By Robert Williamson
Over the first two weeks of July, eight Boy Scouts from three Greenwich troops (Troop35 in Glenville and Troops 11 and 5 in Old Greenwich) trekked through the Sangrede Cristo Mountains at the Philmont Scout Ranch, located on 214 square miles in Cimarron, New Mexico. Theranch’s terrain climbs from elevations of 6,500 to 12,441 feet at its highest point.
Philmont is the Boy Scouts of America’s premier high adventure camp, and the largest youth camp in the world, serving nearly one million since its inception in 1938.
The Scouts hiked over 75 miles over the course of 12 days, carrying on their backs everything they needed to survive for two weeks. They trekked through bear and mountain lion territory, scaled steep climbs, and withstood the inclement weather common to the area.
Justin Qu, a rising senior at Greenwich High School and Eagle Scout candidate, was chosen as the crew’s leader. Grayson Brehm served as the Chaplain Assistant, and Patrick McCann-Anthony served as the Wilderness Pledge Guia. The other scouts were Christopher DiPreta, Colin Reynolds, Nathan Hinton, Henrick Sides, and Preston Johnson.
Accompanying the trek crew and helping ensure they arrived home safely was longtime Scoutmaster and lead advisor, Greenwich Police Chief Jim Heavey. Scoutmaster Richard DiPreta, Assistant Scoutmaster Ben Levine, and Council Commissioner Jay Hinton also served as advisors to the crew.
The group summited two mountains, Mount Philips (11,736 feet) and Comanche Peak (11,303 feet), before finishing their hike with a summit of the Tooth of Time (9,003 feet).
The crew camped in ten different locations during the challenging trek. They participated in many program opportunities including rock climbing and rappelling, blacksmithing, muzzle loading, visiting a demonstration forest, 30-06 shooting and reloading, gold panning, and a mine tour. They also participated in a conservation project that included the construction of a new trail near the Sawmill camp.
According to Chief Heavey, the Greenwich Council hopes to send another crew to Philmontin 2026. To learn more about the Boy Scouts of Greenwich and many more summer activities in the area, visit GreenwichScouting.org
