Crew Development

A crew preparing for the shakedown hike at the Watchu Mountain Adventure weekend.

Philmont crews are youth led. The eighteen months of the Watchu Experience provides the information and opportunities to train them for that responsibility and to make your crew into a smoothly functioning team. Consider a week-long canoe trek at Sabattis Adventure Camp.

Use the links on this page to help develop your crew into a well-oiled team, including topics on leadership, training, shakedowns and other team-building items. The Sample Crew Development Calendar provides a suggested schedule of activities for preparing your crew. Tracking your crew's progress against the Crew Preparation Checklist will assure you have done everything necessary to prepare them.

Many documents on this site are PDFs that require Adobe Reader. You can download the free software by clicking on the Adobe icon below.

Organizing Your Crew - description of the job assignments in a crew
Rotating vs. Permanent Crew Assignments - pros and cons of the two ways to organize a crew
Crew Leader - job description
Crew Leader Selection - advice on how to make the choice
Chaplain Aide - job description
Wilderness Pledge Guia - job description
Crew Reporter - job description, including examples and useful contacts
Advisor Responsibilities - a job description for adult advisors
Thorns and Roses - a tool used to keep stress and strain out of your crew
Hiking Guidelines – time-proven principles for a crew on the trail
12-Card Trek Planner - create a day-by-day outline of your trek

Lightning Safety Video - used with the permission of The Burn Center, Saint Barnabas Medical Center (Windows Media Player needed - not recommended for dial-up connections)
Lightning Safety - guidelines for staying safe during thunderstorms
Youth Protection - BSA online e-learning Web-based training (requires login)
Weather Hazards - BSA online e-learning Web-based training (requires login)
Safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat - Patriots' Path Council training link or try
- Safe Swim Defense - BSA online e-learning Web-based training (requires login)
- Safety Afloat - BSA online e-learning Web-based training (requires login)
Wilderness First Aid - information, schedule, and applications for Patriots' Path Council courses, and acceptable equivalent training
Philmont memo on Wilderness First Aid training and approved certifications
Mountain Medicine - a practical guide to basic medical advice for hikers
Women at Philmont - advice from women trekkers for women trekkers
Leave No Trace - the Center for Outdoor Ethics' Web site

Crew Preparation - Boy Scout publications with relevant topics
Preparing for Philmont - description of documents issued by Philmont for preparing a crew
Crew Reports - read trek reports and news articles from past years
Shakedown Hikes - information to plan shakedown hikes
Shakedown hike locations - Shakedown hike locations presentation for January breifing
Favorite N.J. Shakedown Hikes - descriptions of local hiking trails
Best Hikes in New Jersey - maps, photos, viseo and general information
Super Local Hikes- find great hikes in our area
GPS and Maps - useful GPS tools, data files, UTM coordinates, maps and local hiking trails
Rafting Outfitters on Pennsylvania's Lehigh River
50-miler Award - requirements and application
Service hours tracking form for conservation projects at Patriots' Path camps