Philmont 20205 - Troop 86

2025 Philmont High-Adventure Trip

Contents

External Resources

Key Info

Expedition date: June 9-21, 2025
(Allow an extra 2 days before and after for travel)

Philmont Seminars

Philmont is hosting 9 separate online seminars before our 2025 trek. Scouts and adults are encouraged to attend these!

Training and Preparations

All participants are encouraged to start a WEEKLY exercise/training program to prepare for this adventure. For the most part, this is something each individual needs to do on their own. That said, our troop will organize various weekly/monthly events where everyone can train together. Additionally, as we get closer to our event, we will schedule overnight hikes that will include various aspects such as packing, cooking, site set-up/tear-down, etc.

Click this link for the troop’s printable Philmont Training Log. Use this to track your progress!

Participant Requirements

We have two crews registered for the 2025 trek. Each crew must include 8-12 individuals, with at least 3 but no more than 4 over 21 years of age. Scouts 18-20 may be counted as youth if there are already 4 adults in a given crew.

Height and weight requirements are strictly enforced. Max weight is based on height. Please see the Health Medical Requirements page for more details.

Every Philmont trek involves hiking with a 35-50-pound backpack at an elevation of 6,500 to 12,500 feet. It is recommended that participants carry a pack weighing no more than 25% to 30% of their body weight.

Expenses / Payment Schedule

The following information summarizes the expected costs for this trip. These costs apply to all participants.

ITEMAMOUNTDUE DATE
Registration Fee #1$150.0011-27-2023
Registration Fee #2$762.509-23-2024
Registration Fee #3$762.502-17-2025
Travel – Amtrak$252.00
Travel – Shuttle between Raton and Philmont$60.00
Extra Camping Night at Philmont$15.00
Extra Meals at Philmont (Estimate – $8 per meal)$16.00
Food during travel / Souvenirs / Etc.(Bring with you)

Registration Fees

Each participant must pay a registration fee in order to participate. The cost is the same for Scouts and Scouters.

The troop will submit payments for both crews, so please make your individual participant payments to the troop. The due dates listed above are based on payment dates required by Philmont. Please make every possible effort to submit your payment to the troop BEFORE the Philmont due dates.

Please note that, unlike our previous Sea Base trips, registration for Philmont is by person, not crew. Individual registration costs will not fluctuate based on crew size.

NO REFUNDS – Nearly all of the payments submitted by the troop are non-refundable. Therefore, all payments submitted to the troop by youth or adult participants should be considered non-refundable.

Travel – Train

We will travel to Raton NM on our way to Philmont, and back home, via Amtrak. The troop purchased tickets to get the group discount. Please make individual ticket payments to the troop. The per-person ticket cost is listed in the table above.

Specific travel dates, times, and locations have been shared via email to all participants.

Travel – Shuttle

The closest train station to Philmont Scout Ranch is Raton, NM. This is roughly an hour from the Scout Ranch. Since many people travel to Philmont via train, Philmont offers a shuttle service. The round-trip cost is $60 per person.

The website also mentions a shuttle service to Cimarron for $15 per person. We may consider doing this after we depart on Day 13 in order to get lunch since our train does not leave Raton until later in the day.

Extra Camping Night

Assuming there are no delays, we should arrive at Philmont the day before our first day. This means we will be spending an extra night at Philmont before our trek officially begins. The cost for this is $15 per person.

Additional Meals at Philmont

Based on the current train schedule, we will have 2 additional meals at Philmont BEFORE we check in. These are $8 per person/meal

Additional Expense

Participants should plan for extra food expenses during travel (both directions). There is also the Tooth of Time Traders, the official store of Philmont Scout Ranch, which will certainly have plenty of opportunities for additional purchases. Plan accordingly and as desired.

Trek Selection

Each of our 2 crews selects and submits their 5-top treks from a list of 24. Sometime in March (or possibly later) we will receive information about the trek chosen for each crew.

Philmont released an extensive Itinerary Guidebook on their website. Along with general information about Philmont treks, details are provided for each trek offered this year.

While the Itinerary Guidebook has lots of great information, it is also fairly lengthy. While everyone going to Philmont is encouraged to read the guidebook, it may be a little overwhelming when trying to use this to make crew trek selections. Fortunately, one of our troop’s leaders/parents created a condensed version that includes information that should help during the trek selection process.

What To Bring

Philmont’s website provides an extensive list of equipment for individuals and crews. All participants are strongly encouraged to review this list to make sure you are ready.

CLICK HERE FOR THE PHILMONT EQUIPMENT LIST

Numerous people in our troop have attended Philmont in the past. As a result, if you have any equipment needs, you may be able to borrow some items.

Equipment Tips

  • Bringing items that can be layered is imperative
  • Synthetic or wool layers are recommended (Avoid cotton)
  • Often multi-purpose items can replace multiple items
  • Ensure your backpack fits you and is comfortable
  • Good hiking shoes are a must
  • Shakedown guides are available on the Philmont website

Numerous adult leaders from our troop have been to Philmont multiple times. They may have equipment you can borrow, and will certainly have tips on what to bring and what not to bring.