Home > Hobbies > Hiking at Philmont
1969 Philmont patch It is a dream of every Boy Scout to hike at Philmont Ranch in New Mexico. In August, 1969, I was lucky enough to accompany my dad (Ludwig P. Horn, Scoutmaster of Troop 153, Deerfield, Illinois) and my two older brothers (Marty and Jim Horn) to Philmont. Although the only things I have to show for the trip now are this Philmont patch and a little stone I took from the top of Mount Baldy, it was such a great experience that I remember it vividly.

Since then I have hiked Sequoia, Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon… beautiful places all, but will I ever be able to recapture the glory of hiking in scouting’s paradise? I doubt it.

Those of you who’ve never hiked Philmont would not understand no matter how well I describe it, so I won’t try.

Those of you who have been there know what I mean already, so I needn’t try.

Philmont — God’s Country — here’s to thee!

[Philmont Crew]
The whole crew at Base Camp,
ready to begin the two-week trek.
[Mount Baldy at a distance]
Mount Baldy, as seen from
a seemingly impossible distance.
[On Top of Mount Baldy]
Seemingly impossible distances,
as seen from the top of Mount Baldy.

Thumbnail links to 45 more photos of our Philmont Trek can be found in the Philmont Photo Gallery below. Thanks go to Marty and Jim for taking these photos in 1969, and to Marty for scanning them & digitally cleaning them up in 2002.


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