2026 Phil-A-Palooza Trek Training Program

Are you going on a backpacking trek at the Philmont Scout Ranch in the Summer of 2026? If you are going on a 7, 9, or 12 day trek in 2026, then you and your crew (all adults and all youth) are invited to the 2026 Philmont PHIL-A-PALOOZA Trek Training program hosted by our Longhorn Council Philmont Ambassadors on the weekend of Friday, February 20 through Sunday, February 22, 2026, at Sid Richardson Scout Ranch, Camp 9 Dining Hall. Bring your entire crew out to learn valuable skills the entire weekend and camp, hike. Use this weekend as one of your Shakedown campouts. This year we have incorporated Ranger Skills, including Philmont style cooking and cleaning methods Saturday night

At the PHIL-A-PALOOZA. The Ambassadors will go over topics to make your trek be the best that it can be!

The program will start Friday evening at 8:00 PM on February 20, 2026, inside the Camp 9 Dining Hall. And it ends Sunday, February 22, 2026 after your crew does a hike on the Sid Trail.

The program will cover:

YOUR FIRST 48 HOURS AT PHILMONT | FITNESS TRAINING | YOUR HEALTH AND THE HEALTH OF YOUR CREW | BEST PRACTICES | LESSONS LEARNED | SPECIAL DIET | (Saturday LUNCH and DINNER is included in your registration) | MAP STUDY/ UTM TRAINING | HYGIENE BREAKOUTS, ONE FOR MALES AND ONE FOR FEMALES | BREAKOUTS (Hands on gear) TO DISCUSS TENTS, SLEEP SYSTEMS, BACKPACKS, FOOTWEAR, CAMP STOVES, CAMP KITCHEN, CLOTHING AND GEAR | ITENARY TREK REVIEW ON THE PHILMONT MAP (LOGISTICS).

** And Ranger skills training by the staff, like setting up your campsite, bearmuda triangle, bear bag rope throwing practice, setting up actual Philmont Tents and Crew Flys, trail etiquette, pack lines. Practice Philmont style cooking Saturday night dinner (Saturday night meal is now included in registration). Practice cleaning of the dinner pots, bowls, spoons, etc. with our portable sumps. And a campfire program after dinner.**

The program will be conducted by our own Longhorn Council Philmont Ambassadors, Circle Ten Philmont Ambassadors, which includes current and past Philmont Staffers and Philmont Training Center Faculty. And this year we will have a min. of 2 current Philmont Camping Staffers joining us from Cimarron New Mexico.

When: February 20 – February 22, 2026

Where: Sid Richardson Scout Ranch, Camp 9 Dining Hall, Lake Bridgeport, TX.

Time: 8:00 pm CST Feb 20th – noon CST Feb 22nd

Lunch: Saturday Lunch will be provided.

Dinner: Saturday Dinner will be provided and will require each crew to cook it. With the guidance of the Phil-A-Palooza staff.

Cost: $30.00/ Adult, $30.00/ Youth in Council, $40.00/ Adult, $40.00/ Youth out of Council, $40.00/ Adult, $40.00/ Youth late registration after February 01, 2026.

What to Bring: Your backpack with all of your gear that you will be taking to Philmont, including a tent. Here is the link to the gear list: https://www.philmontscoutranch.org/resources/what-to-bring/for-crew-treks/

The full Philmont map sent to you by Philmont as a part of your information packet, and a copy of your trek itinerary (if you have it). If you don’t have all your gear yet, bring what you have,

We look forward to seeing you all on February 20th!

If you have any Comments, Questions or Concerns, please contact Scott McAllister at scottpsra@gmail.com or 214-418-5180.