BELLAIRE • MEMORIAL • RIVER OAKS • TANGLEWOOD • WEST UNIVERSITY

Rough and tumble in the Rockies

By Adam Mirza, age 13 | September 26, 2023

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A MOUNTAIN-SIZED MILESTONE Adam Mirza, an eighth grader at River Oaks Baptist School, completed the demanding Philmont Scout Ranch High Adventure in the Sangre de Cristo range of the Rocky Mountains with his fellow Troop 222 Boy Scouts. Pictured, from left: Kazim Mirza, Feifen Liu, Nicholas Varner, Christopher Dai, Jeff Draper, Ethan He, Lee Beasley, Jack Draper, Josh Hernandez, Adam Mirza, Marshall Smith, Mitch Beasley, Alex Tang, Roy Varner, John Mirza, and Alan Du. Not pictured: Dylan Welsh.

A hundred miles into our hike, our crew was huffing and puffing. Covering over 140,000 acres of rugged mountain wilderness, Philmont Scout Ranch (Cimarron, NM) was founded in 1938 by Waite Phillips. With abundant wildlife and a fascinating history, Philmont is home to many animals such as deer, buffalo, bears, horses, and elk. Each year, thousands of Scouts trek Philmont’s ample trails to enjoy nature’s beauty.

Philmont is a wild piece of God’s country filled with dangers, so Scouts must be prepared with survival skills and the physical strength to endure the demanding trek. With multiple Philmont veterans in our crew, Troop 222 (Bellaire) prepared physically and mentally. For example, prior to the trek, our troop would meet at 7 a.m. on Saturdays to hike around nine miles on the bayou with weighted backpacks.

During the expedition, we were woken up before dawn by the shake of our tent. We would quickly pack up our tents, take down bear bags, and chow down our breakfast to get on the trail. Let’s just say our mornings weren’t that graceful. Once on the trail, we would navigate to our next campsite. Occasionally, we’d get lost and have to navigate back on track. Our longest day of hiking was 20 miles (we got lost). Once we reached the next site, we’d set up our tents, prepare dinner, tuck in for the night, and sometimes watch a show at staff camps.

Beyond hiking, our days were full of fun events. At the staff camps, there were activities such as muzzleloading rifles, a tour of an original pioneering homestead, obstacle courses, atlatl throwing (Native American spear-throwing), rock climbing/bouldering, and a chuckwagon dinner.

The Philmont experience is one of camaraderie. You grow close to your fellow Boy Scouts, have unforgettable experiences, and become a leader. The hard work, preparation, time, calories, and money are all worth it when you’re on top of the world at Baldy Mountain’s summit. For Scouts, the trek is not only enriching, but also a major milestone in their progress toward becoming an Eagle Scout.

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