Philmont Scout Ranch Transportation Information

Erich Decker-Hoppen, staff writer

CIMARRON -- Despite hosting a portion of the largest wildfire in New Mexico's history, Philmont Scout Ranch had a record summer, sending 20,908 youth and adults from around the nation through its backcountry. In the past, summer attendance has averaged 18,000 - 19,000.

"The day we opened for reservations, we sold out in 52 minutes," said Mark Anderson, director of programs. "There are 24,000 on the waiting list for next summer."

Every summer day at Philmont, 350 campers arrived and 350 left, with 4,000 hiking at any given time between 30 backcountry camps, an extensive logistical challenge in any year. Weather is tracked by the ranch's own satellite. Bear sightings, 574 this summer (an average year), are plotted on a map. Seven bears were trapped and relocated.

Regular radio contact is maintained with each expedition, and the progress of every group is plotted on a giant board. Strict, day-by-day itineraries are followed, so groups getting off track or behind schedule can be identified and assisted quickly.

The system demonstrated its effectiveness when lightning started the Ponil Complex Fire June 2. Over the next three weeks, the fire consumed 92,500 acres, including 28,000 acres of Philmont land, about one-quarter of the ranch.

After consulting with the Fire Management Team, Philmont officials decided to keep the ranch open, closing only the North Country and Valle Vidal areas where the fire was active.

"We called it Fellowship Summer," said Anderson, "because everybody got to be a little closer together."

Plans were adapted quickly. When the fire spread to Clark's Fork Camp, seven camps and 500 campers had to be relocated immediately and 1,000 more had routes rescheduled the next day. Every camper was able to complete his 10 nights in the backcountry.

Fire damage
Thanks to the efforts of firefighters from around the country, Philmont suffered minimal property damage. According to Anderson, a few backcountry camps, two water systems, nine latrines, two hay sheds and one chicken house were lost. Tin roofs protected most of the structures, many of which have historical significance, from blowing embers.

The damage to the forest is, of course, extensive. Trees not consumed by the fire now face a new threat -- bark beetles. Sap is the pine tree's defense against the beetles, and many trees already dry from the drought had their remaining sap cooked out of them by the fire.

"When you're out there, you can hear them chomping," said Anderson.

Another problem is erosion. With undergrowth gone, there is little to keep the topsoil and ash from washing away with the rain. According to Anderson, even a light sprinkle can cause a mudslide.

"A quarter-inch of rain can bring down a four-inch wall of mud," he said.

The mud has had devastating effects. The Middle Ponil Creek has no fish left in it. Irrigation ditches below have been plugged. Beaver ponds have been abandoned.

Perhaps worst of all, the washing away of soil prevents new growth from taking root.

"The fire burned from one side of the Ponil Watershed to the other," Anderson explained, "so we're going to have flooding for years."

Forest restoration efforts
Since June, Anderson and other Philmont officials have been meeting with the Department of Game and Fish, the Highway Department, neighboring villages and landowners to coordinate restoration efforts.

"There's not a lot of documentation on how to do this," said Anderson, "so we're learning as we go along."

In late June, Philmont spent $100,000 to seed 8,000 acres with fast-growing grasses. In September, it received funding from the federal Watershed Protection Group for further restoration efforts, including more seeding, some salvage logging, and contour log felling.

Contour log felling involves cutting dead trees, laying them perpendicular to the slope, and anchoring them with rocks and soil to form a barrier that stops water runoff and provides a place for new plant growth.

Philmont currently has four six-man crews engaged in contour felling. Each crew can complete 1/2 - 1 acre per day, anchoring 40 - 50 trees per acre.

Some of the grass seeding has produced results and scrub oak has reappeared, speckling hills scorched gray by the fire with the green of new life, but it will take generations for the process to be completed.

"In our lifetime, we won't see many of these areas the way they were," Anderson concluded.