shelter alternative is to bring a tarp-canopy (especially a pyramid type) or a tarp-tent.

Kitchen Set

Depending on the size of the crew, Philmont has two kitchen sets that it can issue. Both are VERY heavy weighing in at 4 and 6 pounds respectively. The 4 pound set is a thick walled (heavy) aluminum.

4-pound Kitchen Kit contains: (Aluminum)

• 6-quart pot

• 4-quart pot with lid

• One fry pan with handle

6-pound Kitchen Kit contains: (Stainless Steel)

• 8-quart pot

• 4-quart pot with lid

• One fry pan with handle

In both cases a frying pan and the larger pot will not be needed by a lightweight crew that is following the lightweight approach of cooking by re-hydrating in a bag. In addition, since the crew is bringing a water filter, the need to boil large amounts of water in a large pot is not needed as well.

Most stoves are not designed for a 4 quart pot, so a lightweight crew will bring two 2 quart pots to be utilized with two stoves (each pot on its own stove) which will meet the needs of the crew. This will make for a smaller kit and will be able to be distributed among the crew more evenly.

Cooking Utensil Kit

Philmont issues two large spoons, and one large spatula (total weight about 1/2 pound). The lightweight crew will have a bring their own lightweight plastic utensils, with the exception of a spatula because it is simply not needed when following the cooking method of re-hydrating in a bag.

Hot-Pot Tongs

The Philmont units are unnecessarily heavy (two pair weigh about 1/2 pound).. An inexpensive single aluminum pot holder can suffice as a lightweight alternative. There is also the possibility of using a bandana as a pot holder.

Dish Washing Pot

Philmont issues one extra 8- or 6-quart pot for washing dishes (weight about 1 pound). A lightweight crew following lightweight style of the cooking which is re-hydrating in a bag, so they will not need this pot.

Dining Fly

Philmont requires crews to have a dining fly (which is a flat tarp). The Philmont issued item is a heavy nylon dining fly (12'x12') weighing more than 4 pounds. Its two collapsible poles add another pound to the total. Needless to say, it is too heavy, a lightweight crew will be a lightweight sil-nylon fly which is a much better alternative. Trekking poles can be used as shelter poles.

Yum-Yum Frisbee

A “Yum-Yum” Frisbee or the Sump Frisbee is used as a strainer for disposing the kitchen’s “grey” (=dirty or waste) water down the camp site’s sump. The Philmont issued system (with scrapper) is about a ½ pound.. A lightweight alternative is to bring & use Paint Strainer bags. Home Depot sells a 2 pack. Use one for 5 days trash-it, then use the other. (for your 10 dinners in the field). The two bags weigh in at 0.4 oz!

Scraper

The Philmont issued scrapper is large and designed to go with their Yum-Yum Frisbee and their large pots. A small, lightweight alternative can be brought from home.

Camp Trowel

A single crew camp trowel (weight about 1 pound) is provided to dig a latrine if not in a camp or in the Valle Vidal area. Bringing a simple orange plastic trowel is a thrifty & much lighter alternative. For most places in Philmont there also the possibility of not carrying a trowel at all, since all camps have a latrine / pit toilet, This choice would require using a stick for a digging tool if “calls of nature” while not in camp.

Bear Bags

Philmont issues three (3) sandbags or grain bags that are woven polyethylene construction for this use (about a 3 to 4 oz. each) Much lighter weight alternatives may either purchased, adapted, or made.

NOTE: With most of the popular destinations in the California Sierras requiring a bear canister, bear bagging is not a common activity. Even in the areas of Sierras where bear bagging is permitted , the method allowed is either the counter balance method or the PCT method. The Philmont method is not really legal to use in most California wilderness areas. Consequently, for most California based participants we will need practice this skill before going to Philmont, as it will be a new skill to them.

Bear Ropes

Philmont issues two 100-foot length of 1/4-inch nylon rope (weight about 1 1/2 pounds each – 3 pounds total). These bear ropes are very heavy. A lightweight alternative is the Amsteel-Blue 7/64 (2.5mm). It is an inexpensive and significantly lighter alternative that meets the Philmont specifications.

Water Treatment

Philmont provides chlorine dioxide tablets (Katadyn Micropur). It also recommends if supplemental treatment is desired then you need to boil the water (which requires the carrying extra fuel to do that). We will use the chemical treatment as a back-up, and will primarily depend on a gravity style water filter for backcountry water needs. Why? The filter is a faster method for getting clean water & it avoids the chemical taste of the tablets. A gravity style filter is much lighter than a pump style & is more dependable (there are no pumps to fail or carry). This approach will also minimize any unnecessary carrying of extra fuel and also eliminates a big pot to boil the water in.

Other Miscellaneous Equipment Issued at Philmont

The remainder of this list is relatively light weight to begin with, so there aren’t significant weight savings to be had by substituting items out.

• Plastic trash bags

• Salt and pepper

• Dishwashing soap, hand sanitizer (be sure to bring down sized containers for these liquids)

• Scrub pads

• Toilet paper

The following section is copied from Philmont Scout Ranch’s Bear Procedures

The basic information is similar to bear bulletins issued for California’s Wilderness areas that are black bear habitat, but Philmont’s information is unique in its rules for the campsite set-up and bear bagging method;

PHILMONT SCOUT RANCH’S BEAR PROCEDURE – BE BEAR AWARE

Philmont Scout Ranch is home to black bear habitat. The Ranch is proud of its long-standing success record of bear safety. In order to maintain that safety record, all crews and all individuals MUST follow Philmont’s rules and practice proper bear procedures.

BACKGROUND

Black bears have an acute sense of smell. The smell of food or any other odor (except human scent) may attract bears, which are curious by nature. Bears are opportunistic feeders. They can potentially investigate any different odor as a potential food source and will take advantage of any easy meal if presented. Bears typically search for food at night, but also can roam during the day.

Philmont Scout Ranch Goal = D O N O T R E W A R D B E A R S W I T H F O O D

PHILMONT GENERAL BEAR PROCEDURES

• Know the Philmont way of proper camp set-up and what defines the BEAR-muda Triangle (sump, cooking area, bear bag). See the illustration on the next page.

• Plan your hiking to be during day light hours and stay on the trail.

• Hike staying together a group. Make your presence known (make noise, call out).

• Watch for bear signs such as scat, claw marks, diggings, rocks overturned, logs or stumps torn into.

• Always keep a CLEAN camp. Use only designated campsites.

• Smellables include: food, candy bars, treats, wrappers, garbage, soaps, shampoos, deodorants, lotions of any kind, toothbrushes & toothpaste, hygiene products, sunscreen, lip balm, insect repellant, film cameras, First Aid kits (on top of the bag), the Sump Frisbee, water bottles that have had any drink mix in them or were once soda bottles (including any bottle with stickers & duct tape) and any other type of garbage or waste, Smellables, if not backpacking, should be within the BEAR-muda Triangle area (it is best – hung up)

• Upon arriving in camp, place all smellables that are not immediately needed in the bear bag and place all dishes near the sump. As soon as possible hang all food and smellables in bear bags.

• If you leave your campsite or pack during the day, hang your food and smellables.

• Do not leave your packs unattended while you taking part in a program, visit conservation sites or go on a side hike.

• If you have cooked or washed dishes, be sure to rinse thoroughly your hands and arms with clean rinse water to wash away any food particles or smells.

• Leave your crew’s clean cook set and dishes at the sump.

• Strive to use hand sanitizer before 6 PM. try to cook early in the evening.

• Keep a light source readily available.

• Be diligent at picking up trash EVERYWHERE!

• Packs should be placed in the BEAR-muda Triangle well away from tents.

• Tents should be grouped in crew clusters at least 50 feet away from the BEAR-muda Triangle

PHILMONT CAMPSITE SET-UP

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TENT SET-UP

• Keep tents grouped in crew clusters - no isolated tents.

• Strive to have the tents more than 50 feet from any point on the BEAR-muda Triangle (sump, cooking area, bear bag).

• Keep tents away from wooded areas, acorn or berry patches, slopes and animal trails.

• Do not store day hiking clothes in the tent. Sleep in a set of clothes that are only used for sleeping. Store these clothes with or in sleeping bags.

SMELLABLES

• Smellables include: food, candy bars, treats, wrappers, garbage, soaps, shampoos, deodorants, lotions of any kind, toothbrushes & toothpaste, hygiene products, sunscreen, lip balm, insect repellant, film cameras, First Aid kits (which should be on top for quick access), the Sump Frisbee, water bottles that have had any drink mix in them or were once soda bottles (including any bottle with stickers & duct tape) and any other type of garbage or waste.

• Remember to put the First Aid kit on the very top of your bear bag - so you can find it easily if need be

• Anyone needing an inhaler or an Epi-Pen make sure that’s with them and NOT IN THE BEAR BAG.

• ALL smellables must be hung in a bear bag.

• Non-smellable water bottles must be placed within the BEAR-muda Triangle

DO NOT TAKE ANY SMELLABLES OUTSIDE THE BEAR-muda TRIANGLE AREA

• Sweaty hiking clothes should be placed within the BEAR-muda Triangle.

• Backpacks should be placed in the BEAR-muda Triangle in a pack line well away from tents

GARBAGE

• Pack every thing out. Never burn or bury garbage.

• When you reach the next staffed camp, consult the staff on what to do with garbage. Never leave your trash or garbage on a porch without a staff member being made aware of it.

• In the unlikely occurrence of vomit: If this happens while hiking, then move off the trail and kick dirt over the vomit. If in camp, treat as garbage - clean it up and hang it in the bear bag (if not in a staffed camp where trash disposal is available).

FIRE RING - COOKING AREA

• Prepare and cook food in or close to the fire ring.

• Try to cook early in the evening. Strive to have last use hand sanitizer before 6 PM

• When conditions permit, refrain from wearing your insulation layer of clothes or rain gear while cooking.

• If you have cooked or washed dishes, be sure to rinse thoroughly your hands and arms with clean rinse water to wash away any food particles or smells.

SUMP

• Use the sump to dispose of dirty dishwater and cooking liquids! Strain food particles from dishwater and put food waste with wet garbage and any other uneaten food in plastic bags to be stored in the yum-yum bag and then hang it with the bear bag.

• Leave the crew’s clean cook set and dishes at the sump.

BEAR BAGS

• Bear bags should be hung on the cable that is provided in every camp. The weight of the rope will enable it to be tossed over the cable - a serious injury may result from using a rock. In the Valle Vidal area where there are no bear cables, tie up a couple of handfuls of dirt in a bandanna for a weight to throw over branches or use baseball method to hang your bear bags.

OOPS BAG

• Use for any last minute or forgotten items such as the sump Frisbee, yum-yum bag, trash, advisor coffee dishes, forgotten pocket items.

• Hang rope and bags as normal, but tie a loop at the midpoint. Use a carabineer attached to the loop or the loop as a pulley, and thread the Oops rope through it.

• Leave the Oops rope dangling so that the Oops bag can be hoisted without dropping the primary bear bag complex.

PERSONAL SANITATION

• Using scented lotions, soaps, deodorants and shampoo may attract the attention of bears. Wash and shower early in the day so that residual smells will dissipate before night.

• Late in the day, wash with water only! Avoid using hair product and deodorants. Do not use sunscreen or bug repellant late in the day (after 5:00 pm).

• Brush your teeth as you usually do at the sump for convenience to spit.

NUISANCE NOTIFICATION

• A nuisance bear is one that is hard to chase away and returns to your site - or has investigated any camp items.

• In staff camps: notify the staff and any crews in your immediate area of any bear sightings. The staff will evaluate the bear and may attempt to chase it away

• In trail camps: notify the other crews in camp of any sightings. Also, notify the next staff camp arrived at.

• If at night, & you suspect a nuisance bear, gather the crew, build a small fire (during a fire ban gather the crew together with their light sources), and keep watch. During the day, notify the nearest staff camp

• When reporting a bear, be prepared to give as much information as possible: size, color, ear tags, markings and whether or not it has cubs.

BEAR ENCOUNTERS

• NEVER offer food to a bear. That act is punishable by a fine & expulsion from Philmont.

• Never approach or corner a bear

• Never provoke a bear to act aggressively. Do not throw rocks or sticks,

• A mother with cubs is very protective and easily provoked. Give all bears a wide berth.

• NEVER risk injury by attempting to save your food or gear from a bear. If necessary, both can be replaced if a bear gets possession. YOUR SAFETY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FOOD OR GEAR.

• If a bear approaches your campsite (50-100 yards away), make loud noises (yell, rattle pots and pans, whistle) to discourage it from coming closer. Stand upright and if possible in a group of at least three individuals. Do not kneel or bend over. Wave arms, jackets or other materials.

• If a bear enters your campsite, gather your crew and leave the area until the bear is gone. If at a staffed camp, contact the staff who will evaluate the situation and may attempt to chase the bear away.

• In the very unlikely occurrence of you awakening with a bear curiously examining you, do not play dead and do not strike the bear. Talking with a calm tone of voice will let the bear know you are alive and well.

If the bear is several feel away, you may be able to slip out of your sleeping bag and slowly retreat.

• Running may provoke a bear. If possible, back away slowly.

SAFETY IS THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN AT PHILMONT. BE SAFE & FOLLOW THE RULES

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