Trip Reflection

Post Experience, Trip Reflection

I'm extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to go on this Mountain Trek. I met so many great people, made a tremendous amount of lifelong memories, and grew and learned a lot. I'll try to keep my thoughts organized. This experience helped me grow as a Scout, person, friend and team member. I definitely felt like I was able to grow in patience and maturity from being a part of a crew. 

First, what I learned:

• As a group, the potential to achieve is magnified and exponentially greater. I learned this from our last day, and through the cope course. When faced with that 15ft wall, none of us could have made it over by ourselves. But because we had our crew and were all working together as one, we were able to succeed. Also when we were trying to hike the Tooth, we worked together as a team by encouraging each other and helping each other pack up quickly etc.
• Each person in a group brings a unique background and set of skills, strengths and weaknesses. When each person contributes their strengths, in compensates for the weaknesses and lifts everyone higher.
• Rules and Procedures allow for a greater experience. When in the Backcountry, it felt like there were a million rules, such as how to cook your food, how to pack your trash, how to go to the bathroom properly ( we had probably a 30 minute discussion on this, and it was pretty good information), what proper hiking etiquette was, how to hang your food and smellables so that bears wouldn't get to it. All these rules and procedures were for the betterment of nature and our prolonged enjoyment of it. If the people before us hadn't of followed the rules, the camp wouldn't have been as beautiful or pristine and it would have taken  away from our experience. Also riding ATV's, we spent 3-4 hours on a training course, so that we would all be proficient in handling our vehicles out on a trail ride. This provided for a safe, fun evening.
• Nature has so much to offer us. From the biggest mountains to the smallest plant, there is beauty all around. Philmont had so much to offer us as scouts and is frequently referred to as a Scout's paradise or playground. 

Second, the best memories:

1. Climbing The Tooth of Time
1. When we finally got to the top, it was so rewarding, and is sort of a symbolic part that represents our entire journey as a whole
2. The Entire Trip
1. Getting to know those 7 other guys and having a blast with them was awesome.
3. The Sunrise at Uracca
1. After our hardest day on the trail, sacrificing the much wanted sleep was worth it. Sunrises are a universal gift, but being on a peak of a mesa made it special.
4. The ATV Ride
1. Getting out and riding ATV's was a great experience, as it was my first time
5. Singing and joking along the entire trail
1. We actually made up a rap about our crew and trek, but I'll spare you that expense of our horrible rhymes.

Third, My conclusion.

I'd like to thank you for reading this blog of mine.  I hope you were entertained and enjoyed hearing my experiences of the Backcountry at Philmont Scout Ranch. If you have the opportunity to visit Philmont and backpack there, I urge to not let that pass. It was the highlight of my summer and a pinnacle of my scouting experience so far. I'd also like to thank my scout leaders, teachers, coaches, friends and parents for helping me become who I am today. I'm sure I wouldn't of had the same experiences without all that I've learned over the years and all the ways I've grown as well. 

Keep on adventuring.

Ian Cook