Marblehead Troop 79 Scouts Head Out on 10-Day Trek to Philmont Ranch

Saturday, August 6, 19 youth members and 9 adult leaders of Marblehead Scout Troop 79 chartered by The Clifton Lutheran Church headed out for a 10-day backpacking trek at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico.

While Troop 79 members have gone to Philmont just about every three years since 1994, this is the first time female Troop members have had the chance to participate in this high adventure experience. Girls were first admitted to the Boy Scout program on February 1, 2019, so this is the girls’ first opportunity to go to Philmont as Scout members of Troop 79.

This year’s Troop 79 adventure boasts 2 crews of male Scouts and one crew of female Scouts.

According to the Philmont Scout Ranch website, Philmont is the Boy Scouts of America’s premier High AdventureTM Base with more than 214 square miles of northern New Mexico wilderness. Each Philmont trek route averages 60 to 70 miles traveled over 10 days with each participant carrying everything they need on their backs and using “Leave No Trace” practices.

Philmont offers young people an opportunity to use all of their Scout skills including leadership, group cooperation and personal character development.

On the way to Philmont, the Troop 79 Scouts will visit the US Air Force Academy and LaQuinta Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, and go on a half-day rafting trip at Royal Gorge.

The Troop 79 group will return to Massachusetts on August 20 around midnight.

Scouts BSA manages three other High AdventureTM Bases: Northern Tier in Minnesota, Florida Sea Base, and Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia.

For more information about Philmont Scout Ranch, visit PhilmontScoutRanch.org. For more information about Scouting BSA in Marblehead, visit www.ScoutSpirit.org.

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