Philmont plus five

A text from the other scout dad from our adventure in the mountains of New Mexico showed up on my phone this morning. Pat used his old text list for crew 713-G to remind us that we had one of our better adventures five years ago today when we hoisted one of our scouts on a rope to untie a bear bag that had gotten stuck on the wire over the campsite. This of course was not strictly within the rules, and perhaps was strictly outside them, but it worked, and it brought the crew together like nothing else in our 10-day adventure.

Many of the old scouts responded, and it was fun to hear from everyone. It brought back a lot of memories. 

Somehow I made it to the top of 12,441-ft (3,792 m.) Baldy Mountain, though by the end it was in 50-yard segments for me as I had to catch my breath. As a lifelong flatlander, the altitude was beyond my experience. Didn't bother the scouts.

Just to see these flowers made it worthwhile. 

I understand that these only flower a few weeks during the year, and only occur above the treeline. 

The clouds start to roll in...

...so we didn't linger, not wanting to be on the top of a mountain in a storm. That proved prudent in hindsight a couple days later when we caught by a thunderstorm above the treeline on (I think) Tooth of Time mountain.

Just a great memory of the group marching into the fog.

I surprixed myself by climbing a pole with a lumberjack strap.

If course, Rob did it a lot faster.

I got to take perhaps my favorite picture of Rob, relaxing after the day's hike.

A great experience. I'd do it again in a minute.