Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID CIMARRON NM Permit 8

17 DEER RUN ROAD CIMARRON NM 87714

Mission The Philmont Staff Association (PSA) unites check us out! the Philmont staff—past and present— www.philstaff.com for the purpose of serving the adventure, heritage and experience of Philmont Scout Ranch and the Boy Scouts of America. Our Mission high countrY A ugust T e h 2015

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V f f olume A i c o s s 38,S a n o i t pecial

® I ssue ® High Country®—Volume 38, Special Issue August 2015 Ed Pease, Editor introduction Mark Dierker, Layout Editor in this issue Randy Saunders, Associate Editor This isn’t what we originally planned. through the North Ponil, doing Bill Cass, Copy Editor major damage and taking the life Dave Kenneke, Staff Contributor High Country followers read in the of a young Scout from Califor- Kevin “Levi” Thomas, Cartoonist “regular” August 2015 issue of the nia. We felt that we needed to Contributing Editors: Robert Birkby, David Caffey, 3 introduction magazine: cover that story with as much Bill Cass, Gregory Hobbs, Warren Smith , Mark Stinnett, Mary Stuever, Stephen Zimmer material as we could gather the week of Readers of High Country know quickly and responsibly. Espe- Contributing Writers: Cathy Hubbard Lee Huckstep that we have solicited stories cially in these days of instan- Colleen Lester Jason Mascitti Dan Miller 6 Mark Stinnett Larry Murphy Mark Stinnett about “The Summer of ‘65” for taneous social media, both the 8 Darrel Kirkland much of the past year. It was PSA’s leadership and Philmont © 2015, The Philmont Staff Association, Inc. our intention to make the fiftieth Ranch management wanted to All rights reserved. High Country® is the official 12 Phil Yunker magazine of the Philmont Staff Association® 14 Joseph Zinkiewicz anniversary of that momentous be sure that information from event the focus of this [the regu- the Ranch was as accurate as it 14 Darrel Kirkland lar August issue] issue of High could possibly be. Philmont Staff Association® 16 Dana Edwards Board Of Directors Country. 20 Darrel Kirkland So, we shifted gears, did our regular John Murphy, President Two things changed that plan. August issue of the magazine and Colleen Nutter, Vice President, Membership 21 Richard Walters Tim Rosseisen, Vice President, Service added a special edition devoted exclu- Adam Fromm, Secretary 22 David Caffey First was the abundance of ma- sively to the Summer of ’65, which you Matt Lindsey, Treasurer terial that we received. While now hold in your hands (or see on your National Directors: Amy Boyle, Ken Davis, Bryan most of the writing about that monitor). Delaney, Catherine Hubbard, Lee Huckstep, Dr. subsequent accounts Dan Miller, Steve Rick summer focused on the flood The idea for this more comprehen- Regional Directors: Northeast - Kathleen Seitz, that ravaged Rayado Canyon, sive review came from Phil Yunker, Rick Touchette 28 Tom Gibson the impact of the event was Camp Director at Fish Camp in 1965, in Central - Mitch Standard, Phil Winegardner 35 Denny Dubois Southern - Anne Marie Pinkenburg, Doug Wahl felt throughout the Ranch and an E-mail to Lee Huckstep, PSA Board Western - Nancy Stickelman, Michael Waggoner 40 Warren Smith/Marty Tschetter we wanted to capture those member, following the first “call for Jim lynch, Immediate Past President 50 Darrel Kirkland stories, too. And, the impact submissions.” In part, his E-mail said: Mark Anderson, Philmont Staff Advisor of the event was felt for years Ex Officio Members: Emery Corley, Legal Advisor, years later afterward, in the way Philmont Though the Fish Camp flood Douglas Fasching, Technology Manager approached health and safety, was certainly momentous, and Randy Saunders, Executive Director 54 Joe Gallagher food management and distribu- significant because of the loss of Dollie O’Niell, Office Manager 55 Don Wilson tion, and conservation, to name one of the original cabins, there 59 Ned Gold just a few. We wanted – and we is a greater story: the Philmont received – stories from those floods of 1965, of which Fish PSA® FELLOWS 64 Joe Davis perspectives as well. Camp was only a part. It hap- Bob Harvey Fellow 67 Bruce Embury pened all at once. At the opening PAUL and MARY JANE HARVEY 69 Jim Leach Second was the terrible reality of the season in 1965, the floods Glenn A. Fowler Fellow that, in this fiftieth anniversary that day and night paralyzed BRUCE BARNES year of Philmont’s worst flood, Philmont for two weeks. Cimar- George A. Bullock Fellow WILLIAM D. BRYCE the Ranch was hit by one per- ron was cut off – all roads into haps even larger (at press time, Cimarron were washed out. The Joe Davis Fellow BILL CASS Cover photo by Denny Dubois evaluations and assessments NM National Guard was called are still under way) that raced in. Groups of Scouts headed to John A. Maxbauer, Jr. Fellow ANONYMOUS

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 2 introduction 3 Philmont had to be contacted en him into the middle of things. None route and turned back. Several of this surprised me, for I had known of Philmont’s creeks and riv- of Phil and his family since my earliest ers flooded and washed away days as a Tenderfoot. Older than me, many trails. The worst were the he served on the staff at the Wabash Rayado, the North Fork Uracca, Valley Council’s Camp Krietenstein just the North Fork Cimarroncito, and as I was getting started in the program the Cimarron. Ray Bryan, Direc- there in the early 1960s. He and his high the week of tor of Philmont Properties, came school buddies were the guys that all of dangerously close to running out us 12-year-olds wanted to be: out- of pipe tobacco while awaiting doorsmen, gregarious, charming with rescue at Beaubien, a serious a dash of bravado, and wearing the situation. He and Duke Towner coolest sunglasses imaginable. Like his rationed what they could dry out father before him (a star in our council over the fire. Joe Davis had begun and a friend of my father), he was a his Philmont assignment only two legend on camp staff, and the legend months previously. only grew when he left Camp K for his summers on the Philmont staff. Yunker was right, of course, that de- That spirit of selfless service under spite the recollections and myths about the tan of a guy who just looked good the Summer of ’65, the overwhelm- in a Scout uniform was what sustained ing majority of which focused on Fish Phil and so many others like him that Camp, the impact of the flooding was summer so long ago. It was there be- broader than the physical in Rayado fore they arrived in the staffs that pre- Canyon and broader still, program- ceded them, and it is alive today in the matically, over the years. What struck current manifestations of a continuum me about his E-mail, though, was not of Philmont staff which constitutes the the substance, but that it came from the best there is in Scouting. one Philstaffer who, after Joe Davis, Their stories follow in this anthol- was most personally identified with ogy. Rather than attempt to write a the flood, the one most often noted and unified narrative – a project which quoted through the years, the one who would have in effect constituted actually WAS the Camp Director at Fish writing a book – we decided instead Camp that so many others purported simply to collect as broad an array of to be as the years rolled on. If his focus stories and subjects as we could, and were on himself, he could have just print them as they were written. That let things go as they had for so many necessarily means that there will be years; his would be the name most some overlap or duplication in content, often remembered. but we thought that capturing these But his focus wasn’t on himself – stories exactly as those who lived them which is why he fit precisely in the tra- remembered them was worth it. dition of the best of the Philmont staff We hope that you will agree. and why it was fortuitous for so many that he occupied the leadership role Ed Pease that he did when circumstances thrust Editor

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 4 introduction the week of 5 Thunder on the Rayado

Reprinted from the June 2005, High system developing and then “parking” Country itself over the eastern slopes of the Colorado and New Mexico mountains for the next Introduction by Mark Stinnett several days. The weather station in Raton Contributing Editor recorded almost ten inches of rainfall for the period of June 15-17. How much actually Before fires raged across the North Coun- fell in Philmont’s backcountry isn’t truly try in 2002, and perhaps still, the greatest known, but it seems certain that it was natural disaster to strike Philmont was much more than that. The resulting runoff the devastating flood of 1965. Between wasn’t large. It was torrential. June 15 and June 17, massive rains fell For almost a century, the U.S. Geo- on the Philmont backcountry— by some logical Survey has monitored streamflow estimates, as much as 18 inches. throughout New Mexico at various “gag- Although floods from this storm system ing stations” like those we’ve all seen on affected a large area and resulted in disas- our Philmont maps for decades. The little ter declarations in four states, nowhere gaging station on Rayado Creek, a mile were the effects stronger or the waters or so east of Zastrow Camp, has faithfully more powerful than in and along Rayado collected data for USGS since 1911 for the Canyon. water flowing down from 65 square miles of Stories as to the cause of that “five drainage to its west. hundred year” flood now border on legend. On June 17, 1965, the Rayado Creek Some say it was due to the powerful Hur- gaging station recorded a peak streamflow ricane Betsy that came ashore near New of 9,000 cubic feet per second, more than Orleans that year. It wasn’t. Betsy didn’t four hundred times the normal mean daily form in the Atlantic until late August, and streamflow for June, and more than ten didn’t hit the Louisiana coast until Sep- times the next highest peak ever recorded tember 9, well after the Philmont floods. before or since. The gage height (stage) Some argue that it rained a lot every day reached a level of 11.5 feet above normal, for weeks. It didn’t. Data from the National the only measurement ever recorded Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration above five feet at that station. To put these (NOAA) reveal that the northern New numbers in perspective, the larger (and also Mexico area received steady but unspec- record flooding) Cimarron River’s mean Top: Daily mean streamflow for Rayado Creek in 1965, with a peak of 2,000 cfs on June 17. tacular rains for some days before the 15th. streamflow on that date was thirty percent Bottom: Annual peak flow measurements, 1911-2004. Look carefully for 1965! But those showers saturated the drought- less than the mean flow on the Rayado, starved surface soil and set the stage for a even with a drainage area five times larger. on the Philmont staff. For many of the 375 the magic mountains. For those situated large runoff if it rained much more. It did. Into this maelstrom waded (literally) a seasonal staffers, the flood would simply be along the Rayado, it would quickly become Graphic data at NOAA show a storm few hearty souls beginning their summer one of many grand adventures to be had in a life-challenging confrontation with an

6 the week of Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 the week of 7 awesome natural adversary. To mark the cross the creek. It had been raining for 40th anniversary of this defining event, fourteen days and the water was very High Country invited several of “those swift. The jeep hung up on a rock just who were there” to share their experiences. before it would have gone over a small Here are their stories. falls in the creek. Mr. Clemmons and Mr. Towner could not move or the jeep Scatter, Wednesday, June 16 would turn over. We all looked over the situation and Paul Gold and I took a by Darrel Kirkland rope, waded into the water, and were Fly Tying and Fishing Counselor able to attach it to the rear bumper Fish Camp 1965 of the jeep. Our driver then pulled it out. We were a heavier vehicle, so we The first notion that this was not going crossed first, along with a commissary to be a normal trip came at the cross- truck, and pulled the jeep across. ing of normally dry Urraca Creek. E.O. When we left Beaubien it was rain- Clemmons and Duke Towner were in ing as clouds were moving in from the a military surplus jeep in front of our west and north. We reached the area vehicle when their vehicle was swept where Apache Creek and Porcupine downstream as it was beginning to Creek meet and found the road cut across by a stream of water. The decision was made for the staff to take some personal Debris left over on a streambed after the floodwaters subsided. gear and some food and walk into Fish Camp. I remember to cross the stream as we were on the heavier gear up in a tree by the creek taking my gear in an Beaubien side of the creek. Phil Yunker and began to pass the other items old suitcase, which looked around for some area to cross across the water. When we entered the came in handy later. and found a spot some time later. I was water, it was only up to our knees, but The rest had packs, chosen to try to cross as I guess now as we were sending across the gear, the except Paul Gold, that I looked expendable. I tried to water was steadily rising as the rain who had a duffel bag. cross on two occasions and was swept continued in a downpour. We first noticed downstream both times, only keeping Our biggest problem came when the on stepping out of afloat by my old suitcase. last of the group, Phil, tried to cross. By the vehicle that water As we progressed down the val- this time the water was going over our was already ankle ley, we came to an area where the shoulders at a high rate. The poncho deep in the roadbed. stream had spread out and there was that Phil was wearing got caught like a We walked for a a downed tree at an angle across the sail in the wind and flipped him upside while and began to stream. We organized our gear and down and pinned him against a tree for The 1965 Fish Camp staff. Front row (L-R), Robert Gentry, figure out that we Phil Yunker, Darrel Kirkland; back row (L-R), J. Strother spread it against the downed log on several minutes. By the time we could Moore III, Paul Gold, Timothy Dianics. were going to have the upstream side. We left some of our pull him off the tree, he was blue in the

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 8 the week of the week of 9 blue to red in a second. He proceeded Opening it we were sure that we would to tell me the whole Fish Camp story find plenty of food. Instead, we found from beginning to end and was sure several baseballs, a bat, a glove, a porta- that we were all going to be fired. As it ble record player, and a Johnny Mathis turned out, that kitchen door didn’t record called “Chances Are,” kind of a matter much. poetic find. After we all threatened to I put a two-pound coffee can in the kill Paul, we settled in for our dinner front yard to see how hard it was rain- and the eventful night ahead. ing as I had seldom seen rain this hard As the night wore on no one could before. In the forty-five minutes it was sleep so we took turns watching the in the yard it accumulated seven and river. About two in the morning the one-half inches of rain. sky started showing stars, but we We settled in for the night with the could still hear thunder outside. To our group seeking what we could find to amazement, we saw it was large slabs eat as we were all starving. We could of the river bottom being uplifted by only come up with six pork chops and the water and crashing with a boom as a can of green peas. It was at this time they fell. that we remembered Paul’s duffel bag. The trip into Fish Camp changed all

The flood washed out bridges and undercut roads all over the Ranch. face and a very cold person. aspen tree. We later found out that he We found a place by the edge of the had experienced a head injury play- creek that we felt we could climb up, ing sports that winter and hadn’t fully as even in the shallow areas it was recovered. J. Moore and I were able to waist deep in the creek bed. The area get his eyes opened and helped him to was steep, but had enough rock in it the top where he had us promise not that we felt we could get out of the to leave his duffel bag. Thinking that it creek bed. As we started up Robert held food, we were not about to leave Gentry’s legs began to cramp from the it. cold and exertion and he was having a We were able to finally reach the hard time climbing. J. Moore and I got cabin only to find that somewhere in near the end of the line to keep an eye our little adventure Phil had lost the on him when a hail storm hit us full keys and we could not get in. Phil and force. It was very hard to see and the I tried every window and door, but it hailstones were hitting our heads and was completely locked down. I told bodies. Phil that I had a solution for the prob- Just as we neared the top, Paul lem, and before he could ask me what it passed out and fell down the face, was I kicked in the door to the kitchen, The remains of a tent platform after the flood. stopping only because he hit a small at which time Phil’s face turned from

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 10 the week of Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 the week of 11 of us in the way that we looked at life kitchen enough that we moved what day to day. It is still one of the single we could out of the kitchen and closed most important days in my life. Just it off. As we waited by the fire in the knowing that you can survive a day living room, the whole lodge seemed to like that day gives you a good feeling groan, windows in the kitchen broke, about your own ability to handle life. and the pantry (vestibule) washed To see how a group of young men led away with a grinding, thunderous by a good leader reacted in a situation crash of concrete, logs, and one large that we did not feel that we were going cast-iron stove. I went to the dining to survive made us all stronger men in room door, opened it, and faced— in- our lives. stead of the vestibule leading to the kitchen—a raging torrent of water Fish Camp, Wednesday night, washing by. The kitchen was gone, but June 16-17 the roof still hung on, intact, cantile- vered over darkness, and buckling the by Phil Yunker outer wall of the dining room. Camp Director About 9:30 we were huddled by the Rayado Lodge (Fish Camp) kitchen after the flood. Photo by Darrel Kirkland. Fish Camp 1965 fire trying to decide whether or not to get out and head up the hill behind the Daylight came Friday morning and mired, stranded in the washed-out When we reached the main lodge we lodge while we still could. There was a I stepped outside to look. Fish Camp. road. When we got to Beaubien, we were soaked but joyous to find dry fire- heavy thud and the dining room door Rayado. The most beautiful camp at learned that the conditions were pretty wood stacked on the porch. We had left flew open with a wall of water behind Philmont. All the beautiful pine, spruce, much the same all over the Ranch. half our food up the canyon when we it. That was it! We headed for the back and aspen in gentle grassy meadows Many camps on the Ranch were crossed, keeping only a day’s supply bedrooms, picking up stuff as we went. were gone, and in their place swirled a either isolated or had been evacuated. and intending on returning for it. After When we calmed down a bit, we found raging, muddy river. The guest lodge Much of the headquarters area, par- changing into dry clothes and getting only about three inches of water and was standing, though I could see that it ticularly Ranch headquarters on the a fire going, I went out to see what was mud, and it wasn’t going up any. So we had undergone water about halfway up Cimarroncito Creek, had been evacu- going to happen. decided that, with the rock wall behind the walls. The servants’ lodge, as beau- ated. Incoming expeditions had been The Agua Fria was already washing most of the lodge, we’d stay. tiful and well built as the others, was told to stay home until Friday, June 25. up against the tool shed of the main I couldn’t sleep. Every 15 minutes, it completely gone except for one lonely A pack train with food was supposed to lodge, adjacent to the kitchen. Across seemed, I was out on the porch watch- chimney. I couldn’t believe it! be on its way up to us that afternoon. the river, the guest lodge, servants’ ing the water’s progress. It really didn’t For now, there was only one thing I told my staff that the Scouts will lodge, and Ranger lodge seemed fine, come up any higher after that - just left to do. We decided to pull out and still come, and they have every right to though we could see the water washing kept eating away the foundation under head for Beaubien, at least temporar- find this beautiful ranch just as beauti- against the back side of the servants’ the dining hall. When lightning lit ily. There would be no need for a staff ful and exciting as those who have lodge. As it grew dark, we could no the canyon, I’d see full grown pines at Fish Camp this year. What clean-up come before year after year, and it’s longer see across the Agua Fria, but the floating by. Later on, the rain stopped, and maintenance could be done would our job to see that they have the best of river rose and in an hour it washed off clouds cleared and it turned into have to wait until the water went experiences that can be provided. Most the tool house of the main lodge. a beautiful night. The “distant” thunder down. important of all, no different an ad- An hour after that, the water had we kept hearing turned out to be boul- It seemed a long trip to Beaubien. venture than if the floods hadn’t come. undermined the foundations of the ders rolling in the water. On the way, we passed four trucks I felt that if I could keep my staff’s

12 the week of Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 the week of 13 spirits up, then maybe we could make people — and he was never late with we decided that we would rather go an ax to hike over the rimrock to La a decent effort toward giving the land a a meal. Another problem arose when home and quit rather than break up our Grulla Mesa and Rimrock Lake, and head start, growing back to its original our water supply up the canyon was staff. We were very close to each then behind Red Mountain to Apache. beauty and continuing to give thou- washed away. Now all our water had to other after we came down from the The trip was very rough and interest- sands of boys each year the experience be boiled on the three-burner stove. flood and all felt a very close bond. ing to say the least. There was no trail, of their lives. After the rain stopped, we took We were then told that instead of no good water, and there were still inventory of the damage—half of the being sent home, we would open up ten-foot snow drifts when we reached Rayado Camp, June 16-18 wall tents were gone, tent platforms a new south camp at Apache Springs. Red Mountain. The group that was sent floated down Rayado Creek, a number Our trek to that camp, however, would up after we went up had a hard time, by Joseph “Zink” Zinkiewicz of the dining shelters were washed be an unknown, as all of the south lost their Ranger to a fall, and had to Assistant Coordinator, Rayado, 1965 away, and the bridge across the creek trails were either cut or wiped out. A turn back. To us the trail was a great just above the old church was taken direction out of Abreu was chosen and adventure. The rains came and came and came in out, which meant that there was no we were outfitted with packs, food and staff training. At first we thought noth- way we could get supplies into the ing of it until the Rayado Creek began camp. Headquarters tried to allevi- to rise and flow over into the troop sites ate the problem by sending down a situated along the banks. What used 10,000-gallon tank truck when the to be a creek that a person could jump bridge was rebuilt, but the water was across began to be a raging torrent that unfit to drink. Back to boiling water Letter to the Folks Back Home was almost a quarter-mile wide in some again. Food supplies had to be carried Editor’s Note: On the following pages, we reproduce two writings made roughly con- places. The water kept rising, taking across the still fast-flowing creek at the temporaneously with the flood. The first is a letter home to parents from one of the seasonal down the patrol tent sites and din- narrowest point, which was some dis- staff, the other the story that appeared in the staff newsletter about the flood itself. ing shelters. The main buildings were tance from the main camp. Letter writing is rapidly becoming a lost art. Having cowered then collapsed before beginning to be surrounded by One thing I must say is that morale the digital deluge, many schools no longer even teach cursive writing. So, finding the the swift moving current that carried was very high. All we had in mind was letter that then-18 year old Ranger Dana Edwards of the Baltimore Area Council wrote down bushes, branches and small trees. to get our camp back in shape for the his parents about the Flood of ’65 was as exciting for your editor as finding those flecks of The water was moving fast enough for incoming JLIT-CITC boys. gold that our teenage trekkers today occasionally find in the waters at French Henry. We us to rig a safety line from the Maxwell decided to print the whole thing – not just because of the personal account it provides, but house across the parade grounds to the Aftermath, June 18-25 because of the story it tells secondarily about communication in the 1960s, and about a office. Water reached the Kit Carson by Darrel Kirkland young man’s relationship with his parents. And years later, having found this memento Museum which, along with the other of time gone by, Dana’s major concern was that he had misspelled Robert Prud’homme adobe buildings, was in danger of be- I had contracted an infection from the (now a professor at Princeton University). Had we re-typed the letter, we could have fixed ing eroded away by the rushing water. water and had to go down to base it – but since we chose to print it instead, we acknowledge Dana’s effort to correct an error Some staff members piled sand bags camp from Beaubien on a mule. By the made 50 years ago. around the areas that were in the most time I had recovered, we were all in It is followed by the (only) article in the predecessor to today’s PhilNews, the newslet- danger. base camp tent city with all that was ter of the Philmont seasonal staff, which reported on the flood. Seven small paragraphs and The rising water wreaked havoc going on with the damage done to no photographs contrast mightily with the seven pages of newsprint and an array of color with the propane system and knocked property and the schedules for camp- images that appeared in the 2015 PhilNews devoted to the flood of ’15. out the cooking facilities. Dick Gertler ers. We were told that we were going to Still, though the means of communicating are different today from what they were fifty and his crew had to cook on a three- be broken up as a staff and sent to other years ago, the spirit of Philmont and the determination of Philmont staff remains forever burner Coleman stove for a staff of 30 camps. Phil met with the full staff and constant.

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 14 the week of the week of 15 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 16 the week of the week of 17 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 18 the week of the week of 19 Long Tall George and his British submarine At Camping Headquarters by Darrell Kirkland (64-66) truck was dispached to pick up all of by Dr. Richard Walters (64-66) bridges in Colfax County to be re- this group and their valuables. All moved by flood waters that afternoon. On staff in 1964 I worked at base camp personnel scrambled to that truck, just The summer of 1965 was my second George was a tall, lanky fellow at in the kitchen as a “do everything stew- as the water and mud was surging year on the staff at Philmont. I was just the Commissary, one of its drivers. I ard,” and in the process I came to know over the reservoirs upstream. As they finishing my third year of dental school think as the creek near the Commis- many of the commissary staff. When progressed toward headquarters and and was a few days late for the start of sary started to rise, George decided his I came back in ‘65, I was stationed crossed over the bridge to base, George Staff Week. As HQ Program Director, little TR3 was not safe and he’d move at Fish Camp, but during training at yelled and jumped out of the back of I reported to the great Jerry Traut. I re- it to higher ground. Evidently he had base I became reacquainted with the the truck. To the great surprise of the member sitting at his desk in “The Fish to drive through a flooded area and commissary staff, among whom was a rest of the staff he started running back Bowl,” memorizing “The New Mexico the current took him away. George six-foot-five-inch sand volleyball player down the road. As they looked back in Story” monologue for the welcoming crawled out of his floating car and from San Bernardino, California named surprise and horror, George suddenly campfire. Jerry and I alternated nights scampered up a tree. There he sat for George. appeared, down the road they had just on that, and my staff (Leon, Bill and hours until the waters receded. Days Dennis) and I did the closing campfires At that time in the history of the passed, down in the seat of his beauti- later, George went looking for his TR3 as well. Looking out across the ex- but only found the frame around the Ranch, we were allowed to bring our ful shiny MG. panse of the parade grounds (I believe windshield. The rest of the car was cars and have access to them. George’s This would have been a great story the dining hall occupies that site now), surely ground up and buried. Maybe was a 1964 red British-made MG con- of triumph over tragedy if George had all of a sudden it looked like popcorn an archeologist will discover it some- vertible (in his account of this event, just made it across the bridge in time. was popping up out of the lush, green day. Richard Walters on the following page However just as he reached the far lawn. Then the sound started coming That night we watched the county remembers it as a TR3), with beauti- side of the bridge, the mud, water, and from the roof of “The Fish Bowl” --- workmen and Philmont staff labor to ful shiny chrome wire wheels, chrome debris swept him and his car down the hail and lots of it. stop the trees and debris from collect- front grille with the shiny emblem on creek. I do not remember there being ing at the bridge near Commissary the front, a chrome luggage rack, and a The feeling was, after that collision much rain at Camping HQ but the and Cattle HQ. Had that bridge gone full set of chrome mirrors. Even though of water and debris, that George was a clouds up the valleys to the west out, the Training Center and Camping to me it seemed an illogical car for a goner. To the relief of all, about sunset, were dark and ominous. About thirty HQ would have been totally isolated. tall man like George, he was extremely a voice calling for help, could be heard minutes after the hail had stopped, The next day Joe Davis and Buzz proud of it. George was quite a sight down the creek and George was recov- we were out inspecting for damage to Clemmons made the wise decision to touring around the Ranch in that ve- ered from a large cottonwood tree later our display area when we could hear a postpone opening by one week. We hicle. that evening. distinct rumble to the south. The four did have disappointed groups arrive The rest of the story can be credited The sad finish to the story was of us hopped into Jerry’s blue panel and stay a night or two. Some ended to my friends in his staff at base camp. George’s nightly (and unsuccessful) pick-up and drove down the road to up going to Scout camps in the region On June 13 we were sent on our own safari down the debris-choked stream Rayado. We did not get very far. The instead of hiking the beautiful, but now adventure to open Fish Camp. How- bed looking for any part of his dearly bridge just south of HQ was gone. It ravaged, trails of Philmont. There was ever, as the rains increased along the departed car. wasn’t so much gone as relocated; it no way they could have gone into the Rayado River a siren was sounded in was well up a slope in a field down- mountains. Base Camp to get all staff members P.S. Very little was ever found, but it was stream. The first flash flooding must There were many stories to the and employees out of low lying areas. rumored that a rancher in Plainview, TX have taken it out and pushed it up Great Flood but I will let others tell George and his roommates lived in a was seen later that summer herding his there. The rumble we had been hear- those tales for better accuracy and low area toward Cimarron in the camp cattle in a bright, but muddy, MG sports ing a half mile away was from boulders color. area north of the highway, with some car. being pushed along the expanded of the permanent staff. A stakebed riverbed. This was to be just one of 44 IWTGBTP

20 the week of Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 the week of 21 We Will be Ready by Dave Caffey Wadsworth enthusiastically pumps the Rangers full of the best methods for us- Ed. Note. In the summer of 1965, with a ing woodsmen’s tools, camp sanitation, modest pamphlet prepared in an effort to working with the campers, and on and explain the mystique of Philmont for fam- on. If he spots a poorly done task on ily and friends, Dave Caffey began what his frequent rounds through the Ranger eventually became a long and productive campsites, he’s sure to nail the guilty career as a scholar and writer, and one of party and with his friendly manner, the most effective communicators of what show the crew how to do the job right. it meant to be a member of the Philmont The 100-plus Rangers got to Ponil staff. That pamphlet, “Mountain Top on a Tuesday afternoon and the crews World,” was eventually incorporated moved into their respective campsites. into his classic book, Head for the High All of us in my crew were new and Country. Readers of that beautiful book unacquainted with each other. Neither will recognize bits and pieces in the para- did we know much about pine and graphs which follow here, excerpted from aspen for firewood or cooking dehy- the original text, incorporated into the book drated trail food. During supper prepa- published years later. ration, the rain started. Will Hobbs, our training crew leader, explained that this …Ranger training consists of three was normal, and we’d all be needing to or four days of camping and training know how to get along in the rain with Debris dams up against river crossings as floodwaters carry trees up to a foot and a half in diameter sessions with emphasis on camping our groups. So we worked away in a downstream. skills, emergency procedures, and state of unorganized confusion for a other things that the Ranger will teach while and finally managed to erect our eyes stinging from smoke irritation did out and send them hurtling down the his groups. The Ranger program is dining fly, a tarp which only served to not dampen spirits. As the crews went canyon, which ultimately came to pass. built on a tradition of excellence and catch smoke underneath and water on through the mud to the dining hall for Stuffing our camping gear and enthusiasm, and throughout training, top, and made cooking pretty difficult. the morning training, the Rangers were some clothes, mostly wet by now, into morale runs high, with songs and crew Supper must have taken all of two or singing and joking as usual. On that our packs, Will’s crew crossed the little yells frequently adding to the training. three hours, including clean-up, and morning, we first learned that the rain bridge for the last time it was to be C.E. Dunn, retired school principal most of us, fresh from mom’s home was more than normal bad weather. crossed, and along with another two from Arlington, Texas, introduced and cooking, weren’t too impressed with And in the afternoon, a new downpour or three crews, moved into the Long still heads the Ranger program. A soft the results. prompted Mr. Wadsworth and chief House, a stout log building made as a spoken gentleman with white hair, We went to the evening training Ranger Dunn to order the campsites Leaders’ training lodge for old Philturn. he is respected by all who know his meeting, and it continued to rain. As evacuated, at least temporarily, and It was crowded, but most of us were honesty and competence in work- the camp went to bed, it was still com- the crews moved into the available just glad to have a dry place to sleep. ing with people. During training, ing down, and it was raining when we buildings. Ponil Creek was running To provide meals, a makeshift dining Mr. Dunn gives center stage to Bill got up on Wednesday. Throughout the high, and very fast. Logs maybe a foot hall crew fixed all of the trail food and H. Wadsworth, National Assistant Ranger encampment at Ponil, however, and a half in diameter being carried served it in the old dining hall. Just not Director of Camping Activities, and a strangely enough, morale was soaring. by the torrent jarred the frail 2-log foot having to fix the stuff seemed to make real outdoorsman’s outdoorsman. Mr. Soaked boots, wet sleeping bags, and bridges, and threatened to tear them it taste a little better. That night, we

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 22 the week of the week of 23 were to have been bussed in to head- had to wade about nine miles to meet A shower and dry clothes helped. quarters for the staff dinner, but there them. It was a ragged team of Rangers I want to go back to Philmont In the dining hall, a hot meal had been was no way busses could have made that paraded down that road – some prepared for us. The hamburger patties it up the twelve mile dirt road that with ponchos, some with flimsy nylon Where the old Rayado flows and boiled potatoes were a banquet to ran parallel to Ponil Creek and took a windbreaker jackets, and some with us. lot of punishment from the torrential raincoats that left their packs exposed Where the rain comes a seepin’ At my earliest opportunity after get- cutting of the wild river. So we ate our to the falling rain. Finally across one of ting back to headquarters, I made two trail food and had more training, then the larger pools in the road appeared In the tent where you’re a’sleepin’ purchases which had come to seem like adjourned to the Long House, where in four spots of yellow through the driz- good investments: a poncho raincoat, the dim light of a few kerosene lanterns zly haze – the buses. They were a wel- And the water says ‘Hello.” and a camera. Figuring that a summer and a fire in the stone fire place, we had come sight after two or three hours of that started off like this one had to be a great time playing various campfire hiking in the rain with water halfway I want to wake up in the mornin’ pretty unusual all the way, I also began games and just having bull sessions. up both legs in places. We continued to to keep a record of each day’s events. As a final treat, we gathered around the sing and horse around the whole time, With my socks all wringin’ wet On Friday morning, some 200 or so dying fire, and Steve Haynes, a veteran and would have certainly been keenly of the staff in headquarters assembled training Ranger, told a ghost story that disappointed had the rain ceased and For it brings back fondest mem’ries in the dining hall to hear the words of stood our hair on end. It took a while the cloud bank broken. Joe Davis, a man who had taken charge for the Long House to settle into slum- When the busses reached the bridge That a Ranger can’t forget. at Philmont after former director “Skip- ber after that. across the Cimarron River, we found it per” Juncker’s death only two months On Thursday morning it was dry patrolled by state troopers, with over I wanta hike some more of the canyon before. A hush settled over the room for a while. We had a training ses- a dozen cars lined up on each side. floor as if the staff sensed that they were sion at which it was announced that We had about a fifteen minute delay witnessing significant Philmont history the Rangers weren’t going to Indian there, during which rumors spread From Scribblins to Old Camp in the making. Writings Camp for an overnight hike as through the busses to the effect that the “And it rained for forty days planned; rather the only place we were bridge was weakened and had been With my packsack a’creakin’ and forty nights!” After the laughter going was to headquarters, because the permanently closed. The river, ordinar- subsided, Joe Davis related that all water was running higher all the time, ily a trickle of about twenty feet wide, And my back with sweat a’streakin’ highways into Philmont were closed and there was no time to lose. We tried was a rushing torrent spanning some due to washed out bridges, all commu- to gather up some of the loose ends of sixty yards across, and sweeping tons And my legs begin to cramp. nications but radio were cut off, several the remaining material to be covered of debris downstream as it went. For buildings had been demolished, and before the lunch hour. During lunch, some reason which I have not yet dis- I want to hike again Philmont’s reservoirs had been com- for which each crew had to set up a covered, the cars continued to stack up pletely filled with debris and sediment. model trail camp, once again it began on both sides while four or five busses With such great men But the enthusiasm and determination to rain, which came as a surprise to full of Philmont Rangers were allowed that have won him the respect and nobody. to creep across the bridge. One day As made those famous treks admiration of all those who work for After lunch, everyone packed up later, the same bridge was no longer him, shone through as Joe Davis held and assembled to begin the long march. there. After the five minute drive to From Beaubien to Porky his shiny bald head erect and flexed The buses sent to pick us up ordinar- headquarters, about a hundred smelly, his fist resolutely and proclaimed to ily can come right into Ponil, but since muddy, soaked Rangers climbed off the And from Cito to Car-Max. the assembly that with the teamwork about half the road was no longer there wet busses, in the rain, of course, sing- of a “great!” Philmont staff, the camp and the other half was under water, we ing: would be ready to open in a week. In

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 24 the week of the week of 25 the meantime, however, some 1000 or a piddling stream which is usually so campers already en route had to be bone dry, had broken across one of turned back. the main roads. We were herded onto For the remainder of that day and busses and pickups, and took us out the next, Ranger training continued in there to spend our free day wading in subsequent headquarters, although the value of the the flooded creek, carrying rocks and sessions was somewhat limited by the shoveling mud, which turned out to be lack of a camping environment, and pretty much fun anyway, the way we accounts sometimes we had time off to go in to did it. That evening, we had another Cimarron for errands. By Saturday, training session, at which plans were a new bridge for the road across the outlined for “Operation Ranger,” in Cimarron River into town had been which the Rangers were to be based at constructed. In headquarters, the various camps throughout the Ranch dining hall used paper plates because for the next few days for the purpose of of the water shortage. The water was checking the trails for boulders, fallen murky and had to be purified. trees, gaping holes, and the like. For On Sunday, we got a break – tem- this task, the Rangers were divided up porarily. After church at daybreak, we into crews for the different areas. Over were given our first day off until 2:00 200 miles of wilderness trails, most of that afternoon. But at about ten that which parallel a stream bed and would morning, some guys came through receive a good deal of heavy damage Ranger City rounding up all the avail- from a flood, would have to be made able Rangers to build a dam where passable before the camp could open... the flooding Cimarroncito Creek,

The 1965 VTC Mountain Man Staff - “The Searchers:” left to right: Ron L. Hartman (IL) ( Mountain Men Leader), James “Pee Wee” Cosgrove (LA), Doug S. Fry (TN). photo by Michael Englert

26 the week of Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 subsequent accounts 27 Philmont After the Deluge slopes of the Rocky Mountains. The tons of water onto the 137,000-acre normally tan hills and mesas were quite ranch. Streams already overflowing green and by late May the all-important their usual channels gushed forward by Tom Gibson was almost beyond belief. reservoirs that provide the big Ranch changing the terrain of most of Philm- Scouting Magazine Field Reporter Yet by noon that mid-June Friday, operations with water were about full. ont’s canyons and inundating much of it was clearly evident that something So by the middle of June the Volun- the Ranch’s low country. Head gar- Reprinted with permission of Scouting extraordinary was happening at teer Training Center was in full swing, dener Santos Zamora, who has lived Magazine, August/September 1965 Philmont. Since the previous afternoon, 2,000 boys were due in camp for high- and worked around Philmont all of his officials at the National headquarters adventure expeditions (they would life, later remarked, “That was the most In the drought-stricken areas of the of the Boy Scouts of America in New check in during the weekend of June water around here since 1903.” Northeast last June 18, it was difficult Jersey had been unable to contact any- 18-20) and the Ranch would have more It was a bad night. As darkness de- for anyone to imagine that parts of one at the Ranch. The Scouting leaders than enough water for the 1965 season. scended, so did the cascading torrents the United States were, at that very were greatly concerned since Philmont Things looked pretty good. from the hills. Fortunately, the Ranch moment, having another type of water should, in a few hours, be experiencing But more rain fell on Monday never lost its effective internal radio problem—too much rain. its first big weekend of what almost and Tuesday, the 14th and 15th. And communication and all its power lines And to think that the unusually arid certainly would be its busiest season of Wednesday brought another day remained intact. New Mexico countryside that includes camping and training. of heavy showers. The ground was Although there were many staff Philmont Scout Ranch had just been It had been an unusually wet spring already saturated and as the water members already in backcountry, they ravished by devastating floodwaters at Philmont and all along the eastern drained off the picturesque Sangre de were all able to reach high ground Cristo Mountains, it found its usual safely before the flood destroyed sev- routes already filled. eral campsites as it thundered down The rising waters did not dampen the canyon. One group of 104 Rangers, the spirits of the 653 men, women, and who had been training 12 miles from children attending five conferences at camp headquarters, were contacted by the Volunteer Training Center. Nor did Ranch officials and were instructed to it bother camping staff members as return to headquarters. Singing Scout they completing training and looked songs to buoy their spirits, they safely forward to the arrival of adventure- completed their 8-hour trek in the early seeking Explorers and older Boy morning hours as bridges and access Scouts. roads washed out behind them. On Thursday some of the staff began “Operation Scatter” (later to be Canyon Crisis dubbed “Operation Splatter”) as they headed into the backcountry to man There were anxious moments that Philmont’s many campsites and base night in Urraca Canyon, where 63 camps. Scout-age sons of men attending train- ing center conferences were participat- Downpours ing in a wilderness campout. The boys and four leaders had arrived at this That afternoon and again that eve- newly established campsite the previ- Ferrying supplies across a flooded creek. ning, two more downpours dumped ous day. The site was separated from

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 28 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 29 sites along the rushing streams in the ness despite the destruction all around southern portion of the Ranch, whole it, would continue its regular operation. chunks of Philmont real estate were Strangely enough, its only major prob- ripped loose and headed downstream lem was a lack of water—the drinking and to the east. and cooking variety. Pipelines from the Near the Ranch headquarters south Ranch reservoir had been ripped out by of Cimarron, Cimarroncito Creek the flood, but within hours some water raced by and through the area and just was available from an emergency water missed causing major damage. As it source and was made potable by boil- was, the sheep barns disappeared and ing it. the water climbed more than 2 feet up But the big camping operation the side of the Ranch office building, would have to be delayed. So would but the cattle barns and buildings hous- the junior leader instructor and conser- ing most of the Ranch’s food supply vation camps. With unknown trail and were safe. campsite damage in the backcountry, with supply roads impassable, with 24-hour battle several campsites wiped out, with all main roads into the Ranch severed, and As the junior leader instructor train- with certain restrictions of water and As flood waters receded, the Philmont staff worked long hours moving in supplies and readying the Ranch for incoming expeditions. “This flood welded our men - and young men - into the best team the ing and conservation camps at Rayado food inevitable, the Ranch just could Ranch has ever had,” said Philmont Director Ray H. Bryan of the staff. Camp (formerly called Carson-Maxwell not accommodate the thousands of Camp), staff members battled the del- oncoming boys for at least a week. their supply road by the creek bed—a north-south road had been washed out uge for over 24 hours. Here the flood Many expeditions were on their normally dry gully that now contained in several places). But drinking water threatened the historic Beaubien House way to Philmont and they had to be some water due to heavy spring rains. was running low at the group’s tempo- and the famous Philmont Scout Ranch stopped or diverted. So a gigantic, As the rain continued Thursday, rary quarters, so rescue operations were Museum. Hurried “sandbagging” nation-wide “holding” operation was several more staff members joined the begun. helped save all permanent buildings set in motion. group. Shortly after dark, the leaders A large tree was felled and guy lines in the area even though the water was noticed the rapidly rising water was were strung across a large part of the chest high in places. Command Post sloshing into parts of the campsite. belching creek. It took 2 hours to bring But the long night of the “big water” Pajama-clad boys were immediately all the boys safely across, aided by staff passed, and by Friday noon the world’s From Friday afternoon and on routed from their tents and evacuated members standing waist-deep in the largest boys’ camp had already begun through the weekend, the B.S.A. in an orderly fashion by patrols. They water and dodging trees and rocks be- an extensive cleanup and rebuilding National headquarters in New Jersey moved up to high ground and spent ing swept along the raging stream. program. The important business of became an around-the-clock control the night bedded down on the patio In the backcountry, familiar trails building men at Philmont would be center for all Philmont-bound tours. and in the garage of a private home on and supply roads were severed by delayed—at least for a little while. Utilizing nearly all means of communi- top of a small mesa. the flood. Near the juncture of Agua National leaders in New Brunswick, cation (telephone, Armed Forces radio In the morning emergency food Fria and Rayado Creeks, the water NJ finally got a report from Philmont and phones, amateur and police radio, supplies from the training center were completely smashed the popular Fish on Friday afternoon (late morning television and news wire announce- ferried across the loud, rushing menace Camp, including some of its “perma- Philmont time). It was decided that the ments), all expeditions were alerted that was now Urraca Creek, (the main nent” buildings. And at most camp- training center, still very much in busi- about the flood. They were asked to

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 30 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 31 call National headquarters collect so Another expedition from Sequoyah were damaged or washed away. Camp- young men—into the best team the they could be steered to nearby Scout Council, Johnson City, Tenn. got within sites were relocated and several new Ranch has ever had.” camps, military bases, and other places 25 miles of Philmont but couldn’t get sites were developed to replace areas Bryan also saluted many of the where they could be temporarily quar- their bus into the Ranch because of that had been washed away or buried Ranch’s good neighbors who respond- tered and fed. washouts. So they camped near Spring- beneath boulders from the hills. To con- ed magnificently to the emergency. National officials, also anxious that er, N. Mex. And for 2 days helped the serve water, washcloth and basin baths “One example,” he reported, “was a these groups still have a happy trip townsfolk clean mud from their streets replaced showers, and paper plates grocer from Raton who delivered a despite the disappointment of not be- and out of their homes. Then all 43 were used for meals. (The reservoir truckload of fresh fruit and vegetables ing able to hike and camp at Philmont, members of the expedition hiked into was still “full” but three-quarters of it the day after the flood. This trip nor- suggested some alternate places to visit camp and “hit the trails” 2 days late. was filled with silt and debris–and the mally takes about an hour, but due to and made the necessary contacts and However, most of those early- remainder consisted of a very muddy the washed-out roads it took him 15 arrangements. scheduled expeditions—about 40 of mixture.) hours, practically dawn to dusk. Why, Typical of the successful emergency them (that’s at least 800 disappointed he went clear up through Colorado to replanning was the itinerary of Expedi- boys) never did get to Philmont. Where “Gung-ho” attitude get that stuff to us.” tion 618J—17 boys and their leaders possible, groups were rescheduled for Rayado reclamation from Nicolet Area Council, Green Bay, later in the season and the others will Ray H. Bryan, assistant to the Chief Wis. They were scheduled to arrive at get first choice dates next summer. Scout Executive and general manager Later that week I threaded my way Philmont on June 18, but on that day As floodwaters receded on June of the Ranch, was loud in his praise through the jumble of debris and silt they were stranded in Limon, Colo. by 19, the work of the 375 Philmont staff of the great performance of the entire that had been pleasant patrol sites at the Rocky Mountain floods. By radio members accelerated. The following Philmont staff. “I’ve never before seen Rayado Camp. Located in the southeast they learned they should contact the week saw a great group of men and such a grand ‘gung ho’ attitude,” he corner of the Ranch, this area was prob- B.S.A. National headquarters, which boys work long hours to get the Ranch said. “This flood welded our men—and ably the hardest hit. Here the Rayado they did, and new plans were devel- ready for oncoming expeditions. oped. After waiting out the flood by --The Rangers, equipped with axes, camping in Limon for 2 days, they bowsaws, and a 3-day food supply proceeded to the U.S. Air Force hiked, checked, and at times redevel- Academy at Colorado Springs and oped 253 miles of mountain trails. thoroughly enjoyed 5 days of “camp- --Ranch administration gave priority ing” in their dorms. Then they pressed attention to health and safety precau- on to the Ranch, spent a night in the tions, including restriction of water reception area, and the next day hiked consumption, rerouting of vehicles, to Clarks Fork Trail Camp and along maintenance of standby power equip- Sheafers Pass. They camped overnight ment, and additional food servicing to just off Tooth of Time ridge and the scattered camps by horseback. following day hiked back into camp- --After consultation with the U.S. Army ing headquarters. The next day they Corps of Engineers, work was im- departed for home after only 3 days at mediately begun on temporary utility the Ranch, but they did have memories bridges and repair of service roads. of a 10-mile hike and at least a taste of --New tents were quickly ordered to Philmont mountain adventure. replace the approximately 200 that “This year they’ll have a few practical conservation projects to work on,” a staff member mused on surveying flood damage. “The understatement of the year,” a fellow worker added.

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 32 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 33 Creek, normally 12 to 16 feet wide, had hiking and camping at Philmont. The Philmont Flood of 1965 spread to a width of more that 250 feet That Sunday was the first busy story and photos by Denny Dubois at the height of the turbulence. day—19 expeditions were processed, Cleanup and salvage was well trained, and made ready to hit the trail. During the summers of 1971 and 72, I was a participant in the Philmont Earth Sci- under way, but I could still see a part of Those expeditions were from Califor- ence program. The program operated from the basement of the Philmont Muse- a steel cot protruding from the sandy nia, Colorado, Missouri, North Caroli- um. It was funded by the National Science Foundation and taught by the Depart- new “topsoil” and half the tent plat- na, Oregon, Texas, and Utah. From then ment of Earth Science, Iowa State University (ISU), as “Field Investigation in Earth form was visible. A water line that used on (through late August) hundreds of Science.” The objective was to provide a field experience for secondary school to be several feet underground now boys from all over the United States science teachers who either were or would be teaching earth science but had little swayed in mid-air. And on the brink would check in (and out) of the camp- or no formal earth science field training. The program ran concurrent with the of the recently gouged 15-foot-deep ing headquarters each day! Camping HQ operation (June - August, 1971 and 72). Dr. Keith Hussey was the channel, two patrol shelters dangled By Sunday evening as the retreat- Director of the program and Chairman of the Department of Earth Science at ISU. dangerously. ing sun cast a golden hue over the sky The 1971 field experience used the “Philmont Country” professional paper As each staff member located above the Sangre de Cristo mountains, as a text book. Monday mornings were spent in the classroom at the Museum. enough usable tents, beds, and plat- things seemed near normal. The Vol- The remainder of the week the group was in the field learning field techniques, forms to equip a patrol site, he would unteer Training Center tent cities were conducting informal investigations, data gathering, interpretation and discussion. hoist a U.S. flag to the top of a pole in bulging with one of the biggest crowds The course carried nine hours of graduate credit. the center of his relocated area. It was ever, and families of Scouters attending Dr. Hussey and Dr. Fred DeLuca, Associate Professor of Earth Science at ISU, good to see several flags already wav- a special “Mormon” conference were were especially interested in my first-hand experience as a Ranger in 1965 and in ing. holding a service and singing hymns “We’ll be ready for that second in the assembly hall. On the road from batch of boys on time,” pledged Scouter Cimarron, two buses rolled south Scotty Williamson. Then he added, toward camping headquarters carrying “And this year they’ll have some prac- uniformed boys ready to start the ex- tical conservation projects to work on perience of a lifetime. And miles away down here.” in the backcountry, hundreds of boys Every obstacle that faced the finished up mealtime chores and pulled Philmont staff was overcome, and only on red jackets for warmth against the 6 days after the massive cleanup began, sudden coolness of a Rocky Mountain some staff members found themselves night. waiting impatiently for the first of the In the weeks ahead there would be 18,000 boys and leaders who would more cleanup and rebuilding. But the take part in the camping and training men of Philmont had been prepared for program this summer. a major crisis, and the whole Ranch op- eration had snapped back to near-peak Camping again performance in just 7 days. The big country was still in the big The first 1965 expedition headed business of giving boys and their lead- into the backcountry on Friday, June ers the really big Scouting adventure. Horse Ridge outwash. This picture shows something like a terrace or perhaps an old road along the 25, and by noon the following Sunday, lower front of Horse Ridge. This an accumulation of gravels washed off the ridge during the storm 30 expeditions totaling 430 boys were and is consistent with the estimate of eleven inches of water flowing through CHQ.

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 34 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 35 my observations and recollections from the Flood of 1965. At the conclusion of the 1971 field experience, Dr. Hussey offered me a position as a Graduate Assistant in a doctoral program in geology/earth science at ISU. The work involved a formal field study of the geology, flora and fauna of Miners Park which I did in 1972. There was also an opportunity to assist with at least one other study done at Philmont in 1972: hydrology observations of the scale of flooding on the Agua Fria creek in Rayado Canyon in 1965. This study was conducted at the conclusion of the camping season, August 1972; the data was likely provided to Dr. Hussey. Some highlights of the study included: — At a point below Fish Camp the water reached a depth of approximately 60 feet. This was based on the scouring and erosion still evident in 1972 along the sides of the canyon. — At Zastro, the creek bed switched from one side of the camp to the opposite side while leaving the cabin intact. — Nearly the entire trail to Fish Camp along the canyon bottom and stream no longer existed. — After the flood waters receded, there was a pile of gigantic trees — some 3 North Fork Urraca Creek, terraces. The creek has cut new stream beds deeper into the underlying feet in diameter — debarked and stacked haphazardly in a pile above the exist- rock/gravel material before. Here you can see terraces representing old stream bottoms — evidence of ongoing reshaping of the land and tearing down of the mountains. ing Rayado camp. Virtually no tall trees remained in the canyon in 1972. Prior to 1965, the trail upstream to Fish Camp resembled a northwest woods with deep shade, quiet trout pools, an abundance of Dipper birds and wild life. — Boulders estimated to be 10-20 tons/car and truck-sized had been dislodged and moved by the flood waters over long distances downstream. Elsewhere in the South Country, the North and South Fork Urraca Creeks also ravaged. A D9 caterpillar had attempted to cross the Urraca Creek below the junc- tion of the South and North Fork. It was abandoned mid-stream. The bottom of a stream in flood is fluid, not stationary, and the caterpillar could not gain traction. When the waters subsided, gravel had buried the caterpillar to the depth of the operator platform; meaning, at that point the stream had deposited huge amounts of gravel material and was much shallower and may have carved a new course. Black and white photos in the Museum of the flood waters at Camping HQ, revealed that at the peak of the storm, water was flowing eleven inches deep off Tooth Ridge and Horse Ridge and through CHQ. There were four streams that were prominent in flooding in 1965: Agua Fria, South and North Fork Urraca, and Cimarron. Because there were staffers in the tributary basin for the Agua Fria and along that stream, and because of the promi- nence of Fish Camp, more has been written about the human experiences for Agua Fria. I did not look at Cimarron in 1972. Had people been on the banks of the South and North Fork Urraca they too would have some wild stories to tell! You might ask why the Cimarron River didn’t have more flood devastation. North Fork Urraca Creek, old stream bed above new stream bed. In this location the North Fork First, its tributaries span a broader area and it took the water longer to get into the overflowed the old stream bed and cut a new channel next to and below its former channel, carrying gravel and loose earth material downstream and redepositing them, perhaps as large alluvial fans. Cimarron Canyon. The Cimarron River basin is older, broader, and better able

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 36 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 37 to accommodate a larger and more rapid increase in volume of water. Third, the geology is different; there aren’t the loose gravels on steep slopes as in the South Country. Finally, the North Country simply did not receive as much rain. Bridge washed out across North Fork Urraca. High Country After the storm had passed, streams in the South What the articles will tell is largely a human story. The rocks (as Country continued to run well above normal for shown in these pictures) tell humans another story of events over a long span of 7-10 days. Access to the backcountry beyond time (70 million years). Paraphrasing Philmont Country, today the High Country Lovers Leap was not possible by vehicle. Ranger crews were dispatched after “Operation Ranger” is more rugged than it has ever been. Even if the crust beneath stays quiet, the to carry food to staffed camps. This is a picture High Country and mountains will loom above the plains tens of thousands more taken in 1965 just days after the storm. years. It will become ever more sculpted by events such as the 1965 Flood until the crests of the mountains themselves are attacked; then they will gradually be worn lower and rounder. If the recent past several million years is any guide, the earth beneath Philmont remains restless and the mountains will continue to rise and the bordering plains with them. Floods such as 1965 will contribute to the creation of even grander vistas for our remote descendants to wonder at and enjoy.

Ed. Note. Ever the scholar, Denny Du- bois’ article is extensively footnoted with source and other information. Although the notes are not included in our print of the article, they are available upon request.

North Fork Urraca Creek scouring. Flooding on the North Fork scoured the stream bed in places, meaning loose gravels and rocks were washed away, exposing the rock bed below. Here you can see a person walking along the bottom of the stream bed in 1972 with just a trickle of water evident. From the scouring, it appeared the water was more than ten feet deep and 30-40 feet wide at many places at the height of the flooding.

Ed. Note. All photographs in this article, together with additional photographs saved Washout along North Fork Urraca. There were five road washouts along the North Fork Urraca. My crew from Operation Ranger was assigned to pack food into Miners and Crater; we had to find ways in our files, but not used in this article, to cross or get around each washout. Look carefully in the center of this picture and along the bank of either contemporaneous with the flood or the creek; Lee Balich is making his way along the edge of the stream with his pack of supplies and Rich the earth sciences work several years later, Rothe is waiting his turn. We were told not to wade the waters; there was no way to know the depth. As we approached the stream, no one needed to tell us not to wade across. There was a roar coming are courtesy of Denny Dubois. from the water of rocks banging against each other and bits of rocks actually flying out of the water!

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 38 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 39 Rangers and the 1965 Flood by Warren Smith and Marty Tschetter Rangers who were there. If you ask a New Mexico historian, The Philmont entry from the 1965 BSA he will tell you that the ‘65 flood was annual Report to Congress was laugh- severe, but not the most severe in New ably understated. At least, anyone who Mexico’s history. Official records say was at Philmont that summer would that floods in 1904, 1941, and 1942 were have found it so: likely worse. New Mexico’s official Philmont camp attendance during records put it this way: 1965 exceeded all previous records. “The flood of June 1965 likewise Participation in the camping program was not as severe as the flood of 1904. came from 460 councils and foreign There was no loss of human life, but countries from Canada, Puerto Rico, property damage was estimated to be France, Austria, Germany, and Japan. tens of millions of dollars. Streamflow Understated because, of course, of records indicate that the 1965 flood had the flash flood that took place on June a recurrence interval greater than 100 14, 1965, which caused devastation years in many areas across the eastern unequaled in Philmont’s history, and part of the State. For example, on June unmatched until 2015, when flooding 17, 1965, the peak discharge of the hit Philmont again that – tragically – Vermejo River near Dawson was 12,600 resulted in the loss of one Scout’s life. [cubic feet per second], the greatest Because of the events of 2015, the ever recorded for that station.” Dealing with the flood at Cattle Headquarters. 1965 flood has now been exceeded in So it was a major event, though the terms of tragic consequence: No lives legend of the ‘65 flood likely says more up of a group who almost to a man and within five miles of Rayado camp were lost in 1965. However, the 1965 about the tellers of the tales than it does were draft age, but who somehow – (Fish Camp) when the road stopped: flood did cause damage to Philmont about the event itself. To understand either by chance or deferment – never completely washed out. So we took and the surrounding region that was that, it’s important to remember what went to war. some food and essentials and started extensive. Significant damage to the was happening in America in 1965. For such a group, the 1965 flood hiking. It started hailing and rained Philmont Reservoir jeopardized the The Vietnam War was beginning to was almost tailor-made. It was a test of heavily, and we had to hike along the drinking water supply. Other flood penetrate the American imagination, manhood, an initiation into adulthood canyon wall because the Rayado River, damage included destruction of roads, but few Americans were actually being that most of them longed for but would now a raging torrent rolling boulders bridges, campsites, and range areas. called on to serve – at least so far. In likely not find elsewhere. and trees like pebbles and toothpicks, Recovery operations began immediate- 1965, a military draft that had been put Phil Yunker was the Camp Direc- completely filled the canyon wall to ly following the storm, and Philmont in effect during the Korean War was tor at Fish Camp that year, so his test wall. – almost miraculously – opened for still the law of the land. was perhaps greater than others. Just While walking, we had to watch business on June 25, after just one week However, in the decade-plus era days after the flood he wrote about the for some place to cross, because the of operation was cancelled. of peace since the end of Korea, the experience to his parents: lodge down the river at camp was on But some of the damage from the number of draft deferments – usually “Thursday morning was bright the other side. We tried once but almost 1965 flood is still evident, a half-centu- given to those who could go to college and sunny and by 1:30 the carry-all lost the first guy in. So we hiked and ry later, and the memory of that week – ballooned. The reality is that most of carrying us had made it past Beaubien tried again. is still deeply etched in the minds of the Philmont’s staff in the 1960s was made

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 40 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 41 This time we made it, but only through the camp stripping soil and because we had a huge pine to hold trees, it completely washed away the on to to keep the terrible current from servant’s lodge, some old barns, and washing us under and down the river. all corrals. Like the other buildings, the Where we crossed the water was about servant’s lodge was built of concrete chest deep, whereas it usually only foundation with log cabin style logs runs 2-3 feet. and concrete chinking. All furniture When we did finally make it to the and fireplaces in it, even chimneys, main lodge three hours later, at the were gone. Even the huge wrought iron point where the Agua Fria River joins stove in the kitchen of the main lodge the Rayado River, the Agua Fria was was washed out of sight. already washing up against the side As the Agua Fria rose, in an hour of the main lodge. Across the river, it washed off the tool house. In the the guest lodge, servant’s lodge, and second hour it washed away the Ranger lodge seemed fine. It was get- whole kitchen and pantry. I went to ting dark, so we built a fire inside in the the dining room door, opened it, and The Beaubien cabin also known as “Trapper’s Lodge” in 1965. living room fireplace, changed into dry faced – instead of a vestibule leading to photo by James R. Place clothes, and cooked the minute steaks the kitchen – a raging torrent of water we had brought. Much of the food we washing the huge boulders and pine had left behind when we crossed the trees by. The kitchen had gone, but the river.” roof was still hanging on to the dining As the raging Agua Fria washed room. I was scared to death. We had

The Beaubien bunkhouse in 1965. photo by Jim Ellis

been living in one long nightmare since picking up stuff as we went. When we started crossing the river that after- we calmed down a bit, we found only noon. about 3 inches of water and mud, and About 8:30 we were huddled by the it wasn’t going up any. So we decided fire in the living room trying to decide that with that rock wall behind most whether or not to get out and head up of the cabin, we’d stay, no matter how the hill while we still could. There was tired. Every 15 minutes it seemed, I was a heavy thud and the dining room door up and out on the porch watching the The Agua Fria River the morning after the flood. flew open with a wall of water. That water’s progress. It really didn’t come was it. We headed for the bedrooms, up any higher after that – just kept

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 42 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 43 eating away the foundation under the were washed away – gone! dining hall. When everyone was up we decided When daylight came, I felt like to pull out and head for Beaubien. If we sitting down and crying and I still do. could get across the Rayado in front of The whole valley was a sea of raging, the cabin, we could head up Webster muddy water and bouncing boulders. Pass and not have to cross the river I couldn’t believe my eyes. All the any more. A huge pine had leaned over beautiful spruce forests, aspen and pine the cliffs opposite, so we cleared the

The 1965 Cyphers Mine Staff: left to right: Wayne C. Johnson (CA), CD John L. Helgerson (SD), Bruce D. Clayton (NE), Lloyd K. Thomas (MN), Michael P. Englert (IL), Donald E. Bailey, Jr. ( D.C.) photo by Michael Englert

limbs off the top side of it and crossed than if the floods hadn’t come. It’s sure over. It seemed an awful long way to going to be hard for me to return to Beaubien! On the way we passed four what was once a paradise – the most trucks mired, stranded in the washed beautiful camp on the Ranch…Maybe out road. On one of them I radioed into we can make a decent effort towards HQ that we were all out and safe, and giving the country and the land a head found that the conditions were pretty start towards growing back to their much the same all over the Ranch. Ci- original beauty and continuing to give marron was isolated, and the National the thousands of boys that come out Guard had been called but couldn’t here each year the experience of their make it. lives, as I once had.” Well, I guess it’s going to be a much longer summer than I thought. Like Operation Ranger I told my staff though, the Scouts are still going to be coming and they have Bruce Embury remembered that Ranger every right to find this beautiful Ranch Training was held at Ponil that year. just as beautiful and exciting as those “There were sessions all over, some in who have come year after year, and it’s the dining hall, others in the shelters,” our job to see that they have the best he said. of experiences that can be provided – Ponil and Sioux Camp, just a few Washed out bridges around the Ranch made travel in and out of Camping Headquarters difficult. most of all – no different an adventure hundred yards away, sit astride Ponil

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 44 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 45 Creek. Embury remembers that Ranger town, the water was beginning to go training was going pretty well until over the Ponil Creek bridge north of it started raining higher up in the Cimarron, but the buses made it safely backcountry and the creek at Ponil across and lumbered into town, turning started to rise. south toward camping headquarters. “We did an overnighter near Bent,” The four bus loads of Rangers encoun- he said. He recalled the day was beauti- tered a more ominous scene when they ful and cloudless, but it started to rain reached the Cimarron River. Again, in the evening. The creek rose and Caffey picks up the story: word came of floods elsewhere. The “Police and highway patrol cars bridges might wash out, so the Rang- stood parked by the bridge, and state ers started hiking down the 12-mile troopers patrolled the crossing. A small long Ponil Road toward Cimarron. The group of official-looking men deliber- buses were able to come some distance ated on the bridge, and talk spread up the Ponil Road before the column that they had declared it unsound and of Rangers met them, near Six-Mile closed to traffic. After a time the bus Gate. Embury said that “while we were drivers got back on, and while the cars hiking we could hear boulders break- waited in rows on the highway shoul- ing loose of the canyon walls. The creek ders, four buses of Philmont’s Rangers filled from canyon wall to the side of crept past them and across the bridge. the road in some places.” By the time A day later that bridge was gone and the Rangers got to Six-Mile Gate, they traffic into the Ranch was shut off alto- were a wet and muddy group. They gether.” got as much of the mud off of them as Embury remembers that “the road they could before loading the buses and between Cimarron and Camping beginning the slow ride toward Cimar- Headquarters along the buffalo pasture ron. was under water,” though the buses Dave Caffey, who was a first-year ploughed through nonetheless. At the South fork of the Urraca River just above where it meets with the North fork. photo by Denny Dubois Ranger that summer, remembers that height of the flood, the water covering despite the awful weather, the mud, that road was about six inches to a foot and what was obviously becoming a deep and fifty feet wide. vice personnel were stretched thin, so improvise. He stood up on a folding serious flooding situation, the Rang- When the Rangers got back to Base it became obvious that if Philmont was chair. Silence filled the room. What Joe ers were in good spirits. Caffey later Camp, there was initially little to do, as going to dig out of this mess, it would Davis said and did next was talked recalled: “Almost every Ranger was the damage was so significant and the likely have to do most of the digging. about by those who were there for caked to his knees, and some had fallen floods and roads so dangerous that the By Friday morning, June 18, just nearly a half-century afterward. The in the mud and were muddy the rest of first step was simply to keep everyone a few days before crews were sched- first words out of his mouth were both the way up. Trashed or not, most of the safe and then to assess the sheer size uled to arrive at the Ranch, Philmont’s epic and comic. When he was sure that crews came in bantering and singing of the problem. The weather made leadership had a plan. They gathered all eyes were on him, he said in a loud the songs that had sounded along the nationwide news. In fact, more than 20 everyone in Base Camp into the dining voice: “And it rained for forty days and canyon all afternoon.” people died in weather-related deaths hall. The building was not designed forty nights.” By the time the Rangers got back to in Colorado that week. Emergency ser- for these kinds of meetings, so the new It was the perfect opening line. The Director of Program, Joe Davis, had to room “erupted in cheers and laughter,”

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 46 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 47 Dave Caffey remembers. Everyone out on the road between Springer and crawl under, over, and through all the of the summer in an abbreviated but knew the situation was difficult, but Cimarron alone. Turkey Creek, which downed trees. It looked like God had almost poetic form: this line had a powerful effect on the crosses U.S. 64 in Cimarron Canyon, is played pick-up sticks with the trees.” young men gathered there. It said to dry most years, and even in wet years Embury reports that his Ranger Tuesday, June 15th them that in spite of the difficulty – no, is usually little more than a trickle. crew went south and eventually got Woke up at 6:15am, rained very hard because of the difficulty – it would be However, it became a raging river and to the Agua Fria and saw little change last night. The weather is still bad. We an experience heroic in proportion, one destroyed the highway, cutting off ac- until they reached the confluence with went to Ponil for our first training by for the history books. Joe Davis was al- cess to the west. the Rayado at Fish Camp. “Since I had buses. When we arrived Wadsworth most saying that it was a privilege to be Nonetheless, Davis said, things camped there in 1961, I was awestruck gave us a great speech and a great there, to be a part of events that would could have been much worse. He by the damage,” Embury said. “Where morale builder. be talked about well into the distant thanked God that no lives had been beautiful meadows had gently sloped future. lost at Philmont. Then, according to down to the creek bed, there was noth- Sunday, June 20th But neither did Davis sugarcoat Caffey, “he held his shiny bald head ing but gravel and boulders from forest Had our briefing and found out I will what they faced. The reservoirs on straight and flexed his tanned fist, and edge to forest edge. One of the cabins be in charge of a six-man crew. We will which Philmont and nearby Cimarron proclaimed that with the teamwork of was gone and the kitchen was missing find out how much damage was done depended for water were filled with a great Philmont staff, the ranch would from the main cabin. In one of the other to Abreu in the south end. debris and sediment. A commissary be ready to open in one week.” cabins the floor had swollen so much driver had barely escaped with his life The Rangers were in some ways ide- that the floor buckled up to where two Monday, June 21st as his truck was swept away. Telephone ally suited for the recovery effort. They boards were almost vertical.” Much of We saw fantastic damage. A whole lines were down. Radios were the only were already organized into crews, and the seven-mile trail down the Rayado bridge was swept away. We saw what way to communicate with the outside many of them knew the backcountry. to Abreu was permanently destroyed. It we thought was New Abreu. Then we world. In the backcountry, trails were Chief Ranger Clarence Dunn organized would take more than a decade to build went up and down stream to see if this simply obliterated. Gone without a “Operation Ranger.” Crews deployed a new trail through Rayado Canyon, might be Old Abreu. We crawled across trace that a trail had ever been there. into the backcountry with instructions with very little of it on the same route a downed log, which was terrifying. And in some cases, the canyons and to clear existing trails and report trails as the original. high mountain valleys through which that were completely washed away. Such scenes were discouraging. Tuesday, August 24th the trails had gone had seen their The goal was not to fix everything, but Even more discouraging was another So ends my diary for Philmont ’65. And topography altered. Fixing these trails quickly to fix enough to allow crews to three-day rain that occurred several so ends a very wonderful, interesting, would be much more than a simple have a safe experience. weeks later, further hampering clean- challenging, and rewarding summer. It matter of clearing a few downed logs. Bruce Embury remembers being up efforts. Nonetheless, though the first hit me on the bus that another page in The water systems at virtually every a part of one of these crews, which week of camping had to be cancelled, my life has just irretrievably closed. It camp on the Ranch had to be checked checked Philmont’s central country. the bold prediction Joe Davis made seems this early life is going to be very and flushed, at a minimum. Some sys- “My crew checked from Cito Hunting while standing on a metal chair in the short. So dear diary goodbye until next tems had to be replaced entirely. Lodge and then along the South Fork dining hall did come to pass: By late year. And that was just the damage on [of Cypher’s Creek] to Cypher’s Mine,” June, Philmont was open for business. and near the Ranch. Some crews were he said. “The first bridge over the creek Everyone on Philmont’s staff that sum- This article was adapted from I Wanna Go already in transit, but even if Philmont was washed out and we forded. I don’t mer would look back on the summer Back: Stories of the Philmont Rangers could get itself ready, these crews might remember the exact route, but we went as one of the most significant times in by Warren Smith and Marty Tschetter. not be able to get there. Every road through Red Hills via Comanche Pass. their lives. leading to Philmont had at least one We were the first to see the wind dam- A few entries from Robert bridge washed out. Three bridges were age just south of the pass and had to Prud’homme’s diary tells the story

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 48 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 49 June of 65 by Darrel Kirkland

I arrived at the Ranch three days early CO area fishing the Rio Grande River in 1965, after graduating from high in my early years, something I still do school and taking a road trip with three to this date. My staff unit included Phil of my high school classmates. Cimarron Yunker as Camp Director, and J. Stroth- was my final stop, after visiting friends er Moore lll as Survival Instructor along in Taos and Santa Fe. At that time there with Paul Gold. Teaching the fishing was no downtown traffic in either of program with me was Robert L. Gentry, those towns and we easily parked on and our cook was Timothy Dianics. We the town square in both. Cimarron was were assigned a cook because our camp a much more active city than it is now, was to be Fish Camp on the Rayado with the newly opened Kit Carson Inn River, a veritable vacation assignment. and several active restaurants, stores, Ha! a movie theater, three bars with food As we went through training and service, and a drug store. learning about our new staff members, I checked in to tent city and was we spent some wonderful time in the assigned to a work crew with Duke relaxed world that was then Philmont. Towner to paint the ice cream stand We went to town for a movie and that was then across from the dining bought sopapillas at a main street res- 2015 CD of Apache Springs Jeremy Evans and the first CD of Apache Springs in 1965, Phil Yunker at Apache Springs during the 2015 PSA Trek. hall (which is now the trading post). taurant, three for a quarter. Gas was the A new camping director was on site as ungodly high price of thirty-six cents came enmeshed in the great Beaubien sary to cut trail from the destroyed the previous director, Skip Juncker, had a gallon, which the locals told us was traffic jam in the mud. We were able to creek bed at Abreu, over the Rimrock passed away unexpectedly from a heart because of the high cost of transporting make Urraca Creek without incident, on our neighbor’s ranch, to the east to attack the previous winter. The new it to Cimarron. but as Mr. Clemmons went into the Rimrock Lake, around the peak (then director was a man with a hearty hand- The night before we spread out to creek, he and Mr. Towner were swept known as Red Mountain), and into the shake named Joe Davis. I also helped our camps, we had a full staff dinner at down against some rocks and we had Apache Springs Valley. It sounded great the camp quartermaster, John Manor, the dining hall with a speech given by to get a rope and get them out. Paul at first, but as we progressed to Rim- restock the building down by the polo the National Director of Camping, Wil- Gold lost one of his rings in the creek rock Lake, we found out that the green field. He and I became good friends, liam Wadsworth, on that year’s slogan, at that time. I will not go into the rest meadows, spotted from below, were after I told him about a large mule deer “Follow The Rugged Road.” If we had of this trip, as I have written of it in a actually large patches of shinnery oak buck that I spotted down by Webster only known. separate story in this issue (see page that cut your legs constantly. The trail Reservoir. He swore me to secrecy in After breakfast, June 13, we joined 20). was haphazard at best and the rim was that matter. the convoy to our camp in the South After the flood we assumed several almost straight up. And if that was not As staff arrived, we went to meet- Country. Leading was Mr. Clemmons cleanup duties around camp, and took enough, Rimrock Lake, which was to ings and were introduced to our fellow and Duke Towner in an old red army a group back to Fish Camp to assess be our water supply, was full of insect staff members. I was in the program jeep. Following was our staff in a 1965 damages. Finally it was decided to larvae, to the extent that when we took department teaching fly-tying and Dodge Power Wagon window van, open up a new camp at a place called our neckerchiefs to strain it we got one fishing, learned as a result of summers driven by Mr. Wadsworth, and several Apache Springs. We were outfitted cup of larvae for each cup of water. We spent with my uncles in the Creede, assorted other vehicles that later be- with packs and the equipment neces- boiled it and left the next morning for

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 50 subsequent accounts subsequent accounts 51 years later

Apache Springs camp in 1965.

Red Mountain. When we reached it, we torola radio and battery for temporary found out the severity of the previous connections and they conveyed their winter, as we had twenty foot snow concern, but no food – of which we had drifts on the side going into our new already very little. We conveyed back camp. We then found the meadow that there was a nice looking calf that that was to be our home, only to find would furnish our needs if we got no out that it was the home also to a wild food by two days hence. The next day cranberry marsh and the fourteen, yes Boss Sanchez showed up with food and fourteen, bears that were using it as a sundries packed on the back of burros. resort. We set up our pup tent shelters The Ranch was able to open a road later and hoped for the best, only to have a from the Colin Neblett State Wildlife hail storm pop up with quarter sized Area, across the McDaniel Ranch, and hailstones. finally to us. We were to be met at Apache by The first group that was sent to us a supply truck with permanent tents, by way of the Rimrock was a disaster. food, and cooking gear. However, The Ranger fell off the cliff and broke unknown to us at the time, the same his arm and the group was turned storm that hammered us at Fish Camp back. The trail was later repaired from had spawned a tornado that had de- Bear Creek and we were able to get in stroyed all of the roads to Apache that several groups before the end of the were on the Ranch. A new resource to camping season. help Joe Davis, Jack Rhea, had arrived This is just one story from Apache, on the Ranch after the flood, and he but there are many more: The rustler, was helping to find us a solution. We the moonlight badger attack, the schol- were told to start chopping trees on arship group from Philly that had never the road to Buck Creek to help open seen a cow, the pink thunderbird… up the road. We had carried a Mo-

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 52 subsequent accounts years later 53 Flood of ‘65 provides Trail Crew decided to push on in the night before back surgery sidelined me and sent me Experience in ‘78 our scheduled arrival. We went boul- off on a different path. The adventures der hopping down the canyon along in Rayado Canyon still haunt my life by Joe Gallagher I felt in the presence of greatness as I the river under the light of the moon, every day. I wasn’t there for the great shook his hand and talked about the and came in the back way to base flood of 65, but it had a profound im- I got my start at Philmont because of work we had done. He was very inter- camp. Of course we were not expected, pact on my life. Although I wanna go the Rayado flood of 1965 – at the 1977 ested in all of us and our work on the and had to make arrangements to sleep back, I never really left. National Jamboree. trail. As a kid from the Motor City, I in tent city. Joe Gallagher (80-81) I was walking the Midway when I thought it was cool that he came riding That trail crew experience led me to discovered there was a program called around the bend on his horse. learn more about Aldo Leopold, John Ed. Note: After Trail Crew and Ranger- Trail Crew where I could sign up for a I remember waking up one morning Muir and heroes of the West . I was ing, Joe spent 19 years as a camp tramp Philmont Trek as part of a provisional when a bear stomped on my tent right inspired to earn degrees in Natural at Camp Tapico (or as Joe advises, “God crew. In return for two weeks of con- next to my head, and then watching Resources and Water Quality Manage- lives at Philmont, but he vacations at servation work I would be able to take him amble up the side of the moun- ment from Lake Superior State and Camp Tapico”) while earning a variety of a trek. In 1978 I went to Philmont on tain away from the steaming scat. We Michigan State. My evaluation earned degrees at several universities. He is now the Trail Crew program. It was a new were in between New Abreu and Fish me a “highly recommended” for staff semi-retired, living in Sault Sainte Marie experience in every respect, beginning Camp and spent evenings at each. The employment, and in 1979 I applied in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (“It’s not with the train ride from Michigan, root beer at the Abreu Cantina is still and was accepted on the Ranger staff the end of the world, but you can see it from where my luggage went to Philmont, the best I ever had, “made from clear where I worked the summers of 1980 here.”). He rides his bike every day of the New York and I was left with just the mountain water.” While there I was and 1981. I think I’d still be there but year as a reformed transportation planner. clothes on my back. I was given items exposed to a world of musical tastes from lost and found to use until my that stayed with me, especially Jean The Expedition that Changed Trail Food gear arrived. Luc Ponty’s electric jazz violin on Imag- Our trail crew worked in Rayado inary Voyage. I loved Fish Camp. It is at Philmont - 1965 Summer Season Canyon rebuilding the canyon trail still a happy place, with all the history which had been washed out in the and stories of Waite Phillips and the era by Donald R. Wilson and was an avid Philmont booster. Flood of ‘65. We built the new Ridge of Prohibition. I learned fly tying and Unfortunately, the Scout Executive Trail. Our crew worked hard, starting how to fish a mountain stream. The photograph of Expedition 820 E in Marin was a huge supporter of each day bushwhacking up the side We took side hikes on our day off has several memories about Philmont camping and backpacking in the High of the mountain to catch the trail line. to Apache Springs and to Trail Peak, for me and the summer of 1965. These Sierras. However, he agreed if I met We eventually linked up the two trails while the rest of the gang was loung- Scouts, Explorers and leaders were all of my Miwok District goals in 1964 which had steadily been advancing ing in the canyon. As a Trail Crew we from the Marin County Council (San that I could attempt to put together “a toward each other. We camped in the got to plan our own itinerary and we Rafael, CA). I am the guy in the second small trek to New Mexico.” I made my canyon, which is now a natural area went north to south and stopped at all row seated, second from the right. district goals and received his blessing where no camping is allowed, and we points in-between. When we came to Marin County had never sent Scouts for a 1965 Philmont Expedition. bathed in the river, which is also taboo a staffed camp we were given special to Philmont. We were originally sched- Well, the proof was in the pudding, today. treatment and allowed to get fresh Our two crews connected the Ridge fruit and canned goods, as much as we uled to be a 620 Expedition but the 1965 as you can see by the photo. We did Trail and we worked at clearing the wanted to carry. Rayado Flood changed that at the last vigorous promotion, ending up with trail before it was finished in detail On our trek we did a lot of mead- minute. 26 youth and 4 adult leaders divided by other crews. When we connected ow crashes where we threw out our I become an Assistant District Ex- into three crews (note: This was years ahead of schedule, it was a big deal. ground cloths and foam pads and slept ecutive on the Marin professional staff before the mandatory “two adult” Chope Phillips was called and he came under the stars. Concluding our trek in December of 1963. I had been on the policy and BSA Youth Protection guide- over to inspect the work and thank us. we were a night out of base camp and Philmont seasonal staff for six summers lines). As the fourth adult, I was the

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 54 years later years later 55 the menus need fixing, come back next trail food left for dinner that night or to summer as the seasonal central com- get us to Ponil. So two crew members missary manager.” I did, but couldn’t and I made a tough trip to Ponil and really fix a lot of things because the back with enough trail meals to see us systems were not broken – they through the balance of our itinerary. didn’t exist! There was a great need to Thus ensued one of those times when improve menu ingredients, packag- change is made when you least expect ing, inventory control and distribution change. I had only met Joe Davis, Di- throughout the Ranch and existing 17 rector of Camping at Philmont, on two commissaries. occasions – once in the spring of 1965 at Some of my former Ranger back- a Philmont Rally & Promotion meet- pack buddies and I would experi- ing in the San Francisco Bay Area, and ment on days off backpacking with August 20, 1965 at the leaders’ meeting freeze-dried food items from Swift & at Camping HQ and later that morning Company, Oregon Freeze Dried and over a cup of coffee at his office. Don Wilson’s Expedition in the Summer of 1965. Don is in the second row seated, second from Rich-Moor Corporation. Unfortunately, Joe, who was just completing his first the right. they were not put into the Philmont summer, said to me, “Don, I know of menus until a later juncture. your reputation as a summer staffer contingent coordinator and the floating I got to hate the Gumpert and Chuck Fast forward, I have finally returned from Jack Rhea and others. Plan to drop second leader if needed. Wagon trail meals – not so much due to to God’s Country hiking the trails with by when you get off the trail and share The original trip was to include a quality but because of repetition. my other three Marin crew advisors in your thoughts with me. How are we helicopter ride from San Rafael to San You see, we would get Menu # 1 the late summer of 1965. I spent two doing this summer?” Francisco International Airport (SFO), first day on the trail, Menu # 2 second to three nights with each crew. First Big mistake. a quick flight to Los Angeles Interna- day, etc. This repeated itself for the 11 south, then central and finally the north That morning, fresh off the trail, I tional Airport (LAX), a bus trip across expeditions I had during the summer. country. We had left Harlan, hiking had a list of observations about many LA to Union Train Station and then an I detested Meatballs with Spaghetti by to New Dean (one night at Dean) with things that I thought needed fixing, and overnight ride on the Santa Fe Railroad the end of the season! an overnight stop at Pueblano the next Joe opened the door. From trail food to Raton for transfer to the Ranch. I worked at Fish Camp (then called day, then took the Skyline Trail into (or lack of it) at our New Dean pick – Needless to say with only 2-3 days Rayado) in 1959 as a program counsel- Ponil for our final night and pick-up up camp to HQ tent city tents and cots notice because of the flood it was a Her- or, program counselor at Cimarroncito the next morning. stacked in the dining hall giving the culean feat by the council staff to cancel in 1960 and CD at Porcupine in 1961. We were hiking into New Dean via impression that Philmont was really and rebook our travel plans for the late The backcountry staff provisions were some switchbacks where you could closed for the season when we arrived August time slot but they did it. The terrible. We wasted a lot of food be- look down and see the windmill, stock back at Camping Headquarters from only changes to our travel were that the cause we had commissary deliveries of tank and commissary building. It was Ponil, and more. chopper flight could not be rescheduled larger perishable portions than neces- about 2:30 in the afternoon. What I saw Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets and due to the Watts Riots we had an sary and were often missing ingredi- was what appeared to be not only the oiled. I was hired on February 1, 1967 LA County Deputy Sheriff onboard our ents on most deliveries. camp staff loading into a Ranch carry- to become the Director of Commis- shuttle bus (with shotguns) taking our I complained at every Camp Direc- all but also a fully loaded commissary sary and Trading Post (later changed expedition to Union Station. tors’ meeting about the trail food meals truck with their gear and equipment to Purchasing Agent, and still later to And now, the story about how our (Porcupine was a commissary camp) heading down the camp road. When Business Services Director). expedition that summer changed trail as well as backcountry staff feeding. At we finally arrived at the camp 20 min- I loved being a camper, seasonal food at Philmont. I had been a Ranger the end of the summer , Jack Rhea, then utes later my worst fear was realized. staffer, expedition leader for my sons in 1958 when you backpacked for four Director of Camping, called me into his New Dean was closed for the 1965 sea- and others and the five years that we nights and five days with your crew. office and said , “Wilson , if you think son with no staff, no program and NO lived and I worked at Philmont on the

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 56 years later years later 57 permanent staff. A number of things tain House (OFD), Rich-Moor Corpora- It Was a BEAR of a Summer got fixed or almost fixed during my tion and Trail Chef beginning in 1967. by Ned Gold plenty of food - something very impor- professional years at the Ranch and that So did the removal of all glass and cans tant to me! So we readied the camp was due to some incredible support in all trail meals. Warning: Do not try the activities and told old Philmont stories as we and seasonal staff – Frank Arnold, Rog- • Bid specifications developed for er Smith, Jim Foster, Charlie Arguello, dining hall, backcountry staff and trail described in this article at home or any- waited for someone - anyone - to get to Rey Berquist and Elmer Vigil to name a menus as well as blind product review where else especially at Philmont--because us. few. of food products by a neutral panel. you might be left barely standing. Most of A few days after things returned to Magic Mountains, by former Gener- • Thinking “Inside the Box,” develop- what is described is now (and has probably semi-normal, the first campers began al Manager, Minor Huffman and Carry ing specifications for trail food boxes always been) verboten at Philmont. to arrive. Along with the first camp- On! The Life Adventures of Joe Davis, sturdy enough to sit seven high on a Cimarroncito 1965. I was Camp ers came a rush of BEARS - more bears by James E. Sundergill detail a num- pallet at the central commissary or Director. It was my last year on the than any of us on the Cito staff had ber of changes and improvements in five high on a commissary truck or Philmont staff. We had about 15 staff seen during all our staff years. I don’t the Philmont Food Service Operations mountain commissary. members. The summer got off to a know why these bears were suddenly including cafeteria, staffed camps and • Philmont becoming a business very bad start with The Great Flood bearing down on us. Maybe it was the trail food. A number of letters by Ray member of the National Restaurant of ’65. It was a bear of a flood! A few flood. Some speculated that it had been H. Bryan, Philmont General Manager Association and regional member of the days after the flood, things were pretty a dry winter in the High Country, and also mentioned many improvements New Mexico Restaurant Association nice because we were isolated, didn’t they were barely surviving so they trav- from 1962 to 1971 during his tenure. allowing access to best methods in food know what the rest of the world was eled to lower altitudes. Others specu- Some random observations by the service products as well as production doing – and didn’t really care. We had lated that they were washed down out above three Professional Scouters are as equipment and design. follows: Finally, the best two axioms used • Initial Distribution Center (IDC) set during my tenure at Philmont by our up at Camping HQ in 1968 guarantee- staff were as follows: The first, from ing that all expeditions would draw the National Restaurant Association, their correct menu numbers prior to was “We are Glad you are Here,” departing for the backcountry . and the second, coined by American • Reducing the number of Telephone & Telegraph, stated “For Backcountry Commissaries from 17 Customer Satisfaction Take Immediate to 5 (later increased to 7) in order to Action.” improve logistical distribution and So the summer of 1965, despite the inventory control. This was dubbed negative consequences of the flood, had the “Funnel Concept “or geographic other perspectives that were positive locations where all or most expeditions for the Scouts, leaders and staff at the would pass through or be near for food Philmont Scout Ranch. pick up during their expedition. • Questioning whether all commissar- Ed. Note: In addition to his professional ies needed to be at a staffed camp – and service to Scouting, Don Wilson also served therefore Porky-Ado Junction (now in a volunteer role as an early President of called Phillips Junction) and Ute Gulch the Philmont Staff Association. were later built. • The testing and introduction of A Philmont bear getting into a Dutch oven in back of the Cito lodge. The bear’s nose took the picture freeze-dried foods produced by Moun- via an electrical connection. photo by Jim Ellis

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 58 years later years later 59 “Shoot’ em and hide their carcass- some peace. Why don’t we have the es.” campers gather in front of the commis- “Rope ‘em and tie them to a tree.” sary with their cameras and tell them to “Lure them with honey and tree ‘em stand very quietly? We’ll bait the bears somewhere in Hidden Valley.” by putting honey or something sweet Byron Berger, a first year staffer, on the trash can lids. We’ll tell the who was (and still is) a genius nature campers to get their cameras aimed and instructor, now called an environmental ready when they hear the bears bearing educator, suggested in his submissive toward the trash cans. Then just as the manner that we “turn the bears into bears start to get into the trash cans, I’ll a program.” (Byron now teaches at a scream “NOW!” Then the campers will community college in Canton, Ohio take their pictures with their flashes and is a world adventurer.) and the flashes will scare the bears off. “Yah, sure Byron–how you gonna So the campers keep quiet, they get do that?” was the reply. their picture, the bears tear off into the Byron sat there pensively. “Got an night and the staff gets some evening idea,” he piped. “The bears seem to be peace.” bearing down on us at about 8 or 9 at “Yah sure, Byron. Ya’ really think night while campers are still up. This that’s going to work?” is about the time we really want the “Well do you have any better ideas? campers to calm down and start head- Let’s try it,” Byron replied, shot down ing to their tents so the staff can have but not out. Reluctantly, I gave my consent (but didn’t tell HQ). Back of the gateway at Cimarroncito in 1965. photo by Jim Ellis And so began the experiment. To the amazement of all of us, it worked! of the High Country by the hard rains what the bears had devoured from the And we continued this for the rest of that caused the flood, bearing unfore- chuck boxes. And bears were getting the summer. Nearly every night (ex- seen troubles for us. Whatever it was, into campers’ packs putting the camp- cept the rainy ones) it was almost as if they were all over the place. And one ers on the run. You know the picture. we had hired the bears as actors. And thing was for sure: they had a field day In those years, we didn’t use bear bags they were just as temperamental as ac- with the trash cans at Cimarroncito. We and cables in trees–mostly usable for tors. must have had ten trash cans sitting the sport of bear tight rope walking as Sometime between 8:30 pm and outside the commissary (now used as well as hanging advisors when the bag 9:00 pm almost every night the bears a climbing gym). Every night: BANG, ropes get all tangled up. would wander toward the trash cans. BAM, BANG, ROLL BANG! Garbage Calls to HQ to get some bear traps The campers were lined up with their and cans were all over the place with did not help at all because they were cameras on the commissary porch. lots to clean up. In those days Cito had still too occupied with straightening up The staff member, usually Byron, big green wooden boxes called “chuck after the flood. So one day I called a would carefully estimate the moment boxes” at each campsite for the crew’s meeting of the staff. to scream, “Now!” And as he did, the food, thus providing a great cache of “Any ideas as to how we can con- flashes would go off very quickly but bear food. So every morning we were trol this unbearable problem?” Lots of A bear menacing Ned Gold. The photo was taken at night on the trail to Steamboat which they not all in unison. The flashes caused passing out more food to make up for ideas were thrown around. called “Hogback Ridge..”

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 60 years later years later 61 the bears to rear into the air, back looked at us. We stopped and looked nor had she ever seen mountains. And down, and then charge off out of camp. at it. But before Byron could get the she was not impressed with the west or It gave the appearance of bears dancing picture, the bear turned and began the mountains (which is the big reason in strobe lights. Really neat! moving farther up the mountain. We I wound up practicing law in her home- Our bear program got the attention followed. (Another dumb move!) The town of Warren, Ohio, instead of my of “News and Information.” And so bear stopped, turned toward us, sat on hometown of Santa Fe – for the love of one evening, Mark Clayton, an N&I its haunches, and gave us a menacing a woman). But she was impressed with photographer and writer, came to Cito stare. Now was the chance. With my the idea of seeing a bear. The tempera- to take pictures of our bear affair. We hands on my hips, I turned toward mental bears weren’t cooperating with wandered with him, looking for bears. Byron and screamed, their expected scheduled appearance We went up on the side of Hogback “Byron, take the picture--fast!” that night. But then we got word of a Ridge (now called “Steamboat”) where Byron snapped it and we had our bear bear cub up in a tree in a camp site. So he got a great picture of my back end as shot. About two seconds later, the bear, we quickly headed toward the location. I stared warily at a bear in the back- surely figuring he had had enough of In those years we used a very potent ground. our intrusion into his world, decided dishwashing soap call “Tetrox.” (I’m Then Mark had an idea. He wanted to rid himself of us and began moving sure Tetrox has by now been banned by to get a picture of a bear up close and toward us. Getting an inspiration of the FDA, the DEA, the CIA, the FBI and personal (but not too personal) attack- intelligence (about time!), Byron and Homeland Security) It was mean! If ing a Dutch oven. So he came back a Ned Gold with a bear sitting on his haunches in I started quickly in retreat down the you left any Tetrox on your dishes, you few nights later with some extra equip- the background. mountain, leaving Brownie behind. were going to be in trouble at your next ment. We loaded a large Dutch oven dining room. I’ve tried to find it since Not that we could outrun him and not meal -- fast. It caused the aptly named with honey, sugar and other bear bait. the motel closed, but can’t. Then I saw that he wanted to outrun us. He just “Tetrox trots.” Campers sometimes We put the oven on a rock outside the a painted version of the picture in a wanted us out of his territory. NO used Tetrox in a mixture with bear bait Cito HQ bathroom where Mark set his now closed Cimarron art gallery. PROBLEM! food known as “a Tetrox Pie.” Little camera aimed at the Dutch oven. We Not satisfied with the rear end shot A few weeks later my fiancée, Caro- Brownie became the unwitting vic- ran an electric trip wire and attached of me with a bear, I decided I needed lyn, arrived. She had never been west tim of a Tetrox Pie. And so once he it to the oven. The trap was set for the one facing the camera with the bear scrambled up a tree, the bear to take his (her?) own picture just in the background. I kept looking for pie got to him. By the by touching his nose to the oven. We the opportunity. And one afternoon, time Carolyn and I got got out of the way hoping our trap it happened. A bear wandered toward to the campsite, Little would work. Within an hour, a very the back of the Cito staff cabins. Byron Brownie was feebly bay- large bear strolled up to the oven, came charging into HQ with his cam- ing (if that is what little sniffed at it, and touched its nose to era. bears do) a very sickly it and – Voilà! We had our picture. It “Ned, we’ve got the chance to get a noise while draped over was what we now call a “selfie.” (Mark picture of you with a bear! Follow me!” a branch. Every so many went on to become the Public Relations he said. minutes we could hear a Director for the World Scout Bureau in I dropped what I was doing and ran “plop” on the ground. Geneva, Switzerland and, now retired, with Byron. The bear was still there. Carolyn felt very still lives in Geneva.) As soon as it saw us, it began ambling sorry for the little guy Years later, I saw an enlarged ver- up the mountain. We followed. (That and accused us of ani- The French Henry CD with lassoed bear. sion of the picture in the Kit Carson Inn was a dumb move!) It stopped and mal cruelty. But for us,

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 62 years later years later 63 it was all part of the war on bears we fond of holding onto the rope with the waged at Cito all summer long. I’m bear on the other end, he screamed for sure all long-tenured summer staff have his (actually brilliant) CD who came at one time or another waged the same running to the rescue – until he saw war. And wasn’t it fun? why Byron was screaming. He quickly surveyed the situation, grabbed the Post Script rope from Byron, and found himself contemplating “What do you do with Byron went on to become program a bear on the end of a rope and you on staff at French Henry the first year it the other end?! Finally, he decided on was open as a staffed camp. He waged the only real course of action available. the bear war there along with his camp He had Byron get him a knife which director and other staff. But Byron he used to cut the rope as far toward carried it a little too far. He decided the bear as safely as possible. The bear, to lasso a bear. The problem was he now set free, scrambled into the forest couldn’t figure out what to do with a with the lasso still around his neck, lassoed bear. Imagine that! He sure barely escaping from his human cap- wasn’t going to go up to the bear and tor. Surely he must have been rather say “Hey dear bear; sorry I lassoed you. em-bear-assed when he met up with his After the flood, Fish Camp was so badly damaged it was abandoned for the season and the staff was Allow me to take it off from around fellow bears, lasso still around his neck. sent to open a planned future camp called Apache Springs. your neck before it strangles you.” The French Henry staff never saw Nah, that wouldn’t work. Maybe a bear “hanging” around camp with a and talked to the assistant to the Chief just tie it to a tree. Nah, you’d just have lasso around his neck. Presumably, the The Flood Scout Executive. I gave him a situa- a very angry bear hanging – maybe bear solved the problem himself. tion report and told him that Philmont literally – around camp. Maybe take it As you look at the picture of the At 7:30 Charlie Rosenfield picked me would be closed from June 18 to 25 and for a stroll in the forest like a dog on a lassoed bear, can you figure out who is up at my home and we drove to the to relay this information to the twelve leash… on the other end? Hint: an iconic very reservoir. My heart sank; the dam had regional executives. For those councils While Byron borders on the brilliant well-known former staffer. Send us disappeared and the reservoir was that had crews due to arrive between side, sometimes he is not so brilliant. your guesses. Answer will appear in filled with large boulders, tree stumps the dates 18 to 25, their councils should This was one of those times. Not really the next High Country. and other debris. I thought we were get in touch with them and divert them finished for the season. Taciturn Charlie to other locations, primarily council hadn’t spoken a word. We walked camps in New Mexico and Arizona. Carry On! downstream about twenty yards, he Clarence Dunn, Chief Ranger, hunkered down, looked up at the filtra- organized his Rangers, then numbering by Joe Davis many accomplishments, but perhaps none tion plant, about 2,000 yards up the about sixty-five, into four groups. They moreso than his leadership in the flood of mountain, and finally he said, “Give were instructed to go into the flooded Editor’s Note: The story below is excerpted 1965, only two months after he started at me a week and I’ll have it in opera- area, clear the existing trails, report on from the biography of Joe Davis, consist- Philmont, and his opening of the Rangers tion.” trails completely washed away and ing of stories and remembrances catalogued to women in 1972. Prolific Philmont writer He said it with such conviction hazardous areas to be avoided. Also and recorded by his niece, Linda Sundergill, and former PSA national director Bill Cass and finality that when I returned to they were to build new trails to connect and her husband, Jim. Joe is remembered for served as editor for the Davis biography. the office, I immediately called the portions that had disappeared. This national office (then in New Jersey) information was radioed to Control.

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 64 years later years later 65 Paul Felty, Director of Control, sat at his I asked Phil to start that camp. The The Story of a 1965 Ranger station immediately following breakfast next morning he and his staff hiked up until supper. Lunch was brought to the Rayado to Apache Springs. Gene by Bruce Embury edge of the road maybe 10 feet below him at noon. On the map of Philmont, Pompeo and one helper were already us, and spread to the canyon wall on he sketched in the reports from the there constructing the staff kitchen The summer of 1965 was my first year the other side. It was wide and very Rangers. and dining facility. They connected the on the staff at Philmont and I was muddy. While hiking out, every now Bill Wadsworth, National Director stove, the refrigerator and helped the a Ranger. It was also the year of the and then, we would hear the sound of of High Adventure, came to Philmont camp staff erect the large Indian teepee flood. This is the way I remember what a very large, heavy rock breaking off each June to train the Rangers in the lat- that was to serve as the sweat lodge. I went through during that major event the canyon walls. We would stop and est techniques of hiking, backpacking Phil Yunker and his staff then busied that devastated roads and bridges from see if we were in danger, then start and camping. He and Buzz Clemmons, themselves preparing the program and Albuquerque to Denver. up again. Some of the ‘rocks’ were the my staff associate, took a large segment the camp for the incoming backpackers. We were going through Ranger size between modern day Suburbans of the headquarters staff into Cimar- To their credit they provided a great training at Ponil. Each training group and small cabins. I remember noticing ron to help clean up the mess from the program through the summer. was in its own campsite that had wall large blocks next to the road which had flood. They were hard hit. By June 25, Philmont had recov- tents on wooden platforms. Several come off the canyon walls years before. Phil Yunker [Fish Camp CD] and ered from the flood and was ready to days into training it rained and the If I remember correctly it was slightly his staff spent the day following the receive campers. It was a wonderful creek came up – no big deal. The only raining as we went out and we were flood at Camping Headquarters. It was demonstration of the hard work, skill inconvenience was the wall tents wearing ponchos at the time. obvious that Fish Camp would have and cooperation by the Philmont staff, leaked along the ridge poles. The creek When we got to Six Mile Gate the to be abandoned for the season. On the year-round employees, especially went back down. The next day we were buses were waiting for us. We slipped the drawing board there were plans Charlie Rosenfield and his crew, and supposed to go on an overnighter to and slid our way to the highway and for a future camp at Apache Springs my staff associates. Indian Writings. Some of the training came to a stop just before the bridge delivering a program on Indian lore. Rangers checked the trail to IW and just north of Cimarron. The water was decided it was too wet for all of us to just below the bottom of the bridge and go over without serious damage to the there was a concern the bridge was not trail . We were sent up to Bent to do safe to cross. After it was decided it was the overnighter. While setting up camp safe, we went through Cimarron and and other things, word came to pack were nearing the buffalo pasture when up all of our gear and report as soon we had to stop again. There was a river as possible to the dining hall. When flowing through the buffalo pasture. we were all gathered we were told that It was about 6 inches deep and fifty to there was considerable flooding over a hundred feet or so wide. One of the the entire area and we would need to commissary drivers (I think his name walk out. They did not know how far was Bob) came by in his small sports the buses could get, so we were to hike car (a triumph maybe) and decided until we got to them. This was early he could get through. Well, he got out afternoon, I think, and the creek was of the car pretty fast as it was rapidly rising. The Ranger crews were spaced going down stream. The car was found out – I don’t remember how far, but we later several miles down stream. I don’t could see the crew in front and in back. remember how long we waited, but we The 1965 Training Center Staff. PTC was the only Philmont program to remain open following the flood, but even it had to make program adjustments. photo by Keith Vandiver The Ponil road is fairly elevated above finally got to camping headquarters. Ponil Creek. The water was next to the The decision was to break the Rang-

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 66 years later years later 67 ers up into small crews and have them ’65 we were killing a dozen mosquitoes to four feet above our heads. At one are boulders strewn near the river that check all the trails on the Ranch. I can’t in a single swat. spot where the canyon was quite nar- were put there in 1965. Zastro had remember if there were 3 or 4 on my Our crew didn’t see any other real row we saw a Ponderosa wedged hori- all the tents up for the Wood Badge crew. We were dropped off at the Cito damage until we got to Fish Camp. zontally between the two canyon walls. courses. There were tents covered with Hunting Lodge. Our first task was to I saw Fish Camp in 1961 when I was This tree was way above our heads. sand, bent and broken tent poles, and ford the creek which had washed out a camper: it had beautiful, grassy There had been a huge amount of water equipment scattered all over. the bridge on the commissary road to meadows that went from the edge of going through that valley. Pieces of one When we got back to camping Cypher’s Mine. The creek was flowing the forest to the river cut, which was of the cabins from Fish Camp that had headquarters there were signs that said enough that we weren’t sure whether if not all that wide. The view from the been washed away could be seen every to not drink the water. The Phillips res- it was safe to ford or not. One of us got main lodge porch was spectacular. This now and then. Just above Old Abreu ervoir, just upstream of Rocky Moun- across and our crew leader decided to was all gone and replaced with erosion everything had been eroded down to tain Scout Camp, had been completely throw his pack across. It’s a good thing and barren gravel. The staff let us use bare rock. It looked like an expressway silted in. The state of New Mexico we had someone on the other side since one of the original buildings to sleep tilted at a 30 degree angle sideways didn’t give permission to bulldoze the the pack didn’t make it all the way and in. The floor of this building had been with water running down it. The camp dam until after 1991. It had become a started floating down stream. The per- underwater and the floor boards had sites at Abreu and Zastro were littered willow pond infested with mosquitos. son got one foot in the creek and was swelled so much that two of them were with large boulders and everything able to save the pack. We were to check pushed up like a pup tent. The staff was covered in sand. Even today there the southern route to Cypher’s Mine. told us their story. They were riding out Another crew checked the northern the storm in the main lodge when one route. The southern route followed the of them heard something in the kitchen Trapped at New Dean and Formation of commissary road into Cypher’s. Other and went to see what it was. He opened the Trail Crew than the bridge being gone, the trail the door to the kitchen only to see was fine. This road was abandoned rushing water. The kitchen was gone by Jim Leach the roads to clear. Except by two-way after the flood. We spent the night in an and the water was close to flooding the radio, no one could get to us. Adirondack shelter that night and ate lodge. The staff evacuated to the hill After our Explorer Post trek in 1964, I I was also in charge of commis- with the staff. side behind the cabin and rode out the came back to Philmont as a first time sary, and New Dean was a major food The second day we went to Coman- storm there. staffer in 1965, working the orienteer- pick up for all groups. All the food che Pass, through Red Hills, Porcupine, On day three we checked the trail ing program at New Dean, which was was inventoried and neatly organized and to Fish Camp. Just before Red to Abreu. As a camper I had hiked this the only staffed camp in Dean Canyon. by different breakfasts, lunches, and Hills we saw where wind had come trail in the opposite direction. It was Our Camp Director was Richard Sundt dinners, numbers of each, allocation through Comanche Pass and vortexed brutal. It followed the stream bed. We from Ohio. That was the summer of per group, pick up date, etc. With our as it came out. It looked like we were lost count of the number of stream the floods, when the governor declared supply lines cut off, this system quickly going though the results of a giant crossings, but it was over 25 by my northeastern New Mexico a disaster deteriorated. Whatever food we had game of pick-em-up sticks. There were recollection. At one spot we crossed area. When the flood waters rose and we rationed with the groups regardless trees scattered everywhere. We were the trail to climb a steep slope for 25 bridges washed out, New Dean was cut of their schedule. Some groups helped trying to follow the trail but had to go feet and then went back down just as off from the world and for weeks only out with left over food from previous under, over, and around all these trees. quickly only to cross the stream once campers came and went. Commissary camps. Eventually when our inven- In 1987 or so I went back and they were more. That made two crossings in less trucks and bulldozers got stuck com- tory of camper’s food ran out, we gave still there, although the trail had been than 50 feet. We left Fish Camp looking ing around the mountain from Ponil away every bit of our staff food. (All of cleared and there were more bugs from for the trail. Every now and then we or trying to negotiate Turkey Canyon. it!) Many groups were relieved to move the slowly decaying trees. Although, in could see a cut where the trail was two Trucks stacked up in Ponil waiting for on, but more were just arriving. Via

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 68 years later years later 69 transported to Fish Camp, the scene 130 miles in them there hills. They had of catastrophic devastation after the so much fun and enjoyed immensely 1965 floods. The canyon trail to Abreu seeing the Ranch, participating in was almost nonexistent. Our job was programs, mountain climbing, rough- to build a new trail from Fish Camp to ing it etc. Their trek started at Ponil, Abreu along the south canyon wall. Jim where they struck out immediately Slover’s crew was building the same for Pueblano over Wilson Mesa. Then trail from Abreu to Fish Camp, hoping hiked on to French Henry and Copper to meet us somewhere in between, and Park, Baldy Mountain, Touch Me Not, Steve’s crew went somewhere north Miranda, a long hike into The Bench, around Red Hills. Sawmill, over Phillips to Clear Creek, Taking turns, our approach to the Apache Springs, Beaubien, dry camp task was to leave one behind each day on Bear Mountain, and hiked in to HQ to clean up after breakfast so we could over the Tooth of Time. They worked hit the trail as early as possible. That hard and played hard, and it was my lucky soul also got to clean up camp, pleasure to be their foreman. Thank prepare lunches and bring them down you Mr. Davis for the chance to be part the trail to the crew, then return to of that new program. The rock slide that Jim and his crew had to deal with. photo by Jim Leach camp to gather firewood and cook sup- per. That gave us long full days to work ***** two-way radio the whole Ranch knew In 1970 Joe Davis had decided to on the trail and tired scouts at night. At PS - My PSA-6 trek this summer hiked of our desperate plight. Joe Davis and start a new Trail Crew Program and the work site we utilized the bump up over the upper Rayado Canyon trail in HQ staff promised that help was on the hired three foreman for the job. Jim method used by the U.S. Forest Service July and it looks amazing at 45 years old! way. Late one evening after dark dur- Slover, another staffer named Steve and in building fire lines. This crew, some Here is a pic of the rock slide that Jim and ing a thunder and lightning storm, help I were hired for the job. Our supervisor young and some older, was strong, his crew had to deal with. I remember him arrived. We were drinking coffee with was a guy named Max. During the first worked hard, and never complained. I talking about the many hours it took to fill the scoutmasters when a ruckus outside part of the summer there were trails wish I could remember all their names, in the rubble with dirt and smaller rocks. grabbed our attention. Rushing out we and unstaffed camps that needed to be Tracey, Bill, Craig... After 20 days we found a lone wrangler coming down mapped. After that task three crews of had worked every day except Sunday, Ed. Note: In the summer of 1965, Jim the mountain on horseback pulling five 10-12 Scouts each arrived at Philmont. and built the trail east from fish camp Leach was eighteen years old, a brand new burros loaded with food. That wrangler These crews were unable to afford a to a large rock outcropping. Slover’s high school graduate, on Philmont staff for was the hero for the week. Somehow Philmont experience. The plan was for crew was not in sight, but we had the first time. he alone managed to get his supply line them to build trails for 20 days and covered quite a distance across small over the Ponil Ridge at night during a then hike an alleged “normal” trek for creeks, rock slides, bedrock, mountain rain storm and saved New Dean. A few 10 days. springs, and dense forest and were days later trucks rolled in with a smil- My crew was composed of 10 ready for a break. Some asked how on ing Joe Davis. He had kept his promise. Explorer Scouts from the Denton, Texas earth were they able to build so much Oddly enough, several years later I area. One young man, Tracey, was their trail in 20 days. Simply put they were would return to the scene and devasta- crew leader and I was the trail crew organized and worked very hard. tion of the flood, but this time in Fish foreman. Although varying in size and This crew was acclimated, hard Camp as a trail crew foreman repairing stature they were all mature and eager and fit, and for the next 10 days hiked trails. to get to work. Our crew was quickly

Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 Volume 38, Special Issue— August 2015 70 years later years later 71