Julianna Munoz, Aarya Paraskar and Andrew Penrose all went to Philmont Scout Ranch this year to experience one of the most pristine, gorgeous wilderness areas in North America.
They each returned home with so much more.
By participating in the Wilderness Pledge Guía Program sponsored by ALPS Mountaineering, they left the property with an even greater appreciation of the need to protect the natural world by leaving no trace — and encouraging others to do the same.
“I plan to continue practicing conservation around my own community — recycling, composting and raising awareness with others,” Julianna says.
“I want to encourage other people to do the same kind of things I did at Philmont,” says Aarya.
“I want to make sure my troop does everything correctly and cleans up after themselves,” says Andrew.
That’s the idea behind the Wilderness Pledge Guía Program. Yes, Scouts learn to protect the Philmont property. But they also learn the value of sharing those ethics with others.
What is the Wilderness Pledge Guía Program?
The Wilderness Pledge Guía Program is an outdoor experience for Philmont participants that involves conservation and sustainability efforts and a pledge to be conservation-minded in all things you do.
“It’s basically about going above and beyond, making sure you leave your campsite spotless — even cleaner than it was before you got there,” Julianna says.
Guía is Spanish for “guide.” It’s a fitting word for a program that leads the way in conservation. It’s also a nod to Philmont’s history. Waite and Genevieve Phillips, who began their purchase of the property in 1922, named their new land the Philmont Ranch — “Phil” for Phillips and “mont” for monte, the Spanish word for “mountain.”
“I really like camping and being in the outdoors,” Aarya says, “so I liked learning how to protect the wilderness and make our trek low-impact.”
Who is ALPS Mountaineering?
Scouting America is thrilled to have ALPS Mountaineering sponsor the Wilderness Pledge Guía Program for the second year.
“We are so grateful to ALPS Mountaineering for their incredible support of Philmont and Scouting America,” says Philmont Scout Ranch General Manager Andrea Watson. “Because of their partnership, Scouts are learning to care for the wilderness here and then carrying that ethic back home to their communities.”
ALPS Mountaineering is a family-owned business that specializes in creating and selling high-quality, affordable outdoor gear. Founded by gear designer Dennis Brune, the company has become a leader in both innovation and customer satisfaction.
Brune and his wife, LaRayne, have long had the goal of creating high-quality performance gear priced within the range of the everyday outdoors enthusiast. The Brunes raised their children to have a healthy knowledge, love and respect for the outdoors. All three of their kids — Brian, Adam and Sarah — have roles in their parents’ company.
The Brunes’ love for the outdoors, along with their desire to make outdoor adventures more accessible to everyone, makes ALPS Mountaineering the perfect partner for the Wilderness Pledge Guía Program.
What is the Wilderness Pledge Achievement Award?
The Guía program builds upon the long-standing Wilderness Pledge by training Scouts to be ambassadors of Leave No Trace and conservation ethics when they return home. Under the guidance of a Wilderness Pledge Guía, Philmont trek participants may work to fulfill the requirements of the Wilderness Pledge Achievement Award.
The requirements are:
- Take part in the ranger-led training for the Philmont Wilderness Pledge and Leave No Trace.
- Follow all Philmont camping practices as outlined by your ranger throughout your trek.
- Practice all Philmont bear and wildlife procedures throughout your trek.
- Take part in seven trail discussions with your crew that will focus on each of the seven principles of Leave No Trace, and find examples of the focus principle during that day of the trek.
- Complete three hours of conservation work under the direction of a member of the Philmont Conservation Staff.
“You have to do certain requirements,” says Andrew, “but those requirements help you be a better person and have better outdoors etiquette.”
What is the Philmont Wilderness Pledge?
The major points of emphasis in the Philmont Wilderness Pledge are:
- Litter/Graffiti — Each camper should make sure that all trails, campsites and facilities are left neat and clean.
- Wildlife — Respect wild (and domestic) animals. Do not feed or harass any wild animals.
- Water — Remember, you are in a land where water is scarce and very precious. You should never bathe or do laundry or dishes in or near a spring or stream. Do not throw rocks in springs or touch any solar panel systems. The flow of water can be disrupted, or the panels can be easily damaged.
- Trails — Pledge yourself to respect all trails. Do not cut or mark green boughs or trees. Do not cut across switchbacks, and do not alter trail signs.
- Campsites — Each crew is responsible for leaving a neat and orderly campsite. Whether it be in camping headquarters, staffed camps, or nonstaffed camps, your campsite should be left litter-free with its latrine and sump clean. Fires (if permitted) must be left dead out.
Click here to learn more about the Wilderness Pledge Guía Program.
Photo from the Scouting America archives
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