Strict adherence to proper health and safety practices is crucial at Philmont. Campers are responsible to themselves for remaining strong and healthy. Failure to purify water or to rinse dishes thoroughly may affect everyone in the crew. Health and safety are a crew responsibility, as well as an individual one. Here are some wise trail practices that will help keep you and your crew strong, safe, and healthy.

Keep Personally Clean
Good campers are clean. Personal cleanliness will make you feel better, smell good, and look decent to the rest of your crew. Take pride in the personal appearance of yourself and your crew. Your appearance will be compared with that of other crews from all parts of America. A short haircut is recommended the day before you leave for Philmont. Short hair is easier to wash and comb when you are in the rugged, challenging wilderness. Showers are available at Indian Writings, Ponil, Dean Cow, Baldy Camp, Sawmill, Cimarroncito, Clark's Fork, Cypher's Mine, Beaubien Phillips Junction, Miner's Park, Crater Lake, and Abreu (except during drought periods). Sponge baths can be taken at most camps.

Caring for Your Feet
Foot travel is the primary means of transportation at Philmont. Sound, healthy feet are a must. Proper foot care will keep your feet sound and healthy. Cut your toenails short and square--don't round the comers. Clean feet and socks will reduce the possibility of blisters. Wash your feet before and after hiking. Change your socks daily. Always keep your feet and socks dry. Treat cuts and sores on your feet with antiseptic and adhesive bandages or moleskin. Hot spots should be given immediate attention.

Applications of tincture of benzoin toughen the skin and thereby help prevent blisters. Use foot powder each morning.

Proper boots are important. They should be sturdy but not too heavy (2 to 4 pounds per pair for average sizes) 6 to 8 inches high with sturdy soles. Do not confuse hiking boots, which are recommended for Philmont, with the heavier mountaineering boots. The more you weigh the more sturdy your boots should be.

Wash Your Clothes
The mark of a first-class backpacker is clean clothes. They lift both morale and esteem. You can wash clothing at shower houses. After washing, spread them over tree limbs or shrubs where they will dry quickly.

Dehydration
Low humidity and strenuous activity cause your body to lose enormous amounts of fluids. You will dehydrate even though you do not feel thirsty You need to drink more water than you usually do. Four to six quarts per day is not excessive. The salt content of Philmont's menus is adequate to replace your loss of salt from sweating. Since concentrated intake of salt can cause other problems, salt tablets are not recommended.

Symptoms of dehydration include light-headedness, dizziness, nausea, general weakness, muscle cramps, and sometimes fever and chills. Hot, clear days accelerate loss of body fluids. Plan to hike early in the morning to avoid the intense heat of midday and potential dehydration problems.

Heat Exhaustion
Prolonged physical exertion in a hot environment may cause heat exhaustion. The subject may feel faint and have a weak, rapid pulse. Body temperature usually remains near normal. The afflicted person should rest in a comfortable environment and drink fluids.

Heat Stroke
Though less common than heat exhaustion, heat stroke is much more serious. The body's cooling mechanisms stop functioning from overwork. The patient's body temperature soars and the skin is hot, red, and dry. Cool the patient immediately with a dip in a stream or put him/her in the shade and drape bare skin with wet cloths. When the patient is able to drink, give fluids. Treat for shock and get help.

Hyperventilation
A feeling of panic accompanied by rapid breathing with shallow breath is symptomatic of hyperventilation. The subject loses carbon dioxide from the bloodstream and may become numb around the mouth and in the extremities. If untreated, the person may experience violent spasms in the hands and feet and even lose consciousness. Hyperventilation occurs fairly frequently, especially to teenagers and young adults when undergoing strenuous activity at high elevation.

Although it is usually not serious for an otherwise healthy person, the symptoms of hyperventilation can be frightening to the subject and the crew. The most effective treatment is to have the subject re-breath his own air from a plastic or stuff sack. The higher concentration of carbon dioxide in re-breathed air will enter the lungs and in 10-20 minutes get into the person's bloodstream and restore a normal balance. Reassure the subject and tell the person to take long, deep breaths from the bag.

Hypothermia
Hypothermia results from exposure to cold, wet weather, with most cases developing in air temperatures of 30° to 50°F (common to Philmont's high country). Wind, wet clothing, or exhaustion increases the chance of hypothermia. Always carry rain gear with you on side hikes. Symptoms include faltering coordination, slurred speech, loss of good judgment, disorientation, numb with cold, and fatigue. Wet clothing must be replaced with dry, preferably wool or polypropylene clothing. Apply heat to the head, neck, sides, and groin with hot-water bottles, warm, moist towels, or the bodies of two other persons. Put the subject in a sleeping bag and give hot sugary liquids if able to drink without choking. Do not rub the subject's body, as that may cause injury.

Sunburn
Prevent sunburn by wearing a broad-brimmed hat and applying a high-numbered sunscreen--at least 15 SPF Cover the most susceptible parts of your body--nose, head, face, neck, ears, knees, and legs. Fair-skinned campers should apply protection early in the morning and reapply it during the day. If you do become sunburned, treat it immediately. Get the afflicted person to shade, and administer fluids. The incidence of developing skin cancer is fairly high among people who have been severely sunburned during childhood. Taking preventative measures is a wise precaution.

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)
Participants who live at less than 3,000 feet elevation may require 2 to 3 days to adapt to a higher elevation above 6,000 feet. Teenagers and young adults have a higher incidence of acute mountain sickness (AMS). A gradual ascent of not more than 1,000 feet per day above 6,000 feet elevation will help prevent AMS.

Physical symptoms of AMS include headache, insomnia, fatigue, shortness of breath, lassitude and intestinal upset. Psychologically, a person may become irritable and have difficulty concentrating. AMS usually occurs at elevations in excess of 6,500 feet--all of Philmont qualifies.

Descending to a lower elevation, avoidance of strenuous activity and taking aspirin for headache may relieve the symptoms of AMS.

If this is not successful within 24 hours, the subject may need to be transported to base camp. Crew members who have undertaken regular physical conditioning prior to their trek are generally less affected.

Protection from Hantavirus
Hantavirus is thought to be the cause of respiratory distress syndrome. This illness has affected persons in most western states. Rodents are the primary carriers of recognized Hantavirus. It is believed that Hantavirus is carried in the urine feces and saliva of deer mice, rabbits and possibly other wild rodents. A person contracts Hantavirus by coming into contact with rodent feces urine, saliva or things that have been contaminated by them. This illness is not suspected to be spread from one person to another

All participants and staff engaged in hiking and camping should take the following precautions to reduce the likelihood of exposure to potentially infectious materials.

• Avoid coming into contact with rodents and rodent burrows or disturbing dens (such as pack rat nests).
• Do not pitch tents or place sleeping bags in areas in proximity to rodent feces or burrows or near possible rodent shelters (e.g., garbage boxes or woodpiles).
• Do not use or enter cabins or other enclosed shelters that are rodent infested until they have been appropriately cleaned and disinfected. Report these to the next staffed camp.
• If possible, do not sleep on the bare ground. Use tents with floors.
• Store food in a bear bag hung from a c able.
• Properly package all garbage and trash, and discard in covered trash containers at staffed camps
• Use only bottled water or water that has been disinfected by boiling, chlorination, or iodination for drinking, cooking, washing dishes and brushing teeth.

Accidents
Most accidents occur late in the day in camp, not on the trail. Many of them involve horseplay Fatigue mild dehydration and altitude effects may impair a crew member's performance and judgment. Rock throwing, improper use of equipment, foolishness in hanging bear bags, climbing steep, rocky ridges, running through campsites, climbing trees, and carelessness around fire lays are prevalent causes of accidents. To avoid them, individual and crew discipline should be maintained and safety practiced in all activities.

Stress and Group Dynamics
A ten-day trek in the rugged Philmont terrain sometimes produces mental and emotional stress, especially for members of crews whose training and preparation back home has been minimal.

Each crew is subjected to physical demands such as carrying a 36-50 pound backpack; gasping for breaths at high elevations, facing weather conditions varying from hot, blazing sun to cold, wet, foggy periods of several days; and getting started on camp chores early and doing them efficiently to participate in programs at the next staffed camp. These physical demands can create irritability and mental stress.

Personality differences and minor internal crew conflicts sometimes produce emotional stress. Each crew member should ask how could I eliminate or reduce my habits that may be offensive to others? Good leadership on the part of the crew leader can help reduce the potential for conflicts. The crew leader should 1) discuss alternative choices with the crew, 2) listen to each crew member's ideas, 3) make decisions in the best interest of the entire crew, 4) assign duties to implement those decisions 5) evaluate how the crew did with input from each individual. Giving objective feedback based on observed behaviors rather than directing it to a specific person or persons can be extremely beneficial in resolving conflicts.

If stress is beyond the capabilities of the crew to manage, contact the nearest staffed camp for help. Depending upon the circumstances, a Philmont chaplain may be called in to assist. If a serious conflict develops, a chaplain has better success in helping the crew overcome it when called early, instead of allowing it to fester.

Purify All Drinking Water
All water from all sources--including springs, streams, and wells--must be purified unless a staff member informs you that the water is chlorinated. This rule must be strictly enforced. Your own well-being is at stake.

The most certain treatment to purify water is to heat it to a rolling boil. For your convenience, Philmont provides iodine crystals that are effective to kill waterborne bacteria and viruses that cause disease. However, to treat the cold water found in Philmont streams, you need to double the contact time to destroy giardia that may be present. Philmont recommends that if you use a water filter you also treat or boil the water.

Dishwashing Procedure
After each meal scrape and wipe dishes, utensils and pots as clean as possible using toilet paper. Wash using a mild, biodegradable soap in warm water. Use scrub pads to remove hardened food remains. Rinse them in boiling water. Before each meal sterilize dishes, utensils and pots for at least 30 seconds in boiling water. This disinfects any contamination from being in a pack.

Dishes and utensils will air dry quickly in Philmont's low humidity. Wash your dishes near a sump, not a water spigot that may contaminate the area. Proper washing, rinsing and sterilizing of dishes and utensils will prevent diarrhea, dysentery and a host of other medical problems.

Use of Sumps
When disposing of waste water, drain it through a strainer provided by Philmont. The water should be disposed of in a provided sump or at least 50 paces from any campsite or water source. Solid matter should be carried to the next staffed camp.

Disposal of Trash and Garbage
Proper disposal of trash and garbage insures a clean camp and protects everyone's health. Do not bury garbage or dump it in latrines; bears and rodents will soon retrieve it. Put trash and garbage in a plastic bag and deposit in the steel trash box at the nearest staffed camp.

Latrines
Pit latrines are provided for your use in backcountry camps. They should be kept clean and free of graffiti by members of your crew. At other locations you may need to dig a cathole latrine. Make it at least 200 feet from any trail, water, or campsite. Dig the hole about 6 inches deep, but no deeper than the organic topsoil. After use, fill the hole completely, pack and mound the earth to avoid erosion. Garbage and trash must not be put in any latrine because animals will dig it out.

Prevent Forest Fires
Our forests are a beautiful and valuable heritage. Philmont's dry climate requires everyone's cooperation to prevent forest fires. The United States Forest Service points out that good outdoorsmen follow these practices when using fires:

1. Never build a fire against a tree, stump, root, or log, as it may be difficult to control or put out.
2. Avoid building a fire on a grassy area, as this destroys one of our most valuable assets. Grass will not grow for several years on a fire spot. (At Philmont always use established fire lays.)
3. Rake up flammable material before building a fire.
4. Never toss a match away. Put it in the fire or hold the match until it stops smoking, then break it between the thumb and fingers of one hand and step on it.
5. Never leave a fire unwatched, even for a few minutes, particularly on a windy day.
6. Never try to put a fire out by scattering it.
7. Put out your fire with sand, damp earth or, best of all, water. After the first soaking, stir the ashes with a stick and add more water, then feel it with your hands to make sure it is out.
8. Keep in mind the forest and wildlife resources and, possibly, human lives you are protecting by your care in handling fire.

Be alert for wildfires. If you see white smoke boiling up, you may have spotted a forest fire. Prairie fires spread quickly and their smoke is sweeping. If you spot a fire or think you have, report it to your advisor, who will report it to the nearest c amp director or staff member as soon as possible. Your crew should not attempt to fight wildfires and should quickly leave the area. Trained fire fighters will extinguish fires quickly once they are reported.

Tobacco
Our Scout Oath reminds us to keep ourselves physically strong. The use of smokeless or smoking tobacco adversely affects the body and causes cancer. Because of the ever-present forest fire danger, smoking is not permitted on Philmont trails. If you must smoke in the backcountry, do it in an established camp near a fire ring. No smoking is permitted in Camping Headquarters except the designated area: porch of Advisors Lounge. Staff are limited to Staff Lounge, patio, and kitchen loading dock.

Alcohol and Drugs
Possession or use of alcoholic beverages and unprescribed drugs or misuse of prescribed drugs or chemicals are expressly prohibited. Groups or individuals found in violation of this national Boy Scouts of America policy will be sent home immediately as arranged with the responsible council or parent.

Firearms and Fireworks
Firearms are not allowed at Philmont except those furnished on designated rifle ranges. Do not bring firearms or archery equipment with you. If you cannot avoid bringing weapons with you, they must be checked in at the Camping Headquarters office during your stay.

Shooting fireworks at Philmont is prohibited. They are a great fire and safety hazard and must not be brought with you.

Climbing
Falls from cliffs and rocky ridges are the most serious accidents that occur at Philmont. Campers should be constantly alert to this very present danger when climbing steep, rocky, mountain slopes. Common sense will enable you to differentiate between difficult and dangerous areas and to bypass dangerous areas completely.

Philmont conducts rock climbing at three staffed c amps. These are the only places where rock climbing is to be done, and then only under the supervision of Philmont rock climbing staff.

Avoid throwing or rolling rocks. This is particularly dangerous in steep country. There may be other hikers below you. The "A-B-C" of mountain climbing is Always Be Careful.

Beware of Lightning and Flash Floods
The summits of mountains, c rests of ridges, slopes above timberline, and large meadows are extremely hazardous places to be during lightning storms. If you are caught in such an exposed place, quickly descend to a lower elevation, away from the direction of the approaching storm, and squat down or kneel down on a pad, keeping your head low. A dense forest located in a depression provides the best protection. Avoid taking shelter under isolated trees or trees much taller than adjacent trees. Stay away from water, metal fences and other objects, which will conduct electricity long distances.

By squatting or kneeling on a pad with your feet close together you have minimal contact with the ground, thus reducing danger from ground currents. If the threat of lightning strikes is great, your crew should not huddle together, but spread out at least 100 feet apart. If one member of your crew is jolted, the rest of you can give assistance. Keep track of one another by numbering off in a loud voice from time to time. Whenever lightning is near, take off backpacks with either external or internal metal frames. Be sure to pitch your tents in an area that is protected from lightning strikes.

Thread-like streams can become raging rivers in a few minutes or even seconds. It is important to be alert to the possibility of flash floods and take steps to avoid a dangerous encounter. Pitch your tents on higher ground. During and after periods of heavy rain, stay away from natural drainage areas. Never attempt to cross a stream that is over knee deep on anyone in the crew. Retreat to the nearest staffed camp and request an itinerary change. Always know where you are and how to get to higher ground. Watch for indicators of flash flooding such as an increase in the speed or volume of stream flow. Stay out of flood waters and narrow canyons.

What to Do When "Confused"
When your crew hikes together, instead of stretching over a long distance on the trail, the possibility of anyone becoming confused is remote. By using a map and a compass with reasonable proficiency, you will always know where you are.

Never allow one member of your crew to leave camp or side hike alone. Follow the "rule of four"--always hike together in groups of four or more. If one person is injured, one treats the injured and the other two go for help.

Philmont has many trails. If you become confused, it is best to stay put. Make camp at a safe place, build a fire, and keep it going. This may help a search party. Prepare your crew for a comfortable night. Extra food can boost the morale of a confused crew.

Bears
Bears are a unique and natural part of the Philmont environment. Like all wild animals they must be treated with respect. The black bear is not normally aggressive and most crews will not even see one.

Anything with an odor (except the human scent) may attract bears. It does not matter if the odor is food-related. Any odor may generate a curiosity in a bear, which may result in a closer examination of that odor. At Philmont, all items with a smell are placed in a bear bag at night. It would be useful for each member of the crew to have their own ditty bag with their personal smellables in it to put in the bear bag. A few of these items are food, soaps, toothbrushes and toothpaste, lip balm, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, unused film cartridges, and first aid kits.

Good Scout camping practices are the best way to avoid contact with the bears. Avoid carelessness that results in improperly disposed food. Bum or store all uneaten food in a bear bag. Do not put uneaten food in a latrine. Cook close to the fire ring and away from the sleeping area. Clean up only at the sump. Never eat food in a tent--the odor remains after the food is gone. Tents must be used for sleeping.

Human scent does not attract bears. The superficial application of scented lotions, soaps, deodorants, shampoo, or spilled food may however, attract the attention of bears. Washing the body with various products should be done before mid-afternoon so that the residual smells have dissipated before night. Avoid perfumed products with strong odors. Any clothing on which food has been spilled must be placed away from the sleeping area at night.

If a bear does visit your campsite, stay away from it and make noise. Protect your food by hanging it from a cable erected by Philmont for that purpose. Crews that stop for a program or a conservation project should leave one or two persons with the packs at all times. Crews hiking into the Valle Vidal area off Philmont will need an extra rope for hanging bear bags. In Philmont camps the weight of the rope alone is sufficient to carry it over the cable. In the Valle Vidal, where there are no cables, crews will be instructed to put several handfuls of dirt in a bandanna, tie the comers and attach it to the bear rope for a weight. Never risk injury by attempting to protect your food or equipment from a bear.

When you arrive at Philmont, your ranger will thoroughly train you on those camping practices that are most effective in keeping wildlife away from your camp.

Avoid the Plague
Rabies and bubonic plague are transmitted by rabbits, bats, ground squirrels, chipmunks, and other rodents. Do not handle any animals. Do not feed any animals.

Rattlesnakes
Some parts of Philmont are inhabited by prairie rattlesnakes. They generally live at elevations below 8,000 feet. Prairie rattlers are not aggressive unless provoked and usually sound a warning rattle before striking. If you see one, give him a respectful distance. Rattlesnakes are beneficial in controlling rodent population. Do not attempt to kill one yourself--report it to the nearest staff member Rattlesnake bites are rare at Philmont.

Repel Those Mosquitoes--Bees
During wet periods mosquitoes take a new lease on life and they love to feast on young blood. Insect repellent is recommended for the trail. There are bees and wasps at Philmont. If you are allergic to stings, be sure you have antitoxin and that a crew member is informed of your condition and what treatment you may require.