We are excited to welcome families to Scouts BSA! While young women may be new to the youth age program of the Boy Scouts of America, they are not new to Philmont programming. Philmont has welcomed young women for decades through our staff, Venturing crews, Exploring posts, Sea Scouts, and family programming at the Philmont Training Center. Here is a look at the past:
- Families have been a part of Philmont before Waite Phillips donated the Ranch to the Boy Scouts of America. Like most working ranches, each member of the family plays an important part in the success of the overall operation. This is true today and every member of our employees families play a huge roll in the success of Philmont.
- In April 1971 Exploring (now Venturing) became coed and Philmont welcomed the first female trekkers at the end of the camping season
- In 1972 Nancy Wells and Kathy Leach served as the first female Rangers.
- In 1973 the first female Kit Carson Women crew (now Rayado) hit the trail.
- Joyce Schroeder was the first Chief Ranger and served from 1981 – 1983.
- Former Ranger and now professional forester Mary Struever co-authored the Philmont Field Guide in 1985.
- In 1988 Dawn Chandler became the first female camp director and served at Abreu. Dawn went on to become the first executive director of the Philmont Staff Association in 1997.
- Mariah Hughes served as the first female Director of Conservation in 1992.
- Julie Phillips Pucket, granddaughter of Waite Phillips, is currently a member of the Philmont Ranch Committee.
- Today women make up a significant portion of Philmont’s seasonal and full-time staff, helping deliver program to more than 25,000 participants each summer.
Information for new Scouts BSA Units and Members
New units will not be able to enter the lottery for a Philmont trek until the 2021 lottery is opened in October of 2019. But don’t worry, there are still plenty of ways to experience Philmont!
Available slots for 2019 and 2020: Each year there are limited openings for treks that were not filled during the lottery or open as crews change crew sizes and reservation numbers. The preparation window is shorter, but a hard working unit can prepare for the trek of a lifetime! LEARN MORE
Individual Opportunities: Each summer Philmont welcomes Scouts from across the country to form provisional crews and complete a content specific experience. Registration for 2019 Individual Opportunities is open and interested Scouts should register soon, as spots fill up quickly. LEARN MORE
- Trail Crew Trek (TCT): This 14 day trek focuses on conservation and leadership development. Participants will complete seven days of trail building and a seven-day educational trek throughout Philmont.
- OA Trail Crew Trek (OATC): Join a crew of fellow Arrowmen for a 14-day adventure of cheerful service. The first seven days are spent leaving a tangible legacy through trail construction and maintenance. The second week is spent backpacking through Philmont on a participant designed itinerary.
- Roving Outdoor Conservation School (ROCS): This 21-day trek will focus on forestry, fire ecology, fisheries management, wildlife management, geology, watershed management, and range management. Participants will spend six days of their experience building and maintaining trails.
- STEM Trek: This 12-day trek explores the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math behind Philmont. Knowledgeable staff will guide the crew and teach the scientific principles behind Philmont programs and history.
- Rayado: This 20-day trek will test the limits of participants. Rayado is three weeks of rugged trails, intense teamwork, and unknown challenges.
- NAYLE: The ultimate training experience for youth leaders. Spend a week at the Rayado Ridge Leadership Camp learning how to be a leader back in your local unit.
- Ranch Hands: This 16-day program is for Scouts who want to expand their horsemanship skills and experiences. Participants spend eight days working with the horse department and eight days on a special Cavalcade trek.
Philmont Training Center: There are tons of great conferences to attend for new leaders to grow their knowledge and prepare themselves to serve their new and growing units, including a conference on Leading New Troops. LEARN MORE
Seasonal Staff: Each summer Philmont hires more than 1,100 staff members to help service our participants. We are accepting applications and have positions open for the 2019 summer. LEARN MORE
No matter what your interest, there is something for everyone at Philmont! Whether you are new to Scouting or have been involved your whole life, Philmont is a place that everyone can have an adventure of a lifetime. We have welcomed Scouts of all genders, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, and age for decades and cannot wait to welcome you!
A special thanks to the National Scouting Museum, Philmont Staff Association, and Mark Stinnett for helping gather the information for this post.
2 responses to “Welcome Scouts BSA: Information for New Units and Members!”
A couple corrections:
Nancy Wells (not Denise)
Mary Stuever (not Struever)
I’ve been on 6 treks including one all girl crew. Backpacking was hard but rewarding to see how a crew comes together to make the work easier. We will have a lifelong shared experience.