Philmont Scout Ranch

Philmont Scout Ranch is the granddaddy of American high adventure - 140,000 acres in New Mexico's Sangre de Cristo Mountains where generations of scouts have backpacked since 1938. The program is structured: guided routes, staffed camps with activities (blacksmithing, rock climbing, gold panning), and a support system that manages risk. We'd partner with Boy Scout troops to fill a crew (they have quotas). It's not pure wilderness like our other Tier 3 trips - there's infrastructure - but it's still 70-100 miles of backpacking at altitude through beautiful country. This is the 'gateway' Tier 3 option: serious backpacking with safety nets. For crews who want something between Tier 2 and full-expedition Tier 3, Philmont delivers.