Each crew needs to establish a budget and designate a banker or treasurer to handle the funds (a great job for a parent to take on in support of the crew!) for crew expenses. The amount will vary from crew to crew, and should (at a minimum) provide food and fuel for shakedown hikes and any special crew apparel such as T-shirts, hats, or neckerchiefs. Other things that might be considered for the crew budget include fees for CPR and First Aid training, ground transportation to and from the airport and whether crew gear such as stoves must be purchased.

In addition to each advisor being a registered member of BSA, adult advisors must complete BSA Youth Protection, Safe Swim Defense, and Safety Afloat training.

Both adult advisors and youth crew members are required to complete the age appropriate BSA Youth Protection training.  All advisor must present valid certificates (cards). Youth Protection for Youth Members, included with the distributed DVD distributed at the November Advisor Briefing, must be viewed by all youth members of the crew.

Since the Philmont experience is composed of teenaged girls and boys, Patriots’ Path Council requires that each youth member complete the BSA material directed specifically to teenagers.

The lead advisor initials the appropriate line on the Watchu Passport certifying that each youth member of the crew has completed the Youth Protection requirement.

The official Philmont requirement is for only one person (youth or adult) to be trained in both  First Aid and CPR.  Special requirements for Wilderness First Training in 2008 and a list of approved training providers can be read by clicking HERE.

The patch should not be worn on the BSA uniform. It comes under the heading of Participation and Achievement in the BSA Insignia Guide. Recommended examples of placement would be on equipment (such as a backpack), a jacket or sweater, or a BSA patch vest.

The youth leadership positions are the Crew Leader (Crew Chief) and the Chaplain Aide.  Detailed descriptions of these positions, prepared by Philmont and which will be included in the March mailing, are posted on this Web site under ‘Crew Development’.

“Organizing Your Crew,” posted on this Web site under ‘Crew Development’, describes the positions in a Philmont Crew, which include cooks, the fire and water team, the clean-up team, and navigators in addition to the two leadership positions of Crew Chief (Crew Leader) and Chaplain Aide.  On shakedowns, the advisors need to make sure all crew members rotate through all of the assignments so that all are trained in each position.  At Philmont, the crew can be organized with “experts” assigned to each job for the entire trek, or the Crew Chief (Crew Leader) can prepare a duty roster that continues to rotate the assignments among all the crew members – see “Rotating vs. Permanent Crew Assignments” posted on this Web site under ‘Crew Development’.

No, they mean exactly the same thing.  "Crew Chief" is the older term for today’s “Crew Leader.”  In both cases, the reference is to the youth leader of the crew and is never to the adult advisors.  Chief Watchu will use the “Crew Chief” terminology when he wants to be certain all understand him to mean the youth member who leads.

The selection of a permanent Crew Leader should be made at the Watchu Mountain Adventure weekend in May.  Until then, all positions of leadership should be rotated so that the entire crew can evaluate the performance of its members.  The Chaplain Aide must be selected prior to arrival at May’s Watchu Mountain Adventure.

Hypothermia, dehydration, unsanitary food preparation, and falls are the top four problems which force crew members off the trail.  Each of these issues must be addressed during crew training.

In addition to good physical conditioning by everyone before Philmont, the tour of southern Colorado is designed to help crew members adjust to higher altitudes before arriving at Philmont.

Most crews find that about three, preferably overnight, shakedown hikes are sufficient, though a mix of overnight and day hikes may be needed to accommodate a crew’s particular ability to schedule shakedowns.

Local tour permits are required for all shakedown hikes as well as May’s Watchu Mountain Adventure.  Any two advisors accompanying the crew on the training event can sign the tour permit.  Patriots’ Path Council crews should direct the tour permit to the attention of Bob Morris, who will expedite the process.

Gear shakedowns should be performed during crew training hikes to give everyone a chance to see what others are using and stimulate questions about what works and what does not.  In addition, each crew will have a gear shakedown conducted by a staff member at May’s Watchu Mountain Adventure.  A shakedown is recommended at a crew meeting, with family in attendance, a week or two before departing for Philmont to insure any gaps in equipment or packing have been squared away (this is also the time for a short briefing to parents, i.e. phone chain for wake-up calls on the day of departure, last minute itinerary questions, contact info, etc.)  A next-to-last shakedown should be conducted the night before departure to make sure than the gear on the Philmont equipment list will be on the plane.  At Philmont, the crew’s Ranger will conduct a final shakedown before the crew leaves Base Camp.

The water purification tablets now used at Philmont, Katadyn’s Micropur, are available at outdoor stores such as Campmor, REI, and Ramsey’s.  The cost is about $14.00 per package of 30 tablets.