Philmont Scout Ranch, NM

Summary:

This high adventure backpacking program in New Mexico operated by the Boy Scouts of America is the largest youth camp operation in the world.

In total, I've worked 12 seasons at Philmont. In that time, I've served in numerous roles that have all been key learning experiences both professionally and personally doing everything from rock climbing instruction to interviewing and hiring 40+ staff.

In summers 2021 and 2022, I served as one of four Backcountry Managers supervising our program operations and personnel for 35 backcountry staffed camps spread out over 200,000 acres.

Summer Seasons (2016, '17, '18, '19, '21, '22)

In 2021 and 2022 I served as one of four Backcountry Managers. This highly dynamic role had me doing all sorts of things!

Supervised a department of 300 staff including Camp Directors and their staff for the 35 backcountry staffed camps spread out over 200,000 acres of mountain property up to 12,441ft in elevation.
Directly dealt with personnel issues, participant and staff conflict resolution, logistical challenges, day-to-day planning, and long-term strategic goals.
Frequently drove harsh, backcountry mountain roads.
Ensured safe, fun, and educational delivery of 22 different program opportunities from rock climbing, mountain-biking, and challenge courses to shooting sports, food distribution, and living history like logging and mining historical interpretation.
Our team of four BCMs
successfully facilitated backcountry operations for the largest summer to date with 25,001 visitors in the 2021 season.

In 2019 I was the Camp Director of the largest climbing camp in the backcountry, Miners Park. Along with my Assistant Camp Director and a staff of 11 others, we adapted the climbing program on real rocks to accommodate more climbing time to the over 4,000 scouts we saw over the summer.

Oversaw training of 25 climbing instructors
Managed food distribution for over 3,000 scouts
Coordinated staff scheduling
Managed gear inventory
Managed a climbing program for over 3,000 scouts

Summer Season

In other summers at Philmont climbing camps, I've worked as a head climbing instructor and an assistant camp director in charge of staff training, program, and providing exceptional climbing experiences for participants from across the country.

Winter Seasons

Winter Seasons (2018, '19, '20, '21)
I have served as the Winter Adventure Coordinator twice as well as a Winter Adventure Guide and as a Philmont Training Center (PTC) staff-member.

Coordinator responsibilities included staff training, oversight, and assessment, as well as logistical support for food, equipment, and backcountry transportation.
As a winter Adventure guide I was primarily responsible for the entire crew experience for each crew I guided including pre-trip communication, arrival and outfitting, training, winter activities, safety, etc.
At the PTC, we prepared facilities for training programs, supported the trainings logistically, and even gave backcountry driving tours for distinguished guests.

Above: Working at Miners Park

Above: One of my instructors teaching climbing safety.

Above: A few of the roads to various camps are groomed and gorgeous!

Above: One of the climbing sites I managed had a wildfire burn up one side of the ridgeline in 2018.

Each crew has the chance to:
- Snowshoe pulling a gear sled to camp
- Learn and practice winter camping skills (basic to advanced)
- Cross-country ski
- Build quinzhee
- Sled the backcountry slopes
- Learn avalanche rescue techniques
- Build a snow kitchen

Autumn Seasons

Autumn Seasons (2019, 2021)

I have served as the Autumn Adventure Coordinator as well as an Autumn Guide.

As an Autumn Adventure guide, I led 7-day backpacking treks for adults. I was responsible for the entire experience for each crew I guided. This included:

Pre-trip communication
Resupply planning
Arrival paperwork
Outfitting gear and food
On-trail training
Immediate medical assistance

Coordinator responsibilities included staff training, scheduling, oversight, and assessment, as well as logistical support for food, equipment, and backcountry transportation.

Autumn%20Adventure%20Patch_jpeg__edited.

Special Projects

Special Projects
Outside of the summer, I worked on a variety of projects.

Staff hiring in 2021 and 2022
- I processed over 100 candidates, interviewed over 60, and hired nearly 50 staff members for a variety of program positions in the backcountry department of 300 staff.

I revamped and refocused the overall climbing program. This included:

The instructor training program
- Re-work of the instructor training outline.
- Created continued instructor training and evaluation plans
- Training evaluations to improve in the future.
- Develop a rope and gear inspection training. There's a picture of the educational material here and I've attached a copy in a link below.
I headed a project to build an overall Philmont Climbing Program Manual to organize all the resources surrounding the enormous rock climbing program serving about 9,000 scouts each summer.
- This includes bolting information, detailed pictures of operational sites, safety plans, etc.
Inventory management plan
- A new inventory, tracking, and gear use projection plan. (This is extremely important for such a large program). It has helped with inventory management and budget-planning.
Developing two new climbing sites and re-bolting three existing sites
- This involved identifying the best climbing sites, cleaning the program area of natural hazards, and installing permanent anchor hardware.
- Co-wrote a bolting proposal for re-bolting our three unique climbing sites
I helped create alternate backpacking itineraries to be used for any re-routed crews due to wildfires.
During the Ute Park wildfire of 2018, I had the opportunity to train climbing instructors in a variety of "unique" locations because smoke and fire danger forced an adapted training program.

Above: Teaching anchor building at Springer fairgrounds on the side of a public restroom. After all 1,000+ staff were evacuated from Philmont basecamp, we still needed to train staff despite not having access to rock climbing areas.

Rope Inspection Training

Program Counselor Skill Proficiency